SOUL

His mom tells him to apoligize to Mary

Feburary 13th, 2008

It was late in the evening, and Leo sat at the kitchen table, his mind still buzzing from the excitement of the day's football game. He'd scored a touchdown, and his teammates had lifted him in celebration. It was everything he had worked for, everything he'd wanted since joining the team.

But despite the win, something was weighing on him. His thoughts drifted back to Marigold, as they often did. He remembered seeing her with his mom during the game, looking so small and out of place among the cheering crowds. He'd noticed her pale face, the way she had looked so scared at one point, but he hadn't had time to think about it then.

Now, sitting at the table, waiting for dinner, the thoughts crept back in.

As Adamma placed plates of food on the table, she seemed unusually quiet, like she had something on her mind. She sat down across from Leo, and the expression on her face made him pause.

"What is it?" Leo asked, frowning.

Adamma hesitated for a moment, then sighed softly. "Lenard, there's something we need to talk about."

Leo's stomach sank at the tone in her voice. "What's going on?"

"It's about Marigold," Adamma said, her eyes filled with concern. "Her father... he's decided that she can't spend time with us anymore."

Leo's heart dropped, and he stared at his mother in shock. "What? Why?"

Adamma's face softened as she explained. "Her suspension caused quite a stir with the principal and some of the parents. Her father... he's not happy"

Leo's throat tightened, and he fought back the sting of tears. "that's not fair, he can't just take her!"

Adamma reached across the table, resting a hand on his. "I know it's not fair. But her father... well, he doesn't understand her. He's strict, and he's angry about what happened."

Leo swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill. "But I... I don't want to lose her as a friend."

His mother's face softened even more, and she squeezed his hand gently. "You're not losing her, sweet boy. You can still look out for her at school, but for now, you need to keep your distance outside of it. We don't want to get her into any more trouble."

Leo nodded, but the thought of not being able to hang out with Marigold anymore felt like a punch to the gut. He opened his mouth to argue, but the words stuck in his throat. He felt his chest tighten, and without warning, a tear slipped down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away, but his mother noticed.

"I—" Leo's voice cracked, and he looked down at the table, ashamed. "I snapped at her after she told Derek about his grandma."

Adamma's eyes widened, her concern deepening. "What did you say, Leo?"

"I—" Leo's voice wavered, and he struggled to get the words out. "I called her a freak."

Adamma's face filled with shock and sadness. "Oh, honey..."

"I didn't mean it," he said quickly, the tears finally spilling over. He wiped at his face angrily, frustrated with himself. "I was just... I don't know. I was scared."

Adamma moved her chair closer to his and pulled him into a gentle hug. "Tell me what happened," she said softly.

Leo sniffled, taking a deep breath as he tried to explain. "It's just... the other day, she stopped me from falling through the ice. I didn't tell you about it before because I didn't know how to explain it."

Adamma's brows furrowed as she listened, concern written across her face.

"I was at the pond, and I was about to walk out onto the ice. Marigold appeared out of nowhere and she grabbed me and pulled me back. I got mad at her because I didn't understand why she did it, but then she threw a rock onto the ice, and it shattered instantly. I would've fallen through if I'd taken another step."

Adamma's eyes widened as she absorbed his words.

"I didn't know how to react," Leo continued, his voice shaky. "It scared me, and I just... I didn't know how she knew. So when she told Derek about his grandma, I lost it. I called her a freak because I didn't understand what was happening, and now... now I feel awful."

Adamma pulled him into a tighter hug, her heart breaking for both her son and Marigold. "Leo," she whispered. "You're not a bad person for being scared. But Marigold isn't a freak. Her instincts saved your life"

Leo buried his face in his hands, his tears soaking his palms. He felt so guilty, so ashamed of how he had treated Marigold. "I didn't mean it," he repeated, his voice muffled by his hands. "I was just scared."

Adamma rubbed his back gently, soothing him with her warmth. "I know, sweet boy. But you owe her an apology. She's been through so much, and she needs friends who understand her and support her, not push her away."

Leo nodded slowly, sniffling as he wiped his face again. "What should I do?" he asked, his voice still trembling.

Adamma smiled softly, brushing a hand through his hair. "You go to her tomorrow at school, and you tell her the truth. Tell her you're sorry, and that you understand now. She needs to hear that you're still her friend, that you're not scared of her."

Leo nodded again, determined to make things right. He had hurt Marigold, but now he had a chance to fix it. He didn't understand everything about her gifts, but one thing was clear—she had saved his life, and he owed her the world for that.