Claimed by my Unexpected Protector

Chapter Seventeen

Eralia’s POV

I head into the small building and enter the classroom where I immediately spot Tanner, sitting alone in a corner, building with blocks. My heart starts to ache, the pain only intensifying as I look around the room, at the other children in their own little groups, some painting, some doing a puzzle, a few playing with the dress up clothes that hang from a rail against one wall.

‘Hi Eralia’ Miss Harriett murmurs as she sidles up to me, ‘I’m afraid we haven’t had a great day today . . .’

I swallow thickly as I turn to face the kindly woman who gives me a small, sympathetic smile.

‘What happened?’ I ask woodenly.

Miss Harriett sighs, ‘a few of the children we’re painting, Tanner wanted to paint as well, the picture you asked for?’ she adds questioningly as I nod. ‘Well, we only have three easels, and they were all in use. I suggested that maybe Tanner play with something else until one was free. He agreed and we went over to the trains and played with those for a little while until one of the other children finished their painting. He went back over, and was painting a lovely picture, really putting his all into it . . .’

‘And?’ I whisper, glancing over at my brother who still hasn’t looked up, his face blank as he systematically places one brick on another until the fall to the ground before starting again.

‘One of the other little boys came over to join him, started painting his own picture next to Tanner and . . . well . . . unfortunately, he was a little exuberant and some of his paint flew off the brush and hit Tanner’s picture.’ The pre K teacher glances toward my little brother sadly, ‘Tanner didn’t take it very well, and despite me and Miss Melanie assuring him it was an accident and the other boy saying sorry, Tanner refused to accept that was the case. He uhh . . .’ she winces slightly, ‘he dumped paint all over the other boy’s painting and then pushed him over . . .’

‘What?’ I gasp, my eyes flying back to the woman beside me, ‘he pushed the other boy?’

Miss Harriett nods, ‘we separated them obviously, and I sat with Tanner whilst we had a conversation about not hurting others, but he just kept saying the Nicolas did it on purpose and he wouldn’t say sorry. He’s been over there by himself ever since it happened. He wouldn’t come over for story time, to the mat for nap time or even to the tables for lunch. Miss Melanie and I have taken turns sitting with him, and we took a table and chair over there so he could eat, we’ve done everything we can to bring him out of that corner, but he just won’t budge. We could pick him up but . . . we didn’t want to force him as that could cause more problems than it solves.’

I nod quickly, ‘no, I’m glad you didn’t try to force him Miss Harriett, and I apologise for his behaviour, was the other little boy OK?’ I ask.

The teacher nods, smiling, ‘oh he was fine, had forgotten all about it in a few minutes, they always do’ she adds as her gaze flicks back to my brother, ‘well, almost always.’

I thank the woman and head toward my brother who looks up at me, visibly upset still.

‘Hey Tan’ I murmur, crouching down beside him as he turns one of the blocks round and round in his hands, ‘Miss Harriett said that you got upset earlier, do you want to tell me about it?’

My brother stares down at the red block as he shakes his head mutely.

I sit down, crossing my legs as I reach out and stroke his hair gently.

‘It’s OK to have a bad day’ I tell him, ‘everybody does sometimes, but when we do, it helps us to be happier if we talk about it.’

Tanner fidgets as he avoids my gaze, ‘I had a bad day too’ I coax, and though he doesn’t look up, I can sense that my brother is listening. ‘It is raining really bad outside, just as bad as this morning. I . . . I didn’t have the money for the bus, so I had to walk all the way here. I got so wet and I was upset and cold and do you know what?’

My brother’s head tilts slightly toward me, ‘it made me really angry’ I whisper.

‘You were angry?’ Tanner mutters quietly.

I nod, dropping my hand from his hair and taking his instead as he releases the block.

‘I was so angry’ I reply, ‘I was stamping all the way down the road, and I shouted really loudly too.’

‘At who? Tanner asks, finally looking up at me with eyes so sad that my heart wants to break.

I smile, ‘at the world, the sky, the rain . . . I just yelled and yelled about how angry I was.

