The Way We Were

The Way We Homeschool

Marcus hurried to drink his coffee as he inched towards the door. "I have to go, Sweetpea!"

"But what am I supposed to do all day?!" Marcy was right on his heels.

"Study. Practice. Help Mrs. Parks around the house. Plan the wedding." He finally made it to the front door and turned back to hand her his coffee mug. "I have to go. I'll see you when I get home."

She watched with pursed lips as he struggled into his overcoat and ran to his car. "Not fair!" She slammed the front door and stomped back to the kitchen to glare at her siblings. "Not fair!"

"Marcy, it'll be okay." Mercedes had been doing a lot of smoothing over when it came to Marcy since finding out she was pregnant.

"Why do I have to stay home while Mal gets to go to school?" She crossed her arms.

"Because Mal didn't get knocked up." Marc took his dishes to the dishwasher.

"I didn't get like this by myself!"

"True but you don't want people talking about you, do you?"

"Talking about me?" She sat in her chair.

"People talk about girls that get pregnant before the wedding."

Marcy frowned. "But I don't care what people say."

"You can't fight when you're pregnant, Marce."

She bit her lip. "So I have to stay in the house all day."

"Maybe your tutor will take you out?" Mercedes suggested. "And you still have your lessons."

"Just take it easy." Marc advised. "Come on, Mercy. It's time for school."

Mercedes patted her sister's hand before getting up. "Write another book. Call some friends. That'll make you relax."

Marcy was in such a mood, she didn't even see them out. Once she heard the door slam, she turned in her chair to view their new housekeeper/nanny, Mrs. Parks. "Hi."

Mrs. Parks smirked. "Hello, Ms. Marceline Anne."

W.W.W.

Marcy's tutor, Claire looked over the work. "It's all right."

"I know that." Marcy bit off.

Claire was surprised. "It's all right. I can't believe it's all right."

"You said that."

"How about you get started on your work for the whole week?" The twenty year old suggested.

"Fine." Marcy flipped open her books with attitude.

Claire understood that Marcy didn't want to be in the house all day and would be taking her to her lessons later but she didn't know what to do about it. She was getting paid to teach her seventh grade work but Marcy was way smarter than that. She'd just done a whole days work in thirty minutes!

Claire had never met someone who worked that quick and was right to boot! Claire wasn't used to rich people or the attitude she was receiving from the twelve year old either. All she knew was that she was putting herself through school and this job would set her up for the next year and a half.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Claire started and focused. Marcy was still working so it couldn't have been her. Could it? "Did you say something?"

"I said why are you staring at me."

Claire's eyebrows moved and she blushed. "I drifted off."

"Oh." Marcy put her pencil down and stared at the cocoa skinned tutor with her intensely green eyes. "I'm hungry."