Rhythm & Clues: A Young Adult Novel by Rachel Shane Page A

was lackadaisical. I’m not going to send you somewhere and worry about your safety. Mom and I can look after you here.”
    Sabrina rolled her eyes. “Dad, I think they’ve upgraded their security measures since you went there. Don’t be so overprotective. I’ve had enough of it already. And what’s the big deal? You and mom met there. I want to have the opportunity. The guys at the homeschool functions suck.”
    “Sabrina, language.” Chuck gave her a warning tone.
    “Ah. I get it now.” Josephine let out a high-pitched laugh, her careful composure slipping. “That’s why you wanted so desperately to have this family dinner and invite Gavin’s new girlfriend? You’re trying to trap us into saying yes.”
    G irlfriend . Was that what he told them? My heart sped up. I glanced at him, but he focused his attention on the napkin he twisted in his lap.
    Josephine smiled at me, her face soft and endearing. A show. “I’m sorry, dear.” She spoke through her teeth. “I wish you didn’t have to witness a family argument on your first night out with us. You’re a lovely girl and I’m sure public school is perfect for you, but I just don’t think it’s appropriate for my family. I do hope you understand.”
    Gavin met my eye, pleading with me. At first I thought he wanted me to agree with Josephine and end the argument. Send Sabrina back to her room to study at home. But then I thought back to our conversation yesterday. He seemed so curious about public school, and he felt stifled at homeschool. I thought of his actions, how he snuck out just to make friends and how that friend had to hide who she was because of his overprotective parents. I could never sentence Gavin to another prison term.
    “I don’t see the big deal about sending Sabrina to boarding school when it’s going to improve her education and her future. No offense, I’m sure you’re a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Tully.”
    Sabrina’s eyes lit up.
    “Please, Dad,” Gavin said. “I’d really like to go to Milford Brook.”
    “I’ll keep him out of trouble,” I added.
    “Why are you tricking us? We homeschooled you so you wouldn’t act like this,” Josephine said. “Don’t make me think I wasted my time.”
    “Look, I never told you kids this.” Chuck’s voice came out high-pitched. He cleared his throat. “But, even though I met your mom there, I still had a terrible experience.” His expression was pained. He took a deep breath before continuing. “I didn’t get along with my roommate. He stole from me again and again, but I could never prove it. He’d often throw things against the wall when he got frustrated with his classes. It scared me. I vowed not to subject my kids to anything like that if I could avoid it.”
    Sabrina slumped in her seat. Gavin’s face turned into a frown. I had to win this fight for him. “But don’t you think you should give your kids the chance to make their own mistakes? You can’t shelter them from the world forever.” I slammed my fist on the table for emphasis, but I had terrible aim, and my fist crashed into my fork instead. It flew up like a catapulted object and hit Chuck in the shoulder where it ricocheted and fell to the floor with a tinny clack. Several people behind us turned in our direction and Josephine smiled at them and shrugged.
    I gasped. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Tully.”
    Gavin bent underneath the table to rescue the fork. Chuck’s nostrils flared. The rest of the patrons in the restaurant stared at us in awkward silence. Total disaster. How could I ever face the Tullys again? He’d never be allowed out with me.
    Finally, Sabrina spoke up. “If anything bad happened, I’d come home. I just want to try it, like you did.”
    Gavin cleared his throat. “Mrs. Waverly told me there’s an opening in the fall for the church nursery school. Mom could teach there instead.”
    Josephine’s eyes undulated with fresh moisture. “It would be nice to give back for once, maybe—”