Phoenix Inheritance Read Free

the impending snow.
    The light turned and, as she went through the intersection, she noticed the traffic was heavier than usual. Likely everyone was preparing for the storm.
    Once she reached the school, finding a parking space was nearly impossible. She finally parked the truck on the grassy divider between the two main lots.
    The office buzzed her in the front door without even asking for her name. After her many visits over the past two months, the staff knew her by sight. She ran her hand over her hair to smooth it down and unzipped her jacket. Only then did she realize she was still wearing her Captain Marvel “Princess Sparklefists” superhero T-shirt.
    She bet Principal Partnope wouldn’t get the joke. Add that to the old peacoat and her looking ragged because of this morning’s work outside, and she’d earn Partnope’s disdain again. Maybe if she wore designer clothes and shoes like half the women in town instead of her jeans, work boots and her geeky T-shirts, the principal would take her more seriously.
    Steeling herself for yet another confrontation, she opened the front door to the school office. Dorothy, the office manager, smiled at her. “Good to see you, Ms. Black.”
    Dorothy, impeccable as always in a pretty sweater, seemed glad to see her. “Good to see you too. Where’s Charlie? Is he okay?”
    â€œHe’s fine, Ms. Black. He’s been asking for you.”
    â€œThanks.” Not for the first time, Renee wished Dorothy ran the school. Charlie liked her and listened to her. “What happened? Where is he?”
    Dorothy pulled a pencil from behind her ear and pointed with it. “He’s in the conference room over there. He promised to draw me a picture of Thor.”
    â€œGreat. Did he mean my dog or the superhero?”
    â€œYou know, I didn’t ask. But I’d love either.”
    Renee turned to the conference room but Principal Partnope came out of his office and intercepted her.
    â€œI’d like to talk to you first, before you see Charlie. This was a pretty serious incident.”
    â€œI just want to make sure he’s okay, thanks.” She pushed open the door to the small conference room. Charlie sat there with a supply of crayons and blank paper in front of him. He smiled and ran over to her. She hugged him tight.
    She drank in the sight, smell and feel of her son, his dark unruly hair, his brown eyes, his favorite Batman T-shirt and the whiff of peanut butter on his breath. I love you, kid.
    Yes, she definitely needed this hug before talking to Partnope. She knelt down to look him in the eye.
    â€œI like your T-shirt,” he said. “Is it new?”
    â€œJust came yesterday. Along with your new Batman Beyond shirt.”
    â€œAwesome.” But he stared at the floor instead of at her. He shuffled his feet. “I did something really bad, Mom. But it was their fault. They were mean to me.”
    â€œWhat did you do?”
    â€œI hit Mr. Revis,” he whispered.
    â€œWho’s Mr. Revis?” she asked.
    â€œOur substitute teacher this week.”
    â€œRight.” Mr. Lamoreux was out for several weeks after having broken his leg.
    â€œWhat happened?” she asked.
    Charlie waved his hands. “He was really mean. He tricked me!”
    Mr. Partnope poked his head into the room. “May we talk now, Ms. Black?”
    â€œAll right.” Now that she’d seen Charlie, she could deal with whatever this was. “Charlie, I’ll be right back. Are you finishing that drawing for Miss Dorothy?”
    He nodded. “Yes! I promised her I’d finish before school gets out.”
    â€œGood.”
    Once in the principal’s office, Partnope sat behind his very official desk. He looked like a bureaucrat with his thinning hair, thin red mustache and conservative tie. She preferred Mr. Lamoreux, who sometimes wore loud ties and shirts that broke the mold.
    â€œWould you please