Alice 3

After two sessions my shrink said I was traumatized from the building collapse and a constant load of stress. I wonder what stress had to do with this but hey he went to school for at least 4 years, he has to know what he’s talking about right? On my way home after my third session I had a call from the Principal. “Doreen hi, how is the therapy going?” She asked. “Oh it’s fine, I just hope it’s worth the money I’m spending on it.” I said and she laughed. “Listen Doreen you sound fine, we are kind of running short of teachers. Mrs. Newman wants to leave and we just had a tragic case yesterday. Could you come by the school today so we talk? I have to see someone right now.” She explained. “Ok, I’ll come by now.” I replied. I turned around at the next U-turn and headed for the school. I had to wait a while because the Principal was in a meeting. 

“Oh Doreen come.” She said when she walked out her guests. “They are from a recruitment company. Things are not going well for us at all. I have to deal with parents worried about our building, parents withdrawing their kids and now our teachers are running out.” She said taking off her glasses and wiping her eyes. This school has been the best for years. I can’t lose it now.” She said. She was very sad. “Don’t worry Patricia, it will be fine. Why don’t you offer the teachers more money or some kind of insurance?” I asked. “I did my dear but they turned it down. Mrs. Newman wouldn’t even listen to the offer. She said she just wanted to get away for good.” She replied. “Oh wow, and what tragic case happened yesterday?” I asked curiously. She hesitated for a while. “When Mrs. Newman left we got a TA to fill her place for a while. She fell off the stairs yesterday. My guess is she tripped off a toy. She’s in the hospital now. It’s a minor injury but the press is on my tail now. Even if a teacher catches a cold it would go against me.” She explained. This was worse than I thought. 

I agreed to start work the next week. I pushed my therapy session for 4pm which was after school. That made Patricia very happy. She was pretty fond of me because she was a very good friend of my mother. I scrumbled through my bag to get my car keys when I got to the car park. When I finally found it, it fell. “slippery fingers” I teased myself. “Teacher!” I heard a little girl scream. I turned around immediately. It was Alice and the wind was blowing through her dark brown hair. She run to me and hugged me. “Hiii, how are you?” I asked, hugging her back. She had a wide smile on her face. “I’m fine. I missed you, are you coming back?” She asked back. “Yes I am.” I replied. “Yaay, I like you. I made you come back.” She said. My heart missed a beat. “How did you make me come back?” I asked bravely. She just smiled and said. “I have to go. Bye teacher.” Then she ran off. I rushed to the car. “Teacher!” She called again. This time I was startled. “Yes.” I managed to say. “Your keys are on the floor.” She said and run off again. I smiled and picked the keys up. Did she hurt Mrs. Newman and the TA?

To be continued...