Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 94903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Principal Walding pulls in a chair from the waiting room for me to use. I sit next to Kennedy. When I look at her, she rolls her eyes and huffs.
Fabulous.
“Ms. Kramer, I’m Principal Walding, and this is Mrs. Falconbury. Kennedy is in her Health and Wellness class.”
I fold my hands on my lap. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
“We’ve had a few situations lately where Kennedy decided to skip class,” he says. “I’m sure you can understand why that’s unacceptable.”
“Yes. If she’s not there, I can see why that’s a problem.”
I glance at Kennedy out of the corner of my eye. She glares at me.
“Here’s the thing,” Kennedy says, hands on her hips. “I was there. I didn’t skip class.”
“Ken, please. Don’t lie to me.”
Her jaw drops. “I was there, Dad. I mean it. I was as shocked as you are when I got that today.”
“After this exact conversation last week, I find that hard to believe.”
“Dad.”
“I thought we were getting somewhere. I thought you were going to do better.”
“I am doing better. Why don’t you believe me?”
The principal takes off his glasses and places them on his desk. “She’s had no fewer than seven detentions already this year.”
“That feels excessive,” I say.
“It is excessive,” Mrs. Falconbury says from across the room. “And totally unnecessary. If she just showed up, I wouldn’t have to punish her.”
Kennedy’s eyes are trained on the floor.
“What happened today?” I ask. “Did she miss class again today?”
“No,” the principal says. “Today, Kennedy chose to have a verbal altercation with Mrs. Falconbury.”
Kennedy springs up in her seat. “That’s not true.”
“I’ve already heard enough from you today, young lady,” her teacher says.
“But I didn’t choose to have any altercation with you. You chose it. You started saying—”
“Kennedy, lower your voice,” Mrs. Falconbury says.
The principal holds up a hand. “Enough, Kennedy.”
What the fuck?
“Well, I guess I should’ve skipped class today then,” Kennedy says. “It would’ve been better than to have to go through this.”
The principal sighs and looks at me. “Kennedy has been suspended for three days.”
Kennedy glares at me. Again.
“Okay,” I say, giving her a look to settle down. “I understand something occurred today, and you’re sending her home. But I haven’t heard her side of the story.”
“Backtalking a teacher is never justified, Ms. Kramer,” he says. “She’s been on her third strike for quite a few strikes. This is the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.” He looks at Kennedy. “Maybe you can go home, cool off, and return with a new attitude.”
“Let’s back up,” I say, clearing my throat. “She backtalked a teacher. I got it. But that means we don’t need to hear what started all of this?”
“Her attitude started all of this,” Mrs. Falconbury snorts.
I turn to her slowly. “Considering I’ve been very polite, and you’ve dismissed me like a child, I sense that maybe Kennedy isn’t the only one with an attitude problem. Respectfully, of course.”
Kennedy’s eyes go wide.
“Ms. Kramer,” Mrs. Falconbury says, clearly placating me and doing her best not to lose her cool. “This is an ongoing issue with Kennedy. We’d like you to take her home and talk to her about her behavior. Someone needs to get through to that child.”
I laugh, anger bubbling up inside me. “Again, I’d like to hear her side of the story.”
Mrs. Falconbury sighs and throws up her hands.
“Kennedy,” I say, looking at her and ignoring her teacher’s antics. “What happened?”
“I got suspended for three days. That’s what happened.”
“Why?”
She just stares at me.
“Ken, level with me here,” I say. “Tell me what happened.”
“You’re just wasting our time,” Mrs. Falconbury says.
That’s it. I’ve had enough.
I slide my attention to the woman beside Kennedy. “Right now, you are wasting my time. I’m trying to get to the root of the problem, and you keep interrupting me. I’m starting to wonder if you don’t want her side of the story told.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It is, isn’t it?” I ask, piercing her with my stare. “Now, Kennedy, what happened? Ignore everyone else in the room and talk to me.”
Kennedy sits up in her chair. Her eyes are wary, and she frowns. It’s not a look I’ve seen on her before. It’s filled with suspicion and alienation as if everyone is against her. A swell of emotion I haven’t felt in a long time overcomes me and hits me right in the heart.
I reach over and take her hand in mine and give it a gentle squeeze. Tears form in the corner of her eyes. Oh, sweet girl.
“I can’t remember,” she whispers.
“Yes, you do. And your side of the story is just as important as Mrs. Falconbury’s.”
The teacher huffs again, and I remember that I can’t act like the fool I want to be now. I’m the role model here. Maybe the only one, it seems …
Kennedy’s chest shakes as she hiccups a breath. “She accused me of taking a cupcake—one of those little Hostess ones in the wrapper—out of her desk.”