Save Me - Lisa Scottoline [89]
“Kristen, how are you?” Rose asked, grateful that she’d called. “Melly’s been asking about you.”
“Sorry to call so early, but I didn’t want to let another day go by without talking to her. I thought I could reach her before she left for school.”
“That’s okay, she’s not going today.” Rose’s affection for the teacher returned at the sound of her voice. “We’re taking a few days at the lake until things simmer down. How are you doing? Better, I hope.”
“Finding my footing. Thanks.” Kristen paused. “Sorry I was rude the night I left. I was upset.”
“Me, too. I’m sorry I was so tough on you, and that I’ve been calling your house so much. Were your parents annoyed?”
“No, they’re fine with it.”
“Are they upset that you quit?”
“No, they get that, too, considering. They’re really supportive. I’m gonna take some time for myself, just kick back and let my mom pamper me.”
“I’m sure she loves that.” Rose smiled. “Let me get Melly. I hear her padding around upstairs. Can you hold on a sec?”
“Sure.”
“Great.” Rose went to the base of the stairwell. “Melly, it’s Ms. Canton on the phone, for you!”
“Yay!” Melly’s bare feet pounded on the floor in the upstairs hallway, then she hurried down the stairwell in Leo’s T-shirt, sliding her hand down the banister. Princess Google scampered behind her, feathery tail wagging.
“Exciting, huh?”
“Yes!”
Rose went back to the wall phone and hit the SPEAKER button, like they did when Leo called. “I’ll put you on speaker, Kristen, and let you two yap away.”
“Great. Melly?”
“Ms. Canton!” Melly climbed into her chair, while Rose crossed to the back door, opened it, and let the dog out into the backyard. Then she went to the cabinet, took the box of cereal off the shelf, grabbed a bowl and spoon, and set it all down in front of Melly. She wanted to get an early start on the drive to the lake, which took three hours.
“How are you, Melly?” Kristen asked, her voice sounding warm, despite the mechanical timbre of the speakerphone.
“Good! Is your mom still sick?”
Rose cringed, having forgotten that they’d lied to Melly about why Kristen had left.
Kristen answered, “She’s doing better, thanks for asking.”
“So are you coming back to school now?”
“No, I have to stay at home. I don’t think I’ll be back again, Melly. I’m sorry, but I can’t help it.” Kristen’s voice went heavy with regret, and Melly looked disappointed, her lower lip buckling.
“It’s okay,” she said anyway.
“You know, Melly, I don’t have to be your teacher for us to stay in touch. We can email, and I’ll call you, and you can call me, too. I’ll give my cell phone number and my new email address to your mom before we hang up, okay?”
“Okay. But I don’t have email.”
“You can use your mom’s.”
Rose didn’t interrupt to say that she didn’t have email, either. She went to the refrigerator, picked out the milk, and set it on the table.
“Melly, tell me how you are. How’s school?”
“Good.”
“Everything going okay?”
“Yep.”
Rose noted that Melly didn’t mention the fight with Josh.
Kristen said, “I hear you’re going up to the lake. It sounds like fun.”
“My grandparents live there, not my real ones, you know, and there’s raccoons and foxes. I got The Tales of Beedle the Bard. I love it!”
“I knew you would. What’s your favorite story?”
Rose hadn’t realized the recommendation had come from Kristen.
Melly answered, “I like ‘The Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump.’”
“That’s a good one. My favorite is ‘The Warlock’s Hairy Heart.’”
“I love that, too!” Melly said, quick to agree. “I like the part where…”
Rose zoned out on the Harry Potter details and emptied the dishwasher, cleaned up John’s tray, wiped his face and fingers, let the dog in and fed her, turned off the coffeemaker, and nudged Melly to start and finish her cereal during a conversation about wizards, healers, magical fountains,