Читать книгу No Hero Like Him - Elaine Grant - Страница 11

WHAT NOW?

“Good morning, Kristin.”

Claire Ford greeted the high school secretary and signed the visitors’ register. Claire and the guidance counselor Betty Haynes had held their weekly meeting yesterday to discuss the upcoming summer ranch camp for troubled kids, but she’d gotten a call early this morning to come in at ten. Micah must have gotten in trouble—again.

“Go right in,” Kristin said. “Miss Haynes is expecting you.”

Claire’s stomach churned. One more strike and Micah was not only out of her camp, but out of chances—at least at Little Lobo High School. Of the two boys and two girls registered in the summer camp, Micah Abbott, a tough seventeen-year-old only one strike away from reform school, was the kid who would benefit most.

She thought back to the preadmission interview she’d held with Micah and his mother—Micah’s sullenness and his mother’s assurances he would not only attend camp, but also do the mandatory follow-up assignments. Since then, Micah had been in trouble again, and now if he wanted to stay in school he had to finish the camp.

The counselor’s door was open a few inches and Claire could hear the sound of conversation. She recognized the voice of Barry Nestor and smiled. The assistant principal, he had agreed to work for Claire over the summer as camp leader.

It was only days before her dream would be realized, the goal she’d struggled toward for several long years achieved. Finally she’d be able to try to help these kids get their lives back on track.

She tapped on the frosted glass of the door before opening it wide. Betty Haynes sat behind her desk, a venerable teacher and advisor with a reputation for dishing out fair but firm discipline. Dressed in a prim navy-blue suit, she had pulled her silver hair into a bun. The students loved her, with the exception of those like Micah who spent far too much time in her office.

Barry was dressed more casually, in khaki pants and a light blue knit shirt. Heavy, dark-framed glasses gave him a bookish air that had the odd effect of softening his angular features.

Both looked glum, and Claire braced herself. “What’s Micah done?” she asked, taking the seat Betty indicated.

The advisor made a wry face. “He and some others got drunk last night and decided to set off cherry bombs in rural mailboxes. They made the mistake of returning to gloat over their handiwork, and somebody got the license number off the truck.”

Way to go, Micah. “I hope this won’t interfere with his coming to the camp. I’m sure Barry and I can help him,” Claire said. She saw the look the other two exchanged and didn’t like it. “What?”

Barry cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable.

“What?” Claire repeated.

“I don’t quite know how to tell you this…” He hesitated. “So I’m just going to say it. I’m not going to be able to work for you this summer.”

“You’re…you’re kidding, right?” She shifted in her seat, leaning toward him. “Barry, camp starts in a little over a week! We have to move the horses to the ranch and get the bunkhouse ready. And—”

“Listen, I’m sorry about this, but I got a job offer last night that I couldn’t refuse. I’ll be joining a group of psychologists in Phoenix. I’ve been trying to land a position like this for years. It’s in my field of study, pays triple what I make here and, frankly, I’d be a fool to pass it up.”

“But you made a commitment to these kids. They need you. I need you.”

Barry lifted his hands in a hopeless gesture. “I’m sorry, Claire. I’ll try to help you find a replacement, but I fly to Phoenix at the end of the week, as soon as school’s out.”

“I can’t believe this. What about Micah?”

“I wish I could help you. I really do.” Barry used a finger to push his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. “I can’t afford to turn down this offer. If I can’t start right away, they’ll find someone else.”

Fighting back panic, Claire moaned. “This can’t be happening.” Where would she find a replacement for Barry?

“Claire,” Betty said, “I have great respect for what you’re doing with your camp. But, this is Micah’s ‘third strike’ and the principal intends to expel him.”

“Summer break starts next week. And Micah will be coming to camp the following weekend,” Claire pleaded. “Just this once, couldn’t you ask for leniency?”

Betty smiled sadly. “I am sorry. I was hoping Micah would stay out of trouble until summer. But I’m afraid with this last incident, and without Barry there…”

“In other words, you think I can’t handle Micah,” Claire said with a frown. “It’s not fair to punish him because of Barry’s decision.”

“I know you’re very capable, but Micah needs a strong male presence. Even if I could convince the principal to make an exception, I can’t support his participation at this point, especially since we have another boy attending.”

“We’ll be on the ranch, surrounded by men. My father, Jon Rider—both are excellent role models. We’ll be fine.”

Betty propped her fingertips together and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Claire. They’re not camp employees and will have other things to worry about. If you can’t find a suitable replacement for Barry by early next week, I’ll have to recommend that neither of the boys attend the camp.”

Claire had dealt with Betty before and knew that the guidance counselor wielded enough influence to keep the students away from camp. Determined that Micah was not going to slip between the cracks, Claire stood, clenching her fists at her sides and forcing herself to remain calm. “Barry, I hope the job works out.” Then to Betty, she said, “I’ll find somebody. Please convince the principal to give him one more chance. I intend to have Micah Abbott at camp.”

STARING OUT THE WINDOW during math class, Micah saw Claire Ford leave the school building. Nosy bitch. No doubt she’d been talking to Miss Haynes. And no doubt when class was over he’d get a summons to the guidance counselor’s office because Claire’d been meddling in his business again.

Like his life was any of Miss Haynes’s concern. Or Claire Ford’s concern, or anybody else’s, for that matter. They all wanted to horn in where they had no business.

Wanted to fix him.

Well, he couldn’t be fixed. His dad was in jail, his mother was a junkie who didn’t particularly care what he did, and they lived in a crappy trailer on the wrong side of Little Lobo—hard to do, given the size of this Podunk Montana town. His parents were trash, his life was trash. He was trash.

Micah watched Claire detour to the playground where the elementary students were at recess. Miss Morgan, the third-grade teacher, met her at the fence that enclosed the play area, and they began to talk. Claire was hot, with a great butt—must be from riding horses all the time. If he thought there was any chance of tapping that, he’d be happy to play camp. But that jerk Nestor was going to be a counselor. Micah figured he might as well be in prison like his dad as go to that camp.

Micah’s attention wandered to the front row of the classroom where Annie Whitman took notes on the lecture, her blond hair falling in silky waves over her shoulders. He’d heard she’d made it with every player on the football team.

She denied it, of course. But everybody knew it was true.

As if she could feel him staring, she turned her head and met his gaze. He winked. She straightened and jerked her head back around. She hadn’t lost her high-and-mighty attitude, that was for sure. Micah pressed his lips together. Just wait, babe. You’ll change your mind yet.

An announcement crackled over the classroom intercom. “Micah Abbott, please come to Miss Haynes’s office after class.”

Micah rolled his eyes and stuffed his math book into his bag as the bell rang.

Right on time.