The Science of Theft

Chapter 4 - Back To School

Copyright Ⓒ 2019 by B. R. BaileyAll Rights Reserved

"And you packed your lunch? I made your favorites."

"Yes Karen, I have my lunch. Your food will be delicious as always," Jack admitted, kissing Karen's' cheek.

"I can't believe that I'm going back to school."

"Are we that boring?"

"No, I love being at home, but the kids sleep most of the day. I get all wrung up waiting for them to wake up!"

"The back yard wears them out quickly," Greg said with a self-satisfied smile. "It did the same as your dad. Leave the kids out there and they run themselves to E. Then you pick them up and tuck them into bed."

"I thought that there would be more for me to do," Jack admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"There would have been if it was just you," Karen admitted. "Having a whole family helps."

"Thank you, both of you, if you didn't offer to take us in..."

Karen hugged him before touching his smooth cheek. "You shaved?"

"I had to look clean for my first day of work, right?"

"Good luck Dear."

"Don't give too much homework. The kids'll egg your car if you give to much homework."

"Come on Greg, this is California. No one would waste eggs like that. It's a crime unto itself."

"You just watch. There are still little punks out here Jack."

"Come on Edmond. Are you ready to go to school with me?"

"I get to learn with the other kids?" He asked, speaking clearly on concisely, as Karen had taught him. "Yes, you do. That's was Preschool is buddy. You get to learn and play with other kids your age."

"Cool!"

"Super cool," Jack admitted, fighting a lump in his throat as he realized how quickly his son was growing up.

He hadn't even realized the Preschool he had signed him up for was Ginny's Academy. The name of the Academy was the same as when he was a kid, it just hadn't registered. He knew it was close by and highly rated, so he hadn't cared about the rate he was paying.

At least as a teacher he'd be at the school to check up on Edmond throughout the day and then he'd get off of work when he was leaving school. By the time they'd get home, Alicia and Amelia would be awake.

And, as a small bonus, the tuition he had to pay for Preschool was eliminated because he was an employee of the Academy.

Picking up Edmond, he let Karen and Greg bury him in kisses before Karen snapped a photo of the two of them together. Then he carried him out to the car, strapping him into the car seat in the back.

"BYE!" Edmond waved his hand energetically to his great-grandparents, excited to be off on a new adventure.

Ashley, he is your kid. You were so happy to be traveling and meeting new people, Jack thought, remembering the first time they traveled abroad on their honeymoon.

"See you later," Jack said, waving to his grandparents. "I love you two."

The Academy was bigger than it used to be but small by the standards he had seen in Europe. Enough room and board for two hundred students, grades 1 – 12. Kindergarten and Preschool weren't boarding.