Page 55 of Antagonist

I grab my stuff and leave the office in a rush to get to the school.

Thankfully, there are plenty of parking spaces since the school day doesn’t end for another two hours. I rush over to Megan’s classroom. Ellis sees me through the glass on the door and comes out.

“Hey, I’m surprised to see you here,” he says.

“I got a call from the school about Megan. Is she okay?”

“There was a disagreement between a few kids. No fighting or anything, but I found her at the end of recess, crying on her own in a corner. I took her to the nurse’s office. They usually bring the kids back to the room once they calm down, so I was hoping to see her shortly.”

“Is she still with the nurse?” I ask.

“My guess is yes, but if not, try the principal’s office. I’m sorry, I can’t leave the class.”

“It’s okay. Thanks, Ellis.” I look for the nurse’s office, my heart feeling like it’s beating out of my chest with worry.

I hear voices coming from a room with the door open, so I rush over.

Megan sits at a desk while a man sits on a chair in front of her.

“Daddy!” she shouts, jumping from the desk and running to me.

I pick her up and hold her tight. “What’s up, princess? I hear you were upset.”

She sobs into my chest.

“I wanna go back to Boston,” she says, her voice cracking.

“Why’s that, sweetie? Want to tell me what happened?”

She shakes her head. I kiss her hair and rock her in my arms.

The man in the room stands up. “I’m Dr. Mike Spencer. You must be Harrison.”

I stare at the man, bile rising from my stomach. “I don’t mean to be rude, Dr. Spencer, but what are you doing at my daughter’s school?”

The man, to give him credit, looks embarrassed.

Did Stella send him? How is he even allowed to be with my daughter?

He runs a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Harrison. Stella got a call from the school. She knows you have a function tonight, and since I’m doing a night shift, she asked if I could pick up Megan and take her to the hospital’s after-school group.”

“How are you allowed to be here?”

He stands up straight as if he’s just noticing my anger at his presence.

“My sister is the school nurse, and I often come to talk to kids about medicine and check on some kids whose families can’t afford healthcare. I have permission to be here.”

“Daddy, can we go home?” Megan says.

I look at the clock on the wall and then at Megan.

“Harrison,” Mike says. “I wish we’d met under different circumstances. I’ve been asking Stella about it, but she’s been reluctant. She’s very protective of you, which I can understand. I don't want to cause any problems. I care for her a lot. Megan too.”

He looks down and smiles. A little tinge of red comes up from under the collar of his shirt. “I hope we can meet again under different circumstances. Stella has assured me you won’t hold my love for the Yankees against me.”

I smile and consider my options, but there’s only one person who can say what happens next.

“Dr. Spencer, may I have a moment alone with Megan?”