Page 26

Twenty-Six

Bodhi

Everyone else’s parents have already come got them, and only Micha’s left. I don’t want my party to end, but Daddy said I could open my presents when I get home.

“Bodhi,” Conor says, telling me to come over with his finger. He and all my daddy’s friends are at a table together.

“Yeah?” I ask.

“Have a seat, buddy,” Tweetie says. He’s always really funny.

I sit next to Kyleigh because she’s always really nice, and she smells good. Except none of them are smiling. Am I in trouble?

“It’s kind of funny that Miss Jade is here, huh?” Conor asks.

“She’s my teacher.”

“And apparently Micha didn’t get an invitation.” Kyleigh looks at me.

Mack sits on my other side. “I only gave you enough for all the students.”

“Maybe she found it and thought it was for her.” I shrug and look away from them.

“On her desk?” Tweetie says. “Ouch.” I look back over, and he’s looking at Conor like he’s mad at him.

“You can tell us, we understand,” Conor says.

“Yeah, buddy, it’s us,” Rowan says.

Mack puts his hand on my shoulder. “We’re all friends.”

My tummy gets that funny feeling it always does when I’m excited or when I think I might get in trouble. I look over my shoulder to see my dad laughing with Miss Jade.

“They look happy,” Conor says. “You like seeing your dad with Miss Jade?”

I nod.

Mack reaches for a juice box, puts in the straw, and puts it in front of me. “It’s okay, Bodhi.”

“They’re laughing.” Kyleigh looks into my eyes. “Bodhi, did you take Micha’s invitation and give it to Miss Jade?”

I look at all of them. They’re all looking at me.

I nod and wait for them to be mad at me.

But they all laugh until Kyleigh hits Rowan. Then they stop, but they look like I do when I want to laugh, but I know Daddy’s mad.

“It’s okay, Bodhi. You want your dad to be happy, right?” Mack asks.

“It was a cool thing to do,” Conor says.

I smile. I don’t think I’m in trouble.

“So, you think your dad should date Miss Jade?” Rowan asks.

I nod. “They were friends.”

“They were,” Conor says.

“I saw a photo album at my great-grandparents’ house. From when they were kids.”

“Really?” Kyleigh looks excited. I bet she wants to see it too.

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, we’re gonna help you,” Conor says.

“Really?” I sit up straighter.

“You’re right. They do look really happy together, but we think they might need a push,” Conor says.

“More like a shove,” Tweetie says. “Ouch.” He looks at Conor like he’s mad again.

“What do you think we can do to get them together?” Kyleigh asks.

“In the pictures, they went to Navy Pier. And the movies. And they went to the zoo.” I try to remember everything, but there were a bunch of places I don’t know. “Oh!” All of them lean in closer. “They watched a movie outside.”

They groan.

“Can’t do that unless we want them to freeze to death,” Tweetie says.

“Okay, let’s all put our thinking caps on over the next couple days and try to arrange some dates.” Kyleigh turns around to look at my daddy and Jade. “And if you hear Miss Jade say anything in class, you let us know.” She winks at me.

Kyleigh is so cool. I really like her, but Daddy said she’s not meant to be my mommy. We can’t share her with Rowan.

“Okay, I will.”

“Bodhi, come here,” Micha says.

I run over to Micha, excited to tell him we have people to help with our plan.