Page 48 of Wicked Proposal

“This is…?”

“The support he needs,” Diane fills in. “Don’t get me wrong. You won’t find anyone who believes in public school more than me. But the truth is, here?” She gestures around at the crumbling plaster and ancient, scratched furniture. “We’re barely keeping our heads above water. There’s no way we can splurge on a specialized teacher. And Ms. Keane? God, I love her, but she’s thick as a brick.” She taps on the pamphlet with her fingernail. “If you want to do right by your son, this is your best bet.”

My eyes scan the pages. Smiling children beam up at me, happy and diverse, with a rainbow shining behind them in an infinity shape.

It’s… nice.

Way too nice.

“How much is it?”

“Fifty thousand a year.”

The cogs in my brain screech to a halt. “That’s more than I make before taxes, Diane.”

“I realize that. Normally, I wouldn’t even be bringing this possibility to your attention.”

“So why are you telling me?”

“Because Eli’s special.” Her shoulders slump. “He’s bright, and he’s driven, and he hates injustices with all his heart. He’s also way too trusting and with his head in the clouds far too often. You think Bobby Perkins is bad? Wait to see what happens when he startsactualschool.”

“You think he’ll get bullied?” My hands start trembling. “Like—seriously bullied?”

“I’ve seen it happen way too often to discount it. And not just with other kids.”

Diane’s words stab straight to my chest. “You’re saying teachers might…?”

“I know they will. Some of them, at least.”

“But…” I blurt. “But you must be able to do something. Fire them, or?—”

“And hire who?” Diane gives a bitter laugh. “Our district’s been defunded to hell and back. We’re losing our best teachers every year. Even the ones who want to stay… they just can’t afford it. I’m already scared enough for the rest of our kids as it is, but a special needs boy? He won’t survive here. Even if I do my damnedest to protect him—which I will—it won’t be enough. Sooner or later, he’ll be scarred. And I think he’s already got enough scars for one lifetime.” Her eyes meet mine. “Don’t you?”

I think back to the fire.

To every night I gave up my meal for his because we couldn’t both afford to eat.

To the ratty shared apartment my son was born in.

To the father he doesn’t have.

“I do,” I whisper. “But fifty thousand a year…”

It’s impossible. It’s unreachable. Add up the rest of his schooling years, and that’s more than half a million. More than I could possibly make in a lifetime.

Unless…

Unless nothing. There was only one chance to pay for this, and I already turned it down.

I’m not so sure I regret it, either. Yulian’s proposal felt like a double-edged sword. It felt like the kind of deal you make with the devil.

And I’m not ready to sell my soul quite yet.

But what if it was the only thing that could save my son?

“Thank you,” I rasp. “I’m sorry for the trouble Eli has caused. Please, extend my sincerest apologies to Bobby’s family.”

Diane gives me a warm, two-handed handshake. “Don’t you worry about that. I’ll handle the Perkinses. You just sleep on this, okay?”