THIS BOOK OR ANY PORTION THEREOF MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT PERMISSION. THE SCANNING, UPLOADING, AND DISTRIBUTION OF THIS BOOK VIA THE INTERNET OR VIA ANY OTHER MEANS WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER IS ILLEGAL AND PUNISHABLE BY LAW.
Regina Mills pulled into the parking spot labeled for Marian Locksley painted on the cement stopper. She parked and tried to avoid the non-stop questions flying from her son. Questions she didn't want or could answer.
"What's gonna happen when she comes back? Do I have to move schools again?" Her son, Henry stared at her with acquiring eyes and his mouth tight. That ten-year-old face looked too much like his father's, it made her chest tighten.
"Henry, we've talked about this. It's not smart to stay in one place for too long. Let's enjoy the months we have here. There are some nice people here. Your teacher, Maggie seems like a nice woman."
"Yea, she is, but I wish I didn't have to lie to her." The hurt look in his eyes had her looking away. He crossed his arms and looked down at his shoes.
"Come on, the bell will ring any minute. I need to get inside. If you want, you can join us in the teachers' lounge for lunch?"
Suggesting he spend time with her was pure selfishness. Any time she had to be apart from him made her nervous. "I'll think about it," he said as he slipped out of the car and into the humid air.
She balanced on her tiptoes, so she could replace her flip flops for her black heels. When they were snugly on her feet, she grabbed her briefcase and hugged her blazer to her chest to ward off the wind. Henry waved as he disappeared among the group of kids entering the building. Her eyes scanned the parking lot out of habit and let out the breath she'd been holding. It was safe here, she thought.
Camden Maine had been a little out of her comfort zone when she'd taken for the temporary teaching position. Her last location, they'd been in New York and she had become accustomed to the small-town charm and learn the intricacies of the town as a waitress. At the end of their four-month settlement, her ex-husband, Simon, had got wind of where they were, and she'd been forced to run. Again.
Faced with uprooting her son, for the ninth time, she decided it was best to keep him safe anyway she could. So, she packed him up and disappeared without a word before Simon was able to travel anywhere near the tiny town and pop their safety bubble. It hurt to leave people behind without a word, but it was necessary.
In New York, she'd been Roni Halbert and her son had been Ben. Now, she'd had to reach into the pocketbook of her dear friend, Sydney Glass, to access yet another identity and background. Her teaching degree wasn't fake. It had taken her five years to ascertain her teaching degree in elementary education. So, when she gained an identity, it had been with the same credentials she'd worked hard for. It was hard to resist.
Now, as she walked the halls of Camden, she was still getting used to being Regina Mills and had trained herself for two weeks to call her son Henry. Life on the run wasn't easy and making friends had been next to impossible. Changing her appearance hadn't been fun either. Nor had the hefty salon bill she'd paid to her new owner's credit card. As Roni, she'd had shorter curly hair with spurts of highlights, and she'd worn a simpler makeup. It had been liberating to dress like she'd been in college again.
Now, she'd shaded her hair near black and added extensions. Her hair cascaded in a no-nonsense due that rested just above her shoulder blades. She was careful with her make-up and added a red lip to complete it a cleverly painted face. The most unwanted and uncomfortable change had been her wardrobe. Going from jeans and Rock shirts to business suits and straight-lined dresses didn't thrill her. Especially her feet who wept as she walked in the heat.
Regina opened the door to the main building and walked down the hallway toward the west wing. Mrs. Blanchard, or Maggie as she'd insisted, she calls her, was near her. It was convenient so she could peek in and check on Henry when she got anxiety. Henry would make sure to give a reassuring smile each time he saw her face in the small square window. She promised herself to limit those times and avoid embarrassing him.
As she entered her classroom, she looked across the hall to where Mr. Locksley's classroom was. The man had been welcoming in the week she'd been here, he'd helped her set up her classroom and navigate the computer system. He'd been patient and answered the questions she needed to ask. He'd even helped her haul in a table and chair set and move the filing cabinets.
Now, she was settled and knew what was expected of her. Setting her briefcase on her desk, she flipped it open and pulled out the worksheets she'd prepared for her kids. As she started distributing books and worksheets at each table, she heard a light tapping on the door frame.
Cursing herself for not paying attention, she jolted at the surprise of someone peering in the doorway when she'd not been aware. It was always in her to pay attention to her surroundings. That would have to change, she thought as she faked a smile. It would have to change even if the residents of Camden were friendly and polite.
"Did I startle you?" Mr. Locksley hesitated just a foot in the doorway with concerned eyes. Eyes that looked and assessed and made her nervous.
"No, I just…well, a little. Mr. Locksley what can I do for you?" That formal tone was another habit she'd been forced to pick up when she became Regina Mills. The woman she was taking on must be a hell of a woman and one prickly bitch, she thought.
"Please, call me Robin. I just wanted to ask if you'd been able to get to the permission slips for the field trip. We're taking the kids to the pier to tour the boats?"
Oh, that's right. She'd totally forgotten that Henry had asked to go last night. Why was she forgetting things now? It would only hurt her to make mistakes. Swallowing the fear, she thought of how it could hurt Henry.
