LITMIR.BIZ

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they tell you... I’ll be here when you’re through with the meeting. I promise to tell you everything.”

      The pain in her voice caused a corresponding ache in Andrea. “Shannon did someone push you down on the sidewalk?”

      “No, not exactly.”

      “Then tell me what’s going on,” Andrea demanded, regretting her decision not to go straight home after the call from the school. The stress-reducing walk could have waited.

      Shannon said nothing.

      “Shannon, I don’t know why you simply can’t tell me now. If you’re going to tell me anyway, why wait?” Still, she said nothing. Andrea looked at the clock, frustrated at her daughter, at having to go to the school, at this entire situation. “I have to go to this meeting, but you will tell me everything when I get home. Understood?”

      “Okay,” Shannon said, her voice shaking.

      When Andrea reached the school, her shoulders felt as if they were trapped in a vise. She rushed up the stairs and down the hall to the counselor’s office. She knocked gently.

      “Come in,” a woman’s voice called out.

      The sun-drenched office and Melody Chapman’s smile were warm and inviting. “I’m Andrea Taylor. I’m Shannon’s mom. I hope I’m not late.”

      “No. Not at all. I’m Melody Chapman. I’m so glad to meet you.” She extended her hand.

      Andrea saw the genuine friendliness in the woman’s face and knew she had an ally in Melody.

      “The psychologist is running a little late, but said he’d be here as soon as he could. Shannon’s homeroom teacher is out for the day, and I thought it’d be better to have the meeting with only the three of us rather than her replacement. Is that okay with you?”

      “Sure. Whatever you think is best.” Andrea sat in one of the visitor chairs.

      “How have you been?” Melody asked.

      “Fine. Good...until yesterday.”

      “How is Shannon feeling after her...accident?”

      Andrea heard the pause, subtle yet definitely there. It was almost as if Melody wasn’t sure what to label Shannon’s fall. Accident or something else?

      Andrea suddenly didn’t want this woman to know that Shannon hadn’t said anything except that she’d fallen on the sidewalk. Andrea didn’t believe Shannon’s version, but faced with a woman who seemed to know more than Andrea did, she felt an overwhelming need to support her daughter. “Shannon’s as good as can be expected after her fall.”

      Melody gave her a sharp glance. “Her fall? Is that what she said happened?”

      “Yes. Last night at the hospital.”

      “There were several witnesses who said she was pushed, but there seems to be differing versions of what happened. I need to talk to a couple of other students before I can say for sure.”

      Betrayal hit. She’d been suspicious of her daughter’s version of events and now she had proof. Her daughter had been hiding things. And it had been going on for a while. “I don’t know what to say.”

      Melody glanced around as if collecting her thoughts. “Why don’t I get you a cup of coffee? What do you take in it?”

      “I take it black. Thank you.”

      “I’ll be right back with your coffee.” Melody slipped out, leaving a quiet space so out of tune with the roar of emotions raging through Andrea.

      She put her head in her hand. Why hadn’t Shannon told her the truth? What was she hiding and where did it stop? When had she decided that Andrea had no business knowing what she was up to?

      Like any parent, Andrea had always worried that someday Shannon might get mixed up with the wrong crowd. She’d read that the best way to prevent that was to keep the lines of communication open. She’d done that. Every night before Shannon went to bed, Andrea had made a point of talking with her, of listening to anything Shannon had to say. She’d supported Shannon in every way she knew how.

      Now she knew her efforts had been worthless. Despite those talks, despite the unwavering support, Shannon had still turned her back on Andrea. She swallowed against the lump forming in her throat. Her daughter’s betrayal hurt. And the wound went deeper because she was dealing with this alone. She alone sat in the school counselor’s office with the evidence her daughter was in trouble. She alone faced the shameful awareness that the teachers, counselor and principal knew more about Shannon’s behavior than she did.

      Scott’s accusations about her worthiness as a parent came to her. He would think this was her fault. Scott, who had fought so brutally to get custody of Shannon, would gloat if he could see Andrea now. Yet where was he when his daughter needed him? He had moved on, remarried and was happily caught up in his new family. A family that didn’t include his daughter. No, he’d abdicated his responsibility for Shannon except when he could use her to punish Andrea.

      She straightened and shook off those thoughts before they spiraled out of control. She normally didn’t feel sorry for herself, but after last night she couldn’t seem to stop the feeling that somehow Shannon had moved away from her, away from her support and caring. In less than a day Andrea had gone from being a mother who could trust her daughter—who could take joy and pride in the person Shannon had become—to someone who didn’t know what was going on in her own home.

      A movement near the door caught her attention. She turned, a smile forming to thank Melody for the coffee. Instead of Melody, Jake Polegato stood there. “What are you doing here?”

      “They called me to sit in on this meeting,” he said as he moved to the chair beside her.

      Andrea felt the heat of anger smolder. She intensely disliked this man. He’d nearly taken her daughter from her. “I will not talk about my daughter with you. Did Scott send you?” She was conscious of the need to remain perfectly calm.

      He held up his hand. “Please let me speak.”

      “You have nothing to say to me. I will not have you meddling in my life ever again.”

      “I’m not meddling, Mrs. Taylor.”

      She wanted to scream and yell at him, but she knew that he’d only see that as further proof that she wasn’t a good, stable parent. There was only one thing to do. Andrea picked up her purse. “I’m leaving,” she said, heading for the door.

      Melody met her at the entrance, a cup of coffee in her hand. She glanced from Jake to Andrea. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to make the introductions. Andrea, this is—”

      “I know who this man is. And I won’t discuss my daughter with him in the room.” She moved to leave, but Melody stopped her.

      “Andrea, I’m sorry. Please let me explain,” Melody said. “I didn’t know that you and Mr. Polegato knew each other.”

      Angry and feeling betrayed by the whole world, Andrea turned her back to Jake. “Did Mr. Polegato happen to mention what he did to me?”

      “I’m truly sorry,” Jake said. He shifted until he was within Andrea’s line of sight. “When the school called saying they had an urgent situation on their hands, I felt I had to help. But I can see that you’re upset, which means I won’t be much help or support. I should have anticipated that you’d feel this way. Again, I’m sorry.”

      Through her anger she could see that he was sincere, but she didn’t care. She still suspected Scott had arranged for Jake to get involved, but she didn’t give voice to those suspicions. It didn’t matter how he’d come to be here; it only mattered that he not be involved in their lives again. “I don’t want you here. Have I made myself clear?”

      Melody touched Andrea’s arm. “We need to talk about Shannon. If you’d rather that Jake isn’t part of

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