Page 62 of Always Mine

“I’ve stifled all that. If he feels it, he has too.”

“Maisy, how many times have you told me stifling isn’t good?”

“Too many. Talk to me about what happened to you. I was at Diego’s when they were searching for you.”

“Yeah. I heard you got Jackson in on all that. He saved me. Thanks.”

She smiled. Maisy smiled. And Annie felt better.

* * *

“Hey, Adam.” Diego was on a first name basis with the principal of Pathways because of Annie. He nodded to Mick Thomas. “Chief. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“We have some things to talk about with you.”

He sat.

Adam said, “I’ll start. The boys will be leaving us in September. How would you feel about joining us here at Pathways for June, the first month?”

Diego waited.

“I understand you’re not ready to go back to police work yet.”

“I’m not.”

“I think you’d be a good influence on them. And you could really help the kids learn to get along with law officers.”

“Boys like them usually hate cops.”

“Then we need to change their minds.”

“What would I do?”

He held up a binder. “Jackson has finished the curriculum for the summer program a bit later than he expected because he’d been tied up with other things.” He handed Diego the binder. “It’s very creative.”

“He wasn’t available today? I’d like to talk to him, thank him again for rescuing Annie.”

“He’s taking some time for himself.”

“Ah, I get it. He feels bad about Denzi.”

“He feels bad whenever he loses somebody he tried to save.”

Diego cleared his throat. “I know the feeling.” He leaned forward. “Well, let me see those plans.”

Chief Thomas stood. “I’m leaving. In case you want to do this, which I sanction, know that I approve of this work only as a stopgap, until you have time to heal physically and mentally.”

“We’ll see.”

Diego left the office building with the binder in hand. He hadn’t committed to anything. He was almost at the gate when he saw Annie emerge from the classroom building. He waited for her. “Hey, babe.” Automatically he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

“Hey.” She held onto his arm. “I didn’t know you were on campus.”

“Yeah. You won’t believe this. Adam Phillips wants to hire me for the summer.”

“Oh, for his interim session?”

“To work with the boys.” He held up the binder.

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