Bobby’s expression shut down and he dropped the remainder of his icy treat on the ground. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He struggled to break free. “I want to go to bed.”
“Not an option,” Sam said. “What happened?”
When Bobby tried once more to squirm off his lap, Sam held him in place.
“Bobby, it’s okay to tell us,” Carrie said gently. “It’s not tattling.”
“I don’t care about tattling,” Bobby said angrily. “What Patsy said was a lie, so I shoved her.”
Shock spread across Sam’s face. “You shoved a girl?”
“Don’t feel sorry for her,” Bobby said mutinously. “Because then she hit me in the eye and busted my lip.” His cheeks colored pink with obvious embarrassment.
“The fight was with a girl?” Sam repeated, as if he couldn’t quite grasp the reality of that.
“She’s mean,” Bobby declared. “And she told a big old lie.”
“What was the lie?” Carrie asked, understanding that was at the heart of the fight.
“She said my mom and dad went away and left me on purpose because I was a dumb, stupid boy.”
Carrie gasped at the cruelty of that. More than likely a six-year-old hadn’t understood the depth of pain such a comment would cause, but it was shocking just the same. No wonder Bobby had reacted the way he had.
“You know your mom and dad didn’t want to leave you,” Sam said, clearly shaken. “They loved you more than anything.”
“I know,” Bobby said impatiently. “That’s why it was a lie.”
Sam cast a what-now look in Carrie’s direction.
“Bobby, you still don’t shove someone just because they say mean things that hurt you,” Carrie said, even though she wouldn’t mind giving the girl’s mother a good hard shove. Clearly little Patsy had heard some comment at home that encouraged such talk.
“I had to do something,” Bobby said in frustration.
Carrie recognized the childish sense of impotence behind the rage he must have felt. “I know, sweetheart. You should have walked away and told the teacher. Wouldn’t that have been better than shoving Patsy and having her punch you? If you’d done that, you wouldn’t have needed stitches.”
“It was worth it,” Bobby said stubbornly. “Because I got stitches, you’re here and I got Popsicles for dinner.”
Carrie saw that Sam was struggling to fight a smile. Eventually he was able to face Bobby with a sober expression.
“And because you were fighting when you knew better, you now get to go to your room and think about how wrong it is to hit someone else or to shove them,” he said sternly. “It’s not the way we solve problems.” He pointed toward the house. “Go.”
Bobby climbed down and headed inside, though he didn’t look the least bit repentant. Just inside the door, he turned back. “If you’d been there, I’ll bet you’d have shoved her, too.”
When he was out of earshot, Sam met Carrie’s gaze. “I sure would have wanted to,” he admitted.
“You’re not alone there,” Carrie told him. “You probably should have a conversation with little Miss Patsy’s mother or father.”
Sam looked as if he’d rather eat dirt. “Do I have to?”
Carrie laughed. “Scared she’s going to split your lip, too?”
“Nope.”
“Oh?”
“I’m not 100 percent sure I won’t throw the first punch.”
“I have faith in you,” Carrie assured him. “Not only does fighting not resolve anything, which you perfectly well know, but hitting a girl is never acceptable, something you also know.”
He gave her a long look. “That child told Bobby that his mom and dad left him on purpose. Am I supposed to forget about that?”
Carrie felt her own anger stir again at his reminder of the hurtful exchange that had started all this. “Maybe I should come along,” she suggested. “Not to keep you in check, but so that I can throw a punch. There’s not a soul in this town who wouldn’t back me up.”
Sam moved to sit beside her and draped an arm over her shoulders. “And that is why I know you and I belong together. We’re of one mind.” He gave her a sideways glance. “And maybe we’re meant to keep each other’s tempers in check.”
“Too bad. I do have red hair and those Irish genes, you know, and I haven’t been in a good brawl in years,” she said, then rested her head on his shoulder.
Sitting just like that, with the memory of the previous night’s glorious sunset and poignant birthday celebration still very much on her mind, she felt contentment steal over her. She glanced at Sam and saw that the tension in his jaw had eased, as well.