7. Becca
7
BECCA
B ecca stood in the doorway of the cafeteria, watching her students scramble to their seats. She smiled at the way they were still excitedly chatting with each other about the big Sugarville Grove project.
She had explained the plan and had the kids volunteer to tell her about their family’s involvement in any local business or community activities. Then she had sent the children home with requests to their parents for her to visit, setting dates for one or two each week for the year.
Apparently, the parents had actually read her notes, which wasn’t something she was used to, and it seemed like the kids were very excited for the possibility of having their teacher visit their homes.
The aroma of the hot lunch today filled the cafeteria. The chalkboard said chicken noodle soup with fresh bread was one of the choices, which sounded as amazing as it smelled. But once she was certain that her kids were settled in and the lunch teachers had things under control, Becca headed down the hall to see Principal Chittenden.
Some things are more important than a hot lunch , she reminded herself as she hurried off, hoping the principal wasn’t already on a call or with another teacher. But when she reached the door, ready to tap, she saw that it was open, and Principal Chittenden sat at her desk with a plastic container of salad in front of her.
“Miss Hawthorne,” the principal said with a warm smile. “What can I do for you?”
“You’re having your lunch,” Becca said right away. “I can come back another time.”
“Nonsense,” the principal said, waving her in. “You don’t have another time. And I’d love a distraction from this rabbit food.”
“Thanks,” Becca said, slipping inside and taking a seat.
“The doctor says I have to watch my sugar,” the principal confided. “So Mr. Chittenden has been packing me these dreadful salads. I can’t even have my raspberry vinaigrette on them. I’ll probably live forever though.”
She frowned at the salad, as if she was considering whether or not the cost of living forever was worth it.
“I’m so sorry,” Becca said.
“Well, take it as another reason to enjoy your fresh air and exercise,” Principal Chittenden said, looking up with a smile. “I always thought watching my weight was enough, but apparently I’ve spent too much time at my desk. Though I guess I don’t need to teach you any lessons. I hear you’re going to be getting out there and visiting every farm and community event in Sugarville Grove.”
“Oh, um, yes,” Becca said, suddenly wondering if she ought to have asked permission for a project like that first. In the city, everyone had been too busy to worry about stuff like that.
“I think it’s wonderful,” the principal said with a twinkly eyed smile. “There’s no better way for the children to learn than by talking about the things they know and love. And there’s no better way for you to get to know them and all the rest of us.”
“Thank you,” Becca said, feeling relieved. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the students and their families. Speaking of which, I had a question for you about two of our students.”
“I’m listening,” Principal Chittenden said.
“It’s Cal Lawrence,” Becca said. “He’s really bright.”
“Calvin is an excellent student, yes,” Principal Chittenden agreed with a smile.
“But I worry about him being so introverted,” Becca went on. “Is there any history I need to be aware of?”
“What kind of history?” the principal asked, frowning.
“Well, a history of trouble with another student,” Becca began. “Or anything the school psychologist might be aware of.”
Bullying or past trauma was what she meant, but didn’t like to come right out and suggest. In her experience, limited as it was, it was best for the school to offer any sensitive information.
“There’s family history,” Principal Chittenden said with a smile.
Becca sat forward, her heart aching at the thought.
“Two kinds,” the principal said. “But neither is what you’re thinking. First of all, the boys’ mother isn’t in the picture. You’ll hear all about it in the next few days if you haven’t already. This town is on fire about what happened there, even after all these years. But as far as this office is concerned, all you need to know is that the mother isn’t around, but there’s lots of other family support.”
“That’s good,” Becca said.
“The other family history is only anecdotal,” the principal said. “This is off the record, and I’m only telling you to put your mind at ease.”
Becca nodded.
“Calvin’s father was a quiet boy, too,” the principal said with a fond smile. “And he’s grown into a quiet man. But he’s highly respected around here, and truly gifted and innovative in his work, I’m told. Sometimes these traits are just part of who we are. And I think Calvin came by his quiet nature honestly.”
“That makes sense,” Becca said, smiling at the idea that the boy was so much like his father. But she couldn’t just leave things there. “What about that kickball incident yesterday? Someone hit him so hard with the ball that he got a nosebleed.”
“Calvin Lawrence is very well liked, if that’s what you’re worried about,” the principal assured her. “But I understand your concern. Watch him at recess today. I think you’ll see he participates in everything and enjoys himself. And if you spot anything else going on, be sure to let me know right away.”
Well, if that wasn’t an invitation to bring up her idea, nothing was.
