Cedric came in carrying the chicken soup, his face full of worry.
"Honey, why don't you just take the day off tomorrow? The doctor told you to stay in bed."
"Or... I could call your dad, have him drop by your school tomorrow?"
I laughed out loud.
"It's nothing. Why would we bother him with it?"
"Besides, Dad's always so busy with work. A little squabble like this isn't worth troubling him over."
"Don't worry. I can handle it myself."
But Cedric still wasn't reassured. The next morning he insisted on driving me to school himself.
On the way, my phone kept ringing.
All of them from Howie's mother.
I ignored it and just had Cedric take the other route out of the complex.
Once we got to school, I went straight to Gordon's office.
I'd barely reached the door when Howie's mother's shrill voice carried out from inside.
"Director Lawrence, is this how your school trains its teachers?"
"Not an ounce of responsibility!"
I pushed the door open and walked right in.
The second she saw me come in, Howie's mother jabbed a finger at my face and started cursing.
"Rosalind Whitney, you've actually got the nerve to show up for work!"
"Hiding and ducking my calls, what kind of woman does that?"
I ignored her and walked straight over to face Gordon.
"Director Lawrence, you wanted to see me."
Gordon's face was stiff. He rapped his knuckles hard against the desk.
"Ms. Whitney, what is going on with you?"
"This parent came to the school to file a complaint yesterday. She says you don't care whether your students live or die, just because you're pregnant!"
That made me laugh in disbelief.
"Director Lawrence, Howie's mother wants me to drive her son to and from school every single day."
"But I'm a teacher, not a nanny, and certainly not her personal chauffeur. I'm under no obligation to do that."
The moment she heard it, Howie's mother shrieked.
"Don't you dare shirk your responsibility!"
"If you hadn't skipped picking up my son yesterday morning, would he have fallen rushing to get to school?"
She yanked up Howie's pant leg, exposing a scrape on his knee about the size of a fingernail.
"Ms. Whitney, let me tell you, my son is going to test into a top middle school."
"Now his leg's hurt. If it ruins his future, can you afford to pay for that?"
"You are going to get rid of that baby, and from now on you're picking my son up and dropping him off on time every day!"
"And you'll cover my son's medical bills and emotional damages too. Sixty thousand dollars, all in!"
Howie, who had been keeping his head down the whole time, suddenly tugged at his mother's sleeve.
"Mom, I fell because I wasn't watching where I was walking. It's not Ms. Whitney's fault..."
"You shut up!"
Howie's mother smacked him on the back of the head.
"Kids don't butt into grown-up business!"
"What have I always taught you? You little traitor, taking their side!"
Howie's eyes went red in an instant. He clutched his head and didn't dare make a sound.
I couldn't watch it anymore.
"If you've got a grievance, take it out on me, not on your child."
"I'll say it again. Driving him is a favor, not driving him is my right."
"This sixty thousand, I won't pay a cent of it, and there's no way I'm getting an abortion."
"If you feel so wronged, go out the door, turn left, and take me to court."
Seeing this, Gordon's face darkened.
"Rosalind Whitney, is that any way to talk to a parent?"
"When a parent puts their child in our hands, we take full responsibility!"
"This parent has made a reasonable request, so you do everything you can to meet it!"
"And on top of that, the school never approved your pregnancy!"
"This behavior of yours has done serious damage to the school's image!"
"If this parent takes it all the way to the principal, you can forget about keeping your job as a teacher!"
"Listen to me. Go get the abortion, then pay Howie's mother the sixty thousand, and we'll let this quietly blow over."
