Trouble in Sudden Falls: A Sudden Falls Romance (19 page)

That was, assuming his mother didn’t pluck him from his new homestead before the school year was up—a definite possibility.

He unfolded the paper. The marching vertical column of
A
s meant nothing in the face of the blaring
C-
next to English Literature and the note in the comments column that read
Mr. Lafayette’s future grades could be much improved by a better attitude and a considerably higher level of class participation.

Several descriptive terms about what Cannifarm could do with her class participation rushed from his lips in an unintelligible babble.

He crumpled the grade card into a tight ball and prepared to nail the wall with it.

“What do you have there?” Eli asked.

“Nothing important.” Rogan tossed the ball of his future toward the trashcan. He missed, but Fluffy, thinking it was a game of fetch, was on the paper wad in a second. She secured it in her mouth and dropped it at Eli’s feet.

Eli picked up the ball and flattened out the page without even wincing at the dog slobber on it. “Grade card?” he asked unnecessarily.

Rogan nodded.

“How bad is it?” He scanned the grades. “What did you do to Cannifarm?”

“I exist.”

“How can you get ‘A’s in Calculus, Chemistry and Physics—And good job on that by the way—and a ‘C-’ in English Lit?” Rogan sensed no censure in Eli’s voice, which kept him from feeling any more on edge than he already did.

“I really tried,” he said, and his voice cracked. “I swear, I did.” What kind of dork was he? He was close to tears over a frickin’ grade card. He cleared his throat. “I read all the assigned reading. I turned in every paper. I raise my hand at least five times a day and she has never once called on me. I haven’t missed a single class. She grades insanely hard.” Rogan clenched his fists, frustration eating a whole in his gut.

“I believe you. Did you keep your papers and tests from the class?” Eli asked.

Rogan nodded. He opened his backpack, pulled out the yellow folder containing his English Lit assignments and tests and handed it to Eli, not even questioning why he wanted to see it. He was proud of the work he’d done in that class, even if it went under-appreciated by Cannifarm.

Eli perused the pages, skimming a few of his assignments, his eyebrows coming together from time to time. “This is good.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” Rogan straightened his spine and prepared for Eli’s next statement.

Eli rolled his eyes. “Don’t get defensive. I meant it as a compliment.” Eli’s gaze darted to the clock on the microwave. “I’ll be back shortly. Can I take this with me?” He indicated the folder in his hands.

Rogan shrugged. “Hasn’t done me any good.” It occurred to him to wonder why Eli would want it, but he was too depressed to care.

Eli headed for the front door at an ambitious pace, leaving Rogan wondering what he’d missed.

Eli had learned several important facts about his son in the moments preceding his mad dash for his car. First, his kid was wicked-smart. Eli had taken Physics and Chemistry in college and barely scraped by. His kid had A’s in both. And in Calculus. The second thing he learned was that Rogan was neat and organized to a pathological level. His papers were sorted in order by date due on the right side of the folder. He’d placed a calendar with his assignments right in front of the teacher’s syllabus and class rules on the left.

He’d typed all of his papers, but his tests and several in-class assignments he’d written by hand in neat, precise block lettering. And the papers themselves… Eli hadn’t been that articulate or knowledgeable in his senior year of
college
.

He pulled up to the school, having built a full head of steam on the way over. He marched into the building and straight into the office. “I’d like to see Mrs. Scarpa,” he told the school secretary, knowing he’d arrived moments before all the staff would be leaving for the day.

Marcy Bowden picked up the phone, not even taking the time to flirt with him. Mrs. Scarpa toddled out moments later. “Hello, Eli. What can I do for you?”

“I’d like to speak to Mrs. Cannifarm, and I need a witness.”

Her eyebrows drew up as she bit her lip, almost as if fighting a smile. “Oh, dear. Come on back,” she said, leading the way. “Am I about to witness an execution?”

“Let’s hope it won’t come to that.”

Mrs. Scarpa picked up the phone and dialed an extension. “Mrs. Cannifarm, can I see you in my office?” She paused while listening. “No. I have a parent here. I think now would be best.” She listened a moment longer then said, “Thank you,” and hung up.

A few moments later, Mrs. Cannifarm walked in, her briefcase in her hand, her coat over her arm and her nose in the air. “Eli Redmond, isn’t it?” She set her load down and extended a hand to shake.

“Good memory,” he said grudgingly, no less annoyed.

“What can I do for you?”

“You can explain why you gave my son a ‘C-’ in your English Lit class.”

“Your son?” she asked.

“Rogan Lafayette.”

Her nostrils flared and the look on her face was pure distaste. “
Reaaallly
.” She drew the word out in obvious disbelief. “I had no idea.” Reaching for her briefcase, she slid her grade book from its depths and perused several pages.

“Ah yes. Well it appears that Rogan hasn’t turned in all of his homework. His attitude in my classroom has been far from respectful. And his work is of poor quality.” She shook her head as if she were greatly saddened by the turn of events.

Eli opened the folder. “Which assignments was he missing?”

Her spine stiffened as if someone had given the rod already up her backside a good shove. She pursed her lips and ran a finger down a row in her grade book. “There are five missing assignments. The first dated February twenty-fourth.”

Eli pulled an assignment out. “Is this your mark at the top?” he asked, indicating the grade (7/10) marked in bright red pen.

“Why, er, I guess it is.”

“What’s the next assignment?”

“March first.”

Eli pulled the paper from the folder, thanking heavens his kid was a neat-nik.

Cannifarm’s face flushed, and Eli took a little too much pleasure in it.

