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“Hi Joanna,” Opal’s teacher, Mari Snyder, walked toward her. “Everything okay?”
“Oh, sure, I was just on break and thought I’d peak in on Opal.”
Mari smiled. “They’re at recess, then straight to lunch. This is my break time.”
“Ahh, I see.”
Vanessa turned to walk away, but Mari put a hand on her arm.
“Joanna, is everything okay?”
Vanessa turned back to her. How badly she wanted to spill everything, to tell someone, anyone, what she was going through. She was in desperate need of a confidant. But she just didn’t know Mari enough yet.
“Yeah, I’m okay.” She forced a smile.
“Because Katrin seemed a bit… anxious today.”
“She did?”
Mari nodded. “I’m headed to the break room for coffee. Want to join me?”
Vanessa’s need to talk with someone made her immediately turn and follow Mari. When they entered, two other teachers were there, finishing their lunches. As Mari poured them coffee, the teachers left and they were alone.
“So, what’s going on?” Mari asked. “Is Katrin adjusting okay to the move and being in a new school?”
“I think so. You might know better than me how she’s adjusting to school.”
Mari took a sip of her coffee and nodded. “She seems to be doing okay. She keeps to herself, though. I try to get them all involved and working with each other, but she doesn’t always seem too interested in making friends.”
Vanessa mulled that over. Was she afraid of messing up and using the wrong name? Or did she think they’d have to move again if something happened?
“I guess she’s been a bit stressed out,” Vanessa said.
“You think it’s just the move?”
“Well…” Vanessa looked around, making sure she didn’t somehow miss someone coming in. “No, to be honest, I don’t think it’s just that. We came from a really bad situation.”
Mari nodded. “I wondered.”
“You did?”
She nodded again. “There are signs. Things to look for. And especially for someone who’s been through it, it’s easy to spot.”
Vanessa pulled her eyebrows together. “Been through it?”
Mari leaned in closer. “Katrin’s dad, your ex-husband? Was he… abusive?”
“Yes,” Vanessa gasped. “How could you tell?”
“Just through observing Katrin. The way she shies away from touch, how she takes a long time to trust anyone. Things like that.”
“We ran from him. He tried to take her, so we took off. It’s been so horrible having no one to talk to, but we can’t even use our real names. If he finds us, he’ll take Katrin, and I don’t know what he’ll do to me.”
“Do you have a safe place to take her if something happens?”
“Not really. We just have our apartment. I don’t really know anyone here well enough.”
“You do now,” Mari said. “You can always bring her to my house. I’ll look after her as long as I need to, and I’ll keep her safe. I had an abusive father, and I learned how to fight back when I was a teen.”
