Page 49 of Tank’s Weakness

In all the years I’ve been teaching, I’ve never had a parent ask for a child to be removed from my classroom.

“I work with Blaine, and he brought it to my attention about the company you’ve been keeping. My wife and son have had nothing but nice things to say about you, but I cannot let you be around my child. I refuse to let someone who spends time with criminals influence my child. I’m sure you understand,” Mr. Croff says.

As soon as the words leave his mouth, I put two and two together. Blaine used to bitch about a Richard Croff every chance he got. He hated when he had to work with him. Not because Mr. Croff was a hard-ass or a bad lawyer but because of how much of a family man he was. Blaine couldn’t understand why the man refused to stay in the office past five p.m. every night.

“You’re a lawyer,” I say.

He nods while his wife looks down at her shoes.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” I tell them.

They look at me in confusion.

“That’s it? You aren’t going to try and fight us on this?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No. I’ve been doing this job long enough, Mr. Croff, that I know when a parent makes up their mind about their child’s safety, there is no changing it. Which I respect. Am I sorry that you feel the way you do? Absolutely. Your son is a fantastic kid, and I will miss him in my classroom. What I’m not sorry for is the fact you feel like you are doing what’s best for him, even if it’s under some misguided notion.”

“It’s really not personal,” Mrs. Croff says, wringing her hands together.

“It is,” I say, gently correcting her before I look back at her husband. “Have you spoken to Principal Marshall?”

“We were going there after we spoke to you,” he murmurs.

Judging by the look on his face, he’s feeling caught off guard by my reaction. Serves him right throwing his judgmental bullshit onto me.

Fucking Blaine. Just when I think he’s crawled into whatever hole he came out of, he surprises me.

If only I could spray him with something and make him disappear from my life for good.

“Let me walk you to the office,” I say, pointing my hand to the door.

They walk ahead of me, collecting their son as we go. When we step into the office, Principal Marshall looks up at us with concern.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

I offer him a brittle smile. “Of course. Mr. and Mrs. Croff would like to remove Connor from my classroom.”

“What? No!” Connor cries in protest.

“It’s okay, baby,” Mrs. Croff says, trying to soothe him.

It breaks my heart as he pulls away from them, face red as tears fall down his face.

“Is there a reason for the removal of your son from her room?” Principal Marshall asks.

“Clearly our son loves her, but we have a belief difference when it comes to lifestyles,” Mr. Croff says.

Principal Marshall looks over at me with pity. “You know that this will go on your record, correct?”

“I do.”

He nods before turning back to Mr. Croff.

I feel the pitying stares from the office workers but refuse to make eye contact.

Just when I thought things were looking up, Blaine has to go and prove to me that I’m not safe, no matter what I do.

I’ll just have to document this like I have everything else.