Soon, all five papers had been accounted for. “I don’t know how this could happen.”

“I don’t, either,” Mrs. Scarpa said.

“Now I’d like to ask you to justify the actual grades you gave him.”

She gasped, but Eli wasn’t through.

“In fact…” He turned to Mrs. Scarpa who seemed to be enjoying the show a little herself. “Is there another teacher who teaches English Lit? I’d really prefer him or her to review these papers.”

“These grades are very subjective,” Mrs. Cannifarm began, but Mrs. Scarpa was already on the phone. When she’d located the other English teacher, she pressed a button and dialed another number. “Could I see you in my office, please?” she asked, without identifying herself or with whom she was speaking.

A young teacher, probably in her mid-to-late twenties knocked once on the door before letting herself in. In sharp contrast to Cannifarm, who was dressed in a navy blue pin-striped suit with a crisp white blouse, pearls and sensible pumps, the new teacher wore a calf-length denim skirt, an obnoxiously bright orange sweater and matching orange Converse Chucks with bright green socks peeking out from the top.

This was a woman who didn’t take herself too seriously. Colorful earrings dangled from her ears. On closer inspection, he realized they were shaped in the form of Dr. Seuss fish. She had an inviting smile and an open face. “Hi. Linda Carter.”

“Eli Redmond.” He had a pickup line involving Wonder Woman queued up when he realized no matter how cute and inviting she seemed, he really had no desire to pick her up at all. He blamed Maddie for that. If he’d had that thought last week, it probably would have freaked him out, but he wasn’t a bit perturbed by it now.

Fortunately, he didn’t have long to think about it. Moments later, Dr. Quay, the high school principal, stepped in, turning a tight office into a downright cramped one.

“Ms. Carter,” Mrs. Scarpa began, lifting the pages of Rogan’s papers from the desk, and handing them to the younger teacher. “Would you mind reviewing the papers and telling us if you feel the grades given are appropriate?”

Ms. Carter was enjoying this, Eli had no doubt. Mrs. Cannifarm—not so much. Her fair skin glowed red and she had crossed and re-crossed her legs at least three times in the last minute. Ms. Carter took the papers and began reading. Eli watched her extremely expressive face.

He could tell when a line amused her, made her think or surprised her. She finished the first paper and moved to the second without commenting. The entire room waited in anticipation of her opinion.

“Honestly? This work is as good or better than any of the students in my Advanced Placement class.”

Eli cleared his throat. “So you feel this student deserves what grade?”

“Well, assuming all of his papers are of this caliber—and I’d be happy to review them—And he scored moderately well on his tests, I would certainly give this student an A.”

“Thank you, Ms. Carter,” Mrs. Scarpa said. “I think that’s all for now.” Linda Carter smiled at the assembled group, then took her leave.

“Mrs. Cannifarm,” Dr. Quay said. “I think it’s clear that you have some sort of personality conflict with Rogan Lafayette. I think it would behoove all of us if you allow Mrs. Scarpa to move him into Ms. Carter’s Advanced Placement class.”

Mrs. Cannifarm nodded mutely, before rising, gathering her things and exiting the room.

“Dr. Quay, Mrs. Scarpa, I can’t thank you enough. I know that Rogan really put forth his full effort this term, and I wanted to reward that effort.”

“I absolutely agree,” Mrs. Scarpa said. “Tell Rogan that my friend over in the admissions department of the community college is waiting for his class preferences.”

Eli smiled. “Will do.” He gathered Rogan’s folder, shook Mrs. Scarpa and Dr. Quay’s hands and then took his leave.

He couldn’t wait to tell Rogan the good news.

Eli was halfway to his car when a call of “Mr. Redmond,” stopped him. He turned to find Ms. Carter moving toward him at a quick pace, her orange Chucks eating up the pavement between them.

“I hope I didn’t cause any more problems…?” She smiled up at him.

“Not at all. In fact, you really helped.”

“I’m so glad. I don’t know Rogan but most of his teachers have been surprised by his intelligence and his enthusiasm for his school work.”

“He’s a good kid. Just a little… misunderstood.”

“I’ve thought the same about myself for a long time.”

Eli took in her bright green and orange, her crazy earrings and her obviously unorthodox demeanor. “I’ll bet.”

“Once you get to know me, however,” she said, stepping a bit closer. “You’ll find that I’m not that much different from anyone else.” She smiled and made direct eye contact.

“Ms. Carter, are you hitting on me?”

Her smile widened a bit more and Eli lost his battle with his exasperation. “What in the hell is with all the women of this town?”

Her face fell. “What do you mean?”

“What is it that made you decide to approach me?” he asked, already suspecting the answer.

“Well, someone told my cousin Sherry that you were looking to settle down and what a great guy you are.”

He realized he was going to have to either kill Maddie or kiss her. “Linda, I’m sorry, but Sherry was mistaken. I would appreciate it a great deal if you would pass the word on. I’m kind of hung up on someone. In fact, you can tell the entire town that I’m significantly off the market, hopefully for good.”

“Oh. I’m so sorry.” She lowered her reddened face.

“No. I’m sorry. This is not a rejection of you personally. You seem like a nice lady and I really appreciate your help with Mrs. Cannifarm.”

She began backing away. “Any time.”

Maddie was clearly testing him. He’d deal with her shortly. For now, he had a
college
kid he needed to give some good news to.

When he arrived home, he found Rogan lounging on the couch in front of the TV, his dog taking an illegal nap on the cushions, her head in Rogan’s lap. Eli didn’t even try to fight it. He simply raised an eyebrow.