Late Arrivals (Special Delivery Book 4)

by J. A. Armstrong

  Tess looked across the kitchen and was met with Rebecca’s raised eyebrow. She covered the phone and whispered, “Davey’s teacher.”

  Rebecca nodded her understanding and waited.

  “It’s okay,” Tess assured the woman. “What can I help you with? Is Davey in trouble?”

  “No,” Mrs. Knowles replied cautiously. “No, it’s actually about Dani.”

  “Dani?” Tess was genuinely surprised.

  “Yes, and no she is not in any trouble either. I spoke with Mr. Eaton about how we should handle this. He agreed that perhaps it would be best if I called you,” she explained.

  Doug Eaton was Dani’s teacher. He lived down the street from Brooke and Tess and had become friendly with the couple. Tess took another deep breath. “I’m almost afraid to ask,” Tess admitted.

  A nervous chuckle came over the phone line. “We had a joint assembly today for the band and chorus.”

  “Yes, I know,” Tess replied. She had hoped to make it to see Dani play at school. Traffic had stalled her on her route and put her behind. She had chalked up Dani’s quietness when she got home to disappointment that neither Tess nor Brooke had made it to the assembly.

  “Dani and Davey had a bit of an altercation.”

  Tess groaned. That was not unusual at home; it was certainly rare to happen at school. “Go on.”

  Mrs. Knowles sighed again. “Davey and a couple of the boys were apparently saying some inappropriate things about some of the band students. Dani took issue with them—openly. I did not hear the remarks and neither did Mr. Eaton. But, given Dani’s response, we both feel she was honest with us about what occurred. It’s not like Dani to have an outburst at all.”

  “What remarks?” Tess wanted to know. She wondered what Davey could have said that would have incited Dani to feel she needed to confront him in the school auditorium. As outgoing as Dani was, she had always been a model student both academically and behaviorally speaking.

  “It seems they were making jokes about the boys in the band being gay in some colorful terms,” Mrs. Knowles said in one full breath, anxious to get the words out and over with.

  Tess felt her entire body go rigid with anger. “Davey said these things?”

  “According to Dani and a few of the other students it has been going on for a while now. I did speak with the boys. They, of course, denied it. I made it clear that I doubted the sincerity in their denials. And, that regardless of whether or not a teacher heard the remarks, the next incident would lead to disciplinary action. Bullying is not tolerated. They are all aware of that. I made certain that they understood what that meant. I will tell you that Davey remained silent. He did not deny his sister’s accusation, but he would not look at me either.”

  Tess felt the tension in her forehead like a pair of vice grips. “I wouldn’t imagine that he could. Dani has her moments,” Tess said. “I’ve never known her to lie.”

  “No,” Mrs. Knowles agreed. “She was quite upset. Angry at first. Told the boys they were ignorant,” Mrs. Knowles giggled a bit. “She certainly is articulate.”

  Tess couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yes, she is,” she agreed.

  “She made her opinion of the boys known,” Mrs. Knowles continued. “And, I think you should know that she told her brother that she hated him for saying something like that,” she told Tess softly. “After she stormed off, Mr. Eaton found her crying in the hallway. He thought perhaps if I brought Davey and her together…”

  Tess cringed. One thing she did know, when the twins fought, letting them have space to cool off was a wise decision. “Oh no…”

  “Davey told Dani she was making things up. She told him that what he said was insulting to you and Dr. Campbell. That was her word. Then she said that if he felt that way, he should find a new family,” Mrs. Knowles explained.

  Tess groaned. “Brooke and I will speak to them.”

  “Ms. Sinclair…”

  “Tess, please. For as many notes and calls as we seem to exchange—just Tess,” Tess tried to sound relaxed.

  “Tess,” Mrs. Knowles attempted to sound reassuring. “Davey is a nice boy,” she said honestly. “This behavior is recent. It’s only surfaced in the last few months. I don’t mean to pry, but is there anything that might be causing him stress at home?”

  “To tell you the truth, Mrs. Knowles, it is sometimes hard to say with David. He’s incredibly sensitive and sometimes a bit insecure.”

