Starstruck

Chapter Four

He tipped his hat back farther, completely baffled by the obvious concern in her voice. "I’m sure this is some kind of a mistake. I haven’t heard anything about any problems Kendyl might be having in school. Did you talk to her aunt about it?"

She moved forward, so close he could smell her, like vanilla and almonds. His mouth instantly watered but he pushed it aside.

"Several times," she answered, oblivious — he hoped — to his sudden hunger. "Kasi has promised me that she and Kendyl talked about it and Kendyl promised her things would change. But nothing has."

The school term had been underway for a month now and he had been under the impression everything was fine. Macon, Georgia, wasn’t exactly overflowing with educational opportunities and the local public school was the only option for his five–year–old daughter. He could have hired tutors for Kendyl when she reached school–age, but he wanted her to have the most normal life possible. To him, that meant school lunch and recess and spelling bees.

All the things he never had.

It was tough enough on a kid having a mom who had moved him around every school year.. He hadn’t wanted to make things harder on Kendyl by showing up at her school all the time and reminding everyone of it, so he and his sister had agreed she would be his go–between with the school.

Kasi served as his housekeeper, nanny and confidante. , after all, and had been the logical person to turn for help raising Kendyl the day his divorce was final when she was only 2 years old. 

He loved Kasi dearly, but she did have a bad habit of trying to solve all his problems for him.

"Kasi or Kendyl never said a word about any trouble at school. In fact, all I hear from Kendyl is how much she loves it. She talks about it all the time. About her friends and how much she’s learning and how much she loves her teacher. I guess that would be you."

Miss Barnes had been the major topic of conversation since school started a month ago, he reflected. Kendyl had jabbered endlessly about how pretty and nice and smart her teacher was, until he had begun to dislike the woman before he’d even met her.

Just now the nice, pretty teacher was staring at him like he was the alien space creature from the black loogoon.

"She said she loved her teacher? Are we talking about the same child here? Mr. Williams, your daughter hates school! And me! Or at least she manages to give a very convincing impression of a child who does."

"Hates it? You’ve got to be kidding! She doesn’t talk about anything else!"

"The first week of the school year, things seemed fine. Kendyl was making friends, she was enthusiastic about learning, she was attentive in class and participated in discussions. Then three weeks ago, everything changed."

"Three weeks ago?"

"Right. I’ve seen a dramatic turnaround. Kendyl has gone from being a sweet little girl to one who seems absolutely miserable, from the moment she arrives at lunchtime to when she leaves at the end of the day. She is sullen and uncooperative. If I call on her in class, she clamps her lips together and she turns every assignment over on her desk without even putting her name on it."