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I scroll through my contacts and tap on Jonas. He answers on the second ring. “Hey, scarlet. That was quicker than expected. Everything go alright?”
For a beat, I stay silent. I clench and relax my fingers a few times. “Jonas, please don’t freak out. Because I’m freaking out enough for the both of us.”
“You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”
I pinch my eyes together so tight, a sharp jab shoots from the midline out. After a deep breath, I answer. “Penny is driving me to Clementine’s school right now. An unidentified man is trying to withdraw her.”
Deafening silence. Then a bang so loud I hold the phone away from my ear. “Motherfucker,” Jonas growls. He remains quiet a minute. “Want me to meet you there?”
Part of me wants to say yes. To ask him to meet me there and help protect me and Clementine from all this craziness. But it isn’t sensible. More angry tempers will not fix this. And without seeing his face, Ifeelthe pain and anger radiating off Jonas. He loves my little girl as much as he does me and is willing to do whatever necessary to protect us both.
“No. We’re pulling in now. I’ll check in soon. I—” I cut myself off.Not the time, Autumn.
“Me too, scarlet.”
The call disconnects just before Penny parks the car. I jump out while she waits in the lot. My feet carry me faster than ever before as I run for the office. Daniel from the front desk buzzes me through a locked door and I step inside the warm office.
“Autumn Rooker. You called about a man trying to withdraw my daughter from school.”
Daniel smiles as if a stranger wasn’t just here trying to steal my child. And it pisses me off. But I bite my tongue and breathe through my anger and frustration.
“Yes. He left a few minutes ago after we wouldn’t comply.”
“Did you get a name?”
“No, ma’am.”
The heater kicks on and ruffles papers on the countertop between us. Daniel’s clipped answer bumps my irritation up a notch. The whole situation isn’t his fault and I don’t want to take my problems out on him, but the fact he seems so nonchalant about this annoys me further.
“Can you tell me what he looked like?”
“A few inches taller than you, gray hair, balding on top. Short-sleeve dress shirt. Khaki pants. Older, but I’m not good with age.” He winces. “Until I asked for his identification, he was overly polite.”
“Did he say anything else? Besides asking to pick up Clementine?”
He shakes his head. “No, ma’am.”
Well, at least my daughter is still here and safe. “Thank you, Daniel. While here, I’d like to review and update who may pick up Clementine.”
“Sure thing.”
With each tap of the keys on his keyboard, I lose my cool a little more. Why the hell is this my life right now? Why are people trying to steal my daughter? Whoever came to the school today was not Leo. His father, perhaps. No one I know fits the description Daniel provided. Nicely dressed fits Leo’s family.
All I want to do is tip my head back and scream at the sky. Scream loud and violently. Scream until my throat becomes sandpaper and my larynx shrivels.
As I update Clementine’s approved pickup list to include Jonas—just in case—I decide to withdraw her from school early. At this point, she has less than half the day left. Once she arrives in the office, I take her hand and hold it tighter than usual.
When we walk out of the building, she glances up at me. “Why did you pick me up early, Mama?”
My daughter doesn’t need my stress, so I choose to skirt around the truth. “Today has been a crazy day. Just need to have you with me.” She hugs my side but doesn’t say a word.
I open the back door for her and she hops in. Sitting in the passenger seat, I face Penny. “Not there,” I mumble. “Left before we got here. But it wasn’t him. Someone older.” Parallel lines wrinkle Penny’s forehead. “Will you drop us off at Jonas’s work? You can keep the car.”
“Of course.”
In my short-lived life, I have experienced a lot. Not in regards to travel. But actual life experiences. Hope and adoration. Despair and worthlessness. Love and joy.
Today, in this very moment, is the first time I encounter extreme vulnerability. Today is the first time I feel my and my daughter’s safety is at risk. And I have no clue where to go from here.
