Page 62

“What’s that?”
“It was on the doorstep for you.”
I pick it up and notice the envelope is from ASU. “Aren’t we past the point where you show me your report card for money?” I tease, forcing a smile at Sadie. “And why was it in your bra?”
“I wanted to surprise you with it.” She and Remi exchange a smile. “Open it,” Sadie nudges.
I do and find four tickets to tonight’s Devils game against UCLA. There’s a note inside.
I frown. “Did you have something to do with this?”
“Nope.” She holds up her hands. “They were on your doorstep when I came inside. I brought them to you.”
I lift my eyes to Remi. “Did you do this?”
She, too, holds up her hands. “No way.”
“I can’t go to his game. That will look bad?” Yes, it’s a question.
Sadie stares at me. “Look bad to who?”
“I don’t know.” I face-palm myself. Literally. Then slowly slide my elbows forward until my forehead meets the wood of the table. “What am I going to do?”
“Let the boy live with you,” Remi says, as if it’s obvious. “He’s a good guy, gets really good grades.And, has like five offers already for the majors.”
I know he’s a good guy. His eyes are kind. I roll my head to my cheek and glance up at Remi. “Do you know him?”
“Not real well, but I know his best friend, Ez.”
Sadie places her hand on my back. “It’d be good for Olaf and Tatum to have a break.”
Raising my head, I shift my eyes to my daughter, standing two feet from the TV and staring at a frozen screen of Olaf’s face. Turning to Sadie, I smile weakly. “Her best friend is a talking snowman.”
We laugh, but I’m concerned. Since Collin died, she’s watched the movie at least four times a day. That’s a lot! Maybe she did need to get out of the house. I sent her to preschool twice this week, and her teacher said she refused to play with any of her friends and called another boy a pussy. For no reason at all.
Sadie slaps her hand to my thigh. “Let’s go to the game. I just texted Nahla. She said she’d come with us.” She regards Remi. “Are you going?”
“Yeah, but I have my own tickets in the student section.”
At least she won’t be sitting by us to remind me of the clusterfuck my life is now. “Tatum?” Naturally, she doesn’t answer me and continues her stare down with Olaf.
“Loretta?” Sadie calls out.
Naturally, she turns. “Yeah?”
“Wanna go to a baseball game?”
Setting the remote down, she walks toward us. “Okay.”
Looks like I’m taking the kid to a baseball game. Something I haven’t been to since my dad passed away.