notches.
“Of course, Blake’s ready to plot a mutiny and…” Rob met her stare for one split second before he slid out of his chair. As he was moving the extra chairs back to their normal spots, he said, “Whatever I can do, Principal Mason, even if it’s be a bad example. I already told my parents we were going to do it, and my dad seemed cool with it.”
Lindy shook her head. “No names. You can include stories. But I don’t want any names listed.” She added a note to request another meeting with Blake and his father. He’d transferred into Lincoln after Coach Ford’s hire was announced. He was captain of the team. His influence would be huge.
Knowing his father, a meeting with Blake alone would accomplish more.
“Do we have an agreement? I approve every step. No names.” Maddie and Rob nodded. No matter how long she was principal, nothing would feel as good as thinking she’d made even a small difference. Rob and Maddie both had been changed, hopefully for the better.
“All right. Rob, you can go.” When he waved one hand awkwardly and scrambled for the door, Lindy leaned back in her chair.
Maddie didn’t say anything, just fidgeted nervously and waited for Lindy to start.
“How are things at home?”
Maddie brushed off her concern. “Good. Great. No worries.”
Lindy didn’t believe her for a minute. She desperately wanted to. Instead, she said, “Are you sure? Last week you were pretty upset when you left.”
Maddie wiped her hands on her jeans. “Well, I didn’t ask for details, if that’s what you’re asking. I am smart enough to figure out my dad was part of your problem in high school. And I hate that.”
Lindy opened her mouth to say something. She wasn’t absolutely sure of what, but she didn’t want Maddie to be disappointed in her father. He was all she had.
“But he hates it, too. He’s not one of those people who are oblivious, Principal Mason. He’s pretty clear about what he did and wishes he could change it. After I talked with him and with Rob, it’s like this light bulb went off that there’s more than one side to this story.”
Lindy heaved a disgusted sigh. This was where she knew they’d been heading. Now that they’d arrived, she had to figure out what to say. “Maddie, thanks to you, I understand that better. Rob and Blake are going to grow up and they need some grace. None of us make it through to adulthood without making mistakes. But applying that to my own situation seemed impossible.”
Lindy slapped her hands on her desk. “So, what I’m going to do is follow you out to the car, so that I can talk to your dad for just a minute. He’s apologized. I need to tell him I’m working on letting stuff go.” She pursed her lips. “But I’m going to be working on it for a while.”
Maddie pasted an angelic smile on her face. “I have a better idea. I’d like for you to come to dinner at our house tomorrow night. Will you do that? I want to thank you for helping me through all this. I’ll make my famous chocolate cake. Dad can grill something. Please?”
Her beautiful, eyeliner-free face was pleading. She gripped both hands together and waved them back and forth under her chin. Her sincerity was hard to doubt.
Lindy tried to surrender with good grace. “Fine. Tell me what time, and I’ll be there.”
Maddie jumped up and down once. “How about seven?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Great! Principal Mason, you won’t be sorry!” Maddie yanked up her backpack and ran out of the office with a clatter. When Lindy closed her eyes against the bright sunshine coming in through her dingy window, she had a bad feeling Maddie might be wrong. Everything about this screamed that she was going to be sorry. Very, very sorry. Ryan would be charming. Maddie would be sweet. She would be awkward. And the old high school doubts would come rushing in.
But she owed it to Maddie. And to Ryan. Good or bad, she was committed. She’d be sitting down with the
“Of course, Blake’s ready to plot a mutiny and…” Rob met her stare for one split second before he slid out of his chair. As he was moving the extra chairs back to their normal spots, he said, “Whatever I can do, Principal Mason, even if it’s be a bad example. I already told my parents we were going to do it, and my dad seemed cool with it.”
Lindy shook her head. “No names. You can include stories. But I don’t want any names listed.” She added a note to request another meeting with Blake and his father. He’d transferred into Lincoln after Coach Ford’s hire was announced. He was captain of the team. His influence would be huge.
Knowing his father, a meeting with Blake alone would accomplish more.
“Do we have an agreement? I approve every step. No names.” Maddie and Rob nodded. No matter how long she was principal, nothing would feel as good as thinking she’d made even a small difference. Rob and Maddie both had been changed, hopefully for the better.
“All right. Rob, you can go.” When he waved one hand awkwardly and scrambled for the door, Lindy leaned back in her chair.
Maddie didn’t say anything, just fidgeted nervously and waited for Lindy to start.
“How are things at home?”
Maddie brushed off her concern. “Good. Great. No worries.”
Lindy didn’t believe her for a minute. She desperately wanted to. Instead, she said, “Are you sure? Last week you were pretty upset when you left.”
Maddie wiped her hands on her jeans. “Well, I didn’t ask for details, if that’s what you’re asking. I am smart enough to figure out my dad was part of your problem in high school. And I hate that.”
Lindy opened her mouth to say something. She wasn’t absolutely sure of what, but she didn’t want Maddie to be disappointed in her father. He was all she had.
“But he hates it, too. He’s not one of those people who are oblivious, Principal Mason. He’s pretty clear about what he did and wishes he could change it. After I talked with him and with Rob, it’s like this light bulb went off that there’s more than one side to this story.”
Lindy heaved a disgusted sigh. This was where she knew they’d been heading. Now that they’d arrived, she had to figure out what to say. “Maddie, thanks to you, I understand that better. Rob and Blake are going to grow up and they need some grace. None of us make it through to adulthood without making mistakes. But applying that to my own situation seemed impossible.”
Lindy slapped her hands on her desk. “So, what I’m going to do is follow you out to the car, so that I can talk to your dad for just a minute. He’s apologized. I need to tell him I’m working on letting stuff go.” She pursed her lips. “But I’m going to be working on it for a while.”
Maddie pasted an angelic smile on her face. “I have a better idea. I’d like for you to come to dinner at our house tomorrow night. Will you do that? I want to thank you for helping me through all this. I’ll make my famous chocolate cake. Dad can grill something. Please?”
Her beautiful, eyeliner-free face was pleading. She gripped both hands together and waved them back and forth under her chin. Her sincerity was hard to doubt.
Lindy tried to surrender with good grace. “Fine. Tell me what time, and I’ll be there.”
Maddie jumped up and down once. “How about seven?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Great! Principal Mason, you won’t be sorry!” Maddie yanked up her backpack and ran out of the office with a clatter. When Lindy closed her eyes against the bright sunshine coming in through her dingy window, she had a bad feeling Maddie might be wrong. Everything about this screamed that she was going to be sorry. Very, very sorry. Ryan would be charming. Maddie would be sweet. She would be awkward. And the old high school doubts would come rushing in.
But she owed it to Maddie. And to Ryan. Good or bad, she was committed. She’d be sitting down with the
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