Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 1

When Rachel entered the office that morning, Laura was there looking cheerful and refreshed.

“Good morning,” she said with a bright smile to Rachel.

Rachel said something, but she wasn’t sure what came out of her lips. She had been in Children’s Hospital with the twins up until six that morning before she could take them home and get ready for work. Robert was up when she walked in the door and looked pissed.

“Why the fuck didn’t you leave a note telling me where the hell you were?!” he yelled as soon as she walked in the door with the sleepy twins still in her arms. He made no effort to assist her in getting them over to the crib.

Keeping her calm, Rachel said, “He had a high fever and I didn’t have time to leave a note, Robert.”

He snatched the keys out her hands and started for the door to leave.

“I’ve got to go to work!” she exclaimed in frustration.

Robert turned to her and took out two dollars. “Catch the bus. I got business.”

She had felt like breaking down and crying, but she didn’t. When Mrs. White came for the children, Rachel had a cab waiting for her and used a secret stash of saved up money to get to work on time.

Trudging to her classroom, she hoped the day would go by quickly. Keeping a cheerful manner would be very difficult today, but she would do her best.

Derrick was the same as always with his friends and acting like a teenager. It was as if he was a different person around them and not the same mature young man she met last night.

She didn’t let this bother her and she didn’t address it at all. Rachel was his teacher and the thoughts she had last night about Derrick James she would keep to herself. Her ethics and morals would never get in the way. She would maintain the strict code of conduct of a teacher because she loved her job so much.

On her last hour, Dwayne Davish entered her room just as all the children were filing out. He was carrying the folder for Derrick James and he placed it on her desk.

“I’ve already graded the paper and I expect you to mark his grade in your books,” he said.

She opened the folder to see that most of the grades given on the assignments were C’s or D’s.
Frowning, looking up at him, she said obviously, “But those grades are not worthy of those
assignments, Mr. Davish.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to do my job, Mrs. Herlong?” he challenged.

“I’m saying that I’m his teacher and given the assignments and my grading, those grades are wrong. The student’s know I don’t’ grade on a curve. All my assignments are based on percentages. Percentages that clearly go by what is on the syllabus and any student following the syllabus correctly will receive the grade befitting the assignment.” She took out the research paper. “Mr. James followed the directions and included all the requirements into his page. He went above and beyond the page count and he even exasperated with interest about his subject’s work. I was entertained and informed. That grade of C does not even come close to what he should get.”

“But that’s the grade he will receive, Mrs. Herlong.” He narrowed his eyes. “Or did you forget the March teacher evaluations coming up? You are still on probation.”
Flinching in disgust at his deceit, she put the research paper neatly back in the folder and placed the folder in her drawer. ‘I didn’t forget, Mr. Davish.”

“Good, I’ll be checking your books before you submit them for report cards. You won’t disappointment me will you, Mrs. Herlong?”

She didn’t answer, but he took her quietness as her acquiesce. Mr. Davish walked to the door triumphant. “Dwayne, how’s that wife of yours doing?” she asked casually.

Looking over his shoulder at her this time it was his turn to flinch. “I wouldn’t know, Mrs. Herlong. Maybe she’s out with your husband who never comes home,” he responded coldly.

That was a low blow and she didn’t get into a verbal tear down match with him.Mr. Davish walked out and she was glad when he was gone. Putting the file for Derrick James in her drawer,
Rachel pondered what to do in order to prevent his grades from dropping. The contact at the school board was expecting to receive the grades for Derrick soon and if they were what she had touted them to be, Derrick wouldn’t get the opportunity to get to take the GED like she had planned to arrange for him.

Teach Me To Love - Chapter 5 Part 1 (c) 2005 Sylvia Hubbard