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Brynn’s chest expanded at the words printed over the symbol of a green ribbon, marking cerebral palsy awareness. Unshed tears burned behind her lids, and once again, she was so grateful that the brothers had found each other.
Jacob was still grinning when Neo walked up to his chair and cupped the back of his head. Neo dropped his forehead to Jacob’s and whispered something she couldn’t quite make out. She didn’t need to hear the words though for a wedge to lodge painfully in her throat. What had been the reason for Fergus’s hate? For her parents’ tremendous loyalty to their firstborn? She didn’t often give in to self-pity, but the instant love Neo and Jacob shared made her envious for the relationship she’d never have, not only with her brother, but with her parents, too. They had made their decision to choose one child over the other, and had never tried to contact her since. The rejection was a wound that would never heal. Just when she thought it had scabbed over and she could move on, it ripped open again. The shock of the pain was enough to double her over. After they’d checked out all the new features in the car and secured Jacob’s wheelchair, they pulled onto the main road headed toward the school.
As they drove, the light kept catching on the burnished dog tags hanging from the mirror. She reached up and brushed one of her fingers over the metal. “Are these Scooter’s?” She swallowed heavily.
“Yeah. To remind me of his sacrifice. He gave his life so I could live mine. I won’t take that for granted. No matter what situation I’m in, I will not give up. Even if I wished I were dead, I’d fight until my last breath, because anything else would tarnish Scooter’s memory.”
She ran a hand from his shoulder to his elbow, a lump sitting solidly in her throat as she internally whispered a thank-you to Neo’s fallen teammate.
The rest of the drive to the school was silent, save for the pop songs Jacob loved blasting from the sound system. Neo slid his hand over the console and captured hers. The warmth of his skin and the strength of his grip were soothing. “Will you tell me about it?” His voice was low, and for the first time, she noticed his jaw was set like stone. When it came to her emotions, Neo was able to read her with precise accuracy. Pinning down her feelings should be impossible after nearly two weeks of knowing him. The poppies inked on his arm slipped into her head. Her grandmother did always adore a fanciful tale. How she would love knowing that a symbol of her was permanently etched on the man Brynn was losing her heart to.
“Brynn?” Neo’s eyes were narrowed, searching her face.
“Sorry. Yes. I was just feeling a bit…lost.”
“Your family let you down in the worst way possible, but Brynn? Don’t think for a second you don’t have people who love and care about you. You’re part of our family now. This is your home.” He squeezed her hand and hung on tight.
She hadn’t even noticed that they’d pulled onto the school’s long drive. Her eyes blurred, a convex lens of tears building and rippling over her lower lids. Of course Neo didn’t mean he loved her. Cared about her, maybe, but his words still made her pulse jet.
Neo cut the wheel to the left and drove into an open space in the parking lot. The school was a sprawling construction of brick and glass. Butterflies bumped and banged around in her stomach. If she was anxious to see Jacob’s new school, how did he feel?
“Here we are. Ready to go meet your teacher?” She lowered the rearview mirror to look at him behind her.
Jacob was unusually quiet, his eyes trained on the window.
“Are you nervous, bud?” Neo turned around in this seat, and put a hand on Jacob’s knee. When he continued to stare out the window, Neo’s pained gaze cut to Brynn. “I don’t want him to be stressed out.” He raked a jerky hand through his hair.
“He’ll be okay. Jacob just likes to take it all in. Once he’s comfortable he’ll start responding again.” After unlocking the four-point tie-down system on Jacob’s wheelchair, they crossed the parking lot, and checked in at the office. Neo’s body was rigid as he scanned the lobby with an intense expression. Every so often, he turned his gaze to Jacob.
“I’ve never seen him this withdrawn before.” He stiffened, like he might jump up and wheel Jacob out of the school.
She put a hand on Neo’s arm. “He’s okay. Really.”
Her touch seemed to calm him into sitting for a few more minutes. The scuff of shoes against tile had her shoulders sagging in relief. She didn’t know how much longer she could keep Neo in the building. A middle-aged man in a yellow sweater vest and round-rimmed glasses approached them.
“Hello, folks. I’m Mr. Bloom.” Brynn stood and took the hand he offered. His handshake was firm and his smile warm.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jacob’s nurse, Brynn.”
“Neo Godfrey. Jacob’s brother.” Neo stepped closer to Jacob and put a protective hand on his shoulder.
Good grief. The way Neo’s stare was boring into the teacher, he’d probably know every speeding ticket the poor man had received, if he paid his taxes, and how often he flossed his teeth by dinnertime.
“Jacob, welcome to Virginia Beach Middle School. I know it’s probably a lot to take in, but we’re so excited to have you here. Why don’t we go meet the rest of the class?” Mr. Bloom turned his attention to her and Neo. “Right this way. We have some students very eager to meet you and—”
A shriek pierced the air, and a tall, lanky boy with reddish hair flew through the halls, a mischievous grin playing across his lips. A young woman chased after him, an iPad and clipboard in her hands. The boy cast a look over his shoulder every few steps to see if he was being followed, losing his coordination once or twice only to be saved by the narrow purple lockers lining the hall.
“Jacob, meet Collin. Collin, this is our new student—”
“Jacob Godfrey,” Collin sang out, holding the note as long as his lungs allowed. “Hello, Jacob Godfrey.” His hands were in constant motion, shaking back and forth like he was trying to dispel water droplets from his fingers. Collin didn’t seem to mind that Jacob wasn’t responding. “Mr. Bloom, Jacob Godfrey dressed as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You’re butter, sunshine, corn, banana. Jacob Godfrey is peanut butter and jelly.”
Brynn smiled. It was hard not to with Collin’s enthusiasm. “I see what you mean,” she said. “Jacob has a red shirt like strawberry jelly and brown pants like peanut butter.”
Collin clapped and spun in a circle. The woman who had been on the boy’s heels in the hallway caught up and explained she was the one of the teaching assistants in the class. They all started walking toward the classroom. Collin stayed by Jacob’s side, pointing out all the colors of the school as they moved. Just as Neo had relaxed a fraction with the help of Collin’s excited banter, Jacob’s smile returned, and soon he was making shrieks back and forth with his new friend. Her chest expanded. This was a good place. A happy place.
They stopped at a classroom with a large textured sign on the door. Collin touched it before they entered. The moment they stepped inside, any fears she might’ve had about the transition eased. The room radiated warmth. There were giant beanbag chairs clustered in the corners and adaptive seating throughout the room. A large cylinder-shaped fish tank bubbled on a table.
“All right, class, this is Jacob, a new member of our crew.” There were two additional staff members in the room, who both waved and greeted Jacob. Another child sitting in a wheelchair tilted her head toward an orange device. When her temple hit it, the tablet on her desk said, “Hello, nice to meet you.”
