“I could be your date for the party,” Rachel said.
“What?” The implication jarred him. Rachel in Fieldstone?
“I don’t have any shifts at the hospital,” she said. “I could drive down.”
“Umm, wow.” He rubbed his head. “Let me think for a minute, okay? Talk about it tonight?”
“Sure!” Her upbeat tone sounded forced. “Call me tonight.”
“Will do!”
He ended the call, finished his breakfast, and rinsed his bowl. Why not ask Rachel to come with him to the party on Sunday? She would like Chuck and Charity. They would like her. Win-win all around. But then there would be the issue of her spending the night. He stepped around Bailey as he walked away from the sink.
“What do you think, buddy? Are we ready for a sleepover? It’s been a long time.” Bailey yawned.
All the way to school, Cal thought about whether or not he should invite Rachel to the party on Saturday. By the time he parked his car, he was still undecided. He walked into the school continuing to deliberate.
Before he could make it past the door to the administration suite, Mitch stepped out into the hall and called to him. “I have news. Come on in.”
Cal switched direction with his legs while his heart continued down the hall. Listening to Mitch was not how he wanted to start the day, but he followed him into the suite and through the door to his office.
“Close the door behind you and have a seat!” Mitch’s smile gleamed bright, and he exceeded his usual level of polished appearance.
“Fresh haircut?” Cal sat on the edge of chair facing Mitch’s desk.
Mitch smoothed his hair back, though it lay sculpted against his scalp. “Important meeting tonight. Gotta last through the day.” He sat back in his chair and put his feet on the desk. “Listen, Cal. I have the final word from the board. They refused to consider an extension of the work study program. They are pouring every resource into STEM. They’re removing funds from the music and art programs, too.”
Cal stood, disgusted when he found himself mimicking Mitch’s behavior, his hand stroking back his own hair, but not for the sake of grooming. Cal was trying to keep his head from exploding. Cutting the work study program was bad enough. Killing music and art bordered on educational collapse. He could not keep the vitriol out of his voice.
“STEM has given way to STEAM, inclusive of arts programs,” he said. “And now there’s even STREAM, which incorporates reading into a truly collaborative curriculum. The arts keep our spirits alive, and reading is essential for everything.”
“We have limited funds,” Mitch said.
“You have limited imaginations.” Cal knew he was over the line.
“You have no idea how our budget works.”
“If you’d read my resume, you would know that I finished a principal licensure program ten years ago, and I have an associates degree in accounting.” He cut loose the anger he’d been sitting on since meeting the man. “You appear to have no idea how people work.”
Rather than yell back, or get red in the face, Mitch folded his hands against his stomach and smiled. “I like you, Cal.”
“What?” What in the world was Bryony’s brother talking about? Whether or not he liked Cal had nothing to do with supporting the young people of Fieldstone. Mitch Green must be insane.
“I like you, and I’m going to let you in on a big secret.”
Cal waited, his temper cooling as he seriously wondered if Mitch was losing his mind.
“In the past month, I have learned something about myself. You’re right. I don’t understand how people work. How they think, how they feel, who they really are. And pretending I do understand them exhausts me.”
For the first time since meeting him, Cal wanted to listen to the man. He sat in the chair opposite the desk and waited.
“That is why”—Mitch lowered his feet to the floor and leaned forward in his chair—“I am tendering my resignation tonight, effective the end of the school year. And you know who I’m recommending to fill my spot?”
“Who?”
Finger pointed, Mitch announced the candidate. “You.”
Cal cocked his head to the side. “Me?” Rarely would he have been able to label his reaction as flummoxed. This was one of those times.
“You’re qualified and know people, Cal. That’s what this job demands. Are you up to it?”
As much as he tried to maintain composure, Cal could not keep the corners of his mouth from turning upward. “I’m flattered.”
“Think about it. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to turn them around about the work study program, hang on to art and music, weave in that reading thing you were talking about.”
“Is that a dare?” Cal asked.
“It’s whatever it will take to push you to say yes.”
“I’ll think about it.” Cal stood, realizing he would think about it, which might be dangerous. He walked to the door and pushed it open.
“And Cal?” Mitch said.
Cal turned to face him again.
“I gave Bryony a hard time for going out with you because, well, I had a hard time seeing her go out with anybody. I watched our father mistreat her practically every day of her young life, and I am ashamed to admit that I was a silent witness. As an adult, I have tried to protect her like I should have protected her back then, when we were young.”
Cal took a step back in to the room and started to say, “That’s actually quite insight—” but Mitch cut him off.
