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“Miss Wing, you were informed correctly,” she continued, “you will be scheduled a meeting with the Headmaster but that’s only when he returns.”
“You mean, he’s not back yet?” Mina asked.
“I’m afraid not.”
“Do you know when he’ll be back?” Mina asked again.
Apparently, this wasn’t the kind of question students usually asked. That was the impression Mina read from Miss Watson’s face this time.
“I’m afraid not, Miss Wing,” she replied, a little sternly.
“I’m sorry,” Mina immediately wanted to fix the impression, “I know it’s probably not the kind of information you give out to students but I’m just so excited to meet him. My parents have told me so much about him, I feel like I already know him.”
This softened Miss Watson a little. Maybe she had a family of her own or had someone she herself was admiring. Whatever the reason, Miss Watson smiled. Mina knew she did it.
“I know what it’s like to be ….” she paused, in search of an appropriate word, “eager to see someone.”
She suddenly pulled back a little in her chair, as if she was metaphorically pulling herself out of this conversation, in which she almost revealed one of her secrets.
“He should be back the first week of November, I think. That’s what he told us last time but, of course, it always depends on his obligations. He is the kind of man who always does his best, you know.”
“Oh, I know,” Mina nodded, trying to give the impression that she really did know everything about this man. “My dad always said, he could count on him no matter what.”
“Then, your dad was a lucky man,” Miss Watson said, with a deep, melancholy feeling in her voice.
“So, should I come the first week of November then?”
“No, dear, you shall be notified when you should come. He is busy, you know. We can’t just have you students barging in here, as if this was a market.”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, dear. It takes some time to get used to this place. Trust me, I know.”
There was a tone which revealed to Mina that Miss Watson wanted to be more than just a secretary to the Headmaster, but her hopes and desires weren’t reciprocated.
“Have you been here long?” Mina asked curiously.
“Longer than I can remember,” she sighed the sigh of a broken heart.
“Were you here before the Headmaster came?”
“No,” Miss Watson shook her head, “we came here together. I mean, we were hired at the same time,” she was quick to correct herself but her blushing didn’t escape Mina’s watchful eye.
“Did you know him before that?”
“Um, I…” Miss Watson sounded confused.
Like any woman in love, she relished every chance she had to talk about her beloved. But, at the same time, she was aware of how inappropriate it was to discuss such matters with a student there.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry,” Mina added sweetly.
“Oh, you’re not, dear, it’s just there’s nothing to tell really.”
“You know, I’m surprised there aren’t any photos of the Headmaster around the place,” Mina suddenly realized something. Photos meant she could identify him. She would find out whether she saw him before.
“Well, we keep all our photos in yearbooks. I don’t think there are…” she was talking, then suddenly stopped, as if she remembered something important, “wait, there is one photo, I think. A big framed one in one of the dorms.”
“It’s not in mine,” Mina assured her, “I would have noticed it.”
