December arrived without fanfare, bringing chilly gusts and freezing rain that slowly overwhelmed the once sunny days.
I had gotten through most of the parent conferences, fully accepting the chaotic schedule that now ruled my life. I only had a couple of conferences left, and with winter break just a little over a week away, I was more than ready to step away from my kindergarteners for a while and focus on my own classes.
As I sat in the classroom at the end of the school day—Brad left before me these days since the study was coming to a close—I opened my overfilled online planner again. I checked it and updated it obsessively. I knew myself too well to allow myself to lose track of appointments, and I couldn't afford to miss any advisor meetings or grant proposal hearings, much less be late to them.
I had my second-to-last parent conference in half an hour:
Wednesday, 12/8 3:30 p.m. Meeting with Anna's parents — Marc Orly and Fiona Orly
And then the next day:
Thursday, 12/9 7:00 p.m. Meeting with Jack's parent — Aaron Hotchner
We were supposed to have met a week ago, but unsurprisingly, Hotchner had rescheduled.
I decided to call him to make sure that he still knew about the conference. Not because I hadn't seen him in three weeks and wanted to hear his voice.
"Hello?" His tone was impatient, as if I had just interrupted something.
"Hi, Mr. Hotchner," I spoke in what I hoped was a friendly but efficient tone. "I wanted to call to confirm our conference for tomorrow at seven p.m."
"I'm going to have to reschedule, Ms. Nott," he said without missing a beat.
Again? Should've figured.
"Mr. Hotchner, the end of the term is next week, and we really would like to—"
"I will contact you tomorrow to confirm when I will be available, but right now I have urgent matters to attend to." His voice sounded strained, as if he were under duress. Then he hung up, without even a good-bye.
Is he serious? In the three months I had known Jack's dad, I had never known him to be rude.
By eleven p.m. the next day, I still hadn't heard from Hotchner. Brad would be furious. Parent-teacher conferences were not just for updating the parents about their children's educational development, but they were an opportunity to gauge the relationship between the child and parent by evaluating how they responded to hearing about their children's progress.
On my way to school the next morning, I decided to call him myself. The first time, the line rang until I got to voicemail. The second time, however, he picked up after the first ring.
But no sound came out of the other end.
"Hello?" I spoke into the phone.
Still no answer.
"Hello? Mr. Hotchner?"
What game is he playing?
"Mr. Hotchner, are you there?"
Finally, someone spoke. However, it was not Hotchner's voice on the other line. It was the voice of a younger man, and his tone was cold, laced with a raspy edge that made me shiver.
"Agent Hotchner is unable to come to the phone. And you'll never talk to him again, unless you give me what I want," said the chilling voice.
I froze in the middle of the street. Who is this? Is Hotchner in trouble?
YOU ARE READING
Guilt by association
FanfictionAaron Hotchner is used to control. However, grief and guilt are making him slip. As he navigates the challenges of being a single father, a young woman enters his life. Will she be his downfall or his panacea? Ida Nott is used to getting what she wa...
