by C. S Luis
“I’ll make the announcement and have Mrs. Wallace type up a formal letter for the parents, informing them of the incident,” I again said.
“But sir, where are we sending the students for now? Where will we transfer them?” Michael asked. It was a very important question, and I had not been prepared to answer it.
“I’ll leave that to the superintendent.”
Honestly I didn’t have an answer yet, so I was just making up things as I went along for now. I would let The Company deal with that.
“May I suggest Harold James High?” Michael asked. “It’s a fairly new school and has more than enough room to take our students. I know the principal there, and I can contact him. It will be no trouble at all, sir.”
I gazed at him, wondering why he was doing my job.
He realized it and then said, “Of course, unless you’d prefer to do that yourself, sir.”
“I think it would be better coming from me Michael, don’t you think?” I asked.
“I agree, sir,” he said.
“But if you’d like to prepare him for my call, I wouldn’t mind,” I added. He grinned and nodded.
“I’ll have Mrs. Wallace direct the students there,” I again said. “Thank you for suggesting it Michael,” I said, walking back towards my office. I stopped, glancing back and catching Claudia still standing by Mrs. Wallace’s desk. She had been very quiet the entire length of our conversation.
Michael was now picking up one of the phones on Mrs. Wallace’s desk; he instructed her to give him the number for Dr. Robertson in Harold James High. She went through her old-fashioned roller deck and found the number.
Claudia glanced over at me. I found her eyes irresistible, and I motioned her to me. I startled her when I did, but she slowly came to me as I instructed, my obedient sweet girl. I glanced over at Michael; he was too busy on the phone with Dr. Robertson. They seemed to be talking about old times. I hoped it would take some of his time while I spoke with Claudia.
I walked into my office with her following behind me; we were now standing in the center of the room when I turned to look over at her. She wouldn’t look at me; her hair was draped against the side of her cheek. I took a seat at the edge of my desk and examined her for a mere moment, reaching forward to draw away the strands.
“Claudia,” I began, and she very slowly gazed over at me as I moved my hand back, and she now was looking up at me. Her dark eyes sparkled back at me; they were so lovely. She was dressed in a fitted gray top, blue jeans, and those boots she loved to wear. She stood nervously before me.
“Do you know anything about the hole in the parking lot?” I simply asked. Her eyes blinked up at me, and almost immediately I knew that she did.
“Why would I know anything about that?” She nervously asked me. But she was a bad liar. I didn’t want it to be the truth. I was afraid for her if it had been her doing.
“Claudia,” I firmly said. “Don’t lie to me, please,” I pleaded; I could only help her if she was honest with me. I wanted her safe, and this wasn’t helping our case.
“I don’t,” she bravely said, looking up at me.
“Claudia,” I again repeated, wanting to plead to her, wanting to tell her what danger was now coming her way. But I couldn’t.
Then Michael entered the office, poking his head in.
“Dr. Robertson is on other the line, sir,” he said to me. I nodded, rising and walking around my desk as Michael now joined us inside the office. He came to stand beside Claudia who was looking down at her feet. I tried to find her eyes behind the locks of her brown hair.
I picked up the office phone. Immediately the voice of Dr. Robertson was on the line, and I was talking to him regarding our sinkhole problem. Apparently he had already been briefed by Michael and was in agreement regarding transferring our students to his school until further notice. I thanked him, and we hung up.
That was fairly easy. By the time I had gotten off the phone, Mrs. Wallace had already completed the formal letter to the parents, and it was time to make the announcement that classes had been canceled until further notice. Mrs. Wallace brought the letter over to me. I checked over it, signed it, and instructed her to make copies and have Mr. Claypool and Mr. Vasquez take a stack to each of the homeroom classes for distribution.
I figured I’d give the students time to come in and then dismiss classes once the word had gone around that we were closing for the remainder of the day, as well as tomorrow. This meant I had today and the rest of tomorrow to do what I needed to do. It was too late to make the announcement before students came in. It was nearly eight, and class would be in session soon.
