Chapter 2
"We're supposed to go to the auditorium first to see the principal talk, then I get to go to my classroom and meet my new teacher." Angie bounced excitedly as she entered her school along with her parents and her brother. "Right DJ?"
"That's what the email the school sent said," he replied.
"We'll go to the auditorium soon but we came a few minutes early because we have a stop to make first," Catherine told them as she led them down the hall towards the first grade classrooms.
"Where are we goin?" Angie asked.
Catherine stopped outside of the door to a classroom halfway down the hall. "Daddy and I arranged for you to meet with your teacher for a few minutes before we go to the auditorium."
Angie tilted her head. "Why?"
"You'll see." Catherine took a step towards the classroom but Angie remained rooted to the ground.
"I don't wanna get in trouble for not following the rules," the young girl said.
Steve knelt in front of her. "You won't get in trouble. I promise. Mommy and I just thought it would be better if you met your teacher for the first time with just you and Ashae."
"Ashae's comin'?" Angie asked, her curiosity piqued.
Steve nodded.
"And her mommy and daddy too?"
Steve chuckled. "Yes."
Angie looked at DJ who had taken notice of what door they were standing in front of and had begun to get an idea of what was going on. "Are you comin' too, DJ?"
He smiled. "I'll be right beside you."
Angie decided that if both her parents and her brother thought it was ok, and if Ashae and her parents were coming too, it would be ok to do things out of order. Just this once.
She took Steve's hand and they walked into the classroom. Angie's eyes were wide as she checked out the cubbies, the reading corner, and the desks. It looked a lot like her kindergarten classroom but better somehow. More grown up. Because this was first grade.
It took a minute for her to notice the person at the front of the classroom. As soon as she did she smiled.
"Hi, Ms. Lane. We're here to meet my new first grade teacher. Do you know where they are?"
Before Ms. Lane could answer Ashae and her parents, Justin and Raina, entered the room. Angie and Ashae ran to each other and hugged as though they'd been separated for months even though they'd had pizza and ice cream together just two nights earlier.
"My mommy and daddy said it was ok if we meet the teacher first then go to the auditorium," Angie told her best friend.
"Mine too," Ashae said.
Angie and Ashae approached Joni Lane, hands clasped together.
"We're ready to meet our teacher," Ashae bubbled.
Ms. Lane knelt in front of the girls. "Angie. Ashae. I have the pleasure of telling you both that I will be your teacher this year."
An ear splitting squeal filled the room as both girls jumped up and down excitedly then threw themselves at Ms. Lane in a group hug.
"Definitely a good idea to do this without anyone else around," Raina said with a smile.
Catherine watched as DJ joined the group hug. "Absolutely. I can't believe we managed to keep it a secret all summer."
"I almost slipped a few times," Justin said.
Steve nodded. "Me too. But Angie's so excited about going to first grade as it is, if she had known Ms. Lane is gonna be her teacher she would have asked 'how much longer until school starts' twenty times a day."
"As opposed to the normal ten times a day," Justin chuckled.
"Mommy! Daddy! Did you know Ms. Lane was my first grade teacher?" Angie asked.
"We did. We found out at the beginning of summer but we wanted to surprise you," Catherine said.
"That's a super great surprise!" DJ beamed.
Angie stopped for a few seconds and Steve and Catherine recognized the look of her trying to work something out in her head.
"Daddy, you knew all summer and you kept it a secret?" she asked.
Steve nodded. "I did."
Angie's face broke into a wide smile. "Good job, Daddy! You knew a secret and you didn't even tell me."
Catherine leaned closer to Raina and whispered, "She knows who the limpy gazelle is in the secret keeping department."
"I'm very, very excited for first grade," Angie told Ms. Lane.
"Me too!" Ashae nodded vigorously. "Super duper excited."
"I'm very glad to hear that," Ms. Lane said with a smile. "I'm excited too. So let's get down to the auditorium so we can officially get this year started."
After listening to the principal's official welcome speech, then going back to Ms. Lane's classroom for introductions and a short presentation about all the exciting things the students could expect this year, Steve, Catherine and the kids headed upstairs to check out DJ's room.
"When is your oria-tation, DJ?" Angie asked.
"We don't have one for fifth grade," DJ said. "I guess they think by now we know our way around and what to expect on the first day of school."
"That's too bad," Angie said. "I really like oria-tation."
"This is it," DJ said as he ran ahead and stopped in front of room 114.
When the rest of the family caught up they peeked their heads in and saw a man arranging books on the shelves at the front of the room.
"I'm sorry," Catherine said, "We didn't know anyone would be here."
"Not a problem at all. I'm just getting a few things ready for the first day of school. Come on in." The man waved them into the room. "I'm Mr. Garcia. This is my classroom. Who do we have here?"
Steve and Catherine watched with pride as DJ stepped forward without hesitation. "I'm DJ McGarrett. I'm gonna be in your class this year. These are my parents and my little sister, Angie."
"Nice to meet you all," Mr. Garcia said with a wide, sincere smile.
Catherine extended her hand. "Catherine Rollins."
The man shook it then turned to Steve.
"Steve McGarrett."
"Jerry Garcia." He smiled. "My parents met at a Grateful Dead concert. When their first born was a son they just couldn't resist."
Steve and Catherine chuckled.
"So, DJ," Mr. Garcia said. "Are you excited for 5th grade? I have a lot of great stuff planned for this year."
"I'm super excited," DJ said. "My teacher from last year, Mr. Francis, said we might get to make popsicle stick airplanes that really fly and a working volcano this year."
"I can confirm that Mr. F was right," Mr. Garcia said. "We'll be doing both of those things plus lots more."
DJ beamed. "I can't wait."
"DJ is super smart," Angie told Mr. Garcia. "He's a really good homework helper too."
Mr. Garcia smiled. "I'm very happy to hear that."
"I'm in first grade this year," Angie continued. "Ms. Lane is gonna be my teacher. I'm very, very excited."
Mr. Garcia smiled. "I'm happy to see two children so excited about learning. I have a feeling this is going to be a very good year."
TBC Friday
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