“I’m sure you’re right about that,” Becca said. “But there is one other thing I noticed about recess.”
“What’s that?” the principal asked, leaning forward again.
“He’s different with his brother out on the playground,” Becca said. “I notice that Cal lights up and immediately joins the group whenever Nick is around.”
“It’s a wonderful bond those boys have, isn’t it?” the principal said. “In spite of their very different personalities.”
“Cal really gets a boost when his brother is there,” Becca said, deciding to jump right in. “Would you ever consider putting the boys in the same classroom?”
“I’m afraid not, Miss Hawthorne,” the principal said, shaking her head. “We don’t put twins together.”
“Why is that?” Becca asked, tilting her head to the side and hoping she seemed curious, not defiant.
“It’s school policy,” Principal Chittenden said. “And the reason for that is layered. First of all, twins need the chance to have time on their own. It allows each of them to make their own reputation without being compared constantly to the other. Secondly, it helps them learn to function independently. At home they can always rely on each other, so it’s often in school that they really learn to stand on their own. And finally, siblings can tend to have more disagreements, since they are bringing in all their experience from being together at home. Our teachers don’t have the time to referee frequent squabbles about who took the last waffle at breakfast when they have full classrooms.”
“Those are good arguments,” Becca allowed. Though secretly she didn’t agree about the full classrooms. She had only nineteen students in her class, that was practically nothing compared to the city classrooms. “Just for argument’s sake, I’d like to try applying them to the situation with Nick and Cal.”
“That’s fine,” Principal Chittenden said. “Just as an exercise.”
“It seems to me that each of these boys has his own reputation already,” Becca began, looking to the principal, who nodded in agreement. “And I don’t think they’re known to have disagreements with each other, are they?”
“As a matter of fact, no,” the principal said. “They’re very close.”
“So it comes down to whether they lean on each other,” Becca said. “And I think that’s such an interesting idea.”
“How so?”
“There was a time, not so long ago, when all the children in a school were taught in the same room,” Becca said. “And the older students were expected to help the younger ones.”
“This may be an old-fashioned town, Miss Hawthorne,” the principal said with a smile. “But we’re certainly past the era of the one-room schoolhouse.”
“True,” Becca said. “But I think in some ways, modern education is heading back to that. We place children in groups, we try to include children with diverse needs in the regular classroom for as many subjects as possible.”
“Well, Calvin is a gifted student already,” the principal pointed out. “His brother is unlikely to help him to improve his scholastic performance. Nicholas struggles to do his own schoolwork.”
That was unexpected news, and Becca thought about it for a moment.
“Actually,” she realized out loud, “that might make sharing a classroom beneficial to both boys. Nick could help Cal come out of his shell socially, and maybe Cal could help Nick with his schoolwork.”
There was absolute silence in the small office for a moment, as the principal clearly considered it.
“I see your point, Miss Hawthorne,” she allowed after a moment. “Nevertheless, this was just an exercise. As I told you before, the school does have a policy on twins.”
“Would you ever consider breaking the policy?” Becca asked. “In a special case?”
“The only time we consider breaking policy is when the parent requests it,” the principal said. “If Mr. Lawrence were to ask us to put the boys in the same class, I would consider it, especially in light of the passionate argument you’ve made today.”
“Thank you so much,” Becca said, hopping out of her chair. “I’ll talk to him right away. Thank you again.”
“Miss Hawthorne?” the principal said.
“Yes?” Becca asked from the doorway, breathless with excitement.
“Think carefully about how to speak with Mr. Lawrence if you decide to go ahead with it,” Principal Chittenden said. “He’s very protective over his boys.”
“Oh, I absolutely will,” Becca promised.
It was an easy promise. After all, what she was proposing would help both of the children. What could he possibly have against that? She would broach the matter carefully, but she was confident that any parent would want what was best for their children in the end.
And besides, she and Mr. Lawrence already had a nice rapport.
“Very good,” the principal said with a smile, her eyes filled with compassion. “Well, you’d better go get yourself some lunch. I hear there’s soup and fresh bread today. I’ve been smelling it all morning. Sometimes I swear they’re trying to break me.”
They shared a laugh and Becca gave a little wave as she headed out, already knowing she was just going to eat the granola bar she always kept in her purse while she made her phone call before the kids finished lunch. Something this important couldn’t wait.
Her cheeks heated as she jogged up the stairs to her classroom to text him, though she knew it was just her excitement over solving her first problem as a teacher, and not because she was about to reach out to Zane Lawrence for the second time this week.