Save Me - Lisa Scottoline [75]
She checked the time on the phone, and it was 2:25—ten minutes until dismissal. The buses were lined up and idling at the long driveway, and SUVs and minivans were pulling into the parking lot. A group of walkers, who lived close to the school, were assembling at the entrance ramp, standing with babies in their arms or in strollers. They were talking, still abuzz from the morning, but none of them noticed Rose. Suddenly, she spotted a boxy white newsvan stop at the entrance to the parking lot, open the sliding door, and disgorge Tanya and her cameraman behind the cordon.
Rose stalled, hugging John, uncertain. She didn’t want Tanya to get an early bead on her, so she stayed where she was, apart. The school’s front doors opened, and fifth graders emerged, carrying heavy backpacks looped over one shoulder or banging against their legs. More kids started flowing out, headed for the buses or for parents who had walked or driven.
Rose eyed the kids for Melly’s class, but they weren’t out yet. She took a few steps forward, but one of the moms spotted her as she approached, then the others noticed, and she caught their collective frowns. One of them was Janine Rayburn, whose son was in Melly’s class, and when Rose smiled at her, she turned away.
The kids in Mrs. Nuru’s class started to leave the building, then Melly appeared. Her head hung lower than usual, though her back was characteristically straight, with the padded loops of her backpack placed on both shoulders; it was a habit of hers that touched Rose, because it told so much. Melly had to be perfect, controlling what she could because there was so much she couldn’t.
“Melly!” Rose waved her free arm, and Melly hurried down the ramp, as the other moms followed her with their eyes, talking behind their hands.
“Hi, Mom, hi Johnnie!” Melly hugged her and John, but when she pulled back, Rose noticed a long reddish bruise on her arm.
“What’s this?”
“Oh.” Melly put a hand over the bruise. “Just a bump.”
“How did you get it?” Rose asked, surprised. Melly wasn’t the kind of kid who got a lot of bumps.
“I’m fine, Mom.” Melly stood on tiptoe to kiss John, her blue eyes shining. “Hi, baby boy. Love you.” John made a pass at her with his fingers, outstretched, and Melly giggled. “He almost got me that time!”
“What happened to your arm?”
“Did Ms. Canton call?”
“Not yet.” Rose didn’t tell her she’d called Kristen’s parents, because she didn’t want to get her hopes up. “Answer me, about your arm.”
“I got in a fight, that’s all.”
“A fight? How did that happen?”
“I pushed Josh and he pushed me and I fell down.”
“You pushed him first?” Rose felt incredulous. It was unprecedented. “Why?”
“Let’s go home, Mom.”
“Why did you push Josh?” Rose took Melly’s hand, and they walked through the noisy parking lot. Kids shouted, minivan doors rolled shut, and hatchbacks came down. Engines started, and buses lurched off with hydraulic squeaks, spewing exhaust. Rose squeezed Melly’s hand to provoke her answer. “Mel?”
“Josh said you let Amanda burn up like a French fry. So I pushed him and he pushed me back and I fell down.”
“Oh no.” Rose felt a stab of guilt. “Mel, you don’t have to defend me. I don’t care what people say about me.”
“Okay.”
“I’m sorry it happened.”
“It’s not your fault. You didn’t do it.”
“What did Mrs. Nuru say?”
“She didn’t see.”
“Did you tell her?”
“No.” Melly shook her head. “Can we not talk about it anymore?”
“Okay.” Rose squeezed her hand, and they reached the car. “Let’s go home and get lunch.”
“Can we have Kristenburgers?”
“You got it.” Rose shifted John to the back of her hip, found her keys in her purse, and chirped the car unlocked.
“I wanted to unlock it, Mom.”
“Sorry, honey. I forgot. Give me your stuff.” Rose opened the front door for Melly, then took her backpack and lunchbox so she could climb in unencumbered. Melly clambered into the passenger seat, and Rose went to the back, opened the door, tossed the stuff onto the floor, and lowered John into his