Christine's Teacher

"Mommy, Ms. Patterson wants you to call her in the next few days," Christine announced as she dropped her back pack onto the floorboards and clambered into the back seat of her mother's Prius. It was Brennan's turn to pick up her daughter and Michael Vincent Montenegro-Hodgins from Eisenhower Elementary School after their creative movement class and return to the Jeffersonian for the remainder of the afternoon. Often her involvement with a case precluded doing this and the job fell to Angela, but Brennan tried to fulfill her turn at chauffeuring as frequently as possible.

Michael Vincent spoke up. "We have a new kid in class, Auntie Bones, she's from Sindy!"

"Could you mean Sydney, Michael?" Brennan inquired with a smile.

"I dunno, I thought that's what she said." he admitted.

Once the children were back at the Jeffersonian Day Care, munching on apple squares and starting their homework papers, Brennan returned to their office and pulled the school's office number up on her cell phone to make the requested call. The secretary connected her to Ms. Patterson's classroom and a pleasant voice answered the phone.

"Melanie Patterson speaking, how may I help you?"

"Ms. Patterson, it's Christine mother-"

"Dr. Brennan, thank you for calling me so quickly. I'm hoping you can help with a small classroom issue."

"Has Christine done something unacceptable?"

"Oh, no, nothing like that! We have a new student whose father works for the Australian Embassy. The children have been doing a great job of welcoming her, but she is quite homesick. One of the other teachers told me you have done anthropological work down under on several digs, and I thought perhaps you might pay our class a little visit next week. I discussed my idea with Alice's mother and she thought it might help."

"Alice?"

"Yes, Alice Campbell, our new student. She attended another school last spring when they first arrived; a private academy used by many foreign diplomats for their children. The students were rather exclusionary, and Alice's parents chose to transfer her to Eisenhower this year."

"Hanover Preparatory School?" Brennan inquired acidly.

How did you know—urm, I shouldn't be sharing that information," Ms. Patterson stammered.

"Ms. Patterson, I'm aware of that academy. It has a fine reputation for excellent scholastics, but that's not the first episode of students acting unkindly toward their peers. I can't share how I know that either," Brennan said quietly. Hanover Prep was where Nestor Olivos had been found hanging from a tree early in Booth and Brennan's working together. While he was several years older than Christine and
Alice, Brennan had no doubt that the snobbery of Hanover's student body pervaded even the primary grades.

Melanie Patterson blinked like an owl for a moment at this revelation, then smiled. "I guess both our professions require discretion and confidentiality. I know your work with Agent Booth involves many things you can't discuss at a Bunco game."

"I've never played Bunco."

Ms. Patterson laughed. "Me neither, but my college roommate was crazy about the game. It bored me to tears the one time she got me to try it. But, no matter. My hope is that you could visit our class, and share a few facts about Australia. It is such a fascinating country. Alice was upset last week at lunch that her family has run out of the Vegemite they brought with them from Sydney, and her mother has yet to find a store here in D.C. which stocks the spread. She misses so much about her home and school. We are studying the seven continents in Geography this year anyway, and I thought the children would enjoy a first-hand description of different places. I know you've traveled extensively in your forensic career, so maybe you'd be willing to come talk to the children periodically about what you experienced during your digs. Christine is quite popular among her classmates due to her daddy's FBI connections."

"I hope our daughter isn't bragging on or flaunting her father's position—"

"Oh, no, she doesn't do any such thing. But the boys remember very well when Agent Booth came for Career Day last year. Every one of them aspires to join the FBI when they grow up. Your husband is a very impressive man, and they all admire him."

Brennan smiled in spite of herself. "Yes he is very impressive. I'd be happy to come talk to the class." She pulled a small notebook from her messenger bag.

"Did you have a specific date in mind? I have a book tour in New England coming up over Fall Break, and we hope to take our children to see the fall leaves and tour some Revolutionary War historic sites. The Montenegro-Hodgins family may come with us."

"I think the sooner the better. Alice will benefit from hearing you talk about Australia, and her mother Leslie is hoping to be here that day as well. Would next Wednesday work for you?"

"Yes, that's fine. Perhaps I could speak to Mrs. Campbell before then, and meet her and Alice, as well."

"That's perfect, Dr. Brennan. I can't thank you enough for going out of your way to assist a student."

"Ms. Patterson, you are a superb teacher, and we're very glad the school decided to try keeping a class with the same teacher for two consecutive years. From the journals I've read, I think it's an excellent idea to provide educational consistency for young children in the classroom during their critical formative years. You were wonderful with Chrissy last year; Booth and I were thrilled when we learned that she would have you for her teacher again this year."

"How do you find time to read educational journals with everything else you do?"

"I'm fortunate to read very fast. My father was a teacher and he taught me to speed read when I was a child. But Ms. Patterson, I must be frank with you. Alice may be disappointed to learn that I am not at all fond of Vegemite. I tried it several times at the urging of a scientist friend from New Zealand I met on that Australian dig. It is extremely salty, and definitely an acquired taste. Just not one that I acquired," Brennan admitted ruefully.

"But the joeys, wallabies, and koalas are fascinating. I don't care as much for full-grown kangaroos, since one chased me into my tent. The dig director had to shoo her away. Mother kangaroos can be quite protective if you get too close to their young. I made sure to learn the behavioral signs they exhibit when their babies are very young. Once the joeys get a little older, the mothers are more tolerant of humans nearby. "

"This talk of yours will be fascinating for me as well as my class, Dr. Brennan. I can't wait til next Wednesday! Thank you so much for helping Alice and me."

"Thank you for teaching our daughter so expertly, Ms. Patterson. I wish all teachers were as nurturing and skillful as you. Could you please give Mrs. Campbell my cell phone number and email so she can call me to arrange a visit? I think we could meet at Booth's favorite coffee cart on the Mall and enjoy the nice weather."

A/N: Whether or not mother kangaroos act this way, I am not entirely sure, but I read somewhere that they are very protective when they first give birth. To all the readers who have left me such kind reviews, thank you. If I've missed responding to you specifically, I apologize. For the last 3 weeks, I've been working frantically to help clear an older relative's home to rent and had little spare time to do anything else. I've fallen behind on this challenge, but appreciate all your thoughtful comments.

.