  “Yes, I know,” Mrs. Knowles said.

  “Has he said something?” Tess wondered.

  “No, not really. He frustrates easily,” Mrs. Knowles told Tess. “If he doesn’t master something on the first try, he tends to leave it. As you know, he’s struggled with math and at times a bit with reading. He’s self-conscious about that. It’s why he gravitates to some of the boys, I think,” she offered her honest assessment. “It is interesting…”

  “What’s that?” Tess asked.

  “Well, in our last review with the specials teachers, Mrs. Nordeen commented to me that he has a natural aptitude for music. She was surprised at how easily he was able to read the music when the students were exposed to the piano. In fact, she suggested to me that pursuing an instrument might help him with math. You know, that is something we have discovered. A natural inclination toward music or art can often help boost a student across the boards,” she explained.

  Tess listened. She was not surprised to hear that Davey possessed musical talent. He had always been coordinated, and he had always had a tendency to hum or sing from the time he could coo.

  “It’s strange,” Mrs. Knowles said thoughtfully.

  “What is?” Tess wanted to know.

  “It seems that the moment she approached him about trying to learn an instrument or joining the after school chorus, he shut down in class altogether. And, that does time to some of the changes I have seen in him at school.”

  Tess sighed. “You mean his behavior.”

  “Well, yes. He used to spend most of his time with Greg Culver.”

  “They have been friends since before either started school,” Tess explained. “Greg lived up the street from us until we moved last year.” Tess took a deep breath. “And, now he is spending his time with someone else,” Tess guessed.

  “So it seems,” Mrs. Knowles said. “Is there any reason that Davey would be so opposed to music?”

  Tess thought for a moment. “Yes. Dani,” she answered flatly. “He told Brooke recently that Dani is better at everything.”

  “I see.”

  “Mrs. Knowles…”

  “Grace, please,” Davey’s teacher responded. “Mrs. Knowles makes me feel like my mother-in-law,” she attempted to lighten Tess’s burden with a bit of humor.

  Tess chuckled earnestly. She was grateful that her children had the opportunity to attend a first-rate public school, and she was particularly grateful for the acceptance she and Brooke had experienced as parents. “Grace,” Tess continued. “I think it might help you to know that Brooke and I are expecting in November.”

  “Congratulations. Should we be preparing for another double set?” the teacher joked.

  Tess laughed. “No, not this time. I do think Davey is feeling a bit insecure about all of it.”

  “You think he is worried about you? That happens at times. Pregnancy can be…”

  “No,” Tess laughed again. “Brooke is pregnant. Although… That’s something I hadn’t considered. It makes sense,” Tess said. She sighed and mentally slapped herself for not seeing the signs. “Brooke had a miscarriage in the fall,” Tess explained. “She never gets sick,” Tess went on. “Never. She was down for the count for two days. And, to be honest, she was not herself for a while afterward.”

  “Sensitive young man,” Grace Knowles observed.

  “Yes, he is, particularly when it comes to Brooke I am afraid.”

  “Listen, feel free to reach out to me Tess, if you and Dr. Campbell have any concerns.”

  “I’m co
ncerned that he is treating anyone with such disrespect,” Tess said honestly. “No matter what he is feeling, that is unacceptable. He knows that,” she said adamantly.

  Grace Knowles smiled as she listened to the slight tremor in Tess’s voice. As a teacher, she was often met with resistance from parents rather than partnership. Tess Sinclair was receptive and open. “We’ll get him through this,” she assured Tess. “You know what they say. Sometimes it takes a village.”

  Tess laughed. “Right now, I feel a bit like the village idiot.”

  “Not at all. Children are just like adults. They wear different masks with different people. That’s why you need the village sometimes.”

  “I appreciate your call,” Tess thanked Davey’s teacher. “And, your concern. I assure you that Brooke and I will address this with Davey—all of it.”

  “I know you will. Don’t be afraid to reach out,” Davey’s teacher reminded Tess.

  “You might regret that,” Tess joked.

  “I highly doubt it. Have a nice weekend.”

  “You as well,” Tess said. She hung up the phone, closed her eyes, and released an exasperated breath.