Mrs. Wallace hurried away to make copies as I had instructed.
“Well, Michael, you and Claudia are welcome to go home,” I offered; although I still wanted a chance to speak with Claudia in private. I knew it might be impossible and that my only chance was to go with the plan I had schemed up, my only other option. I would draw it out using myself. Perhaps revealing myself would be the only other option left. After all he had revealed himself to me before. He was aware of our presence, there was no fooling it. No closer to find this Pet-tricia. Perhaps convincing it I had her, would deliver him to me.
“Nonsense,” Michael said. “Give Claudia and I some of those letters. I think we can help pass them out. Besides, afterwards I want to get some work done, grade papers.”
I grinned as he said those words. I could always count on Michael to work hard and volunteer.
“Well, then why don’t you go ahead, Michael? If it’s alright perhaps Claudia can assist me with distributing the documents?” I suggested, and at once she looked up. She blinked up at me as Michael smiled and nodded.
“Me?” She uttered like she had just walked into our conversation.
“Why not?” Michael simply asked; he was so naïve even after Claudia looked troubled. Could he just think it was a mere teenage attempt to escape doing a chore? She was trying to escape John Slater, and he hadn’t noticed.
“But Michael, what about the assignment due this week? I must work on that.”
“Claudia, it’s only for today; besides, I think I can excuse you so you can assist Dr. Black,” Michael told her, and she tried to smile. I agreed, “Only for today.” I offered with a smirk.
“I’ll buy you lunch if you volunteer to help me Claudia,” I offered like a gentleman, grinning at her as she blushed.
“Ah, see that?” Michael said. “Now I’m reconsidering helping you myself,” he suddenly said with a laugh.
Michael stepped over to the door, and Claudia wandered to the center of the office, longing to escape with him as I came to stand behind her. I could smell her shampoo or perhaps the lotion radiating from her body. It had a sweet, flowery scent.
Michael looked back as he stood by the door, and then another face appeared right alongside him. He spun slightly to look and found one of the student photographers for the yearbook looking into the office.
“Mr. McClellan, Dr. Black,” he began. I caught the smile on his face. He was a young man with blond hair and square glasses. He blinked over at Claudia and smiled. She blushed when he did. It made me unreasonably jealous.
“I was wondering if it would be alright to get a picture for the yearbook of the two of you?” He asked, pointing to us, Michael and I. Michael seemed to politely answer for the two of us.
“I don’t see why not Jimmy,” he offered as the young student kept making eye contact with Claudia. Michael obviously knew the young man.
“Dr. Black?” He asked. I hadn’t made a movement or given him my answer. I was obviously distracted by his staring over at Claudia and she over at him. Did she like them blond like this turkey?
John get a hold of yourself. He is after all her age, old man! Why was I getting so overworked over the glances of a young man?
“Hi Claudia,” he whispered, smiling very widely.
“Hi Jimmy,” she replied in that bashful matter.
“Su
re, why not?” I immediately said, glaring at him and the fact that he was moving in on Claudia. I didn’t know whether it was sheer jealousy or my protective natural reaction.
“Where do you want us?” Michael asked.
“How about over by the desk?” Jimmy said, holding his camera up and adjusting the lens.
Michael stepped into the office again and came to stand by the desk alongside me as I moved into the position. Claudia pulled away to allow Jimmy the chance to photograph us.
“Claudia, why don’t you join us?” I offered, observing the young man standing alongside her and giving her that smile. He was trying to talk to her; in fact, I couldn’t quite understand what he was telling her, something about a party. My blood began to boil. Why was I distracted by this?
Claudia curiously gazed over at me; she wasn’t aware of my jealousy. Just as I couldn’t understand it myself.
Really John, you’re jealous of a teenage boy?
