Home Bound

Chapter Six: Rule Breaker

My tennis shoes hit the cement as I pushed through the town. My hair barely whipped the back of my neck in the high ponytail on the top of my head. Sweat gently covered my body in a slight film. Music blasted through my earbuds, motivating me to move faster.

I usually had Friday's off, and when I did, I went for a jog around town. Then I'd go to the sun shop on the other side to meet with our district advisor Archie and our Sheriff David. We had lunch before I finished my jog back to my house.

I crossed over onto the grass fields, concentrating hard so I didn't slip. It had rained earlier this morning and I didn't want to get dirty before I had my dinner date.

Running had been such a conscious thing over the last years that I didn't even think anymore about where I was going anymore. So when I looked up to see the school playground just a few feet away, my heart clenched.

Part of me wanted to stay and watch for Mary but another part of me felt like I'd be breaking some rule. The first part won over.

I slowly crept forwards as my eyes searched for my sweet little first grade girl. There she was. I held my breath as she sat so close to the fence, picking flowers. There was a group of little girls around her but I could see she wasn't really a part of the conversation. She was in her own, sad little world.

Without thinking, I called out to her. "Mary!" Her head snapped up at the sound of my voice. She opened her mouth to reply but I frantically held up one finger to my lips. Mary nodded as I rushed to the chain link fence and crouched to her height. Tears of pure joy pricked my eyes as sh ran to the fence as well.

Mary stuck her hand through the gap and I took it quickly. "Reggie!" She whimpers as she squeezed my hand. "Reggie how come you haven't seen me?" She asks quizzically.

I shake my head and hold her hands close to my chest. "Oh baby. Oh I want to so badly. But..." I sigh. How did I tell an six year old that her mother banned me from seeing her ever again. "But your mommy and I had a disagreement."

Mary whimpers and nods. "I miss you Reggie. I wanna go home with you!" She cries.

I reach forwards and wipe her sudden tears. "Oh no baby. Shhh... Don't cry for me. Let me see that pretty smile." I insist, breaking her out of her saddened daze. Mary smiled weakly and jumped as a hand rested on her shoulder.

I look up as Robin stands behind Mary. He smiles gently. "Mary. Regina." He greets quietly. Mary looks up at Robin, still holding tight to me.

"I... I was just..." I stutter, not really knowing what I was doing.

"I understand. Why don't you back? Again I mean. I'll cover for you both." He offers as I kiss Mary's fingers.

"You'd do that?" I ask quietly, my attraction to the man in front of me growing.

Wait. What attraction? I was in no position for love. Relationships didn't work in my favor.

Robin nods slightly as I stand up. "Of course." He replies, taking Mary's other hand. "But right now we need to get back to class. Is that okay?"

Mary opens her mouth to protest but I shake my head. "It's okay baby girl. I promise I'll come back okay?" I kiss her head over the short fence and look up at Robin. "Thank you again." I let my hand rest on his chest before pulling away and jogging to my lunch destination.

***

"Mayor?" I cough, covering my mouth as David patted my back. Archie sat across from me, straight faced.

"Yes. The term is coming to an end and I feel that we need a change here. Ava's ways are getting a little... Stale." He explains. David nods as I try to digest the news I was getting.