Chapter 17
Holly – Two Days Later
“Okay, kiddos, line up nicely, ready for recess,” I call as place the whiteboard marker on my desk as the bell rings, and my kids all get up, their chairs scraping as they do, just as a knock sounds on my door, and I look to see Mrs. Trivers, the receptionist, pop her head into the room and I frown a little.
She never comes to my class—always to Mrs. Jones’s, never mine.
“Uh, Holly, Mrs. Violet would like to see you when the children go out for play,” she says, avoiding my eyes, raising my suspicions even more as a bad feeling swirls at the pit of my stomach.
I’ve felt this way since my father’s call about Aunt Lyra, since I was nearly arrested and my boyfriend wouldn’t let me take the breather I needed to see if it’s a good idea to bring all this drama around our kids.
I love him, don’t get me wrong, and I want to fight for him but our children need to come first.
I nod before looking back at the kids, who are all nicely lined up, which has me smiling softly, while you can hear Mrs. Jones shouting at her kids from across the hall, which has me flinching.
I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, she shouldn’t be a teacher.
Shaking my head, I call, “Okay my little gremlins, follow me,” and they all giggle making my smile go wider.
I turn to see Mrs. Trivers grinning at the kids before she steps aside and I swear I hear her mutter, “Those people have it so wrong,” as I guide my kids to the side door three doors down from mine and I frown in confusion.
Clearing my throat, I nod for the kids to go out as I open the door. “Make sure you play nicely,” I say, just as Lyra hugs me, then Caleb and I chuckle as I watch them go.
Mr. Saint is already outside, so I know they aren’t alone while I go to the office and as soon as he gives me a wave, I turn and follow Mrs. Trivers.
I don’t miss the smirk on Mrs. Jones’s face as she walks toward the door, her kids running around and shouting which just shows the few days with me they had have worn off.
Why does the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach suddenly grow?
I swallow the lump forming and follow the receptionist toward the head’s office, but I tense up as we get close to the crowd before me.
At least five angry parents are there. None have kids in my class. All are in Mrs. Jones’s class. But the thing that has me silently cursing is Cheryl who is clearly out on bond, standing front and center with a smirk on her face, wearing mini shorts, high heels, and a crop top—in a school.
“And here she comes, the teacher who is favoring her own child and using my son to get to his dad,” she claims, and I raise a brow as everyone looks at me with anger.
Okay, so the woman is completely crazy and clearly didn’t hear me the other week when I introduced myself as Ms. Robins, not Mrs. Jones.
“You are aware that I don’t teach any of your kids, right?” I confirm as I look at the parents and Mrs. Trivers snorts but coughs to hide it.
One mother with dark hair and blue eyes frowns and confirms, “You’re not Mrs. Jones?”
Does it surprise me none of these parents have met their kids teacher? Nope, not one bit. Normally Mrs. Jones gets her teaching assistant who in my opinion should be the teacher of her class, to take over after three.
I shake my head and answer, “No, I’m Ms. Robins,” and another mother gasps, “You’re the teacher my daughter wants to have but Mrs. Violet explained your class is full.”
I give the woman a polite smile while a man steps forward and asks, “If our kids want to be in your class, why are you here and not Mrs. Jones, about whom the accusations have been made?”
Cheryl’s face pales and I chuckle. “Because that woman who clearly doesn’t even know my name even though I’ve introduced myself to her,” I nod to Cheryl, “doesn’t like that I’m in a relationship with her son’s father, who she never sees, I’d like to add.
She is also breaking her bond by being near me after she tried to have me arrested two days ago for kidnapping and ended up hurting my daughter. ”
The parents all gasp as they look at Cheryl and I shake my head.
"I never favor any child. If I did, your children would come home complaining when I teach them, but I’m guessing they don’t.
I’m sorry, but all of your time has been wasted by a woman wanting to ruin not just my life, but also my career—all because a brother she tried to trap didn’t claim her. "
The man looks at Cheryl sharply when I say brother, causing her to take a step back, just as Mrs. Violet walks out, her suit pristine but her face sharp with anger.
