Page 4 of Wintertime Heat (Holiday 1)

I wince, “Well, Aaron did something bad. He hit Mason.”

“But Mason was being mean to me. And Aaron was only helping. He can’t get in trouble for helping me, can he?”

From the mouth of babes.

Sighing, I brush Noah’s hair back from his face, “All right, tell you what. Since Aaron helped you, I’ll go help him. Does that sound fair?”

Noah nods.

“Good. Now, tell me what happened.”

I settle down for what I sensed was going to be a long story.

Chapter 2

Collin was clearly not pleased that I had sent in a student on my first lunch duty.

The way he phrased it, made it seem like I had orchestrated the entire fight just to ruin his lunch break.

I honestly didn’t know what the man’s deal with me was.

But the fortunate part was that since the Principal wasn’t available at that moment, Aaron had been told to come at a later time. However, I did not know when later was.

Needless to say, I was quite surprised to find Aaron sitting on the bench outside the Principal’s office, as I made my way out. His legs were too short to reach the ground, so he was aimlessly kicking them in the air.

I frowned.

Even Collin had left for the day.

Why was Aaron still here?

“Hello.”

Aaron jumps at the sound of my voice, startled and then relaxes when he sees it was a teacher.

“Aaron isn’t it?”

He gives me a nod, mutely.

I sit down next to him on the bench, “Why are you still here, Aaron? The whole school’s empty.”

“My dad comes late,” He mumbles, all his bravado from the lunch period having seemingly evaporated.

I couldn’t, in good conscious, leave the child alone in the empty school.

I sigh, “Guess, we both have to wait then.”

“Who are you waiting for?” He asks, curiously.

I shake my head, lying through my teeth, “For my friend.”

“Oh.” Then, with an afterthought, “Am I going to get in trouble for what I did?”

I was quiet for a moment, “Do you think you should get in trouble?”

Aaron is twisting his fingers, looking a little guilty, “I only hit Mason because he was making fun of Noah’s mom. Because Noah doesn’t have a Dad like I do.”

“Noah told me. He doesn’t want you to get in trouble as well.”

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