Page 93 of Moonshine Lullabies

Jessie-Lou…

I pulled into the lot at my kid’s school and I was heated. He’d been having problems with one of the little bastards of the Bayou Brethren’s all last year and it was something I was hoping wouldn’t follow his ass into sophomore year. Alas, here it was, barely into the school year and I had been summoned to the principal’s office.

I ground my teeth as I pulled into the high school’s parking lot, rolling to a stop in the damn bus lane as the parking lot was full.

I shut off my truck, pressed down on the parking brake and got out.

It’d been a lot of years since I’d been in this school myself, and I’d honestly hoped I’d never have to come back.

I’d never finished. I’d gotten my GED. I’d had to. My mamma’d put her foot down that she wouldnotbe babysitting my kid while I went to class. That I’d laid down and spread my legs and I’d needed to deal with the consequences. Get a job and man up quick.

I’d been bitter when I’d realized that Tate would go here and that bitter flavor returned to my mouth with every step I took toward those doors.

“Excuse me,” I said, interrupting the secretary’s chatter behind the front desk. “I’m here for Tate Gaudet.”

The secretary looked me up and down with something like disdain and said, “I do believe we need his parent here – not his sister.”

I gave her an unfriendly look, raised my voice, and said, “Bitch, Iamhis mamma, not his sister. Now where the fuck is my kid?”

She gasped, shrinking back in her seat, and the principal’s voice called from his office door, “Ms. Gaudet.”

I turned and gave him a look that spit fire and marched that way. He shut the door behind him and I looked at Tate, sitting in one of the chairs in front of Mr. Hunter’s desk a bloody wad of tissues pressed to his nose.

“Oh, God,” I muttered, and I tilted his head back, admittedly a little roughly and got a look at him. Both his eyes were swelling shut and I asked him, “How’s the other kid look, son?”

“I didn’t stand a chance, Mamma. They’s three of them on just me. I got a few good licks in, though.”

I nodded. “Good boy, c’mon and git up. We’ll get you to the urgent care.”

“Ms. Gaudet, there’s the matter of Tate’s punishment.”

I turned on the principle and the words he’d been about to speak died on his lips.

“You better think long and careful about what you say next,” I said. “Because from where I’m standin’, you let three other boys,three of them, beat the brakes off my son. Right now, you’re lucky I ain’t call a lawyerandreport you and thiswhole fuckin’ schoolto CPS!”

My voice gradually got louder until I was all-out screaming at him.

“These boys have been bothering my son since last year. They’ve spray painted our fence, they’ve poked fun, hit, spit, pinched slapped, hit, and now beat my son to the point he needs medical attention, and what have you done? Huh? So I’m gonna need you to put all that in your mental basket of BINGO balls and roll it, and when you’re done, youbettercome out with the right number!”

He didn’t say anything, his mouth opening and closing like a landed fish.

“Now where the fuck even are they?” I demanded.

“I can’t—”

“Yeah, you can’t do anything, you ineffectual impotent little man. So what? What exactly were you planning on punishing my son with for defending himself against three other boys?”

“Nothing, but I think it may be a good idea that he stays home tomorrow. We’ll see him back on Monday.”

I nodded once curtly and said, “I know that’s the right number. Good boy. Now what about the other boys?”

He swallowed hard and said, “It’s against school policy to discuss disciplinary matters when it comes to other—”

“Mm-mm! Wrong answer! Try again.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Or do you think I’m foolin’ you about callin’ the state?”

“One week suspension,” he muttered and I nodded.

“Happens again, CPS and my lawyer’ll be calling. I’m not playing. My son deserves a safe learning environment.” I raised my hand to cut him off before he could speak. “And before you give me some line of fucking bullshit about those little cockbites having a right to an education over my boy, you save it. They’re abdicating their right to shit like that with every act of violence they put on my son!”

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