“Ma’am, you shouldn’t have been driving that vehicle in the first place.”
“But the jerking didn’t start until today.”
The cop gives her a look like he doesn’t believe her. He tears off a sheet of paper and hands it to her. “You’re lucky I’m not giving you a ticket for reckless driving. That’s a class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to thirty days in jail.”
She gasps. “Jail time!”
“Consider yourself lucky.”
Livid doesn’t begin to describe what I’m feeling right now.
When he walks away, I say her name.
Because we have to talk. Now.
40
ABIGAIL
“Abigail.”
My stomach falls when I hear Nick’s voice. I turn around and prepare myself for another interrogation. Hopefully, he’ll understand. I just need him to listen to me and not jump to conclusions, but the moment I see his face, dread forms in the pit of my stomach. “Did… did you hear that whole conversation?”
His nostrils flare. “What I heard is that you drove Hazel in an unsafe car. What were you thinking?”
My eyes well with tears, and I curse under my breath. Now is not the time to cry, but I can admit I’m a basket case after everything that’s happened today. Lifting my glasses, I wipe my eyes. “I was thinking that Denise couldn’t pick her up, and she couldn’t reach you, so rather than leaving Hazel at school, I skipped class and picked her up myself.” I’ve never skipped class. Not once.
His jaw works back and forth. “See, the thing about staying at school until perhaps Cadence could get her is my daughter would be safe.”
I can’t hold back the tears anymore. “You’re okay with Cadence driving her but not me?”
“She has a perfect driving record.”
I already know Cadence is perfect in every way, but it’s good to know Nick prefers Cadence over me.
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “The cop said you were driving recklessly. So much so that he had to give you a fucking field sobriety test. That you, what, blew through a red light to turn? That you couldn’t just wait until you had the green light?”
“Did you hear the part about Hazel almost throwing up?”
“Did she? Did she vomit?”
“Well, no, but—”
“Then why are you blaming her for your accident?”
I knew I shouldn’t have expected Nick to understand what happened today. “I’m not blaming her. You’re twisting everything around. That’s not how it happened.”
“Why didn’t you just fix your transmission if it was so bad?”
Because I bought your letterman instead, asshole. Because I was going to pay you the rent I owed you. Because I wanted to eat more than ramen on my stupid trip, a trip I don’t even know if I can afford anymore.
But my mouth won’t cooperate. I can’t force out the words. And even if I did, he won’t believe me.
A choked sound comes from the back of my throat, and I burst into tears. “Does it matter?”
He doesn’t say anything at first, but then he looks away, a pained expression on his face. “I’m sorry, Abby. I know you had a terrible afternoon, and I’m glad you weren’t hurt, but… I don’t think you should watch my daughter anymore.”
I suck in a breath. He doesn’t want me around Hazel?
