"Once everyone's finished their weekly diary, how about we watch a film?" Lia asked her class who quickly erupted in to cheers. "Your choices are... Lion King, Inside Out or Monsters Inc." She pulled three random DVD's out of her cupboard before asking them to raise their hand for the film they wanted to watch, Monsters Inc won. "If you want the chance to sit on a bean bag, I need you're lollypop stick on my desk!"
In Miss Amelia's room, each child had a lollypop stick that was stored in a pot in the middle of each desk. They were used for rewards and deciding who got to run errands around the school as Lia also had six lollypop sticks with the number's 1 through 6 to decide the table.
If a child misbehaved, then their lollypop stick would go in 'The Naughty Pot' or as some of the kids liked to call it 'Lollypop jail' meaning they couldn't be chosen.
But when it was a more general prize like sitting on the beanbags, the kids were asked to bring their lollypop stick to Lia in order to be entered and she would pick at random.
"Last call for the bean bags!" Lia called after the rush of kids had returned to their seats. "And the winner's are: Jax, Kiera and Ruby!"
Derek: Hey, just checking in, you feeling alright?
Lia looked down as soon as the light from her phone caught her eye so her reply was instantaneous.
Lia: All good, just tired. Putting Monsters Inc on for the kids so I can relax
She put her phone down as there was a knock on her connecting door, she looked up to see Mr Wright the fourth grade teacher through the window in the door.
"Jax, you're in charge whilst I talk to Mr Wright." She told the class as she pushed her spinney chair away from her desk and walked to the door. "Hi, is everything alright?" She asked, Jacks arms wrapping around her waist as soon as the door shut behind her.
"Jack here shoved a fellow pupil after he said some things about his mother." Mr Wright explained. "I've not taken either of them to the principle due to the circumstances but I think it would be best to separate them for the rest of the day."
"Have you called home?" She asked, running a hand through Jack's hair.
"I thought you might want to?"
"I appreciate that. Is there any work he needs to do or is he good to just watch a film with us?" Lia asked.
"Nope, he's all yours."
"Come on then." Lia said, keeping one hand on Jack's back as they walked into the classroom. "Grab a chair and you can come sit with me." She told him, sitting at her desk and grabbing her phone.
Derek: Let me know if you need anything
Lia: Can you get Aaron to call me when he get's a chance? It's nothing too serious
"Right, come on then!"
The class surged to the carpet, sitting cross legged in front of the projector screen whilst Jax, Kiera and Ruby sat on their beanbags.
They were ten minutes into the film when Lia's phone lit up with Aaron's caller ID, something which caught Lia and Jack's attention.
"I'm gonna explain what's happened and that it wasn't your fault." She assured him. "If anyone needs anything, come and get me."
Once she was back in the corridor away from the children's curious ear's she answered the call.
"Hi Aaron, I hope you're not too busy." She said, leaning back against the wall.
"Just paperwork. Morgan said something happened with Jack? Is he okay?"
"He was in a... minor altercation with a student in his class. Both parties are perfectly fine but his teacher thought it would be a good idea for Jack to spend the rest of the day with me." Lia explained.
"That doesn't sound like Jack, do you know what happened?" Hotch asked, leaning back in his chair.
"I was not there at the time but I have been told that Jack shoved the other student after some comments were made about Haley. I'm not sure exactly what was said but due to this, the principle hasn't been involved and the two boys have just been separated."
"And you said Jack's spending the rest of the day with you?" Hotch asked, processing the information.
"Yep, we're just watching Monsters Inc." Lia said, becoming slightly more informal now that procedure had been followed. "I don't know much about what happened with Haley but I do know what it's like to grow up without a mother and with a dad who works a lot. You don't need to worry about Jack, you're doing the best you can."
"That means a lot."
"It's the truth." Lia said. "I need to get back, but let me know if Jack's stopping with us tonight."
"Thank you Lia."
----------
"Hey Henry, I thought your dad was picking you up?" Lia asked, standing up from where she had been crouched next to Clara's desk helping her with some homework.
Jack's aunt Jessica had picked him up as soon as the bell went and took him out for ice cream and to talk about what had happened and the rest of her kids had been picked up by their parents just leaving her and Clara.
"He is. But he must be running late." Henry said very matter-of-factly and Lia couldn't help but think he's been spending too much time with Spencer.
"Grab yourself a snack and I'll just give him a call." Lia said, ruffling his blonde hair on her way to her desk.
"I'm so sorry Shel, I was just about to call you."
"Slow down, is everything okay?" She asked.
"Someone's slashed my tires and JJ's still at work but I know you've got that meeting-"
"Woah, it's okay, I've got a few films on my phone he can watch or he's got his books. We'll be fine."
"You are a God send."
"You've told me that a few times." Lia said with a light chuckle to try and lighten the mood. "Do you have any idea who slashed your tires or do you think it's just random?"
"I have no idea, you can't see their face on our camera's but JJ's gonna get Penelope to look into it."
"Hey, I've got to go, Clara's dad just showed up."
"Okay, I'll call you if anything changes."
"Tyler, hi!" Lia said, getting up from her seat. "Sorry about that, we're just having some family problems."
"Is everything okay?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah, it's nothing major. Someone slashed my brother's tires." Lia explained.
"That's crazy. Does he have any idea who did it?" Tyler asked.
"Nothing. Anyway, enough about me. You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?" Lia asked, in the back of her mind she was thinking that if he asks her out again she might actually take Derek up on his offer to show she was his.
"Um, yeah. Clara's mom isn't in the picture anymore. At all." Tyler said.
"I'm so sorry about that, what happened? If you don't mind me asking." Lia asked, immediately backtracking in case he didn't want to talk about it.
"That's the thing, I have no idea. She just left a note on my front porch saying she was moving back home."
"If theres anything I can do for Clara just let me know okay?" Lia sympathised.
"Thank you but I doubt that will be necessary."
YOU ARE READING
A Little Too Much | CM
Fanfiction*UPDATED 18/05/23* Amelia LaMontagne was born and raised in New Orleans alongside her older brother Will by their single father after the death of their mother. Will became a detective and fell in love with a federal agent. Lia became a teacher and...
