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There’s still twenty minutes left in Emily’s class, and she has no idea I’m here. I wait with Blackburn in the hall where she can’t see us. By the time the bell rings, Mick, Sgt. Callahan, and Detective’s Fred Wills and Matt Gilbert have arrived and are in the office with the principal. I’m glad they’re in the office and not all standing here when the bell rings. I think that would overwhelm her.
The bell rings and I step aside to wait for the kids to file out. Once I see it’s just Emily and Mrs. Colyer, I step inside the room. Her face lights up the moment she sees me, but falls just as soon as she registers the serious look on my face. It’s obvious by my appearance that I came here in a rush.
“What’s wrong, Jonathan? Is Ireland okay?”
“She’s fine. Everything is fine, baby,” I say as I take her hand.
“Why are you here then?”
“We know who it is, Em.”
“Who?” Emily and Mrs. Colyer both ask at the same time.
I look over my shoulder to make sure that there aren’t any kids in the room, and fill them both in on my call from Jesse earlier. Emily has tears streaming down her face, but she isn’t making a sound. Mrs. Colyer hands her some tissues and tells her to take the rest of the day and as long as she needs. As kids start to gather, she pulls herself together, and by the time Jesse enters the room you wouldn’t even know that there is anything wrong. It saddens me to think that this comes from years of practice.
Ascension (Don’t Ever Worry)
Emily
I have so many questions running through my head, but with the students quickly filling up the room, I know that now isn’t the time. I also have so many feelings reeling through me that it’s hard to keep myself in check in front of the students. I feel relief in knowing who it is, and that hopefully the madness is about to end, but I also feel bad for Austin and Jesse. Jesse had to rat out his own cousin, and I know that Austin is going to feel awful about this.
I can’t help but feel that some of this is my fault. Did I cross a line with Austin? I don’t think that I did, and I don’t think he had feelings for me other than maybe a little hero worship, but now I’m so worried that I crossed a line without knowing it. I will have to talk to him about that, but now is not that time.
“Hey Miss J. Who’s this?”
“Hi Austin. This is my boyfriend, Jonathan.”
“Oh, hey.”
Jonathan reaches out his hand. “Nice to meet you Austin. I’ve heard a lot of great things about you.”
“Ah, really? Thanks, Miss J.” he says as he extends his hand to Jonathan but sends a big smile full of pride in my direction.
“Of course, you’re a great kid and you know that. Where’s Jesse? Did he not come back today?”
“He’s here, but not sure where he is right now. He must be running late.”
As if on cue, Jesse enters the room. As soon as he sees Jonathan in the room he nearly comes to a complete halt, but then catches himself and continues across the room to where he usually sits with Austin.
“Hi, Miss J.”
“Hey there, Jess. I know that I already told you this but it’s really great to see you back at school.”
“Thanks,” he mumbles while looking down at the ground.
Austin gets distracted by a friend and steps away. I take this moment to say a few words to Jesse.
Quietly, so only Jesse can hear I say, “Jesse, thank you so much for what you’ve done. I know it must have been hard. I hope you know how much I appreciate you risking trouble with your family for my daughter and I.”
His face turns bright red with embarrassment. He gives me a slight nod and then sits down in his chair. This is my sign that he’s heard me, but would like the conversation to be over. I respect his wishes and step away.
“Mrs. Colyer, if you don’t mind, I think I will take you up on your offer and leave for the day.”
“Of course. You two get out of here.”
I grab my purse, my jacket and Jonathan’s hand and we walk out of the classroom. The moment we exit the room, we take a couple of steps into the hallway and Jonathan squeezes my hand and pulls me to a stop.
He bends his knees to lower himself to my eye level and asks, “Baby, you okay?”
