Alone in His Teacher's House (Marvin Redpost 4)

She was right beside him. He could see her shoes.

He closed his eyes. Her cold hand touched the back of his neck.

“Come on, Marvin, we need to talk.”

He stood up. Every eye in the classroom watched as Mrs. North led him outside. There was dead silence.

“I’m sorry,” said Mrs. North.

“You’re sorry?” said Marvin. His legs were shaking.

“It was unfair of me to ask you to take care of such an old—” She stopped. “I just didn’t want to put him in a kennel. You must have felt awful!”

The next thing Marvin knew, Mrs. North was hugging him.

“The plane was very late,” she said, still hugging him. “Otherwise I would have called you last night. You probably thought I hated you.”

“Maybe a little,” said Marvin.

She let go of him. “I spoke to Dr. Charles this morning,” she said. “He told me what you did. I’m so glad Waldo had someone like you.”

Marvin noticed her eyes were wet.

“Liver was his favorite,” said Mrs. North. “He died happy.”

She paid him the money she owed him. She gave him twenty-five dollars, as promised.

“I’d like to do something special for you, too,” she said. “How about I take you out to lunch this weekend? You pick the restaurant.”

“Okay,” said Marvin.

She hugged him again. “He had a good life,” she said.

They walked back into the classroom.

Everyone was watching. And wondering.

Marvin kept his head down. Let them wonder, he thought.

He sat at his desk and returned to his test.

Casey Happleton stared at him. Her ponytail stuck out of the side of her head. Her finger was in her mouth.

“Wait, let me get this straight,” Nick said at recess. “She’s taking you out to lunch because her dog died.”

“Twenty-five dollars!” said Stuart. “And he only had to take care of the dog for five days instead of seven.”

“What restaurant are you going to choose?” asked Nick.

Marvin shrugged.

“Man, you’re so lucky,” said Nick. “It’s unfair. Some people have all the luck.”