Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
“No,” I said, and smiled, offering her my hand. “I’m her uncle, Chris Gardner.”
And of course, because Dawson was standing right there, no more than a foot away from me, and his sunglasses were off, the woman gasped.
“You’re Dawson West,” she barely got out, having grasped my hand and, surprisingly, not letting go the second she saw him.
“I am,” he said kindly, and she let my hand go and grabbed his.
“I have all your albums and saw you live in Nashville two years ago.”
He was giving her his million-dollar smile, the one that made his eyes glint, as he held her hand in both of his. “Thank you so much. It’s always wonderful to meet a fan.”
“I’m having the most surreal day,” she confessed to him, then turned to me. “I’m Nicole Amsel, and I had to stay and meet Cami’s guardian because your niece saved my daughter, Prue—she’s the one over there in the snowflake coat and matching beret—from a girl who’s been bullying her for some time. My husband and I had no idea this was happening.”
I eased Cami back then, as she had been holding on to me the whole time, and went down on one knee so we were closer to the same height. Her eyes were red. “What happened?”
She bit her bottom lip.
I squinted at her. “Did you do the right thing?”
Quick nod.
“Do you wish it hadn’t been necessary?”
Another nod.
“Did anybody get hurt?”
“No, sir.”
I shrugged. “Then spill.”
Apparently, Prue, who never went to the bathroom at recess or lunch, only during class time because that way, she knew she’d be safe, was going to die if she didn’t pee at recess. But as usual, when she was coming out of the stall, Emma Ritter, who never missed an opportunity to take things from Prue, like cute pins, Hello Kitty erasers and pencils, barrettes, keychains, and even her earrings once, was there and swiped the snowflake beret right off her head.
“I don’t know why Prue never tells her mommy or a teacher,” Cami told me before turning to Nicole. “I told her to. Last time before this, Emma shoved her in the mud by the swings, and she got really dirty.”
Nicole nodded. “I remember that day.”
“What happened at recess?” I prodded Cami.
She leaned into me then, it was one of her habits, and put her arm on my shoulder. “Well, when Prue was taking so long, I went in to make sure she was okay, and Emma had Prue’s pretty white hat with the sparkles on her head.”
I nodded.
“Today was special. We all got to wear hats if we wanted, which is why I have these antlers on. I know antlers aren’t a hat, but it was fine.”
Dawson chuckled, and I couldn’t help smiling. She was just so logical.
“I got it,” I confirmed, and I noted that Nicole covered her mouth so Cami wouldn’t see her smile.
“I knew the hat was Prue’s, so I walked in and snatched it right off Emma’s head and gave it back to Prue.”
“Then what?”
“Emma tried to hit me, so I pushed her away, and then I grabbed Prue’s hand so we could run out of the bathroom together.”
“But?” There had to be more.
“But Emma pulled my hair.”
Georgine was a great mother who always stressed keeping your hands to yourself, never starting a fight, and never hurting anyone. However, the addendum was, if someone struck you, if someone purposely got in your face and was prepared to do you bodily harm or, heaven forbid, pulled your hair, then that was what your karate was for.
“What’d you do?”
“I flipped her over my back.”
“Like you did Henry Rafkin in karate class?” I had only seen her do it one time, to Henry, her best friend in the world, onto a thick mat. His father, Seth, was a very nice man, and he and his son were Georgine and Cami’s neighbors, since Georgine had bought her house two years ago when she moved out of her mother’s home. As far as I knew, Dr. Wallis was still annoyed about that, though with how perfectly she wanted her house kept, and with Georgine being a chef, I suspected she also liked them being gone just a bit.
Cami nodded, worried eyes searching mine.
“What were you supposed to do, angel?”
“Get a teacher.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“There wasn’t time.”
I held her gaze and waited.
She nodded quickly. “I should have run out when Emma let go of my hair, but I was mad, and Mama said no one should touch me.”
“If there was…” I prodded her.
She sighed deeply. “No other choice.”
“That’s right,” I agreed. “Now, was there another choice?”
“Yeah.” Her eyes filled suddenly before she was hugging me again, her arms wrapped tight around my neck. “Are you mad at me?”
“No,” I said, rubbing her back. “I’m very proud of you for sticking up for your friend.”