Free A Lie Unraveled by Constance Masters

again. Oh no, what had Sophia done? She couldn’t have been in the class for longer than half an hour. Surely she wasn’t in trouble already. She rushed to the door and opened it only to have Justin stride right past her. “Come in,” she said sarcastically. “If this is about Sophia, all I can say is, it serves you right. I tried to tell you that she and school didn't get along. They don’t like her there.”
    “That is just ridiculous. Sophia has done nothing wrong. You on the other hand are in big trouble . I thought we were getting along; compromising, doing what’s best for our daughter,”
    “Compromising? What part of I will expect Sophia at school tomorrow or else ,” she said, mimicking his voice, “is compromise? It sounds pretty much like a dictatorship to me.”
    “Is that why you did it? I don’t know if that is your new version of payback, but to use a child like that is despicable!” he said.
    Destiny frowned. Okay now she was confused. What exactly was she being accused of here? “Either you’ve lost your mind or you have made a really big mistake here,” she said. “Seriously, I would rethink whatever you say from here before you end up looking like a complete horse’s ass.”
    “I beg your pardon? I’ve made a mistake?”
    “Yes, you have. I don’t know what it is you think I’ve done but all I have done is follow your instructions by taking Sophia to school.” She looked at his face, whatever he was thinking he was having doubts. “Tell me what you think I did, please.”
    “Sophia showed me fifty dollars.”
    “I told her not to. I didn’t want her to take it to school but she insisted.”
    Justin looked at her incredulously. So it was true? “She told me what you told her and you paid her fifty dollars not to say anything.”
    “I paid her fifty dollars to go to school,” she said.
    “Wait, that is still so, so wrong but you didn't tell her that I would have you put in jail?”
    “Hell no,” Destiny said. “Is that what you think of me? Why would I do that, especially after last night?” She was hurt that he would think that of her. She was shocked that Sophia would be that devious. Is that the side she shows her teachers and the other children?
    “I don’t know, that was why I was so hurt and confused,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”
    “I told you you’d look like an ass,” she said, “and you do. A horse’s ass to be exact.”
    “I guess I’ll take that,” he said. “Where are you going?”
    “To the kitchen,” she said. “To get the spoon, apparently saying sorry isn’t good enough.”
    “Really, you think you’re going to spank me with that thing?” He pointed his finger at her. “Don’t you pick that up. Second thought pick it up, choose a big one.”
    “So it is what’s good for the goose is good for the gander?” she asked. Destiny plucked an even bigger spoon than he’d used the night before from its crock.
    “No, it isn’t.” Justin swiped the spoon right out of her hand. “I obviously made a mistake in accusing you and I am sorry for that but I only believed Sophia because she was carrying a fifty-dollar note. You weren’t surprised she had it either.”
    “No, not exactly,” she said.
    “Did you give it to her?” he asked.
    “Yes, I did.”
    “Why would a nine-year-old need that kind of money and what was with her taking it to school?”
    “Do you really have time to go through this now?” she asked. “I mean wouldn’t your lunch break be over by now?”
    “This won’t take long, Desi, if you just spit out the answer.”
    “Look, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. What was I supposed to do? You were threatening me with all sorts and she was refusing to go…”
    “You’re not telling me you bribed Sophia to get her to school are you?”
    His eyebrows were raised so high she was surprised they didn't slide right off his face. “I know when you put it in black and white terms like that, it seems bad,”