“AND FURTHERMORE, MS. SINCLAIR, Talen has been exhibiting some aggressive behavior that we find of concern.” Mrs. Higgens, the principal of Little Eagle Elementary School, pursed her lips on a pause as she regarded Miranda with the hard eyes of a raptor in spite of her advanced age. Mrs. Higgens had been around for a while and she had a memory like a steel trap. “You’ve done an admirable job raising Talen on your own, but considering the stock that Talen comes from—”
“Wait, what?” Miranda interrupted. “What do you mean the stock he comes from?”
“Well, if you recall, I remember what Johnny was like as a student and later as a young man. Sometimes that wildness is inborn.”
“With all due respect, Mrs. Higgens, I think you’re out of line. Johnny is not the issue, and furthermore, Talen is nothing like his father. I’m offended that you would even imply such a thing when Talen has never once had a behavioral problem before today. And furthermore, what’s being done about the other kids who were involved?”
“I cannot discuss the disciplinary details of another student with you as that’s confidential. However, I can say they are being disciplined as is appropriate.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’d hate to think that my son is being singled out simply because of who his father was.”
“Of course,” Mrs. Higgens said with a mild sniff. “Now, the fact remains that Talen hit another child, and thus in accordance with our zero-tolerance policy, I must suspend him for three days. These will be unexcused absences and he will not be able to make up any lost homework.” Mrs. Higgens pushed a piece of paper across her desk toward Miranda. “Please sign here that you understand the punishment and the repercussions.”
Yeah, she understood. And she doubted either of the two boys involved were being as harshly dealt with but that was a fight for another day. “I appreciate your fair and equitable handling of the situation,” Miranda said with a false smile as she signed the paperwork. “Where is Talen now?”
“He’s waiting for you in the nurse’s office. You may sign him out as you go.”
Miranda dropped her smile and went to sign out her son. When she saw Talen, his face was tear-streaked and he looked miserable. Her heart broke at the sight of him and she wanted to rail at whoever had managed to get under her son’s skin enough to cause him to lash out in such an uncharacteristic manner. Her son wasn’t a troublemaker. He was sweet and easygoing, traits he hadn’t exactly gotten from her or Johnny but she’d been grateful just the same. She graced her son with a genuine smile and held out her hand. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get out of here. I think there’s a cheeseburger with your name on it. What do you say?”
Talen wiped at his nose and nodded. “I’m sorry, Mama.”
“No worries, buddy. We’ll talk about it over lunch.”
They climbed into the Range Rover, and as Miranda headed for their favorite diner, she broached the subject of the fight. “So what happened? Clue me in because I’m a little bewildered over this whole thing. Talen, you’re not a fighter as far as I know...did something change?” she asked, half joking. “Do I need to worry about you becoming the school-yard tough guy?”
“No, Mama.” Talen’s voice wavered but there was an edge to it that worried her. “I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed against her better judgment as she maneuvered the Rover into a slushy parking spot. But she could only hold her tongue long enough to give their order to the waitress before she was touching on the subject again. “Here’s the thing, Talen.... I have to know why you got into a fight today. That’s so unlike you that I’m more than a little worried. Help me out, buddy. Tell me what happened. Please.”
Talen sighed and looked away with a shrug. “It’s boy stuff. You wouldn’t understand.”
Ouch. She pulled back, smarting from that one tiny statement. She’d known that phrase would likely come out of her son’s mouth at some point in his life but she’d figured it wouldn’t happen until at least the teenage years. Still, she wasn’t ready to concede just yet. “Are you sure about that? I grew up with two older brothers. I know quite a lot about boy stuff. Give me a try.”
Talen’s lips tightened into a thin line as if he were holding back a hot comment, or worse, tears. Then he stared her straight in the eye and said, “Garrett Pollard said that my daddy was a no-good criminal who died in prison from a disease you get from sex. And you were the one who gave him the disease, ’cause you’re a loose woman.”