Page 20 of Mr. B

“Super weird. Does Dad know you’re working with him?”

“No. I doubt he’d care.”

“Mom.”

“It seems we don’t tell each other everything these days.”

“His girlfriend?”

“Yes, for one.”

Bailey smiled. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, she’s kind of gross.”

“How so?”

“Um…too sweet. Like fake sweet. Way too much makeup.” She took a sip of water. “And…way too young.”

Cassandra cocked her head. “How young?”

Bailey put her glass in the sink. “Do you really want to know?”

“No. I don’t really care.”

Bailey kissed her on the cheek. “Get some sleep, Mom.”

Bailey started to leave, but stopped when Cassandra said, “Fine. How young?”

“I’m guessing halfway between your age and mine.”

“That’s…fine. Whatever. Go to bed, honey.”

Bailey left, and Cassandra jumped when the kettle began to whistle. She turned off the heat, then filled her cup. “Bastard.”

After a restless night, Wes went out into the rain, which had started sometime during the night. He ran two miles instead of his usual five, then gave up and went home as the sun was coming up. The long, hot shower he took to warm himself took up his breakfast time. He filled a travel mug with coffee and left the house at 7:45 without eating.

An umbrella got him into the school office relatively dry, and he scowled at Polly when she greeted him with a cheery “Good morning.”

He handed her his wet umbrella, then headed for his office. He sat at his desk for a moment, then went back out to Polly.

“I’m sorry. Good morning.”

She smiled. “There he is. I was beginning to worry about you.”

“Damn rain.” A basket of cookies had been left yesterday, and he took four, then filled his office coffee mug with coffee. It was another gift from a former student, and it read, ‘Don’t talk to me until I’ve finished my coffee.’

Polly looked at the cookies. “Breakfast?”

“Somehow my morning didn’t go as planned.”

“I’ll have something delivered for you.”

“Then these will just be an appetizer.”

“Your meeting with Mrs. Alpert and Dr. Jordan is at ten.”

He stopped and looked at her. “What meeting?”

“The meeting about the senior class fundraiser.”