She wasn’t expecting the sound she heard next.
“Hi, Miss Melody! It’s me—Michael!” came a familiar high-pitched voice, and Melody’s eyes doubled in size.
“Michael?” she shouted, hurrying down the stairs. She saw him standing next to the front door about the time she made it halfway down the stairs. He was still wearing his backpack, and since Reid didn’t appear to be with him, she was completely confused. “What are you doing here? Where’s your dad?”
“I don’t know. At work, I guess,” he replied nonchalantly, smiling up at her. “I’ve been asking to come see you forever, and he said no, so I decided to come by myself.”
Melody could hardly believe her ears. “Michael, sweetie, where are you supposed to be right now?” she stooped so that she was at his eye-level.
“Ms. Karen’s,” he said with