“Ms. Robins, can you please come into my office?” she demands, her voice sharp and I raise a brow and cross my arms over my chest, standing firm in the doorway.
"Actually, I think I'd rather have this conversation with witnesses," I reply with conviction, already seeing where this conversation is going all because of the woman before me.
The parents straighten their backs and turn to the principal, who was friendly to me when I first started. Now, she looks ready for murder, and I’m guessing Cheryl’s accusations are what have turned her against me despite the fact every child has begged to be in my class.
Did I mention I have a bad feeling? Because I think I’m about to lose my job on hearsay.
“Uh, very well,” she stutters, clearly confused.
She clears her throat and says, “There have been accusations from parents and another teacher. They claim you have begun a relationship with a child’s parent in your class.
They also say you are favoring that child to ensure his father stays with you.
For that reason,” she gives me a sorrowful look, “I’m going to have to suspend you pending investigation. ”
I swallow my scoff, pending investigation my ass. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
I nod while Cheryl grins widely, clearly believing she’s getting her own way, not realizing that one, she’s going to get arrested again and two, the school is asking for a lawsuit.
“There's nothing in my contract that says I can't have a relationship with a student's parent and for the record, Mrs. Violet, I teach my own daughter as you are very much aware because of the treatment she got in Mrs. Jones’s class.
If there was favoritism, you'd have heard something before now," I say firmly and she sighs, clearly not expecting a fight with people around.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Robins, but it is out of my hands,” she replies, and I chuckle darkly as I look at Cheryl, then the head.
“You’ll be hearing from my lawyer for unlawful suspension,” I say and her hazel eyes widen, “Also my daughter won't be in this school while I'm not here.”
“Ms. Robins—” she starts, but freezes as loud pipes echo along with kids cheering.
I smirk. Am I shocked that Alex knew Cheryl had been let out on bond and would come here? Nope, not really, but what I am shocked by is that the principal, seeing these parents are now standing on my side and not Cheryl's, is taking her side when I have proven myself since I began working here.
Mrs. Violet's face pales as I confirm, “That will be my student's father and his uncles, who I’m guessing donate a lot of money to this school.”
“I’m regretting wearing sweats,” the woman says and my lips twitch because yeah, I can understand, the men in the MC are extremely good looking, and Cheryl glowers, but the woman doesn’t flinch.
“Ms. Robins,” Mrs. Violet tries, already trying to back track, but I shake my head as the bell rings and I hear Mr. Saint call for the kids to line up, and then the sounds of several boots echo in the hallway, and Cheryl slowly walks backwards, her fear now setting in.
Whimp!
“Mr. Dirty!” I hear Lyra call with excitement as I tilt my head towards my boss, who flinches, her eyes wide all while the women try and straighten their clothes and the men try to hold in their laughter.
I love Alex, there is no doubt about it, I feel like I can’t breathe when he isn’t around but right now, our relationship is now interfering with my job, with the kids I teach all because his ex has a grudge. I’m not sure if we can get past all this and that thought makes my legs wobble.
I want to fight for him I do, I just, this is my job we’re talking about here, something I worked extremely hard to get to where I am after being disowned.
"Mama, look, Mr. Dirty is here," Lyra calls, her voice bright and I turn toward the entrance and lock eyes with the man I love. His dark blue eyes narrow as he catches my guarded expression but I don’t let it slip.
I need to think for a minute, and somehow I don’t think this man will let me. The other day is proof of that, but I do need to think, to get my head straight, because this is a lot, especially when I swore I’d never have a relationship again after everything with Adam.
“Mr. Lee,” Mrs. Violet begins, but he cuts her off and booms, “It looks like we’ve arrived for a party, brothers,” and the men behind him chuckle, Ice tilting his head at me seeing I’m at breaking point and concern etches his features, his eyes pleading with me to speak up but I don’t because if I do, I’m afraid I’ll say something I will regret, while Mrs. Violet looks away knowing she’ll be my punching bag.
