Homecoming Day by Holly Jacobs Page B

“Her math and French teachers both mentioned something about it.”
    â€œFrankly, I think the most direct approach is best. Ask her. Flat out. When I have a girl I suspect is in trouble, that’s my approach. Head-on. I don’t wait for them to come to me.”
    The advice made sense. “Thanks.”
    â€œAnytime. About Seth—how is he?” Eli quicklyadded, “We don’t see much of him. I know Zac worries.”
    â€œHe’s good.” Laura remembered his talk of scabs that never really heal. “He’s helping me with this student.”
    â€œFriends?” Eli asked.
    Laura thought about it. They’d defined themselves as allies, but friends worked, too. “Yes.”
    â€œGood. Everyone needs to feel as if they have someone in their corner.” Eli got up and rooted around in her bag. “Here’s my card. Call me if I can do anything for you, this student or for Seth.”
    â€œThank you, so much.”
    â€œAnytime.” Eli started toward the door, then stopped and turned around. “How exactly did my name come up in conversation?”
    â€œUh, he was reassuring me that I wasn’t the biggest pregnant woman he’d ever seen.”
    Eli Keller started laughing. “No, you’re not. I was huge. Big as a house.”
    â€œI think the term they used for me was McMansion.”
    Eli laughed even harder. “How long until you’re due?”
    â€œOnly a few weeks left.”
    â€œGood luck. A baby changes everything. I can’t believe my Johnny’s two already.”
    If Eli Keller was any indication, Zac came from a nice family. Laura couldn’t help but wonder what had happened with them and Seth. Why didn’t they see much of him?
    She got through the rest of the day and wasdetermined to follow Eli Keller’s advice and ask JT straight out if she had problems reading, but JT had a dentist appointment after school and only stopped in long enough to tell Laura she’d see her tomorrow and make up the missed detention.
    Laura mulled over JT’s circumstances, and was thankful when Seth called that night. He was working second shift, but he’d taken to checking in with her most evenings. She didn’t want to admit that she looked forward to those conversations.
    Discussing JT with Eli had been nice, but saying the words to Seth made her tension over the matter ease. “Both her French teacher and her math teacher mentioned problems with vocabulary. She’s so smart, but what if she’s having problems reading? That would explain why, despite her intelligence, she’s floundering in school.”
    â€œThat would explain her reaction when I asked for help with the crib instructions,” he mused. “So what are you going to do?”
    â€œI’m not an English teacher, and this isn’t my specialty. I know more about teaching basket weaving than reading. But I talked to another teacher and—”
    She was going to tell him about meeting Eli and her suggestion, but he interrupted. “Hey, sorry. I’ve got to go. We have a call.”
    â€œNo problem. Bye.”
    She’d speak to him about Eli next time she saw him. What she wouldn’t tell him was his sister-in-law’s comments about his relationship with his family. His difficulties with them were his, as her difficulties were with hers.
    They were allies, but they weren’t close enough to go butting into each other’s lives.
    That’s what she planned to tell him.
    The baby kicked, and she chose to believe it was in agreement.

CHAPTER FOUR
    T HE NEXT DAY , L AURA was ready when JT came into her classroom to serve her detention. The girl was in all black, including a black pair of combat boots. She threw her books on a desk, but before she could sit down, Laura motioned her to the front of the room.
    â€œWhat’s up, Ms. Watson? Hey, I wanted to know if I could come do more work on the