Chapter 7 - The School Pick-Up Line
Daniel did drop-off that morning instead of my mom. That had never happened before.
He drove Claire's old gray Subaru because his truck had a busted taillight he'd never gotten around to fixing, and he didn't want to get pulled over with me in the car. He had my backpack in the passenger footwell and my lunch in a brown paper bag instead of the blue lunchbox I always used. He'd put a juice box in there and two granola bars and an apple. I remember staring at that bag the whole ride to school because it meant Claire hadn't packed anything.
"You good?" he asked when we pulled into the elementary school loop.
I nodded. The drop-off line was backed up with minivans and moms leaning out windows. Mrs. Patel was out front with her orange vest and whistle.
"If anything feels weird today, you tell Mrs. Patel, okay? Or the office. You don't have to wait for me."
"I know," I said.
He reached back and squeezed my shoulder. His charcoal shirt from the party was gone, he was in a plain dark t-shirt now, but his sleeves were still pushed up the same way. "Pick-up's at three-ten. I'll be here. Not Mom. Me."
I got out and he waited until I was past the doors before he pulled away.
I couldn't concentrate all day. We did math and then reading groups and I kept looking at the clock. At recess I sat on the edge of the blacktop and watched the other kids play four square. My sneakers were still a little damp from the lake even after Daniel had stuffed them with newspaper. The red trim felt stiff.
At two forty-five Mrs. Patel had us pack up early because the air conditioning was making a weird noise. She wrote the spelling words on the board for tomorrow while we zipped our backpacks.
When the bell rang at three ten, we did the pick-up line the way we always did. Walkers went first, then bus riders, then car riders waited against the brick wall by the side door until our name was called over the radio. I heard "Cole, Ethan - car line" and walked out with my backpack hanging off one shoulder.
The line of cars stretched around the lot to Hickory Street. Parents stood outside their cars or waited with their blinkers on. I looked for the gray Subaru.
I didn't see it. I saw Richard's navy Audi.
He was leaning against the passenger door in his navy blazer even though it was warm out, like he'd come straight from work. He saw me and lifted a hand and smiled. That smile from the party, tight and practiced.
"Ethan! Hey, buddy," he called. "Your mom got stuck at an appointment. She sent me to grab you."
Mrs. Patel was at the cone with her clipboard. She looked over. Mr. Henderson, the principal, was two cars down helping a kindergartner.
I stopped at the edge of the sidewalk and didn't go closer to the Audi.
Richard walked toward me a few steps, hands in his pockets. "You had me worried the other night at the lake, you know that? We all were. Your mom just wants to make sure you're okay."
I didn't answer. My hands were tight on my backpack straps.
He crouched down a little so we were closer to eye level. "Listen, she asked me to ask you - do you know where Daniel put that little box? The wooden one from the grass? That's your grandma's, buddy. It belongs with your mom. You remember where he put it? Just tell me and we can sort it all out, no trouble."
The air smelled like hot asphalt and car exhaust and cut grass. I could hear the whistle from Mrs. Patel and a kid crying somewhere down the line.
I shook my head. "I don't know."
He kept smiling but his eyes didn't. "Come on, Ethan. You were with him the whole time. You must've seen. You can tell me. Claire's really upset about it."
I stared at my sneakers. "I don't want to talk about it."
Mrs. Patel must've heard my voice because she stepped away from the cone and walked over. She put a light hand on my back.
"Ethan? Is this your dad?" she asked, looking at Richard.
Richard straightened up and put his practiced smile back on for her. "Family friend. Claire Cole sent me. Mom had a dentist appointment, I'm helping with pickup."
Mrs. Patel glanced at her clipboard, then at me. "I have Daniel Cole listed as the pickup contact for today. Is that right, Ethan?"
I nodded fast. "Daniel's picking me up."
Richard let out a little laugh. "There must be some confusion. I talked to Claire twenty minutes ago. She said -"
"Let me just check with the office," Mrs. Patel cut in, her voice still pleasant but firmer. She pulled her radio up. "Mr. Henderson? Could you come to car line three for a second?"
Mr. Henderson came over, and Mrs. Patel quietly said something to him while looking at Richard. Richard's smile thinned. He took a step back toward his car.
"Ethan, why don't you wait inside the side door with Ms. Alvarez," Mrs. Patel said to me gently. "We'll get this sorted."
I went and stood just inside the glass doors where I could still see. Ms. Alvarez from the front office was already on the phone. I heard her say "Daniel Cole" and "pickup authorization."
Less than ten minutes later the gray Subaru pulled in too fast and parked half on the curb by the lot entrance. Daniel got out and didn't even close the door right. He was still in his work clothes, dust on his boots. He saw me through the glass first and his face eased, then he saw Richard by the Audi.
He walked straight across the lot. Mr. Henderson and Mrs. Patel moved to meet him halfway. I pushed the door open and went out.
"What's going on?" Daniel asked. He wasn't loud yet. He looked at me. "You okay?"
I nodded.
Richard held his hands up like everything was reasonable. "Daniel. Man, this is a misunderstanding. Claire asked me to pick him up, I was just -"
"No, she didn't," Daniel said. His voice carried now. A couple of moms in the line turned around. "Claire told the office this morning I'm the only pickup contact. Did she tell you to come ask my little brother about a box?"
Mrs. Patel stepped in slightly. "Sir, we need anyone picking up a student to be on the authorized list. Are you on Ethan's list?"
Richard hesitated. "I'm Claire's fiance. I live with them -"
"That's not what I asked," Mrs. Patel said.
Daniel moved so he was between me and Richard. "You don't come to his school. You don't ask him about anything without me or his mom right there. You understand?"
Richard's jaw tightened. For a second I thought he might do what he'd done on the lawn. Instead he looked at Mr. Henderson, who was watching with his arms crossed, and forced a laugh. "You're making a scene over nothing."
"You made the scene when you showed up here," Daniel said. "Leave."
Richard stared at him, then at me. He didn't get what he wanted, and I could tell he knew the staff was against him now. He got in his Audi and backed out too quick, tires chirping a little.
Mrs. Patel knelt down to me after he left. "Ethan, honey, are you sure you're okay? Did that man scare you?"
I shrugged, but my throat was tight. "I just didn't want to go with him."
Daniel crouched too and put his arm around my shoulders. Mr. Henderson said quietly to Mrs. Patel, "We'll need to flag this for the counselor and update the pickup form. Only family on it."
Daniel looked up at him. "Put just me and Claire. Nobody else. I've got custody paperwork pending, but until then, I'm his ride."
May you like
Mr. Henderson nodded. "We got it, Mr. Cole."
We walked back to the Subaru together and Daniel kept his hand on the back of my neck the whole way, and I realized I hadn't breathed right since I'd seen that navy Audi in the line.
