Chapter 33: Bully

After closing out their case files on the matter and making the call to Jean about delaying Nolan's accident they were officially finished with this case. They celebrated the rest of the day in and out of bed until they had to go pick up Kayla.

Nothing was better than finishing up a case and picking up Kayla with her joyful attitude and bright lease on everything. When they picked her up she gave them both a really tight hug then settled into her seat and buckled up but that was it. She didn't jump into the story of her day or even say anything at all.

Beth looked over to Mick who was watching Kayla in the rearview mirror. Something wasn't right with their girl. She was radiating fear and sadness instead of joy and love. "Mick do you smell that too? I think she's been crying." Beth asked Mick in sub tones as he drove.

"I do too," he responded softly as well.

Not wanting to push Beth wanted Kayla to come to them with whatever it was. "So sweetie how was school?"

"School was okay." She didn't even look up as she answered just sat in her spot holding her book bag to her.

Mick saw the sign for her favorite ice cream place and made the turn, "Your mother and I were thinking since it's such a nice day we would get you and ice cream and we could sit and enjoy it."

Still she is quite. At the ice cream parlor Mick gets her favorite small vanilla cone with chocolate sauce and sprinkles and meets them over on the picnic bench covered in shade. Kayla takes the cone from Mick and takes a lick, "Thank you Daddy." She takes a few more small bites but she isn't very interested in the ice cream and neither of them can take it anymore.

"Are you feeling okay Kayla?" Beth asks softly.

"Okay."

Mick takes a turn. "Did something happen at school angel? You know you can always talk to us about anything."

Kayla drops her ice cream cone as she starts to cry. Mick pulls her into his chest protectively as Beth strokes her back softly, "It's okay angel whatever it is it will be okay."

After a few minutes she pulls back from Daddy and has left a mess on his shirt but he doesn't care. "What happened sweetie?"

"This boy. He was older and bigger and he was so mean."

Mick felt his rage flare up but Beth quickly took control, "What happened sweetie?" Then to Mick in sub tones added, "Come on Mick little kids are mean sometimes calm down."

Beth took a clean napkin and wiped Kayla's face up for her letting her blow her nose. After she hugged Beth tight and told them what happened. "He was being mean. He was picking on some of the girls, they're not older like me," Beth couldn't help but smile some at that now that Kayla was a whole 7 years old anyone younger clearly wasn't as old as she was.

"He was pushing them around and poking them and making them cry. Andrew tried to make him stop but he was older and he hit Andrew. Then he went back to picking on the girls and…and…I started to scream."

More tears welled up in her eyes, "I know I shouldn't scream at school but he was being a big meanie and making them cry just like my other daddy the bad one did to my other mommy."

Mick and Beth shared a look. "It's okay sweetie you didn't do anything wrong. That bully was the wrong one."

Beth smiled down at her, "Sometimes other kids are just mean because they don't know how else to act or to hide that they're scared."

"He's big what's he scared of?"

"Maybe he doesn't have any friends and he doesn't know how to make any."

"He never will if he's mean to people."

Beth loved her little girl and the way she saw things so simple and clear. "You know that but not everyone does."

"We'll talk to the school about him though okay. We won't have any bullys hurting our baby girl."

Kayla turned back to hug her Daddy again. In sub tones he added, "How did the school not contact us and let us know?"

"Mick they're kids. These things happen sometimes most kids just feel bad for a bit and move on. Kayla's different it's not the schools fault but we should have them call us in the future."

Kayla gave Beth a big hug and sat back looking down at her feet where the ice cream cone sat on the ground. "I dropped my ice cream."

Mick grinned, "Would you like another one?"

She nodded, "Please."

"Then another one you will have." Mick tickled her sides making her laugh, a beautiful sound to his ears before turning to get her another ice cream.

After ice cream they talked about the rest of her day which was good. She was back to her normal self even had them sign a paper that the office had given her with a written statement about what had happened on the playground. It seems the bully didn't go to school, he was homeschooled down the street and he had snuck onto the playground.

After homework and dinner Kayla had gotten her shower and curled up in bed wanting her Daddy to read her a big book. He did unable to deny her anything. Once she was out he sat there watching her.

Downstairs Beth was talking Mick into letting her handle the school when they both heard the noises. They were up the stairs and to Kayla's door in an instant. She was whimpering in her sleep saying 'No' over and over again.

"She's having nightmares again Beth."

"We'll get her through this Mick," Beth reassured. "Go get her she needs her Daddy."

Mick nodded, "I'll bring her to our bed."

Beth smiled at the way he moved to her bedside waking her and gently pulling her into his arms telling her she's safe. Beth knew those arms were the safest place she'd ever known and if anything could help Kayla it was Mick.

To Be Continued…

Evilous