For five seconds, she looked like herself again.
"I'm just asking them to keep it down."
"That's not what 'I'll handle it' means when you say it."
I opened the door.
And stopped.
Nearly Claire's entire class stood in the hallway with balloons, cards, cupcakes, and even a giant stuffed bear.
Rocky stood among them.
"I'm just asking them to keep it down."
He'd shoved Claire's books off her desk only a month earlier.
"What are you doing here?"
"We came to see Claire."
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"I can see that. I'm asking why."
Rocky swallowed.
"We heard she was sick."
"What are you doing here?"
Nobody answered.
Mrs. Evans hurried down the hallway.
"Penny. I tried calling you."
"Did you organize this?"
"No. They did it themselves."
A staff member reminded us that only a few visitors could enter at once.
"Penny. I tried calling you."
Rocky stepped forward.
"Can I go first?"
"No. I don't think that's a good idea, Rocky."
"Mom."
Claire's voice came from behind me.
"Let him in."
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"No. I don't think that's a good idea, Rocky."
I lowered my voice.
"He knocked your books onto the floor and laughed at you."
"I remember."
"You don't owe him anything because you're sick."
"I'm not paying a debt, Mom."
"Then why him?"
"He knocked your books onto the floor."
