Chapter 2

Joyce heard the sound and pushed herself up in bed, her face full of worry.

"That parent is being completely unreasonable. Maybe you shouldn't go alone tomorrow. Let me come with you."

"No."

I turned her down without a second thought.

"The doctor told you to stay in bed. You're not going anywhere."

"She's the one making trouble. I've still got all our old messages. There's nothing that can't be sorted out."

Joyce still wasn't reassured.

"Then how about I call Dad, and have him stop by your school tomorrow?"

I couldn't help laughing.

"It's nothing. Why bother him?"

"Dad's swamped with work as it is. A little dispute like this doesn't need to reach him."

"Don't worry. I can handle it myself."

The next morning, I got Joyce's breakfast and her pregnancy meds ready before driving to the school.

On the way, my phone kept ringing.

All of it from Hunter's mother.

I ignored it and took the other road out of the complex.

At the school, I went straight to Neil Lawrence's office.

I'd barely reached the door when Hunter's mother's shrill voice cut through it.

"Director Lawrence, is this how your school manages its teachers?"

"Not one shred of responsibility!"

I pushed the door open and walked right in.

The moment she saw me, Hunter's mother jabbed a finger in my face and let loose.

"Andrew Whitney, you've actually got the nerve to show up for work!"

"Ducking my calls, is that your idea of being a man?"

I ignored her and walked to Neil Lawrence's desk.

"Director Lawrence, you wanted to see me."

Neil Lawrence's face was set hard, and he rapped his knuckles against the desk.

"Mr. Whitney, what is going on with you?"

"This parent came in yesterday to file a complaint. She says you couldn't care less whether your students live or die, all because your wife is pregnant!"

That made me laugh out of pure anger.

"Director Lawrence, Hunter's mother wants me to drive her son to and from school every single day."

"But I'm a teacher. Not a nanny, and certainly not a personal chauffeur. That isn't my job."

The second she heard that, she shrieked.

"Don't you stand there dodging responsibility!"

"If you hadn't skipped picking up my son yesterday morning, would he have fallen rushing to get to class?"

She yanked up Hunter's pant leg to show a scrape on his knee about the size of a fingernail.

"Mr. Whitney, let me tell you, my son is going to test into a top middle school!"

"His leg's hurt now. If it wrecks his future, can you pay for that?"

"And it's all because your wife is pregnant!"

"As long as she's still carrying, there's no way you'll put all your attention on my son!"

"You're going to make her get rid of the baby, and pick up and drop off my son on time every day from now on!"

"And you'll cover my son's medical bills and emotional damages too, sixty thousand dollars all together!"

Hunter, who had kept his head down the whole time, suddenly tugged at the hem of her clothes.

"Mom, I fell because I wasn't watching where I was going. It's not Mr. Whitney's fault…"

"You shut up!"

Hunter's mother smacked the back of his head.

"This is grown-up business. Kids don't butt in!"

"Is this how I raised you? Turning against your own family!"

Hunter's eyes went red in an instant, and he clutched his head and didn't dare make a sound.

I couldn't watch it anymore.

"Ma'am, whatever grudge you've got, take it out on me. Don't dump it on the boy."

"I'll say it again. Driving your son is a favor, not a duty."

"I won't pay one cent of that sixty thousand, and there's no way I'll make my wife have an abortion."

"If you feel so wronged, turn left out that door and take me to court."

Watching this, Neil Lawrence's face darkened.

"Andrew Whitney, is that any way to talk to a parent?"

"Parents hand their children over to us, so we take full responsibility!"

"This parent has raised a reasonable request, and you're going to do everything you can to meet it!"

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Making my wife abort our baby, that's a reasonable request?"

Neil Lawrence avoided my eyes, but his tone only turned more overbearing.

"Don't twist things around here."

"Your wife may not work at the school, but her pregnancy is already seriously interfering with your job, and that makes it the school's business!"

"The way you're behaving is doing serious damage to the school's image!"

"If this parent takes her complaint all the way to the principal, I'd say you can kiss this teaching job goodbye."

"Take my advice. Go home, talk it over with your wife, take care of the baby, and pay Hunter's mother the sixty thousand."

"Then we let this whole thing quietly go away."