‘What happened?’ he questions, inching closer to me, ‘you aren’t angry now.’

I nod, ‘My friend was driving past, and he stopped and picked me up. He asked me why I was upset and even though I wanted to keep it bottled up inside, he made me tell him, and you know what? I felt so much better after I talked about it that I wasn’t mad anymore.’

My brother stares at me for a few seconds before he mumbles, ‘Nicolas ruined my painting.’

I nod, squeezing his hand, ‘Miss Harriett said it was an accident . . .’ I start slowly.

Tanner frowns, anger flicking across his face, ‘no it wasn’t’ he whispers, his fingers tightening in mine. ‘It was on purpose! He flicked paint at my picture! Then he laughed and said my picture was rubbish because my daddy wasn’t in it.’

Anger swells inside me at the unknown four year old who brought up my brother’s sperm donor. I force it back down, smiling gently at him, ‘what was your picture of?’ I ask.

Silently, Tanner stands up, tugging me to do the same before he leads me across to the drying rack and points to one on the fourth row. Gingerly, I pull it out, and a lump forms as I look at four stick people, still visible under the green splashes that cover the picture.

There are three small people, one with long yellow hair, one with short brown hair the other yellow like the girl. Standing between them is the fourth figure, much taller, with long black hair and light brown skin, so different to the rest of our family. We are all standing in front of a house with four squares for windows and an oblong for a door.

I gulp in a breath as my fingers shake slightly, ‘this is great Tanner, what an amazing picture.’

My brother kicks his feet slightly, ‘Nicolas wrecked it’ he mumbles again.

I shake my head, crouching down to him again and placing a finger under his chin to bring his gaze to me.

‘No he didn’t’ I tell him firmly, ‘it’s still wonderful, I love it.’

The little boy’s eyes light up a little, ‘really?’ he asks, his voice becoming more animated.

‘Absolutely! This is Libs right?’ I ask, pointing to the yellow haired girl, ‘and this is Aussie, and you?’

Tanner nods, pointing at the tall woman, ‘and you! And this is our house, where we live! We have a dog but I couldn’t draw one so he’s inside’ he adds, shrugging his shoulders.

I choke out a laugh as I nod, ‘a dog huh?’

Tanner grins, ‘yeah, his name is doggy’ he tells me confidently, his worries from minutes ago forgotten as he tells me about our imaginary house.

I place the still damp picture back on the rack before taking Tanner’s hand, leading him out as he chatters excitedly to me, giving Miss Harriett a small smile as I pass, which she returns.

Outside, I grab his coat, helping him put it on and zipping up the front before grabbing his little bag and leading him to the door.

‘Hold tight to me, it’s very windy’ I warn him, ‘I don’t want you to blow away’ I add, winking as he laughs.

‘I’m to heavy’ he giggles, ‘the wind can’t take me Rali.’

I push open the door, holding Tanner tightly as we rush down the path and through the gate. I hesitate for a second before leading my brother to the still waiting truck, pulling open the door and lifting the four year old up and settling him in the middle between our siblings.

Tanner’s smile falters as Benny turns toward him, giving him a smile.

‘Hi, you must be Tanner’ he greets him.

My youngest brother shrinks up to Liberty, the eight year old wrapping an arm around him protectively as I pull the seatbelt over him and fasten it. He really needs a booster seat but we don’t have one so this will have to do.

Shutting the door, I climb into the passenger seat, glancing behind me and smiling encouragingly at the three sets of wary eyes that are fixed on me.

‘It’s OK’ I tell them, ‘this is my friend, he’s giving us a lift home.’

Austin and Liberty nod slowly as Tanner continues to cuddle into his sister, saying nothing.

‘Ok then, shall we go?’ Benny asks after an awkward pause.

‘I nod, forcing a smile, ‘yes, thank you for the ride Benny, we appreciate it.’

The Cadell employee glances over at me, something flashing across his eyes before it clears and he nods.

‘No problem Rali, pop your address in the satnav and we’ll get on the road.’

I do as I’m told before sinking back into the plush leather of his truck seat, a little flutter swooping in my chest at his use of my family nickname.