Episode 785: Something In Common

“This was supposed to be about you and me and frosting,” Tansy went on, pointing to the man across from her. “But it's not that, is it? This is about ganging up on me, because you guys and my mom and dad want to force me to talk. I liked you guys, I can't believe you'd do this to me.”

Tansy stood, probably intent on fleeing the coffee shop and running off who knows where all by herself. Definitely not a good idea for an upset ten year old. Fortunately, Mick – a name that for whatever reason Lucy still didn't think suited Tansy's family friend – he reached over and snagged her little wrist, gently drawing her back into her seat.

“No one is ganging up on you, I swear it,” Mick said.

Lucy seconded that, hoping the girl believed her. She hadn't meant to break that trust by approaching Tansy outside of school, the school itself frowned upon it, saying it exceeded the parameters of her job, but Lucy had a hard time seeing it that way.

She'd checked in with Tansy's parents via telephone throughout the summer, as she'd done with a handful of her other most concerning students even though it, too, went against regulations. She just had this very strong desire to help, maybe in part because she'd given up the right to help her own daughter. So, when she'd spotted Tansy at the table, she'd again ignored regulations hoping to offer the girl some reassurance on the first day of school. She hadn't meant to make it more uncomfortable for Tansy.

“It's just a coincidence that your counselor stopped in at the same time,” Mick said. “No one planned this, also, neither your mom and dad, or either of us have ever forced you to talk, have we? I promise this really was just about you and me and comfort food to make a nicer start to a nervous day.”

Lucy held up her small take-out bag, hoping to make up for her possible overstepping with a bonding moment. “I figured I could use some comfort food, too. This bag holds my very favorite cinnamon bun in the city to go along with my coffee,” she told the girl. “I'm nervous about today, too.”

Tansy's eyes grew wide, “why would you be nervous?”

Episode 786: You Had Your Chance