“There was a complaint against Mrs. Jones—that she favors her partner's son over our children. That’s why we're here,” a man explains and I catch Cheryl edging toward the side door. He continues, “We’ve realized it was bullshit, especially considering this woman isn’t even Mrs. jones, but Mrs. Violet still suspended Ms. Robins for her relationship with a child’s father—based on those accusations by the woman who is trying to make a run for it. ”
All eyes go to Cheryl, except Alex, who says, “That woman is a drug addict with no rights to my son. She's lying, so why is my girl suspended when her kids adore her and she treats them all the same?”
Mrs. Violet clears her throat, glances at me, then explains, “It is a procedure, but, uh, Holly, I can see there has been a mix-up here. Why don’t you go back to class?”
Yeah, like that is going to happen now. She was still willing to suspend me until she realized funding for the school will be at risk.
I have had nothing but good reviews from my kids' parents and one word from Cheryl, who she most likely hadn’t met before today, and suddenly I’m a problem.
I don’t think so.
“Lyra, why don’t you give Mr. Dirty a kiss? We’re going home,” I tell her and my boss’s eyes widen as the parents look away just as we hear a door slam and a snide voice “Oh, is she finally getting reprimanded for being involved with a student’s parent?”
Of course, Mrs. Jones was the other complaint.
I think I’m done now.
“Bye, Mr. Dirty,” I hear Lyra say while Mrs. Violet stutters, “But-but, you, I mean, you have a class to teach.”
“I’m suspended, remember?” I remind her as Lyra grabs my hand, and without another word, I turn us around and guide us past the brothers, all of whom look like they want to stop me but don’t, most likely because they see I’m at breaking point and the person who will get my fist is the one who should be teaching right now.
Mrs. Jones grins widely, and I snarl, “Don’t you have a class to try and teach?”
She narrows her eyes, but I ignore her and walk towards the door, needing to get out of here, my heart pounding, my palms sweating as everything hits me at once.
She just tried getting me fired.
She tried getting parents of kids I don’t even teach to turn on me.
“Well, it looks like we may need to pull funding from the school, huh, brothers?” I hear Alex growl full of anger, and the brothers all agree as Mrs. Violet and Mrs. Jones both gasp, but I ignore them all and walk out of the school, my mind all over the place.
***
“Are you sure you still want to go?” Matty asks half an hour later as I put mine and Lyra’s suitcases in the car, and he brings his.
After several missed calls from the brothers before I even got home from school, I messaged Alex, explaining I’m taking Lyra away for a few days to decompress, since the past few days have been too much and that I’ll call Caleb. Then I packed our bags and explained to Matty what happened at school.
To say he was angry was an understatement.
“I’m sure. I can’t not go and say goodbye to Aunt Lyra, and Dad has messaged several times begging me to come. Apparently, he wants to speak to me in person when I refused to answer his calls,” I mutter as I walk back to the townhouse and lock up while Lyra climbs into the car.
“Not sure what your dad thinks he can say to you after eight years of silence,” he growls as we climb into my car before he looks at Lyra to see she has her headphones on as she watches her tablet, then asks, “What about Dirty?”
I swallow hard as I start my car before admitting, “I just need a breather, Matty,” and he sighs but nods in understanding.
I don’t want Alex to think I’m not fighting for him, for us, with everything that is happening right now, I am, I just…
I sigh as I reverse out of my spot before putting the car into first, then driving off down the road.
I just need a break, something he didn’t give me two days ago to see if we can do this, if we can get through the problems his ex and by the looks of things Mrs. Jones are causing.
I’ve got a funeral to get through, as well as possibly seeing Mrs. Collins and Freya who had seriously tried to sue for custody of Lyra but thankfully got laughed out of court, or so Uncle Mathew said to Matty yesterday.
“Why not get him to come with us?” Matty tries, but I shake my head and murmur, “No, he needs to figure out how to deal with his ex while we’re away, and I need to focus on the next few days and hope I don’t break.”
Matty squeezes my arm before looking out of the window, and I try to focus on the road, all while my body pleads with me to turn around and run back into Alex’s arms.
Yeah, that cannot be healthy after only two months of dating.