Inferno Part 2

~177~ I Need Help

Taylor's POV

Once Liam leaves the room, I look at Savannah. "Go to my office. I'll be there in a minute."

She glares at me and crosses her arms.

This girl is super unhappy. I'm going to switch tactics I think. I bend down and stare at her. We have a stare-down for a good thirty seconds before she lets out a small sigh and silently leaves towards my office.

I go out to the main lobby, and look at Wes. "Liam outside?"

He just nods

I go out and see him with his back against the wall. He's sitting down with his knees up and his head on his knees. That's how I would find Ellie a lot if it was a bad shift or she was upset.

I go up to him and sit next to him. When he lifts his head up, he's crying.

"Can I put soap in her mouth, kid?" I ask gently.

He sniffs and wipes his eyes. "At this point, Taylor, I don't care. I'm failing her," he cries.

"You're not," I say, squeezing his shoulder.

"So I can?"

He nods. "Yeah. I need help with her. I really need help."

I kiss his head as I stand up. "You've got it. You've always got it."

I go in and find the stash of bar soap I bought when I did it to Luke for calling Ellie a name. I bought extra, so if it ever happened again, I wouldn't have to run to the store beforehand like last time.

I get a bar and put it in my pocket. Then I head to my office.

When I get in, she's sitting at my desk, in my chair, looking at the pictures I have on my desk. She's in one of the pictures. It's of her and her dad when she was 9. He was tickling her, and she was laughing. Ellie had snapped it. It's one of my favorites. Both of them laughing and carefree. I can tell that she's looking at that picture right now.

I sit down in the chair Wes usually takes when he's in here.

"You can have your chair back," she says as she starts to stand up.

"I'm good"

She sits back down, winces, and then looks at me.

"How you feeling?"

"I'm hurting"

"Good"

She glares at me.

"Here's what's happening, Sav. The mouth on you has been insane from what I've been hearing today. Grandma called me earlier and said you really made Grandpa Alex mad too. You've upset a lot of people today."

She just shrugs.

I chuckle darkly as I get the box of soap out of my pocket and put it in front of her. She just looks at it.

I grab a piece of paper from my pile, and grab my favorite pen.

"I love you, girl. I love you with my whole heart, but I'm furious at you. Did your mom ever put soap in your mouth?"

She looks at me in horror.

"Answer me"

"A few times," she nods.

"Your dad never has?"

She just shakes her head.

"K, well, I am...In just a bit. I'm going to have a conversation with you first. Every time you sass me, or say something mean, I'm adding more time. Trust me, you want me to leave this paper tally free."