The young man seemed to want to object as Claudia walked toward us, but he didn’t dare say a thing when John Slater pulled Claudia alongside him before she could escape and put his hand very firmly around her waist. He looked jealous himself now, and his face became firm as we now stood before him. He lifted the camera and snapped a few shots, and then it was all over.
“You got it?” I impatiently asked, and he nodded; he was very distracted, looking only once at Claudia, my hand still very much upon her waist.
“Thank you Dr. Black, Mr. McClellan.” He nodded and then looked over at Claudia.
“I’ll catch you later Claudia.” Jimmy simply said.
She again blushed. As now Jimmy stared over at me and I think it was obvious between the two of us what was going on. He gave me a conniving little grin, as I returned the gesture.
“Ok,” Claudia softly answered, and then he was gone, looking back perhaps once before he stepped out of my office.
Michael again stepped over to the door smiling. “Well, I’d better get going. Those papers aren’t going to grade themselves. Have fun.”
Claudia took a step forward as I whispered her name, and she looked over her shoulder. I noticed Michael stopping by the entrance suddenly when a man now blocked his path. He stepped into my office with the man coming in and standing at the entrance.
“What now?” I whispered softly, moving around Claudia.
The man’s eyes widened, and he looked shocked and dazed as I caught him staring over at Claudia. He walked forward, and I immediately blocked him from coming within inches of her. He seemed surprised by my actions and overwhelmed by my size since he was fairly shorter than Michael and I, but then he realized his mistake.
“Can I help you?” I said, sounding silently jealous; he kept looking over at Claudia. He shook his head as if scolding himself and nodded.
“Where are my manners?” He politely asked. “I’m sorry, but when I saw her, oh my God, she’s grown so much. I can’t believe it’s been so long.”
Claudia wrinkled an eyebrow; it seemed she had no earthly clue who this man was, and it was starting to make me uneasy as well, not to mention jealous. I felt like grabbing him by the collar and demanding an explanation for his slow reaction.
“You’re Claudia!” He stuttered. “Oh my! Look at you!” He said while looking over my shoulder.
“And you are?” I again firmly demanded as Michael watched with the same concern in his eyes.
He was a short man with black hair and brown, beady eyes and was dressed in a blue suit. He looked clever, like he knew more than us.
“I’m her uncle,” he said, and my jaw dropped.
I heard Claudia whisper from behind me, “My uncle?”
I came forward, almost in anger. “You, sir, are a liar,” I firmly stated. “Claudia doesn’t have any living relatives.”
Who was this man claiming he was her uncle? It angered me because Claudia had come into a very large inheritance, and now it seemed it had attracted all sorts of crazies claiming a part of it. Not to mention, this man looked nothing like the rest of the family.
Claudia came from behind me and stared at the man; he looked overzealous while smiling back at her, and he extended a hand out to her like she was a delicate jewel he wanted to touch. I knew what she was doing; she was trying to read him. He came forward, and I put my hand out and stopped him, blocking him from coming any closer.
“Hey, stay back. We don’t know you.”
He put his hands up backing away. “I’m sorry. I know what it must seem like. I just wanted to come see her. Mr. West warned it wasn’t a good idea, but I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been looking for you all my life,” he said while looking over at Claudia, who seemed to just examine him curiously. She looked confused, like she wasn’t quite sure what to believe and didn’t know why.
“You know Mr. West? How do you know Mr. West?” Michael firmly asked. I was asking the same question; wasn’t this client and attorney privileged information?
“I didn’t. I heard about the accident only after I saw the story about Dr. Edwards, and then I saw the picture. I guess I have a lot of explaining to do,” he said smiling, but I wasn’t smiling, and he sensed my distrust. I wanted him to. I already didn’t like him.
“Yes, you do,” I firmly said. I wasn’t interested in hearing more of his phony story. And the expression I was giving him gave him all the indication of such, and he was getting that vibe quite well from me as I stood barricading him from approaching Claudia.