  “Tess?” Rebecca called over.

  Tess opened her eyes, shook her head helplessly, and flopped into a kitchen chair. “How the hell did I miss that?” she chastised herself.

  “What did you miss?” Rebecca asked.

  “Oh… Davey being upset about Brooke. Now, Dani is upset at school about Davey. Honestly, Mom. Somedays I think I must be the worst mother on the planet.”

  “Well, that’s the craziest thing I have heard today,” Brooke’s voice filtered into the room.

  Tess turned her head and looked at Brooke sadly.

  “Oh, boy,” Brooke said. “What’s going on?” she asked. Tess shook her head, and Brooke looked at her mother for an explanation.

  “Davey,” Rebecca said.

  “Again?” Brooke asked.

  Tess nodded. “Honestly, I don’t know if I am more upset with myself, angry with him, or worried about him right now.”

  Rebecca looked at Tess. “I guess I should tell you.”

  “Oh, God,” Tess groaned. “What?”

  “The other day when I picked the kids up,” Rebecca began.

  “Yes?” Brooke looked at her mother.

  “I didn’t say anything because I thought it was just one of their spats,” Rebecca explained. “Dani was upset when I got to the school. I could tell. Davey seemed fine. When I asked her what was wrong a bit later, she just told me that he was a ‘jerk’ and that she was tired of him.”

  “Not atypical,” Brooke chuckled.

  “So, I didn’t think there was an issue,” Rebecca said.

  “What happened?” Brooke finally took a seat across the table from Tess.

  “Mrs. Knowles called,” Tess said.

  “Again?” Brooke asked.

  “Again,” Tess replied. “Brooke… He’s been picking on the other kids again,” she said. Brooke’s jaw tightened. Bullying was not something that either she or Tess could tolerate. “It’s worse,” Tess continued. “Making references about them being gay in some colorful language.”

  Brooke pursed her lips and nodded. “Detention again?”

  “No, not this time. No one heard the boys except Dani,” Tess said. “Brooke… She… Dani confronted him at the assembly today. She apparently told him he was ignorant, and if he was going to insult our family, he should find a new one.”

  Brooke couldn’t help herself. She chuckled affectionately. “She certainly is your daughter,” Brooke commented.

  Tess smiled and then turned somber again. “It’s terrible. I don’t even want to give him this party tomorrow right now; I am so angry.”

  “It’s not terrible at all,” Brooke said.

  “No, it isn’t,” Rebecca agreed. “It’s human.”

  Tess put her face in her hands. “At the same time, I feel like this is my fault.”

  “What?” Brooke snapped.

  “Well, I do… God, Brooke… I didn’t even see it.”

  “See what?”

  “He’s scared,” Tess said.

  “Scared? Of what?”

  “Losing you,” Tess said honestly.

  “Tess… You mean about the baby? I’ve had that conversation…”

  Tess reached across the table and took Brooke’s hand. “Yes, but not the way you are thinking,” she said. Brooke was confused. Tess glanced at Rebecca for encouragement and then back at Brooke. “The miscarriage, Brooke,” Tess murmured. “I think it scared him.”

  Brooke was stunned. She’d never considered for a moment that either of the twins would be concerned something might happen to her.

  “I know,” Tess said. “I didn’t put it all together until I was speaking with Mrs. Knowles.”

  Brooke rubbed her forehead in thought and shook her head. “Even if that is true, it is not your fault,” she told Tess. Brooke held up her finger to quell Tess’s objection. “It isn’t your fault,” Brooke repeated. “And, Tess, even if you are right, that does not excuse his behavior.”

  “I know,” Tess agreed. “I swear to you, I don’t know what to do,” Tess admitted helplessly. “What am I supposed to say to him? I don’t want him calling anyone any kind of name. But, Brooke… Dani isn’t wrong. This is… I have had this conversation with them both since they were small. He knows how I feel about this.”

  Brooke sighed. She was at an equal loss.

  Rebecca smiled at the pair. “Girls,” she began. “I don’t want to interfere.”

  “No, please… If you have some suggestion, I am all ears,” Tess said.

