Page 91 of Sticks and Stones (Shadow Valley U)

I open my mouth, prepared to apologize once more, but Stone stretches his legs out in front of himself and drops the bomb.

“We came to figure out what was in her file.”

What wasn’t in my file is the real question.

Mary-Lou nods. We all stay silent as a nurse waltzes into the room and has her sign some paperwork. She’s being discharged, which is a relief to me.

As soon as the door clicks shut, Mary-Lou goes into social-worker mode and asks the same questions she used to ask when I was in her care, but I stop her.

“My dad is still in prison, but I’m certain this has something to do with him.”

Even through the swelling along her face, I see the hesitation. I squint, and Stone stiffens beside me.Wait.

“What do you two know that I don’t?” I bounce my attention back and forth between them. My pulse thrums violently.

Stone won’t look at me.

“He’s appealing his conviction.”

The room spins. It takes Stone’s palm on my thigh to bring me back. “H-how? No. Is he out?” I turn to Mary-Lou. “Was he the one who assaulted you?”

“No, not that I would be surprised if he did. I’ve taken you away from him too many times to count.” Her soft laugh is sarcastic.

I can’t muster up the energy to match it.

“Did they take the entire file?” Stone asks. His hand stays on my thigh as it bounces up and down.

She winces with the shake of her head. “No. They took one sheet. The rest was thrown at me.”

Thrown at her.

I picture her bleeding and crumpled on the floor of her office with papers covering her bloody body. I tremble, and Stone briefly looks at me with his heavy brow and disapproving scowl.

Mary-Lou interrupts our moment. “They took the sheet that had your previous foster parents’ information on it. I suspect he’s looking for your address, thinking you’re still living with the Mitchells.”

Stone and I know that can’t be accurate. My dad knows exactly where I am, and the same men who broke into her office were probably the same ones who ransacked my bedroom.

The rest of the time spent with Mary-Lou is a blur. She asks me about school and makes an obvious effort to avoid bringing up my father. He may be the reason I’m face to face with my old social worker again, but she’s never been one to spend much time talking about the negative.

After giving her a gentle hug and apologizing for the hundredth time, which she and Stone reprimand me for, Stone leads me to his car. I sit in the seat and stay silent, focusing on the revving of his motor.

“Did you know?” My voice is a rasp.

“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t?”

I suck in a breath.Boyfriend? Is that what he is?I’m well aware of how concerning it is for me to smile, but I do it anyway. I only let the slip in my emotions last a second.

I wait until he presses on the gas to mumble, “A lying one, I guess.”

His neck snaps. I fly forward when his foot hits the brake, halting us in the middle of the parking lot.

“What did you just say?”

“Don’t hide stuff from me, Stone. I don’t like it.”

He stares at me with his soul-sucking blue eyes and then smiles like the devil. “But you like it when I call myself your boyfriend, don’t you?”

“No.”