“Look, I’m sorry,” he politely said. “I’ll see myself out. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said to Claudia. “It was nice seeing you.”
He moved to leave, stepping to the entrance, and then he looked back at Claudia who was standing beside me. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder so he knew I would not allow him near her as long as I was around and stared dead straight at him, my lips a firm line. I hadn’t even realized my daring gesture but it felt right to protect her. The mere idea wasn’t strange any longer. Had I succumbed to my feelings?
“You look so much like your mother,” he said and then walked out the door. Claudia pulled slowly away and took a step forward, but the man was gone. She turned and looked over at Michael, confused. I could see she had her doubts, but then there was also that hope in her eyes that perhaps he was who he claimed to say.
“That was weird,” I said, trying to break the silence and hoping to get back to what we were doing before the intrusion.
“Michael, what if he’s telling the truth?” Claudia suddenly asked.
I glanced over at her in shock.
“Claudia, you’re not seriously believing that he’s your uncle? It’s obvious what that was all about. It’s no secret to anyone out there that you’ve inherited a large fortune, and creeps like that are after it.”
She glanced over at me, shocked by my words. Yes, I was overprotective, but for good reasons.
She lowered her eyes; I knew she wanted to believe it. She didn’t want to be alone, and to think she had an uncle, well it seemed important to her.
“Dr. Black is right, Claudia. How do we know he’s not just some creep after your inheritance?” Michael said. She looked up. I wanted to console her, hold her, and tell her it was going to be alright, that even if she never found any family, that I could be that person for her.
“But what if he’s not some creep; what if he’s really my uncle? You could ask Mr. West. He would know. Wouldn’t he?” She again said.
“Claudia,” I began. “I know you want to believe he is who he claims to be, but it’s not true.”
“You don’t know that,” she snapped at me.
“Okay, let’s say just for argument’s sake,” I said, walking to my desk and turning to look over at her as she walked back into the office from the entrance. “That he is who he claims he is: why did it take so long for him to come forward?”
“You heard him,” she said, trying to justify his actions. “He said he had been looking for me. And he didn’t know where I was u
ntil my grandfather’s death.”
I smiled at her; she was so young and naïve, and I feared her innocence in the wrong hands because she was an easy target.
“Claudia,” Michael said. He tried to reason with her, but there was no negotiating with her. The stranger had laid the idea deep in her head, and she was bent on knowing whether or not he was.
“Michael, please,” she pleaded. I stepped forward. I didn’t like seeing her in distress, and I knew we both would have to give in to her request. I knew I would. I interrupted Michael, as he was about to speak again, possibly in disagreement to her demand.
“I suppose there’s no harm in checking him out Michael?” I simply said, and they both turned to look at me, and Claudia even smiled at me, which made me melt. She had finally rewarded me with that beautiful smile of hers. Only then did I realize the dent it made to my plans. Why was I getting involved?
“I would investigate this Michael, not only to confirm this stranger’s claims but also to see whether or not Mr. West gave up important attorney and client privileged information.”
Michael blinked. Perhaps he hadn’t even considered that himself, and he nodded as he thought about what I had just said to him.
“You might want to call him as soon as possible,” I again said. Michael nodded. He turned, walking over to the door, and he stood by the entrance for a mere moment.
“If you don’t mind I’m going to head to my classroom and make the call there.”
“Not a problem,” I softly said, knowing well he wanted his privacy to speak to Mr. West.
“Claudia,” he said, looking over at her.
She looked up and smiled and then said, “I’ll stay here. I did volunteer to help Dr. Black.”
Her words surprised me; she wasn’t trying to flee from me any longer. Michael nodded and walked out, leaving me alone with her. My heart began to beat rapidly as she turned her dark eyes towards me, and I came from the side of my desk a few steps to face her.
“Thank you,” she softly said with a smile. Was she slowly realizing I wasn’t such a bad guy after all?
“For what?” I asked, hoping to hear it from her lips.