Moral Devotions

1| Macy

"Hey, Miss Robertson!" Izzy says as she walks down the hallway with her friends.

"Shouldn't you be in class right now?"

"We're running an errand for Mr.Tate."

"All four of you?" I fold my arms over my chest as I raise an eyebrow. "Funny, last I checked Xiomara and Anaya are both in Mrs.French's class right now, and you're in P.E. with Mr.Andrews, not Geometry with Mr.Tate." Izzy's face turns bright red. "So, if you're planning on sneaking away to the bathroom for the rest of the period, I suggest you change your plans and go back to class. It'd be a shame if the cameras caught you sneaking around without a hall pass."

"Y-you're not going to tell our teachers, are you?" The nervous look on Anaya's face lets me know how terrified she is.

"I can't tell a teacher about something I didn't see." Relief washes over the three girls' faces. I smile and nod my head down the hallway. "Get back to class before someone else catches you."

"Thank you, Miss Robertson. We'll see you after lunch!" They say before hurrying down the hallway and walking into their respective classrooms.

"You're too nice," Jonathon says as he approaches me.

I shrug. "I was their age once."

"Weren't we all?"

"Yeah, but you probably got stuck with the cool teacher letting you off with a warning. I'd get caught by the grant with a stick up her ass and got in more trouble than I should've for extending my bathroom break with my friends." I say as we walk side by side.

Jonathon's classroom is across the hall from mine, so we see each other all the time. I like to think we're friends, even though we don't see each other outside of school. He wears sweaters over collared shirts, and black-rimmed glasses and his curly hair hangs over his forehead. He screams English teacher. I teach English 11, whereas he teaches English 10, so he warns me about all students misbehaving. I'm usually one of the first teachers at school, and Jonathon is one of the last to leave.

"Are you staying here for lunch today?" He asks, leaning against the doorframe of my classroom.

"Not today. I'm going to surprise Axel by picking him up from school and getting lunch before I drop him at daycare.

"Oh, okay, no problem."

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"Sure." Jonathon scratches the back of his neck and nods. "I'll see you in a little bit, then?"

I grab my purse from inside my bottom desk drawer. "Yeah. I'll see you in a bit." I slip my coat and stocking cap on and lock my classroom door before heading out.

"Have a good lunch, Miss Robertson." The secretary, Sandra, tells me as I walk past.

"Thank you," I call out over my shoulder. I zip my coat up as a gust of wind blows directly my way. "Okay, preschool, lunch, daycare." I turn on the heat as I pull out of the parking lot.

I'm only four minutes late to pick up Axel when I arrive. "Mama!" He squeals when he sees me.

I wave as I sign the sign-out sheet. "Hey, Bubbas. How are you?" I squat down and wrap my arms around his torso.

"I play with Play-Dough!" He grins widely as I pull away.

"Did you have fun?" I wave to his teacher as we walk out of the church.

"Yes!"

I take his hand in mine before we step out into the parking lot. "What do you say we go get lunch?"