Judging Joey (4 page)

Madeline gathered together the pile of students’ work and other papers she would have to look over that weekend and stuffed them into one of her canvas bags. Thankfully, that was all she had planned for the next couple of days off. Maybe she’d have time to catch up on the phone with a few friends, take her dog to the park. She needed any distraction possible after that encounter with Joey, which did not go any way near close to plan.

Madeline picked up the silver picture frame that had fallen and brushed away imaginary dust. Twenty miniature cherub faces gleamed and reflected back at her in the class picture she had taken. Her throat tightened somewhat. The frame was one of the only nice things her mother had ever given her.

She set it properly on her desk. Then she continued with her Friday afternoon ritual. Maybe she was lingering more than usual, but the thought of joining the carnival again formed a knot in her stomach. She would rather grade the papers of all the students enrolled in the school than have to come face-to-face with Joey again and he pretend not to remember her. How was that even possible? Why was he lying?

Until now, she had successfully avoided seeing her blast from her past. She didn’t see how she could steer clear of him now after today.

Madeline stooped down to pick up a stray crayon forgotten on the floor. She pushed in a few chairs and aligned the students’ desks. Finally satisfied by the order, she proceeded to erase the chalkboard. Powdery residue flew through the air and lodged in her lungs, causing her to cough.

“Why are you still using that antiquated stuff? You should be using the interactive white board that cost us a fortune,” a woman’s smooth voice crooned.

Madeline peered around just in time to spot Mrs. Vanessa Booth slink into the room and perch her grandiose designer bag on Madeline’s desk.

Vanessa’s expensive department store perfume filled the room.

Madeline put down the eraser and rubbed the white film from her hands. “I do use the white board, but since I still have boxes of chalk and a blackboard, I use both. It would seem wasteful to throw all that chalk away.”

Truth was she enjoyed the old-fashioned feel of the chalk and board. And sometimes it was easier and more practical to use. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Booth? Is there something you wanted to talk about concerning Derrick?”

Vanessa put a well-manicured hand on her nonexistent hip. “As a matter of fact, there is. I’d like you to recommend another tutor. I’m not happy with this last one.”

Madeline felt her face flush and knew her pale skin was about to give away her true feelings. The tutor was the third one Madeline had suggested in as many weeks. This parent was impossible. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“You do that. I’ll be sure to mention to Roger at the dinner party I’m hosting tomorrow night about how helpful you’ve been with Derrick. And please, call me Vanessa.”

Madeline nodded and forced a smile. The woman was sending her a message, loud and clear. In addition to Vanessa being a member of the Board of Education, her husband, Bill, and Madeline’s principal, Roger Denby, had been childhood friends since elementary school. In fact, both grew up in this tight-knit, affluent New Jersey suburb. One negative word from this opinionated, highly visible parent would put Madeline’s job in jeopardy.

And Vanessa Booth knew it.

In her first year of teaching—and not being tenured—Madeline could find herself unemployed next year. And she desperately needed this teaching job. As an added bonus, her colleagues were welcoming, her principal seemed to be a reasonable administrator, even though his choice of friends was questionable, and with only a few exceptions, the parents were caring and supportive.

So Madeline bit down hard on her tongue, before saying, “Anything else, Mrs. Booth?”

As Vanessa surveyed the room, Madeline could simply imagine what the woman was going to complain about next.

“Well, now that you mention it . . . I wanted to talk to you about the Halloween party.”

Madeline stood up straighter and braced herself for whatever the troublesome woman was about to sling at her. She couldn’t predict what was coming, but from others’ past experiences with this parent, she knew it couldn’t be good.

Tension knotted her shoulders as she waited, but her apprehension was soon interrupted, when a voice called into her room.

Sabrina Perez, another first grade teacher and a close friend, popped her head in and spotted Madeline near the board. “Madeline, did you hear about the pie throwing contest! That cute police officer . . .” It was only then that Sabrina noticed Vanessa. “Oh, sorry, didn’t realize you were with someone. But Officer O’Neill got creamed, literally. He drew a huge crowd. I’ve been dying for you to meet him, but I think he’s left already. His family is still here, so maybe he’s coming back. Come on!”

