“How goes it?” Hope asked, when she checked on Cori.
“Hecklers are still winning, I think,” Cori answered.
“Not for long. Bedtime.”
“Yeah, half day of tests, and then … fun.”
“School is always fun. You’ll figure that out when you have to work.”
Cori rolled her eyes. “Maybe.”
Before turning out her light, Hope wondered when Cori was going to bring up the trip back to Ohio. It was not a topic Hope wanted to tackle, which meant it should be tackled right away. Difficult discussions didn’t get easier with time. But she didn’t want to spoil Christmas. The day after was soon enough.
When Hope walked into her classroom the next morning, her phone pinged. She pulled it out and discovered a message from the principal.
See me.
6
Principal Wanda Basset favored pantsuits of various hues and patterns. While Hope understood that the clothes were comfortable, they were not always flattering and needed some tailoring. Wanda had reached an age where people generally managed to put on more than a few excess pounds. She wore large glasses, which were trendy, but looked a bit wrong on someone with her facial shape. Nevertheless, Wanda was an attractive, confident, well-put together woman who was very good at her job running the school.
“You wanted to see me?” Hope asked, as she stuck her head in the door.
“Indeed, I do,” Wanda said. “Come in and shut the door behind you.”
With some flutters of worry, Hope sat. “First bus arrives in a few minutes.”
“I’m well aware of that. I’ve been principal here for some years. But in all those years, I have never witnessed an outburst like the one I saw last night.”
“Yes, that … I’m sorry for that.”
“We all are. But that bell cannot be unrung, as the saying goes. So, I’ll get to the point. You are not having any sort of relationship with Mrs. Thomas’s husband, correct?”
“Good grief. None, whatsoever,” Hope replied and shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
“Good. While such a relationship is not against the law, I would rather not have to deal with it in my school. I thank you for your honesty.”
“You’re going to speak with Carol?” Hope asked hopefully.
“Of course. I’m not in the habit of hearing only one side of a story.”
“For the record, I did have dinner at the Culpepper House, and I did talk to Clive Thomas. My daughter, Cori, was with me. I’m a history buff of sorts, and I’m interested in the old house I live in.”
“The Johnson house.”
“Yes, Maximillian Johnson was killed in the house, and well, one of the men he had issues with was Captain Jackson Thomas. Clive is directly descended from the Captain. So, I asked about that, and nothing more.”
“Good. I suppose you might want to speak to me some time.”
“Oh, why?”
“Davis Elvon Ellison was the brother of one of my ancestors, Margaret Ellison Basset. Davis had some dealings with Mr. Johnson, although I’m not at all sure what they entailed. There are some rather old journals that have been passed down in my family for several generations. I have always meant to read them, but time seems to escape my fingers. If you’d like to look them over, I’ll make them available.”
“That is most kind of you,” Hope said. “I would love to read them. After the holidays?”
“I’ll try to remember to go look for them. Maybe I can get them to you before the holiday.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Now, get to class. I’ll handle Carol Thomas. She has been a thorn in my side for some time. And, please, stay away from her, if you can.”
“I promise I’ll do my best,” Hope said.
Hope returned to her empty classroom, wondering if it was possible to avoid Carol Thomas. She had the idea that it would be more difficult than she’d supposed. It was like when she and Doug had been in the market for a new vehicle. It seemed that everywhere they looked, they saw the vehicle they were considering for purchase. They hardly noticed them when they weren’t looking, but those vehicles were everywhere when they’d been considering the car. Hope was certain there was some name for the event, probably something clever. She tried to push Carol Thomas out of her mind and got ready for class.
After lunch, the annual winter break party proved to be a huge success—at least in Hope’s eyes. The children laughed and shouted and enjoyed themselves. Too often, the classroom was some sort of holy space, where everyone whispered. Not that a boisterous atmosphere was good for learning, but occasionally, the room had to ring with laughter. And the cookies from Butter Up were delicious.
On the way home, Cori was particularly lively. The sugar rush propelled her and her chatter. She seemed giddy, more than a bit happy to be finished with final exams. While there was still a day and a half before break, school “work” was over.
“Lottie is going on vacation soon,” Cori said. “And some other kids are going too.”
“You know my rule,” Hope said. “You’re not going to be pulled out of school early.”
“I know, I know, and I don’t mind. I like school. It’s just that they’re leaving, going on vacation.”
Hope knew Cori had just launched her campaign to visit Ohio over the holidays. While Hope admired the slightly slanted approach, she also knew that Ohio was not in the cards.
“We’ve talked about this,” Hope said. “We can’t afford a vacation right now.”
“It doesn’t have to be much,” Cori said. “A quick drive. We can stay with people.”
“We might. But stop and think. Every family will have everyone there. Those children who might have been away at college will be home. Those children who had married and moved away will come back, with kids. We’d be an imposition.”
“They like us. We wouldn’t be imposing on them.”
“I’m sorry, Cori, but we can’t. For several reasons. But I’ll compromise with you. After Christmas and before New Year’s Day, how about a short trip south to Myrtle Beach. We’ll walk the sand and take in a show or something.”
“That’s not the same,” Cori said.
“I know, but it’s the best I can do right now.”
Cori went silent, and Hope wondered just how hurt she was. Hope was pretty sure Cori wasn’t terribly disappointed, but even if she was, sometimes disappointment had to be dealt with. No one got everything they wanted.
“And,” Hope added, “you can do the research. Find us a hotel for a couple of nights and a show. How about that?”
“You mean it? My choice?”
“Within reason,” Hope smiled. “Not the most expensive place and not the cheapest. Would that be okay?”
“Okay. I can do that,” Cori said.
“In fact, make a list. Three hotels, ranked top to bottom. Same with shows. It will show you how to plan a vacation.”
“You know,” Cori said, “you have a way of making everything some sort of learning thing. Do you ever stop teaching?”
Hope laughed. “No, that’s the responsibility of being a parent. That’s how you prepare your children for adulthood. It’s not easy.”