Page 22 of Echoes of Obsession

I stop in my tracks and glare at the man responsible for everything.

“Mr. Brown,” I greet. “How are you?”

“Bright as rain,” he smiles. “I have some good news. Zoe has been placed back in my class.”

Wait, what?

“What’s changed?” I ask. “Maddy, uhm, Ms. Burton told me that the school board didn’t approve the request at the meeting yesterday evening.”

“They didn’t,” he says with false sympathy.

“But they approved funding for the football team to travel to a game using a Greyhound bus as well as the funding for food and the hotel rooms?”

Something else, Maddy told me angrily about.

“Their game is several hours away, Ms. Clarke,” he explains as if that matters. “And it’s the playoffs.”

“Right,” I nod. “That explains everything.”

He nods as if he made me see reason.

“However, a large donation has been made to the school,” he continues. “Unfortunately, the only thing we’re allowed to use it on is an interpreter.”

“Unfortunately?”

“Well, it’s a lot of money, Ms. Clarke,” he frowns. “This school could use the extra funds for things like gym equipment or desks for some of us teachers who have older ones. Anyway, this is Mrs. Samson. She will be here to help your daughter.”

With that, he turns and walks back into his classroom. Mrs. Samson appears to be in her late twenties.

“Hello,” she signs and says. “Is this Zoe?”

Zoe nods.

“I hope we can be friends,” Mrs. Samson tells her. “We’re going to be spending a lot of time together. Why don’t you go on into the classroom and put your things away. I just want to talk to your mom for a minute.”

“Bye, Mommy. Love you.”

I don’t even bother responding because she’s already turned around to head into the class.

“That teacher is an idiot,”Mrs. Samson signs, and I can’t help but agree with her.

“I can actually explain why I’m here,” she says out loud. “The school’s superintendent contacted me late last night asking if I was willing to accept a five-year contract as an ASL interpreter for the elementary school.”

“A five-year contract?” I ask, shocked.

“My thoughts exactly,” she says. “Believe it or not, it’s hard to get jobs like this for my skill. To say I was shocked is an understatement. Of course, I accepted. The donation that Mr. Brown was talking about was strictly for an interpreter.”

“I can’t wrap my mind around this,” I admit. “I was so worried that she was going to fall behind.”

“I’m looking forward to getting to know her,” she smiles. “Here’s my card. It has my cell number on it. Call me anytime when you want updates on how she’s doing.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Samson.”

With a smile, she turns and walks away.

I look down the hall and see Maddy leaning against her classroom door with a huge smile on her face. With a thumbs up, she looks down at the student, tapping her arm.

“Let’s go, boy,” I tell Sky.