Robbie reluctantly led his father down the high school hallway toward his 6
th
and final classroom: Miss Ava Valentine's Junior English class. "I just want you to know how embarrassing this has been," said Robbie. "We didn't see a single other junior here at open house. I don't see why you have to meet all my teachers every year."
"Robbie, get over it. Good parent-teacher relationships mean good grades which mean good colleges." Peter had been a single father for several years, but he felt now he was finally getting the hang of it. And Robbie was going to college because Peter never had. Meeting the teachers would be wise. Not only did he want to know which ones were flakes, but he wanted to get a better idea of what Robbie would be studying this year. Peter wanted to be more involved than he had in the past. Before Robbie led his father into his English classroom, he paused.
"Dad, do me a solid. Don't embarrass me in front of Miss Valentine."
"Do I ever embarrass you?"
Robbie rolled his eyes. "Yes. All the time."
Miss Valentine was perched on a wooden stool at the front of the room, her high heels hooked in the rungs of the stool. She slid off the stool and adjusted herself. She wore a trendy grey cardigan open over a black dress that clung to her breasts, and the tan belt around her waist showed off her tiny waist. Her tan ankle-strap heels were more "date night" and less "school room business."
"Glad you made it! I haven't had a visitor all night. I'd almost given up." Her brown eyes sparkled behind her reading glasses. A large curl toppled down from her messy bun when she shook hands with Peter. Peter now understood why Robbie didn't want his father embarrassing him. "I am Robbie's English teacher, Ava Valentine. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Corvus. Have a seat anywhere."
Robbie and Peter sat in the third chair back. She pulled the stool closer toward their desks and sat back with one leg swung over the other. A delicate gold anklet caught Peter's attention, and his eyes moved up her tight calf. Her dress flared several inches above her knee, so sitting in that position gave Peter a good look at her left thigh especially since it was at eye-level. He wished he'd sat in the first chair.
Miss Valentine began, "This course is designed to prepare students for college-level English. Of course, any student who chooses to tackle AP English making a commitment to challenge, time management, and hard work. The students must maintain a work ethic that provides for timeliness and excellence in all assignments . . . " Peter watched her moist red lips continue to form words, but the flat tone of her voice was a snooze. The V-neckline of her dress framed an abstract gold pendant that matched her dangling earrings. " . . . so, do you have any questions for me, Mr. Corvus?"
Peter gave her his best gentleman smile and stood up. "Thank you for your time, Ava—" Peter stuck out his hand to shake hers.
She did not extend her arm. "Miss Valentine," she corrected him. Then she finally offered her hand and they touched. Fiery tingles radiated throughout his body.
Peter asked Robbie about Miss Valentine every chance he could get. Peter wished there were some reason to call her, to ask her out, but would that be ethical? He knew he should at least wait until the next school year when she wasn't his teacher.
Then Peter received a call home from Miss Valentine.
"Robbie's research paper on Walt Whitman is completely plagiarized. Robbie says he plans to go to college, but colleges will terminate him for this behavior. You seem to be an involved parent and want what's best for Robbie."
Peter was glad she called even if he was conflicted. "What would you suggest, Miss Valentine? I don't know much about discipline."
Miss Valentine paused. "Discipline is vital, Mr. Corvus. How else will we respect people and rules? Without discipline how would we ever get to relish in our successes? The hot whips of discipline keep us on the straight and narrow, Mr. Corvus. Don't you agree?"
"Oh, I do agree," said Peter. "I'm just not so good at handing it out. I guess I wasn't disciplined enough in my youth. Imagine where I'd be now if I had been."
"Perhaps it would be in Robbie's best interest if we sat down together and discussed some options."
Peter was more than intrigued and agreed to meet as soon as possible.
Peter arrived at Miss Valentine's house shortly before noon. He did not want to appear unpunctual. He was dressed in khaki pants, a button-down shirt, a belt, and dress casual loafers. It wasn't his cup of tea but he was meeting with his son's teacher.
She answered the door immediately and ushered him in quickly. "I don't have many visitors, so when I do, my neighbors are nosy. I'd prefer to be discrete." Miss Valentine was wearing another dress-cardigan ensemble, but the cardigan was buttoned up. Her hair sat in a tight bun at the top of her head and she was wearing her reading glasses.
"We could have met somewhere else," Peter responded.
"I think this is the appropriate location," she smiled. "We don't want to be seen by anyone who might recognize us. Afterall, your son is in my class, and we don't want gossip." He thought she might be flirting, but by her tone of voice it was hard to tell. He didn't want to assume, so he remained a gentleman.
She led him down a hallway to a doorway that led to the basement. She answered his question before he asked it. "This is my office," she reassured him. "We can discuss things down here." He followed her down the dark steps obediently. When she flicked on the lights at the bottom of the steps, Peter felt transported back to his youth.