Page 56 of Rain or Shine
"She did what?" I gasp, staring at him with wide eyes. "They didn't let her get him, did they?"
The thought of his ex getting that sweet little boy terrifies me.
"No," Tyler answers tersely. "Holloway came out since the school couldn't get me on the phone."
That makes me wonder if they actually tried hard enough to call him or any of his emergency contacts. Every student is required to have paperwork filed in the front office each year that has parents' contacts and at least two emergency contacts, along with those who are allowed to pick them up. Security in schools has tightened down over the years, but that doesn't mean things don't slide through the cracks every once in a while.
"Did the Sheriff say anything else?"
"Just that they're issuing an arrest warrant for her. She's going back to prison, but they have to find her first." Tyler takes the turn to the school.
How could she get away so quickly and have been able to stay under the radar as she has? It's baffling. I don't get it. Then again, I'm not a crazy bitch either.
Reaching over, I place my hand on Tyler's denim-clad thigh. "It's going to be okay. You'll see for yourself that Dash is safe."
"I'm thinking the school right now isn't the place for him to be," he grunts, slowing to the speed limit, which feels like a crawl. "I intended to talk to you about it after doing some research first, but what do you think about homeschooling him? With all the shit they're putting you through for no good reason, and now this, I want you to teach him at home. At least there, I know he's safe."
"You want to put him in homeschool?" I ask, making sure I heard him right.
"Yeah, I think he'd benefit from it."
There are a lot of pros and cons to homeschooling, but if you do it right, it can work out great for the student. The main thing is not letting them become so isolated they don't know how to socialize with others. That's one of the perks of schools, they get social interaction with kids their age. With homeschooling, you also don't have to worry about bullies either, though in my class I never tolerated it.
"If that's something you want to do, I would be willing to teach him. I was already questioning if I want to even go back. Maybe there are a few other families that need someone to help their children who are being homeschooled. I know there are programs around for kids to do to get them out into the community," I say, speaking out my thoughts.
Tyler takes my hand off his thigh, squeezes it briefly before letting go. He parks his truck and climbs out. "Come on, let's go get him," he says before closing his door.
I follow his movements as he rounds the hood and barely have my door open when he gets to it. Tyler easily lifts me out of the passenger seat and takes my hand in his.
I look at the school, then back to him. "Maybe I should stay out here."
Tyler takes my hand and gives it a tug. "I'm not hiding us. They have a problem with it, they'll have to get over it."
I nod and swallow nervously. "Okay."
Hand in hand, we walk into the school and straight to the office.
Lily looks up from her computer and frowns when she sees us together, though she quickly wipes the look away and gives Tyler one of concern. "Mr. Henderson,” she calls sweetly, “I've been trying to contact you."
"I'm taking my son home. Can you call him down?" he demands, ignoring her false concern, especially with the way his jaw ticks.
"Of course." Lily nods curtly and does as she's asked.
Without letting Tyler's hand go, I glance around the office, taking it in from a new perspective and not a place of work. It's not colorful like the last school I worked at. There are no works of art from the students on the walls, no words of inspiration. The more I think about it, the more I believe Dash could definitely do a lot better with homeschooling than here.
Mostly I think about the school's credentials. Each school in the state usually has to perform to a certain standard, and though Saddle Ridge Elementary is good, it's not among the best. I could help Dash do better than being here. I'll hate not having a full class of students, but if they want to shun me forthings that have nothing to do with them, then I'm better off without being here.
Five minutes or so pass before Dash is escorted into the office with a bright smile on his face.
"Daddy," he shouts, running into his dad's arms.
"Hey, kiddo," Tyler greets, letting my hand go to scoop his son up with such ease it brings a smile to my lips. There's no denying this man loves his son more than anything in this world. It's a comfort because I know he'll do the same for the two I carry within my body.
Dash turns his attention to me, that beautiful, innocent smile of his somehow grows even bigger. "Laney!"
"Hey, sweet boy," I say softly, reaching up to ruffle his dark hair. I love that he calls me Laney whenever he sees me. He heard Lexy and his dad call me that a few times at the house, and he took to doing it as well instead of calling me Miss Delaney, which was also fine since that's what I told my class to call me. Since we’re no longer in a classroom setting, Dash could drop the Miss all he wants.
Tyler sets him down, and Dash immediately grabs one of my hands, swinging it back and forth like we've done this a hundred times. Like it's the most natural thing in the world. Maybe to him it is. Kids are funny that way. They don't carry the same weight of judgment that adults do. They just feel what they feel and act on it without all the noise getting in the way.