Vanessa dismissed Madeline with a wave. “Go on. I wouldn’t dream of making you miss all the fun. We’ll talk about the party on Monday. Besides, I only have another minute and wanted to look in Derrick’s desk for a library book he left behind.”

Madeline fingered the key on the lanyard around her neck and hesitated. She couldn’t possibly hide in her classroom any longer now that Vanessa had commandeered it. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and decided she was probably safer at the carnival since she’d already faced one of the demons from her past. And she doubted he was coming back tonight.

Her door was already set to lock upon closing. “Would you mind shutting the door behind you when you leave?”

Vanessa had already turned her back on them and sat in the tiny chair at her son’s desk. She began to empty the contents of his desk, placing them on top. She frowned as she plucked out papers Derrick must have stuffed inside it rather than keep in his folder.

“Mrs. Booth?” Madeline said.

“Hmm? Yes, yes, I’ll shut the door.” Vanessa dumped Derrick’s math book on top of his reading book and peered into the desk.

Sabrina grabbed Madeline’s hand and yanked her from the room.

Madeline glanced over her shoulder as Sabrina dragged her down the hall. “I probably shouldn’t have left her. She didn’t look happy.” Madeline strolled along, in no hurry to see Joey’s family again. She knew the first day of school that Caitlin didn’t realize who she was, but Joey’s parents might. Up until today, she had successfully avoided bumping into them.

“Lighten up. You need to relax,” Sabrina teased with a wink.

“Easy for you to say. You’re tenured. And you don’t have a board member’s son in your class.”
And you didn’t have to confront the man who caused your worst high school memory now pretend like it never happened.

“Oh, forget that old bat.” Sabrina giggled, then as if remembering she was still at work, she spoke in a more professional tone. “Everyone’s asking why you’re not outside. And I’m dying for something sweet. Let’s get some cotton candy. I’ll keep my eye out for Officer O’Neill.”

Madeline bit her lip. She should have told Sabrina that she already knew Joey, and that for the past few weeks had done everything possible to avoid seeing him. Instead, she said, “Old?”

Sabrina leaned in as if sharing a confidence. “She’s pushing fifty. Yep. Some say she remarried just to have another child before it was too late. Ticking clock, if you know what I mean. Seems her adult son from a previous marriage had lived with his father, got married to his long-time girlfriend, and these past ten or so years, he’d rarely even spoken to her. I heard he and his wife recently moved as far away as possible to get away from her.”

Madeline closed her gaping mouth and shook her head. “That’s so sad. I kind of feel sorry for her, but from what I know about her, she probably had it coming. Uncle Mark says, ‘You reap what you sow.’ And I would have guessed her to be in her thirties. She looks incredible.”

“You know what they say, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Besides, plastic surgery can do wonders. If she’s not redecorating her house, she’s reworking her appearance. Botox, a nip here, a tuck there.” Sabrina laughed.

Madeline stared at her friend in utter amazement. “How do you know all this?”

Sabrina linked her arm with Madeline’s. “You
have
to attend the PTA meetings. You wouldn’t believe the stuff you hear.”

Madeline let that information sink in as they cruised down the hall. They exited the building and went to the cordoned off area for the carnival.

An hour later, after eating too many sweets, Madeline left the carnival, which was still in full swing, and went back to her classroom. She noticed with annoyance that the classroom door had been left opened, either by Vanessa Booth or the custodian. She pushed that irritating fact to the back of her mind and hoped to forget about it.

Joey, however, was not easily forgotten. In fact, she hadn’t stopped thinking about him since their run-in earlier. She should have planned their first meeting better. Another thing she hadn’t meant to happen was that she had gotten quite friendly with his sister, Caitlin, since she was her class mom and a PTA officer. She had never really met Caitlin in high school, but she thought the color of her hair and her first name might have triggered some sort of memory. And when she just admitted going to the high school and Caitlin didn’t blink, Madeline was flabbergasted.

