Apologies for the delay. I meant to post this last Saturday but life happened.
As the weather warmed, the pair began to change their routine and moved away from the café. Drinks after work, visits to parks and even dinner out on a school night. Whether it was simply the change of scenery, dinner she didn't have to cook or alcohol giving her liquid courage, it all did wonders for Caroline.
While she continued to moan and groan about John, their conversations slowly began to move away from him. She shared moments of horror from her days teaching chemistry, tales from her long-ago time at Oxford and other random anecdotes that popped into her head.
Kate had already known the blonde wasn't the pretentious ice queen others made her out to be, and as her sense of humor and sarcasm began to shine through, so did other qualities. The heartwarming stories from her days teaching. The kids she refused to give up on, the battles she endured while advocating for deserving over affluent students and those she challenged to work harder. There was a fire in her eyes as she told these stories and Kate was spellbound.
She knew Caroline was a good head teacher, but she still felt blind to this whole other side of her, one that she never saw before and one that Caroline would never advertise. She really began to see her in a new light.
Kate knocked on Caroline's door before she poked her head into the office. "Do you have a minute?"
"Sure, what can I do for you?" Caroline asked.
"I owe you a big thank you."
"What for?" Caroline asked, with the slightest grin on her face, almost non-existent unless you were looking for it.
"You know," said Kate, "Veronica Stewart."
"She's a student, a very bright student, I certainly know of her."
"We're going to play this game, huh?" Kate asked.
"I don't know what game you are speaking of," said Caroline with a slightly more noticeable smirk.
"Okay, I see how it is. Well, as you know, Veronica is on partial scholarship and I confided in you, there is a family issue and they were having trouble making ends meet. Just a few minutes ago, she thanked me for the £49.63 that was refunded to her family from last year's class trip to France, which as you know, I coordinated and chaperoned."
"I remember, William was on that trip too."
"Veronica said the letter stated it had been delayed due to a clerical error. I don't know if she assumed I pulled some strings or it's legitimate, but I know I had nothing to do with it. Unless refund checks are magically being sent out, I think the other person in this room is the individual responsible for making it happen. I just want to give credit where credit is due."
"I can neither confirm nor deny but I know her parents are hard-working. I also knew of her mother's illness and some of their struggles but didn't realize it was this bad. There are some discretionary funds that I may have access to which could be used in times like these, not a lot, £50 per instance. £49.63 sounds legitimate whereas £50 could easily be me," said a now smiling Caroline. "Her parents are proud people and I think the fewer individuals that know, the better. For the sake of their dignity, I think the credit for this lies with you or magical refund checks.
Kate shot her a look.
"Since I have you here, can you get these forms to Veronica? I may have access to some additional funds for this year, we'll call it a special tuition refund, nothing much but a little something to help and the other form is for her to apply for a full scholarship next year. She's exceptional, will get into any university she wants and is fully deserving of it. I'd hate for her to leave due to financial issues."
An astonished Kate looked at Caroline.
"I can't say the same for all the students. There are a few I might pay to have them leave. Shhh, our secret," smiled Caroline.
"Well, I…I…thank you Caroline. I owe you."
"Nobody owes me anything, just doing my job, as are you."
It was one of those days, still morning and drinks after work sounded like a good idea already. "Tabitha 'bleeping' Williams," mumbled Kate. They hadn't made plans but near Caroline's office, she decided it was easier to pop in to ask rather than text.
Looking up as she heard Kate, Beverley quickly swallowed the bite of food she had just taken. "She's just on a quick call but should be finished in a minute."
Looking down at the desk, a plate full of mini pastries, Kate chimed, "those look delicious."
"They are, and if I was a better person, I'd offer you one of them, but they are too good to share," joked Beverley.
"If I weren't allergic to nuts, I might try to steal one from you," smiled Kate. "They are safe around me."
"You'll have to have Caroline make some for you without nuts."
"What?" Kate questioned.
"Caroline made them. My husband is diabetic, so I don't bake often but whenever she does, she always brings me some to satisfy my cravings. Lasagna too."
"Awww, that's sweet," said Kate.
"It is, she is," said Beverley. "We're lucky in the office here, we see firsthand all the things she does, the ways she helps staff and students alike. She acts tough, well, she can be but deep down, she's a big softy."
"Hi Beverley," said Kate. "I had hoped to catch Caroline, but I guess she is busy."
"Knock and go right in, they are usually finished by now, probably just chatting."
"Are you sure?"
Beverley smiled, "Really, it's okay."
Kate knocked and walked in to find Caroline at the table with a group of seven girls. "Hi Ms. McKenzie," they said in unison while packing up some papers.
After they walked out, Kate joked, "what is this, the top-secret meeting of the 'boys are gross' club?"