"I'm sorry, it escaped me. If it's alright with you, I'll print them during lunch and send them home with the kids this afternoon."
He nodded, "Sure. We'll need them back by Friday."
She noticed his hands were tucked in his slacks and his eyes scanned the room. Those assessing eyes were going to have to be watched, she thought. Did he always look at people like that? A few changes had been made since he'd helped her the first day she'd started. Quite a few cosmetic updates to the room were her touch. Posters, bulletin boards, decorations, stuffed animals, and books were displayed on shelves, walls, and desks. She'd created a meditation corner for the kids to read books and relax.
"I'll remind them, they're old enough to be responsible. If not, I'll try that texting app that Maggie suggested. I personally am not into technology, but I'm told the parents respond. So, it seems I'm overruled," she shrugged.
His eyes seemed to be trained on the schedule she'd posted the day before. He took a few steps toward it and let his fingers touch the edges. "Yes, it's the fastest way to get a response. If you need any assistance, I'm happy to help. Where did you get the idea for this?" He seemed distracted at first, but he'd heard what she'd said and responded despite his attention to her schedule.
"It was my pet project in college. A colleague and I created a lesson plan that was picked up by the school system in…" She'd almost named her home state but caught herself. "Our city," she finished as his eyes darted to hers. Her palms were sweaty, did he recognize it? How?
"It's remarkable, I've heard of this. It's Step on Up, right?" His lips curved slightly in a smirk she didn't quite feel comfortable with.
"Yes, it took us a year to design and another two to get approval. Funding had been a goal, but we ended up getting financial backing from my colleague's family. So, it's been in the school systems for six years now." Blanching she thought he recognized her, but he seemed unaware.
Nodding, he turned back to the schedule. "Yes, I've taken the training, but our principal didn't feel our program was ready for it."
That shocked her, it was a simple program and wouldn't be hard to implement. Freezing, she had a thought that she hadn't considered. Her name was on the lesson plan and it didn't match the woman's name he knew. Her fists clenched as he turned his head.
Shrugging, he said, "I'm impressed. The only programs I've implemented have been what we've set in the Camden school district. I'm not creative enough to come up with this stuff. You must've been an incredible duo."
Amused, she crossed her arms lightly, "You're a teacher. Creativity is everywhere. I just happened to get a little push when I needed it."
That had his eyes darting back to her and that smirk was back. The smirk that was attractive and a warning that slid to the back of her neck and straightened her spine. The itch that snuck up her back and reminded her. Reminded her that it held malcontent and meant there's be consequences if she responded.
Her eyes slid to the schedule as he walked to the nearest desk and asked, "May I?"
She shrugged as his fingers hovered over one of the worksheets. When he picked it up, he scanned the material and turned the page to look at the back. "This is brilliant. I mean if our kids could all have access to these, I think our numbers would go up and we'd have better scores in literacy."
Flattery stung on her tongue in an unpleasant way. Simon, her ex-husband, had once used similar sentiments and that had brought her to where she was. To fear and to question his intentions.
"As you said, the principal didn't feel it was for your school district. I did get permission to use it, but I'm experienced." He took a step toward her and she backed away in turn. He seemed too relaxed and comfortable in her room. It occurred to her that she was alone with him even with the door wide open. It didn't mean he couldn't hurt her.
He put the paper down and turned to her, "I could help, you know."
Her brow creased, "Excuse me?" She'd been too distracted by his presence, she failed to hear the words he'd said. Help. He'd said he wanted to help, she recalled now. She wiped the sweat from her palms as she smoothed her dress down.
A genuine smile lit up his face and had her taking another step back in retreat. A dangerous smile like that had her stomach fluttering. The awareness that he'd noticed her retreat wasn't lost on her. He was too aware of her.
"We could team up and create a proposal to implement the program with our district. It's really good. You could do the training and I could help implement the changes in the computer system."
"Why would you do that?" It puzzled her why he'd go to the trouble. Suddenly a look she couldn't quite place filtered into his eyes. Sadness? Frustration? Anger?
His hand lifted to rub the back of his neck, a gesture it seemed was habitual to him, "I could use the distraction if I'm being honest."
Wearily, she asked, "Isn't your son a distraction enough?" That sadness was in his eyes and with it anger. It seemed to create a barrier of silence and his mouth flattened causing her to tighten her arms on her body.
"Roland and I are having a rough go of it, this could be that extra distraction I've been angling for. Plus, I mean it when I say that the school would benefit. Think about it, it's a major change. Thanks for letting me see it." That openness closed and he stepped back.
"Sure, and I'll think about it."
He gave an absent wave as he walked to the door, "If you have trouble texting the parents, I'm across the hall."
She thanked him and turned and took a deep breath. The fear slid off her and she steadied herself before she finished preparing for the kids to enter the classroom. The bell rang, and she closed her eyes before hearing the tiny running steps out in the hallway.
The moment the first kid entered the room with a joyful welcome, she opened her eyes and felt more at home than she did anywhere in the world.