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“Yes.”
She comes in and takes a seat. “Why do you look like someone burned downFriction?” She leans forward. “The club is okay, right?”
I give her a tight smile. “The club is fine.”
“So, what’s up?”
“Did Summer say where she was taking Ryan yesterday?”
“Not explicitly. I believe it was just one of her random immersion field trips.”
“Did Ryan say anything last night about how his day went?”
“He kept going on and on about puzzles.”
“Take a look at this.” I slide the envelope across the desk to her.
She pulls out the document and I watch as she scans it. After a few minutes, she hands it back to me.
“That’s interesting.”
“She went behind my back and did this.”
“Well, at least now we know and can take the next step for Ryan.”
“You agree with this garbage?” I point at the envelope.
“Lucan! This assessment answers so many questions about Ryan.”
“I see she’s corrupted you as well. Damn, I was blind.” I lunge out of my chair and storm over to the two-way mirror. I flip the switch and watch as Ryan lines up his toy soldiers on an imaginary battlefield. Sylvia comes over to stand beside me.
“Who’s corrupted me, Lucan?”
“Summer. I forbade her to get involved in getting any sort of autism diagnosis.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because there’s nothing wrong with him, dammit. I’ve failed Vincent and Stacey so many times. I can’t fail them with Ryan too!”
“You’re not a failure with Ryan. Autism is not something that is wrong with a person, Lucan. It just points out that there is something different with them. And it helps those around them learn how to navigate based on those differences. I think Summer did the right thing. I’ve had Ryan since he was six months old and I’ve always known there was something different about him. At least now I know what it is. And now we need to contact this doctor and see what the next step is. And whatever it is, Summer can help us navigate them.”
“I fired her.”
“What !?” Sylvia practically bristles beside me. “What the hell do you mean, you fired her? You can’t do that!” She punches me in the arm and I wince.
“I did.”
“Well, you’d better rehire her.”
“I don’t think she’ll give me the time of day right now. I said some really hurtful things.” I shake my head as I remember the pain in Summer’s eyes. “Veryhurtful things.”
“Suck it up, apologize, and get that woman back here. I swear, if you don’t, Lucan, I’m going to rip you a new one and make your life a living hell. And I dare you to fire me.”
She whirls on her heels and my office door slams a few seconds later. Then it flies open again and I turn to see Sylvia push her head inside.
“And until you do, you’d better figure out what you’re going to tell that little boy when he asks for her on Monday. You keep babbling about failing Vincent and Stacey. In my opinion, you hadn’t – until you fired Summer.” This time, the door closes silently.
I spend the rest of the day in a funk and everyone avoids me. I am torn between anger at what I perceive to be Summer’s betrayal by going behind my back, and dismay for the personal shambles into which my life seems to have descended. When I finally drag myself to my room that night, the sheets are still disheveled. Summer’s scent lingers.
