Chapter 4

"Stop!"

I couldn't stand by any longer. I rushed over to stop Yvonne, but she shoved me away.

"Stay out of it! He's my grandson. How I discipline him is none of your business!"

Just then, a flurry of footsteps came from the hallway.

"What's going on here? Why is it so loud?"

The principal, Kevin Ziegler, was supposed to be meeting with one of the school's investors that day, but we'd caused such a commotion that even he had come over to see what was happening.

"Mr. Jepsen?"

Kevin walked into the classroom with a deep frown. "What is going on here? There are classes in session right next door. You can't be causing this kind of disruption."

"Mr. Ziegler—"

I was about to explain when Yvonne rushed over and cut me off.

"You're the principal, aren't you? Good, because I have a complaint! What kind of people are you hiring? This man is pretending to be Mr. Jepsen, and he even tried to take my grandson from me!"

She still had Ethan in a tight grip and tried to haul him up from the floor.

At that point, Ethan was already completely overwhelmed. He suddenly leaned forward and sank his teeth into the back of her hand.

"Ow!" Yvonne cried as she immediately released him.

When she saw the deep row of teeth marks on her hand, whatever restraint she had left disappeared.

"You little brat! How dare you bite me!"

Smack!

She slapped Ethan hard across the face.

Everyone in the room gasped.

Ethan went completely still, too stunned even to cry, and the sight instantly took me back to the day I was diagnosed with autism.

The doctor had barely finished explaining my diagnosis when Yvonne slapped me across the face in front of everyone.

"Why didn't you just die? Why did you have to end up like this and humiliate me?" she'd snapped.

That slap had shattered every trace of hope I'd held on to that my mother might actually love me.

And now, 20 years later, she was doing the same thing to her grandson.

My anger finally boiled over.

I no longer cared that we were at school or that people were watching. I rushed forward, grabbed Yvonne by the wrist, and shoved her away from Ethan.

"Have you lost your mind? He's a child! He has a condition he can't control!"

I crouched down and pulled Ethan tightly into my arms. Covering his ears with my hands, I lowered my voice and tried to soothe him.

"It's okay. It's over now. You're okay..."

Yvonne nearly stumbled from the force of my shove. Once she regained her balance, her entire body trembled with rage.

"How dare you push me! You're such an ingrate. How dare you lay a hand on your own mother!"

She charged toward me and slapped me across the face.

A sharp, burning pain spread across my cheek, and I could taste blood in my mouth.

Even so, I didn't dodge or back away. I simply stared at her coldly, wiped the blood from my lip, and rose to my feet, planting myself squarely between her and Ethan.

Liam and Kevin both stared at Yvonne in shock. Neither of them had expected her to actually hit me.

But she still wasn't finished.

She spun toward Kevin and pointed furiously at me.

"Is this the kind of teacher you employ? He actually put his hands on a parent. Can't you see what your school has done to my grandson? He's been crying and having meltdowns ever since we got here!

"Get Mr. Jepsen in here and have him teach my grandson right now, or I'll file a formal complaint and make sure everyone hears about this!"

The classroom went completely silent.

Only Yvonne's heavy breathing broke the stillness.

Kevin stared at her with an increasingly perplexed expression. Then, he pointed at me and spoke in a firm voice.

"Ma'am, please calm down. The man standing before you is Mr. Dylan Jepsen."