AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, you have to give other kids a chance to answer.”
“But I knew the answer!” he argued.
“Buddy, I know, but other kids might know too. You can’t hog all of Ms. Sally’s attention.”
He hung his head, pouting as he kicked the pavement. “Fine.”
“Hey, are you ready for the zoo tomorrow?”
His depressing mood instantly lifted and a smile appeared on his face. “Yes!” he shouted, jumping up and down. I can’t wait to go to the zoo!”
“That’s good,” I laughed. “I’m excited too.”
“And Officer Pete is coming too. He told me he was.”
“Parker—”
“I bet he knows all about tigers,” he said, chuffing just like one.
“He can’t come,” I said, ripping off the bandaid.
He stopped and looked at me in confusion. “But he said he was coming.”
“Buddy, I know this is hard to understand, but he has a job and he got called in to work.”
“But he promised!” he shouted, stomping his foot.
Parker didn’t throw tantrums very often, but when he did, they were massive. He was intelligent, but his emotional and social skills were the same as any other four-year-old
“Parker, you need to stop,” I said in a stern voice. “I know you’re disappointed, but screaming isn’t going to solve anything.”
“But he promised!” he cried.
“He didn’t promise. He said he would come, but he can’t.” Semantics that a kid didn’t understand. “Now, you can cry about it or you can be happy that we’re still going.”
He swiped at his nose, still moping about the change in plans. I held out my hand to him, trying to entice him inside, but something caught his attention and he bolted.
“Jack!”
I spun, calling him back, but he was already flinging himself at the man who was kneeling down beside his bike.
“Parker!” Rushing over, I peeled my son off Jack, who was covered in grease. Luckily, Parker hadn’t knocked him over, but he didn’t look too happy. “Buddy, you can’t jump on people. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
But he wasn’t listening to me. “Officer Pete can’t come to the zoo with us tomorrow. Will you come?”
He looked absolutely terrified. His face turned pale and his eyes flicked to mine for help.
“I’m sure Jack has plans for tomorrow,” I said, pulling him away.
“But it’s not fair!” He looked up at me with those pouty eyes and nearly broke my heart. It was times like this that I wished we had family and friends in the area. He shouldn’t have to go through life without a father or a male figure to teach him things that a man should.
“I wish I could,” Jack spoke up. “I’ve got things to do.”
He was watching me carefully, almost like he was waiting for my reaction. Not that I would be grateful if he said he wanted to come. I didn’t know Jack, but I knew this neighborhood. The people who lived here were all part of Baz’s criminal enterprise. The last thing I wanted was for Parker to get attached to another man who would end up in prison.
And since he’d already been there, he wasn’t the type of role model I wanted around my son.
“See? People are busy. Let’s go get some dinner.”
