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“Have a seat, Miss Wright,” he instructed, pointing at an empty chair in front of his desk. The seat next to it was occupied by a plain woman in a cheap pea-green suit that told me, before I even caught a glimpse of the name badge clipped to her lapel, that she was a CPS caseworker.
I quietly took a seat and crossed my ankles, wondering what this this is about. When I worked back at that school in Brooklyn, CPS visits were an almost weekly occurrence. There were far more seldom at Bellamy. I couldn’t even remember the last time I found myself sitting in on an investigation.
“I apologize for having to call you away from your class,” Mr. Richmond said to me. “But Miss Peters here thought it might be urgent that we discuss the status of one of your students.”
Oh shit, I thought, picturing the students in my classroom and trying to work out which one is the subject of this investigation.
“It’s about a student named Emmy Preston,” Miss Peters said, turning to me with pursed lips.
“What?” I was caught off guard. There was already an open investigation with her mother. Why was this woman here now?
Miss Peters blinked at me, and I noticed that she’s wearing that generic, faux-sympathetic expression on her face.
“Some parents have expressed concern over things that their children have overheard from Emmy,” Mr. Richmond said, clearing his throat.
“Like what?”
“Apparently Emmy has been bragging to other students about her new apartment,” Miss Preston snipped, still eyeing me. “At The Camden.”
“Yes,” I nodded, trying to keep my cool. “That’s where her uncle lives. And as I’m sure you’re well aware, Miss Peters,” I made a point of narrowing my eyes at her, “Her uncle has been awarded emergency custody of Emmy for the time being.”
“That’s correct,” Mr. Richmond nodded. “But some parents are concerned that the Preston’s lifestyle might not be in keeping with the morals and values we try to instill here at Bellamy.”
I felt the heat of anger prickle up my neck, and I turned to the social services caseworker.
“That’s ridiculous!” I said. “You can’t possibly agree with that!”
“I’m concerned with the child’s well-being,” Miss Peters said calmly, her eyes vacant and devoid of genuine compassion. “And if other parents are concerned that Emmy is a bad influence on their children, then I have to be concerned about that, too.”
“That’s so unfair,” I turned back to Mr. Richmond. “You’re going to punish a child because of where her uncle lives?”
“Nobody is punishing anyone,” Mr. Richmond assured me. “But I’m sure we can all agree that someone with Mr. Preston’s reputation and lifestyle could be seen as an unfavorable influence on students.”
“We’ve just called this meeting to keep an eye on the situation,” Miss Peters said. She was trying to placate me, but I did not want to be placated. I did not want to be talked down to, and I certainly did not want to be lectured on ‘morals’ and ‘values,’ from the same school administrator that blindly accepted tuition checks from Wall Street thieves and drug addicts.
“Mr. Preston is perfectly fit to care for his niece,” I said flatly.
“It seems you would know,” Mr. Richmond snapped.
I gulped, waiting for him to elaborate.
“Some students also reported that Emmy was bragging about you going home with her to Mr. Preston’s apartment,” Miss Peters said.
“That’s true,” I admitted. “I wanted to make sure she was safe and comfortable…”
“Miss Wright,” Mr. Richmond said firmly, “I shouldn’t need to remind you that we have procedures in place for these kinds of things.”
“I’m well aware,” I snapped back. “And if CPS had actually answered my phone calls, I might have been able to follow that procedure properly. I was doing what I thought was best for everyone.”
“I appreciate your dedication,” Mr. Richmond sighed, “But it can’t happen again. There are boundaries, Miss Wright, and they exist for a reason. Teachers and parents do not mingle outside of this school. Do you understand?”
I felt the pressure of both Mr. Richmond Miss Peters glaring at me, and I nodded.
“I understand.”
I understood… but that didn’t mean I had to agree.
11
