boyish pout. The look melted her. She cast aside her unsettling thoughts, wanting to reach up and kiss his full, inviting lips. “It’s been a bad day,” she said.
“Bad?”
She motioned for him to follow her back to the room and on the way, she told him the incident with Charlie. “The poor guy was trying to be nice.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Jane. You’ve been on edge and suspicious.”
Jane stopped in her classroom doorway and faced him. “You mean paranoid? Delu—”
He lifted his finger and pressed it against her lips. “No. Wary. Careful. Normal reactions.” He let his hand drop to her shoulder and spun her around to face the room.
She headed for the desk and Kyle followed.
“Here,” she said, pulling the primer from the drawer, “the infamous book.”
She dropped it into his outstretched hand. “Dust it for fingerprints while you’re at it.”
“My, my, do we sound skeptical?”
His look made her heart sink. She was acting terrible. First Charlie. Then Kyle. “I’m sorry.”
“No apology necessary.” He stood a moment without speaking. “How about some fresh air?”
She glanced at her watch.
“Only a minute or two,” he said. “It’ll do you good. Bring your lunch.”
Wisdom told her to say no. What would the staff— worse yet, what would the students think if they sawher being led outside to a patrol car? But today she didn’t care. She nodded and followed him outside into the sunshine, warmed more by his thoughtfulness than the lovely autumn weather.
Except for the bright spot with Kyle, the rest of the day plodded along. Jane looked at the wall clock and breathed a sigh. Only fifteen minutes before the final bell. The weekend would be hers. Even dinner on Sunday with Kyle’s folks was beginning to sound good.
As she pulled her focus back to the children, a movement at the door caught her attention. Mary Campbell, the principal’s secretary, stood in the hall holding a slip of paper.
For a moment, anxiety nailed her to the chair. Then, pushing her concern aside, Jane stepped to the door. Without a word, Mary handed her the note and retreated down the hallway.
Jane peered at the memo. Celia had warned her about her student’s father. Lena Malik’s dad would be waiting for her in the office at three-fifteen. Her stomach churned. On a Friday afternoon? What did he want? She tried to guess. With her classmate’s additional help, Lena was progressing well. That’s all she could report.
When the bell rang and the last student exited, Jane straightened the top of her desk and gathered her belongings. As she stepped toward the door, Celia swung into her room.
“Ready?” Celia asked.
Jane rolled her eyes. “I have an appointment with Mr. Malik.”
“On Friday?”
Jane nodded.
Celia followed her into the hallway while she locked her door. As they walked toward the office, a question popped into Jane’s thoughts. “Who’s the teacher who taught third grade last year?”
“Dale Keys. Why?”
“Skylar mentioned him. He said he hoped he didn’t have another off-the-wall teacher on his hands. What does he mean?”
Celia shrugged. “Dale? I don’t know. He was quiet and didn’t hang around with anyone. Only Larry Fox. He’s the art teacher.” She scowled, thinking. “Dale didn’t seem happy at Jackson. Maybe he was expecting too much from teaching.”
“Maybe. I was just curious.” Jane glanced at her watch. “I’d better hurry. I’m due there in a minute.”
With her heart thumping and her nerves on edge, Jane hurried inside the office. Mary nodded toward the small conference room, and Jane drew a deep breath before entering. When she did, Sam Malik was sitting as rigid as a statue.
“It’s always nice to meet parents early in the year,” Jane said, pushing a pleasant expression to her face. “I’m pleased that you’ve stopped by.” Liar. Mentally she reminded God how difficult she found keeping all the commandments at the same time.
“Bad?”
She motioned for him to follow her back to the room and on the way, she told him the incident with Charlie. “The poor guy was trying to be nice.”
“Don’t blame yourself, Jane. You’ve been on edge and suspicious.”
Jane stopped in her classroom doorway and faced him. “You mean paranoid? Delu—”
He lifted his finger and pressed it against her lips. “No. Wary. Careful. Normal reactions.” He let his hand drop to her shoulder and spun her around to face the room.
She headed for the desk and Kyle followed.
“Here,” she said, pulling the primer from the drawer, “the infamous book.”
She dropped it into his outstretched hand. “Dust it for fingerprints while you’re at it.”
“My, my, do we sound skeptical?”
His look made her heart sink. She was acting terrible. First Charlie. Then Kyle. “I’m sorry.”
“No apology necessary.” He stood a moment without speaking. “How about some fresh air?”
She glanced at her watch.
“Only a minute or two,” he said. “It’ll do you good. Bring your lunch.”
Wisdom told her to say no. What would the staff— worse yet, what would the students think if they sawher being led outside to a patrol car? But today she didn’t care. She nodded and followed him outside into the sunshine, warmed more by his thoughtfulness than the lovely autumn weather.
Except for the bright spot with Kyle, the rest of the day plodded along. Jane looked at the wall clock and breathed a sigh. Only fifteen minutes before the final bell. The weekend would be hers. Even dinner on Sunday with Kyle’s folks was beginning to sound good.
As she pulled her focus back to the children, a movement at the door caught her attention. Mary Campbell, the principal’s secretary, stood in the hall holding a slip of paper.
For a moment, anxiety nailed her to the chair. Then, pushing her concern aside, Jane stepped to the door. Without a word, Mary handed her the note and retreated down the hallway.
Jane peered at the memo. Celia had warned her about her student’s father. Lena Malik’s dad would be waiting for her in the office at three-fifteen. Her stomach churned. On a Friday afternoon? What did he want? She tried to guess. With her classmate’s additional help, Lena was progressing well. That’s all she could report.
When the bell rang and the last student exited, Jane straightened the top of her desk and gathered her belongings. As she stepped toward the door, Celia swung into her room.
“Ready?” Celia asked.
Jane rolled her eyes. “I have an appointment with Mr. Malik.”
“On Friday?”
Jane nodded.
Celia followed her into the hallway while she locked her door. As they walked toward the office, a question popped into Jane’s thoughts. “Who’s the teacher who taught third grade last year?”
“Dale Keys. Why?”
“Skylar mentioned him. He said he hoped he didn’t have another off-the-wall teacher on his hands. What does he mean?”
Celia shrugged. “Dale? I don’t know. He was quiet and didn’t hang around with anyone. Only Larry Fox. He’s the art teacher.” She scowled, thinking. “Dale didn’t seem happy at Jackson. Maybe he was expecting too much from teaching.”
“Maybe. I was just curious.” Jane glanced at her watch. “I’d better hurry. I’m due there in a minute.”
With her heart thumping and her nerves on edge, Jane hurried inside the office. Mary nodded toward the small conference room, and Jane drew a deep breath before entering. When she did, Sam Malik was sitting as rigid as a statue.
“It’s always nice to meet parents early in the year,” Jane said, pushing a pleasant expression to her face. “I’m pleased that you’ve stopped by.” Liar. Mentally she reminded God how difficult she found keeping all the commandments at the same time.
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