AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My stomach tightened with worry. “It’s been tough for him adjusting to a new town.”
Six months, my brain reminded me. Shouldn’t he be doing better by now? Shouldn’t I?
“I completely understand,” Principal Martinez said. “That’s why I’m calling. We have a promising program with student mentors. We think Toby might benefit from a little extra attention.”
“Of course,” I said, relieved by the idea of a lifeline. I didn’t know how to help Toby, but these people were experts in child development, right? They’d surely do better than me. “Whatever you think will help.”
“It’s late notice, but I need you to meet with the program adviser at the high school this week if that’s all right? I’m afraid we had some staff changes. You should have been notified much sooner, and now we’re scrambling to make it happen.”
“That’s all right. I’ll be there.”
Not long after I hung up, Tucker came over and took a seat in front of my desk.
“I hope you’re not drafting your resignation now that you’ve seen what’s in store for you, thanks to the Granville brain trust.”
I grinned. “Nah. I can’t afford to run just yet.”
“That’s good news for me. I thought I’d continue to be the only sane person in the room.”
“Well, who says I’m sane? I’m not quitting.”
He laughed. “Touché.”
“I was a little caught off-guard by the, uh, creative naming conventions.”
“I bet.”
“But hell, I could use a challenge. Those big budgets and tasteful corporate campaigns were almost too easy.” I winked. “Might as well see if I can sell an idea the old-school way, right?”
“You don’t have much choice,” Tucker agreed. “I’m glad you’re on board though. The look of horror on your face at first…” He snorted.
“I may have experienced some shrinkage myself in that moment,” I joked.
“As long as you can still show us you’re a grower, we’ll forgive you.”
I laughed. They might be amateurs when it came to crafting catchy slogans, but maybe there was something to be said for working with people who were more laid-back. I was still adjusting to Granville’s odd quirks, but in just a few weeks Tucker had made me feel more welcome than I’d felt in my entire first year with the Titan Marketing Group in Minneapolis.
The people here were caring and friendly. I remembered that from when I was growing up. Coming back the way I did, without my wife and feeling a failure, I hated the attention.
But it wasn’t all bad.
If only Toby could see Granville the way I had as a kid, he might be more willing to embrace it as a real home too.
* * *
CLARK
“Mr. Fletcher, do you have a minute?”
I looked up from the leftovers I’d just reheated for a quick lunch—chicken enchiladas in a cream sauce—to see Ellen Simmons, principal of Granville High and my boss, leaning through the doorway of our breakroom.
“Um, sure.”
“My office,” she said and headed down the hall without waiting for me.
The other teachers in the breakroom immediately turned into a group of kids.
“Ohhh.”
