“And that’s the best idea you’ve had since I called.”
He had no idea yet where this was going, but getting there was certainly turning out to be an unexpected delight.
17
A week after everything broke at school, Misty stood in the doorway of the kitchen, openmouthed with surprise at the sight of her mother standing at the stove fixing breakfast. It was the first time she’d been up and dressed and looking like her old self in weeks, much less cooking a real meal.
“Pancakes?” Misty said, sniffing the air appreciatively.
“With warm maple syrup, just the way you and Jake like them,” her mother confirmed. “Is he up yet? I thought I heard his shower running. You two need to be out the door for school shortly.”
“Jake’s up,” Misty said. She hesitated, then added, “I was gonna ask you, though, if I could stay home today.”
Her mother turned away from the stove and studied Misty with a concerned expression. “You feeling okay?”
Misty shrugged.
Diana’s face softened with understanding. “You’re afraid of what the talk’s going to be like at school today,” she guessed, then shook her head, her expression filled with regret. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you stay home. It’s going to be all the harder to go back now, isn’t it?”
“Well, duh!” Misty said with feeling. “By now Annabelle’s had time to call all her friends and get them on her side. I’ll be, like, some kind of pariah.” She gave her mother a pleading look. “I know Annabelle getting suspended was supposed to fix things and send, like, this huge message, but come on, Mom. It’s bound to be worse than ever. Please let me stay home, just one more day. I’ll go tomorrow.”
“Sweetheart, it won’t be any easier tomorrow. It’s always better to face your fears sooner rather than later. Look what happened to me. I refused to admit to myself that your father was going to leave me no matter what I did to try to hold on. I made all of you miserable for weeks, rather than facing the reality and figuring out how to deal with it.”
“It’s not even close to the same thing,” Misty insisted. “Everyone doesn’t hate you.”
“And no one hates you, either. Annabelle was obviously jealous, and she won’t be in school, anyway. And Betty Donovan and Laura Reed are not going to let another student bully you,” Diana said with confidence.
Misty rolled her eyes. “Come on. They may be motivated to protect me, but they have their own problems now with Mrs. Litchfield spreading all sorts of rumors about them and threatening to get them fired.”
“You’re their top priority,” her mother said firmly, setting pancakes in front of Misty along with the pitcher of warm syrup. “I truly believe that.”
“But they can’t be everywhere at once to protect me. Please, Mom, let me stay home. I’ll bet you could get Dr. Fullerton to give me a note.”
“I’m very grateful to him for how he’s handled all this, but I don’t think asking him for a note when you’re perfectly fine is a good idea. It didn’t work very well last time you tried it, did it?”
“Yeah, but he knows more now and he really gets what’s going on at school. Seriously, Mom, way more than you know.”
“I’m glad you have his support, but here’s how I see it. Your job is to go to school, make good grades and get into your dream college. You can’t let this situation ruin that for you. If you do, you’ll regret it.” She held Misty’s gaze. “Do you want a girl like Annabelle to have that much power over your future?”
When she looked at it that way, Misty shook her head. “No,” she conceded reluctantly.
“Then going back to school and facing everyone is your only option. I know you’re strong enough to do that. You’ve shown me just how strong you are by dealing with so much on your own.”
Misty felt a tiny hint of satisfaction at her mother’s praise. “You really think I’m strong?”
Her mom smiled. “The strongest girl I know. Would you like me to drive you to school today?”
Misty regarded her with horror. “And let everyone think I’ve turned into this huge baby? No way. You just said I’m strong, so how would that look? If you’re sure I can’t stay home, I’ll walk like always.”
“I’m sure,” Diana said firmly. She gave Misty a stern look. “And don’t get any ideas about taking a detour that might take, say, six or seven hours to get you there. Ms. Reed and Ms. Donovan know they’re to call me immediately if you’re not in class. We were in touch about my decision to let you stay home. They know that ends today.”