Caroline chuckled, "As the mother of two teenage boys, I would not disagree, they can be gross but no, the girls have a weekly study group."
"Ahh, a study group where all the participants happen to be female because they have the same chemistry teacher who happens to be a bit chauvinistic and doesn't call on the females as often. Do I have the details correct?"
"Wait…how…how do you know?"
"I teach Kelly and Olivia right after their chemistry class and I heard them complaining about him. That was on a Friday and when I asked them on Monday, they told me they had spoken with you and it was handled."
Caroline nodded in confirmation.
"A few weeks later, I heard he decided to leave at the end of the year. I don't know the details but was proud that they saw an injustice and fought for their rights."
"Yes, but I should have done more, sooner. Ultimately, I'm responsible for his bad behavior, for what happened."
"You are but you aren't. Most of the teachers here weren't your choice but you do a great job getting those not up to the task, to move on. Besides, it's no secret he has friends on the Board who protect him. You've stepped up to make sure these girls don't fall behind."
Kate and Caroline had finished their meeting about the student choir and were just chatting when the blonde glanced at her watch. "It's always wonderful to speak with you but I'm going to have to kick you out now. I'm meeting with Henry in a moment and need to use the loo."
"Henry, the new guy from maintenance?" Kate asked as she stood.
"What's wrong with Henry?" Caroline asked defensively.
"Absolutely nothing, he's a lovely man. I just thought the deputies deal with all the maintenance issues."
"They do. He and I are having lunch together."
Kate gave a puzzled look.
"Ahhh, sorry, I've known Henry for years. He worked maintenance at the very first school I taught at. I was new and the other teachers weren't very friendly. He was always so kind to me and very smart. He read a lot of scientific journals, so we'd have lunch and discuss all things science. He decided to go back to school for his degree and left the same time I did."
As the pair exited Caroline's office, "Hi Henry, I'll be back in just a minute," as she rushed off.
"So, Henry," said Kate, "Caroline just let me in on your little secret, that you knew her from her first teaching position. Don't worry, I won't ask you to divulge what she was like back then."
Henry smiled, "if you were to ask, I'd say she was the same lovely woman then as she is now. She was an amazing teacher, the students loved her. I'm positive there has been an increase in scientists due to her. I'm actually one of them. Did she tell you that she pushed me to go back for my degree? Well, push may be too harsh, she enthusiastically encouraged me every day."
"No, she just mentioned you went back the same time she left."
"That's her, then and now. She does so much more than she'll ever take credit for. I'm sure she didn't tell you how she tutored me when I struggled with a few classes."
Kate nodded no.
"And then we fell out of touch and only reconnected recently. She even arranged for me to interview here after my wife joked on Facebook that I was bored with retirement. She's a special one, a paradox, so simple but so complex."
As they were leaving the park and heading for Caroline's Jeep, she asked, "Are we on for next week?"
"Drinks on Friday but I'm busy next Saturday" replied Kate.
"Hot date," joked Caroline.
"No…well…yes, sort of…it's a blind date, just lunch."
Immediately, Caroline felt a sense of loss but she managed to push past her own feelings, "Good for you. What do you know about him?"
"Not much," said Kate. "A friend of a friend who recently moved from London to Leeds."
"What's this mystery man's name?"
Kate smirked, "Amy."
With a puzzled look on her face, Caroline said, "that's an odd name for a…oh…Oh…OHHHHH. Wait, did I know…why didn't you tell me…wait, I'm your boss so you don't have to…but it's fine…it's good."
"I didn't say anything…well…because it never came up and well, not you but…you know how people at school like to gossip. I don't hide it; I just don't usually share personal stuff. Anyway, it's more fun to hear the rumors about me. In case you are wondering, the latest I heard, I wasn't away at Uni when I was eighteen, I learned French because I was the mistress of a multi-millionaire and we split time between Paris and Monaco."
"I don't hear many of them and I certainly hadn't heard that one, but I must say it sounds more like the beginning of a Bond film."
"Not sure I want to know what name they'd give me."
"Hmmm, McKenzie Love, Kate French…Kitty Kate, no, maybe Kate the date."
"Not bad with the first three but I'm not sold on it. Somehow that last one makes me think more of Dr. Seuss."
Caroline shook her head, "Nope, your Dr. Seuss name would be Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate."
Kate gave her a look.
"It's from the Dr. Seuss poem, 'Too Many Daves.' I used to read it to the boys. If you prefer, I can call you Bodkin Van Horn. That was what Lawrence wanted his name to be when he was five."
Kate smiled, "Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate. I don't think anyone at school would believe this. You are completely mad sometimes, you know that…in the best way of course."