Applause rang out when Principal Max Preston took the stage. “Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning, Mr. Preston!” the kids chorused back.
“We’ve got a great show planned for you today. Let’s all give a round of applause for the Massachusetts Salem Elementary School.”
The kids began to applaud. A few whistles sounded. Ronan shook his head. He’d never learned how to do that. He grabbed his phone from his back pocket and got ready to record the performance. Everly and the others were going to love seeing the playback later tonight.
“Without further delay, it’s my pleasure to introduce the chorus, who’ll begin with my favorite song, ‘The Little Green Frog.’”
More applause rang out as Ten and Cope took their place near the front of the stage. Ten’s arms went up in the air, and when he swung them down, the kids began to sing.
Ronan’s eyes were on Everly as she sang with her entire heart. There was nothing better than seeing his daughter so happy. She’d diligently practiced her songs every night after dinner with him and Ezra as the audience. He and Ezzie had learned the words and sang along with her.
When “The Little Green Frog” ended, there was thunderous applause. Ten and Cope led the kids in a bow while two of the parent chaperones passed out the bumblebee wings and antennae for the next song. As Everly was about to slip her arms into the wing straps, she froze. Her eyes were on the back of the room, near where Principal Preston was standing.
Aurora gave Everly a little nudge, but her gaze stayed focused on the principal.
Not understanding what was going on, Ronan headed toward the principal, who seemed unaware he was causing Everly’s distress. He turned to Everly, who’d broken out of her freeze and now had her wings on. When Ten began the song, she sang along but without her earlier gusto.
Ronan took the empty space beside the principal. “Detective Ronan O’Mara,” he said, offering his hand.
“Nice to meet you, Ronan. I’ve heard nothing but great things about you and your family from some of my teachers. A few of them have been to Tennyson’s shop for readings. They’ve been trying to talk me into having one to find out when I’ll finally get lucky in love.”
Ronan looked at the principal’s left hand and saw that it was bare. He was a good-looking guy with wheat-colored hair and icy-blue eyes. Probably in his mid-thirties. Max was an inch or so taller than Ronan and had broad shoulders. He couldn’t imagine why the man was having trouble dating. He seemed to be an absolute catch, which instantly put up Ronan’s radar. He found himself wishing he had his gift back again just so he could scan the man and find out why Everly had responded to him the way she had.
Ten, for his part, was leading the kids in the second chorus of the bumblebee song. Some of the kids in the audience sang along. Ronan knew if there was anything wrong with the principal, he would have telegraphed a look or would have texted Ronan to let him know something was up. Same with Cope. Neither man looked worried or bothered in the slightest. He switched his attention to Jude and Fitz, who were singing along and recording the concert.
When the song ended, Everly applauded along with the other kids and slipped out of her wings and antennae. She handed them down the row to the chaperones who were waiting to collect them. Ronan’s full attention was on her. Everly’s hands rested at her sides while the rest of the class had their fingers in position for the “The Itsy Bitsy Spider.”
There was definitely something wrong with his daughter. Had one of the kids in the audience shot her a dirty look? Was there a problem with the principal or the other teachers who lined the wall to Ronan’s right? What the hell happened to make Everly go from the life of the party to a child who looked as if she wanted to bolt out the door?
The song began, and Everly sang along with her class. Her hands made the movements of the spider climbing and the rain washing it away, but her earlier sparkle was definitely gone. Aurora kept looking at her as if she were worried too.
At the end of the first chorus, the audience applauded loudly again while Everly looked as if she were fighting to hold back tears. Ronan took a step toward the stage but was held back by Preston.
“She’ll be okay. Just a little stage fright. We see it all the time. It’s better for her and the other kids if you don’t make a big deal of it.” Principal Preston patted Ronan’s shoulder.
Ronan was about to tell the principal where he could shove his thoughts when Ten turned around. He wore an equally worried look. “Let’s all sing together. Get your itsy bitsy spiders ready.” A fake smile was plastered to Ten’s face.
More than anything, Ronan wanted to run to the front of the stage and hug his daughter. As the song went on, silent tears cascaded down Everly’s cheeks. She made the spider motions but was barely singing the song.
After the song finished, Ten turned back to the kids. “The second part of the show is the sing-along. How many of you know Old MacDonald?”
All of the little hands in the room shot into the air. Several shouts of “Me!” rang out too.
“Wow! Everyone knows this song. Will you sing along with me?”
“Yes!” the kids shouted in unison.
Ten turned back to the kids and led them in singing the song. Everly didn’t do her exaggerated moo for the cow and didn’t excitedly flap her arms and cluck like a chicken. Ronan held out a bit of hope that she’d perk up when her favorite animal, the horse, but the sullen look on her face was unchanged. Thankfully the tears had stopped, but having to stay where he was and watch his daughter’s pain was agony.
Ronan moved away from the principal and back to Jude and Fitz, who wore worried looks.
“Is Everly okay?” Jude whispered. “I want to run up there and hug the stuffing out of her.”
“Me too,” Ronan agreed.
“What was going on with you and the principal?” Fitz asked.
