Page 28 of Coastal Rewind

Ryleigh

I pulled up to MJ’s school and my heart sank as I noticed his red-rimmed eyes. I barely got the car into park before my feet were on the asphalt and I was running up to him. I dropped to my knees and put both of my hands on his cheeks.

“What happened? Are you okay?” I was frantic. MJ was the happiest little boy. Always trying to make everyone around him laugh, but right now he was devastated.

He sniffed in a wet breath and nodded his head but didn’t say anything. It was then that I noticed a teacher eyeing me suspiciously. I stood and pulled MJ in front of me.

“Are you his nanny?” She arched a brow and did a once over of me.

I nodded. “Did something happen?”

“There have been some boys picking on him for a few weeks. When Mr. Saxley gets home, please have him set up a meeting with the school.” She turned on her heel and marched away from us. Her tone was harsh and she didn’t seem even mildly apologetic that MJ was in tears.

Bitch.

I took MJ’s hand and guided him to the SUV. He climbed in and buckled his seat belt in silence. MJ was quiet the entire drive home, his little sniffles sounding like Styrofoam rubbing together near my ears.

When we walked into the house, he kept his head down and shuffled his way into his room. I got the sense he needed a minute alone, so I took the time to make him a snack. I sliced up some apples and dipped them in peanut butter before putting them on a little plate and sliding it over to an empty bar stool.

I was surprised when I opened the pantry earlier this week and found it stocked with healthy food. The fridge was also piled high with fruits and vegetables of all varieties. I wasn’t sure if that was because of me, or if Mason was just behind on grocery shopping last week, but it made my heart happy that he took notice. It was important for MJ to have access to healthy food.

I wiped my hands on a towel and risked approaching MJ’s closed door. I knocked lightly before cracking it open. MJ was sitting on his bed wrapped around himself. The sight just about broke my heart. I joined him on the bed and tucked my legs under me. I wasn’t going to pry but I wanted it to be clear I was here to support him.

“They said my mom didn’t want me so she threw me in a dumpster and my rich daddy had to pull me out,” he whispered.

I saw red, but swallowed down the anger so as to not make him more upset. MJ was an empath and would feel responsible for how his words affected me.

“You know that’s not true. Your dad loves you,” I said as I ran my fingers through his brown curls.

“My mom doesn’t.” His voice was so quiet and void of feeling, like this was a thought that was so second nature to him that it didn’t even elicit an emotion anymore.

“You know…I don’t have a mom either.”

His little eyes found mine and he blinked. “You don’t?”

I shook my head. “I did once. But not since I was about your age.”

“What happened?”

I took a deep breath. “She got really sick.”

“Do you miss her?”

I nodded my head. “Every day. But look at me, I didn’t have a mom growing up and you love me, right?”

He nodded his little head. “Your dad is awesome. He always makes me soda floats when I go to his house for dinner.”

That made pressure build behind my eyes. “He used to make those for me, too,” I whispered.

He finally sat up, some of the color returning to his face.

“I have an idea,” I said as I stood and reached a hand out. “Why don’t we go make some soda floats and watch your dad’s game.”

His lips tipped up slightly, even though I could tell he was fighting it. I tugged him to stand and pulled him into the kitchen. I queued up some upbeat music and started gathering the ingredients from the fridge.

Soda floats in hand, we sat on a blanket on the living room floor and turned on the TV to settle in and watch the Sparrows game.

MJ was asleep on my lap as I leaned against the sofa. We’d been like this since the sixth inning when he rested his head on my legs and I watched as his eyes started to droop. The game ended an hour ago but I didn’t have it in me to move him while he looked so peaceful.