Paint It Black by Michelle Perry

desk.
    My pulse spiked. “Grady … you forgot her?”
    “I was working and lost track of time …”
    Something in his eyes clued me in, some minute shift. I stalked over to his desk and snatched up the glass of cola.
    “Necie, wait!”
    But I’d already turned it up to take a sip. Jack and Coke. I spat it out and hurled the glass at the wall behind him.
    “Hey!” he cried as it shattered, splashing him and his precious papers.
    I ran out the door to get my daughter. I was seething when I threw the car in reverse and hurtled down the driveway. I hit the mailbox and nearly the ditch as I shot onto the main road.
    How could he have forgotten her? My pulse thudded in my ears when I thought of Abby standing there searching for us. I was going to kill him.
    It was nearly twenty minutes after dismissal when I wheeled into the school parking lot.
    The place looked deserted.
    My tires bumped against the sidewalk when I slid into a parking space. I jumped out of the car and ran up the wheelchair ramp. The front doors were locked.
    I raced around the building. My desperation grew with every door I tried and found locked.
    Where was Abby?
    I yanked hard on the gymnasium door and stumbled backward when it flew open. The girls’ basketball team was running sprints. A few of them gave me curious looks as they raced to the foul line. I didn’t see the coach, so I crossed the floor and entered the main building.
    Abby’s classroom was empty. Fear gripped my heart like a cold fist. I could barely breathe as I staggered down the hall and rounded the corner. A gray-haired custodian pushed a dust mop in front of the principal’s office. She clutched her heart when she glanced up to see me barreling toward her.
    “Please,” I gasped. “My little girl …”
    “Mrs. Bramhall, is that you?” a crisp voice called from inside the office. I sidestepped the janitor’s dust pile and entered.
    Abby’s principal, Ms. Defries, gave me a frosty smile. “If you’re looking for Abigail, she called her grandmother to pick her up.”
    Tension hissed out of me like air from a tire. I grabbed the doorknob to steady myself. “Oh, thank God. I was so scared. Thank you, Ms. Defries. Her father and I… wehad a little scheduling mix-up. It won’t happen again.”
    Her cool voice stopped me when I turned to leave. “That’s what Mr. Bramhall said last time.”
    Slowly, I faced her. “Excuse me?”
    “Mrs. Bramhall, I realize that sometimes scheduling is difficult when both parents work outside the home, but this is the third time this has happened this semester. It’s not good for Abigail. She was very upset. Perhaps you and Mr. Bramhall should consider making other arrangements for Abby’s transportation to and from school. I notice that she’s also been tardy twice in the past month.”
    I was too shocked and furious to speak. This had happened to my baby more than once? I was going to kill Grady. I forgot to say good-bye. I forgot to say anything as I stalked out of the office.
    Elizabeth’s gray Cadillac sat waiting by the curb when I pulled into my driveway. I slammed the car in park and sprinted up the yard. I could hear her and Grady yelling at each other before I even opened the door.
    They stood nose to nose in the living room, waving their hands and shouting at each other. Abby hunkered on the sofa, hugging her knees to her chest. I took one look at the tears rolling down her face and my temper skyrocketed. She looked terrified.
    I ignored Grady and Elizabeth and crossed over to her. She threw her arms around my neck with a desperation that made me want to throttle her father andgrandmother. I hugged her and smoothed my hand over her hair. “It’s okay, baby,” I said, glaring at them over her shoulder. They took the hint and shut up. “Go upstairs and do your homework. I’ll be up in a minute.”
    “I-I don’t have any homework.”
    I wiped her cheeks. “Then go play your Playstation. I need to talk to Daddy and