Little Kid's Horror Stories

Chapter 5 - A Set Back Reversed

The weekend was over and John had to give up his temporary home in the school bus. Mister Dobbs, in spite of his casual air about the arrangement, couldn't hide his relief when John moved out. Not only would Charlotte Huddie be in trouble, he could quite easily get fired for misuse of board property. They stood in the parking lot chatting, Dobbs asking what John would do and John asking if Dobbs had any ideas, when the carloads of parents began arriving with their children.

"There's John," Heddy called excitedly, jumping from the car.

"Who's John," her mother asked, taking in the young man with the bus driver. "Is that the young man you mentioned that had the altercation with his mother?"

"Uh yeah, we met him at the farm last week," Penny said, following her sister.

"Why is he here?"

"I dunno, mom. See you later." The girls rushed off with Penny scolding Heddy for blurting his name.

"Doesn't matter."

"Does too."

"Doesn't."

"Does."

"Hi there." John's pleasant greeting broke up their argument and they waved meekly, tipping their heads back toward their mother and scrambling onto the bus. John slipped a peek at the mother and pretended to continue talking to Dobbs.

Curious, Karen started toward the men when Charlotte ran across the lot calling a breathless good morning to the parents and waving directions to Mister Dobbs.

"Time, Mister Dobbs. I may be a bit late but the rest of us don't have to be." She grinned at Karen and hurried past to the bus.

Cars peeled off the lot followed by the school bus leaving Karen and one or two other parents waving goodbye. John tried to slide away unnoticed but was stopped by a musical, "Excuse me." He stopped and faced the woman walking slowly toward him.

"Excuse me. My daughter told me that the students saw you out at the farm last week."

John nodded and smiled. "Yes."

"They uh, also mentioned an . . . incident. May I ask what you are doing here?"

John considered playing dumb but realized that right now he needed all the friends and sympathy he could muster, and he certainly didn't want to get the girls in hot water. "That was unfortunate, Mrs. -"

"Foster. Karen Foster. My daughters are Penny and Heddy, the girls you waved to."

"I'm John Cassay, spelled C-A-S-E. Pleased to meet you." Karen just stared him down. "Uh, well- my mom- I- look, Mrs. Foster, can we sit down and talk?"

Karen hesitated. She hadn't planned on being dragged into anything but she wanted to make certain that nothing was going on that shouldn't be. They walked together to a small bench at the side of the lot.

"I don't know how to begin so I'll just tell it right out."

Karen tensed inside.

John told her everything from the beginning, leaving out his use of the school bus as a sleeping place and keeping Charlotte's part to a minimum. When he was finished, Karen sat back and heaved an internal sigh that it was nothing like she might have imagined.

"I'm sorry, John. I really had no intention of prying into your personal business."

"I know. But it actually felt good getting it out for an airing. I kind of realize now that it's not the end of the world."

"That's right, it isn't."

"Might be tough getting my mom to see that picture though."

"John, are you doing anything tonight?" As soon as she asked, Karen realized her error. "Oh I'm sorry. Of course you aren't. Listen, my husband is a pretty well known businessman in town. Come to our house for dinner and let's talk to him. We'll see if he can't speak to the bank or somebody and maybe make some kind of arrangement."