“Okay.” He licks his lips.

“I love you, son.”

“I know.” He nods, and I touch my forehead to his one more time then squeeze his neck. “You good now?”

“Yeah, Dad.”

“Good.” I let him go, and he goes back to sit next to December, who wraps her arm around his shoulders and leans her head against the side of his.

“I’m hungry,” she says after a moment, and we all focus on her. “Who wants ice cream? I’m really craving vanilla ice cream and french fries.”

“You’re so crazy,” Mitchell mutters with a smile, and Max laughs while I chuckle.

“Why am I crazy? Have you ever had vanilla ice cream and fries?”

“No,” the boys reply at the same time.

“Then you can’t say I’m crazy.” She stands and walks toward me then stops to look over her shoulder. “Well, are you two coming?”

“Sure, why not?” Mitchell gets up off the floor and holds out his hand for Max. Figuring they need a minute, I take December’s hand and lead her from the room.

“I need to get a clean shirt,” I tell her and she nods. “You all right?”

“Yeah.” She gives me a sad smile.

“He’s gonna be okay.” I kiss her forehead and she nods. “Be right back.” I leave her in the living room and go to the bedroom, seeing her school shit scattered across the bed where she was working when I went to go work out. I grab a sweatshirt off the top shelf in the closet and I tug it on, thinking I need to set her up a space in the bedroom where she can work when she’s home. I also need to get some people together to help me move her out of her place sooner rather than later.

With that thought in my head, I leave the bedroom and usher my family out to my SUV. I drive them into town for hamburgers, fries, and frozen custard. By the time we get home, the boys and December are laughing and teasing each other, the drama from earlier a distant memory.

_______________

I drop the wrench in my hand and exchange it for a screwdriver, trying to work through the anger I’m feeling. This morning as soon as I got to work Beth called to tell me she was leaving town and that I needed to let the boys know. Even though I know they’ll be okay, I’m still pissed she didn’t even have the balls to tell them herself, especially after what went down yesterday. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, still it kills me that she doesn’t give a fuck. The only silver lining is they now have December who will help ease the blow.

“Gareth.” I come out of my thoughts hearing my name shouted and roll out from under the car I’ve been working on.

Once I’m standing, my mom’s eyes lock on me. “Mom, what are you doing here?” I ask, wiping my grease-covered hands on a rag as she hurries through the shop toward me. As she gets closer, I see the worry etched around her eyes and the tears still wet on her cheeks. “What happened?”

“I’ve been trying to call you.” She stops close, holding up her shaking hand that is closed around her cell phone. I look to where my phone is across the building, sitting on top of my toolbox too far away to hear with the noise in the shop.

“What’s going on? Are the boys okay?”

“I think so.”

“You think so?” I repeat as a heaviness starts to settle in the pit of my stomach.

“I can’t get a hold of them. All the schools went on lockdown. There was a shooting at the elementary school.” She lifts her shaking hand to hold up her phone once more. “I’ve been trying to call you.”

“I….” Fuck, my knees get weak. “When?”

“I found out about thirty minutes ago. Anna, who works at the police station, called me, because I told her that you were seeing a first grade teacher when we spoke the other day. She wanted to make sure I knew so I could tell you.”

“Fuck.” I prowl toward my toolbox, stripping out of my coveralls as I go.

“You can’t go there. The cops have the school surrounded. They’re telling parents and family members to meet in the field at the high school,” she says from behind me as I grab my cell phone and keys.

“Go to the high school.”

“Gareth, you can’t go to that school!” she yells.

“I know.” I turn to face her when I reach my SUV. “December’s uncle and cousin are both cops. I’m going to see if I can track them down and find out what they know.” I hold her gaze. “Please, go to the high school.” I catch her nod as I swing up behind the wheel then put the key in the ignition and head toward the school. Dialing December first, I listen to it ring until the voicemail cuts on.

“I love you, baby. Fuck….” I try to pull in a breath. “I love you. Call me and let me know you’re okay.” I hang up and dial Cobi, and when he doesn’t answer, I dial Sage.

“Fuck!” I hit the steering wheel when my call is sent to voicemail then curse once more when I reach the intersection for the school, which is blocked off with a line of police cruisers. Even knowing they won’t let me pass, I drive forward, and an officer steps out into the road, holding his hand up for me to stop. I roll down my window when he comes to my door. “Sir, you need to turn around. This road’s closed.”

“My girlfriend’s a teacher at the school. I can’t get a hold of her.”

“I’m sorry, sir. They are telling all family members to wait at the high school. That’s where everyone will be bussed to once they clear the school.”

“Can you call Nico Mayson or Cobi Mayson on your radio and tell them that Gareth Black is trying to find out about December?”

“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t do that.” He shakes his head, and I want to get out and force him to make the call, but I know if I do, I’ll be spending the night in jail.

“At least tell me that no one was hurt.” I know I sound desperate. I feel desperate.

“Officers are still clearing the building. Right now, we don’t know what’s going on.”

“Fuck.” I shove my fingers through my hair then look down at my cell when it starts to ring. When I see December’s name on the screen, my throat gets tight. I don’t bother saying a word to the officer. I pull away from him and put my cell to my ear. “Baby.”

“I’m okay.” Her voice sounds tight, like she’s trying to keep it together.

I stop and put the truck in Park not wanting to wreck. “Where are you?”

“I’m with my kids. We’re waiting for a bus to take us to the high school to meet their parents.”

“I’ll meet you there.” I squeeze my eyes closed.

“Okay.”

“Keep it together, baby,” I order, and I listen to her pull in a shaky breath. “I’ll be with you soon.”

“I have to go. The bus is pulling up now.”

“Love you.”

“I love you.” She hangs up, and I drop my phone to my lap and scrub my hands down my face pulling in a few deep breaths to get myself under control then put the engine in Drive.

When I reach the high school, I don’t even bother searching for a parking spot. I park on the grass near the front of the school and then jog toward the fields, where a large crowd of people is gathered. I search through the sea of faces, looking for December, and almost fall to my knees when I find her standing with my mom, and her parents. I rush toward them, and like she senses I’m close, she turns and locks eyes with me as I eat up the distance between us.