Page 272 of Safe With You

I took a sip of water. “I had nothing to do with that.”

Mila looked at me. “Yes, you did.”

I closed my eyes as Ellis laughed.

“I was trying to protect you.”

“Why?”

“Good question.” I pulled her plate closer. “Eat your food.”

Dinner moved easily after that.

Mila did most of the talking, which I was beginning to realize was normal when she had an audience willing to listen. I heard about somebody named Kennedy who got moved to another seat for talking too much, a boy who cried because he lost a blue eraser, and a class hamster that apparently belonged to everybody except the teacher who actually took care of it.

Ellis corrected her twice when the details started sounding suspicious.

She ignored him both times.

I asked questions anyway.

By the time our plates were mostly empty, I knew more about the social politics of a first-grade classroom than I ever expected to.

Mila pushed her empty plate away. “Can we have banana pudding?”

“No,” Ellis and I said at the same time.

She looked between us.

I looked at Ellis. He looked at me.

“Why did you say no?” I asked.

“Because she needs to finish getting ready for bed. Why did you say no?”

“Because I haven’t had any yet.”

He laughed.

Mila groaned. “I can eat it fast.”

“That’s not helping your case,” Ellis said.

He considered it. “Pajamas on, backpack by the door.”

“And then pudding?”

“A little. Then you brush your teeth and get in bed.”

She was out of her chair before he finished the sentence.

“Walk,” Ellis called after her.

Her footsteps slowed immediately.

I waited until she disappeared around the corner before looking at him.

“You’ve been holding banana pudding over her head this whole time?”