Page 28 of Pieces Into Place

Olivia picks up a particularly disgruntled looking hermit crab and shows him off to her class. His green eyes bulge out of his shell while his mouth forms a tight line. He definitely does not want to deal with this shit today.

Their laughter fills the air as they make jokes about the “grumpy crab” held by Ms. Monroe. Then, she meets my gaze for a split second, looks back around her class and announces that his name is Kane. Kane the crab. A tiny smirk appears on my lips as I watch in amusement as the children burst into laughter at his new name.

We take a break around lunchtime and go outside to eat on the grass in front of the building. There’s a small play structure nearby for children to expend much needed energy before going back in for the remainder of the excursion.

I’m watching Olivia move from child to child, helping with juice boxes and snacks, when I hear a piercing scream coming from the playground area. Without hesitation, I take off running, my heart pounding in my chest.

When I arrive at the monkey bars, I see a small figure lying flat on his back, his face contorted in fear. Dropping down to my knees, I lean in close and ask softly, “Hey little man, can you try to breathe for me?” His eyes are wide with panic but he stares into my face and nods slowly.

I kneel beside him, taking in the redness of his face and the tears that are streaming down his cheeks. His small body shakes as he struggles to breathe. He looks up at me, his eyes filled with fear and pain. “Steven pushed me off the monkey bars,” he chokes out between sobs.

I cup a hand around his shoulder and gently squeeze in reassurance. “It’ll be okay,” I whisper softly.

Suddenly, Olivia and a few other adults rush over to us. She looks frantic as she asks, “What happened?”

“I think he got the wind knocked out of him,” I reply, studying Tyler’s face for signs of further injury. His breathing gradually slows and he manages to shake his head no when I ask if anything else hurts.

Tyler turns toward Olivia, sniffling and wiping away tears from his eyes. “Steven pushed me, Ms. Monroe,” he says quietly.

Olivia’s face softens into an expression of sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Tyler,” she murmurs apologetically. “I’m sure it was just an accident.”

Tyler shakes his head vehemently, protesting her assumption. “It wasn’t! He’s always picking on me!”

Gently, a parent guides him away with a hand on his shoulder toward the eating area. I stand and scan the area for Steven, my gaze intense with anger as I search for the perpetrator.

Olivia notices my action and laughs incredulously. “What are you doing, Kane?” Her eyes sparkle with amusement. She places her petite hand on my arm and looks up at me with those pretty blue eyes.

“I’m looking for Steven,” I answer flatly.

“You can’t be serious. They are only children,” she says gently.

I frown down at her and reply seriously, “I don’t like bullies.”

Her expression changes from amused to fondness as she gazes up at me, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I don’t either, but you can’t go around acting all menacing to a six-year-old,” she says softly, with a slight squeeze to my arm.

“Watch me,” I tell her firmly.

She releases a small puff of air on a chuckle and stands on her tiptoes to place a feather light kiss to my cheek before stepping back down and smiling softly. “Thank you for being here to protect all of us,” she says sweetly.

My heart skips a beat at the unexpected gesture and for a moment I forget all about my newfound feud with Steven. She pulls away and offers one last gentle smile before returning to her class.

Of all the things I expected to happen today, that was definitely the last.

Chapter fifteen

Olivia

Another week of anxiety-filled days and restless nights under Kane’s watchful eye drags on without respite. Every time I see him, I give him a cheerful wave, as if completely unaware of his hostile glare in return. Unbeknownst to him, it only eggs me on to enjoy myself more.

Saturday afternoon arrives, and I find myself trapped in my apartment with nothing to do. A desperate craving for fresh air plagues me. Could I leave the safety of my home unseen by Kane? Even something as simple as getting a cup of coffee seems impossible. Then I have an idea–what if I used food as a form of bribery? My mouth salivates at the thought of whipping up a savory dish or sweet dessert to offer him as a bribe.

As I slide the curtain aside, I can’t help but sigh at the sight of Kane across the street, ever vigilant. It’s like he never leaves his post, despite knowing that he must go occasionally to attend to his own needs. I wonder if he sleeps on that motorcycle or just manages to hold himself up indefinitely.

Desperate for a change in routine and some kind of break from Kane’s constant surveillance, I decide to make chocolate chip cookies. Surely, they are a classic treat everyone enjoys? I gather the ingredients and whip up the batter, carefully dropping spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet. As I wait for the oven to preheat, I scan outside but don’t see Kane.

It’s probably a bathroom break, I muse, making a mental note to tease him about it later. Anything to get a rise out of him especially when it comes to seeing those eyebrows pinch together with barely restrained anger.

Finally, the oven beeps its readiness. With a flick of my wrist, I slide the sheet inside and let them bake to golden perfection. Maybe this small gesture will be enough to earn me a chai latte and a brief respite from being under Kane’s surveillance.