“I mean, how many teenage redheaded Madelines did the O’Neills know in this small town?” she muttered to herself. More surprising to learn that they hadn’t put two and two together was when she had learned that he had volunteered to help at the carnival. He had never volunteered in his life. At least not when she knew him.

She was sure he hadn’t changed at bit. Well, maybe he had gotten better looking, if that was possible. He wore his hair differently, too. In high school, it was a mass of dark waves that had always looked disheveled in a sexy way. Now it was cut regulation short, but still incredibly appealing. No longer a buff teenager from playing high school sports, Joey O’Neill was all man, filled out and well-toned.

Unfortunately, underneath that muscular exterior, he remained the same joke-cracking prankster. A golden boy who life treated like a nonstick pan. Heartache and troubles had always slid right off him. And, as she had predicted, it seemed life was still grand for Joey O’Neill.

In a huff, Madeline picked up a crayon and pencil off the floor near a student’s desk that she must have missed earlier. She placed them inside the desk and then surveyed her classroom making sure it was tidy for when school resumed on Monday.

She had especially looked forward to this weekend. Not because she had big plans, but because she didn’t. Her legs curled up on the couch, drinking a cup of tea, correcting students’ papers—sounded like heaven after the long busy week.

Maybe she’d tackle the pile of books that she kept buying, but seldom had the chance to read. One book about a trio of sisters lay on the very top of the pile. Yes, Madeline decided, tonight was the night she’d read that book.

She’d bet her whole pile of unread books that Joey O’Neill never glanced at anything more than a newspaper, if even that. He was probably too engrossed in his string of lady friends to take the time to enjoy literary works.

Oh, why should she care whether or not Joey liked to read popular fiction or the latest biography?
Madeline lifted her plan book and grade book from her desk and slipped them into another canvas bag that she brought back and forth to school each day.

A noise caught her attention.

Principal Denby stood in the doorway. “Madeline?” He scurried inside when he spotted her behind her desk. “I thought I heard someone in here.”

She stood tall, her palms growing sweaty. Her principal never visited the teachers unless he had a reason.

“Officer O’Neill and his partner have agreed to talk about respecting other people’s property to all the classes next week after the assembly. You may have heard that two of our third grade teachers have had things missing from their classrooms.”

“What? No, I hadn’t.” Madeline chewed on the inside of her cheek. She really had to socialize more with her colleagues, and not coop herself up in her classroom, especially at lunch. The teachers’ lounge was always abuzz with the latest news. “That’s awful. But why speak to all the classes? Why not just those two?”

“I don’t want to single out any one classroom. We have to be careful in such situations. You understand. Officer O’Neill will speak to your class, too.”

Madeline gulped down her immediate negative response. Her principal couldn’t possibly know the delicate situation he was putting her in. So she had to choose her words carefully. She feared not looking like a team player, but Joey couldn’t give a talk to her class. Anyone but him!

“Couldn’t the other officer come to my classroom?” Her voice came out weaker than she had intended.

Principal Denby wrinkled his forehead and squeezed his eyebrows together as one. “But I thought you’d be pleased. His nephew is in this class. I’m a bit surprised at your reaction.” His words cut into her, proving she had accomplished the opposite of what she had intended.

Her shoulders slumped and she brushed the hair from her face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Denby. Officer O’Neill and I have a history. One I’d rather forget.”

“You two have a personal history? I would have never guessed. Well, that could be awkward.”

“No, no. We were never . . .” She gulped again. “Personal.” She picked up her bags and placed them on her desk. “On second thought, it’s nothing to worry about. It’s my issue. It’ll be fine.”

He nodded. “Good. I’m sending out an email to the school so that all the teachers can adjust their plans. Glad I caught you before you left.” He smiled and clapped his hands together. “Between the two officers, they should be able to cover the building throughout the day. Have a good weekend.”

With a sigh, she watched him leave. That cup of tea and book appealed to her even more now. Madeline looped the heavy canvas bags onto her arms and checked her desk one last time to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything.

It was then that she noticed the picture frame was missing. The one from her mother. She peeked around the desk. The frame wasn’t on the floor. Madeline dumped the bags she was holding back onto her chair. She crouched down to peer under the desk. Not there either.