  “Maybe you should just both be honest with him. Completely honest,” Rebecca said.

  “Mom,” Brooke addressed her mother. “We have been. Ever since he started hanging out with this kid Brian…”

  “Peer pressure can be tough,” Rebecca said.

  “Maybe. That isn’t a reason,” Brooke began.

  “No, it isn’t an excuse, Bee. It is a reason. Do you think maybe, maybe Davey is trying to avoid being the target?” she suggested.

  Tess nodded. “I’m sure that is part of it. But, what do we do? I can’t cut him off from this kid. They are in the same class. I can’t be in school with him all day. He sees him in the afterschool program. What do I do? Quit my job? I mean… This keeps up, and he will be suspended. And, honestly? Maybe he should be if he is engaging in this,” Tess said in extreme frustration. Brooke stroked the back of Tess’s hand to calm her. “How do we handle this? Ground him? That hasn’t worked yet apparently. What do we take away? What…”

  “Maybe you should try giving him something instead,” Rebecca offered.

  “Reward him?” Brooke laughed sarcastically. “Mom…”

  “No, give him something to do. Something he won’t want to do every day, but something he is expected to do. Bee?”

  “Brooke?” Tess asked.

  “When I was eleven, I got into some issues at school,” Brooke told Tess. “I was kind of bored to tell you the truth. Thought I was pretty important,” she chuckled at the memory. “Started talking back a bit.”

  “You?” Tess asked doubtfully.

  “Her,” Rebecca replied for Brooke.

  “Thanks, Mom,” Brooke laughed. “Yeah, me. I got teased a lot, Tess. You know, I was a lot taller than everyone, even the boys. That didn’t help. And, I was quiet for the most part. I mean silent. I kind of felt like a freak sometimes. Most of the kids had brothers and sisters, and I wasn’t very coordinated back then… I mean on my feet,” Brooke laughed. “I just kind of pulled away from the kids. I’d go home and just play the piano for hours. It was my escape. One day, my teacher Miss Godfrey asked me a question in class. Kind of like she thought I wasn’t paying attention; you know?” Brooke explained. Tess nodded. “Well, I sort of gave her a flip answer. The right answer, but in a really condescending tone. The kids all laughed when her face got red. It was the first time they paid
attention to me like I was part of them. So…”

  “You kept it up,” Tess guessed. Brooke shrugged her admission.

  “I got worse. I was a know it all, but in a funny way.”

  “It was not funny,” Rebecca said. “She was rude. And, it didn’t stop with her teacher either.”

  Tess looked at Brooke curiously.

  Brooke groaned. “I started blowing off my piano lessons, and then I started hanging out with this other girl, Melody and her friends. We….”

  “They taunted some of the other girls mercilessly,” Rebecca explained. “Some of the girls who were not from families who lived where we did. Didn’t perhaps dress the same, that kind of thing.

  Brooke sighed regretfully.

  “What happened?” Tess asked.

  Brooke smiled sadly. “Mom had my uncle Jerry start picking me up after school. She canceled my piano lessons for three months.”

  “And?” Tess urged.

  “Uncle Jerry was a landscaper. I mean, he mowed lawns, and he planted trees and stuff for people like my parents. He was Mom’s best friend in Malibu.”

  “I thought Bee needed a dose of reality and hard work, a little humbling and a removal from some of the influences around her. It took a little time,” Rebecca said. “It worked.”

  “Okay, but how do we do that with Davey? I mean, how do we reassure him about Brooke and still give him a consequence?” Tess wondered aloud. “God! I need therapy…”

  Brooke chuckled. “We’ll figure something out, Tess.”

  “You have an idea?” Tess asked.

  “I might have a couple,” Brooke said. “We’ll talk about it later, okay? What about the party?” she asked Tess.

  “I can’t spoil it for Dani,” Tess said. “And, we need to talk to her. I don’t blame her, Brooke—not one bit. I would have done the same thing, I think. But, Dani can’t be having outbursts at Davey at school either. I don’t want to punish her. I do want to talk to her. And, as mad as she might ever be…”

  “I know; Davey is her brother. This is his family no matter what he says. I know,” Brooke said.