“Spencer have you seen my keys?”
“Nope,” Spencer answering as she nibbles on some toast; “where did you last saw them?”
“Here by the door,” Evan hurriedly trying to get dressed; the sound of his son’s crying nearly drowning out his thoughts.
“Sorry,” Spencer shrugging her shoulders; “can’t help you. I’m about to leave for school soon.”
“Yes yes,” Evan running around trying to find his keys; “you made arraignments. MAGGIE,“ Evan shouting; "I can’t find them!”
“They're up here in the nursery,” Maggie shouting back.
“Now why would my keys be up here,” Evan running upstairs.
“Because you used them as a toy for our son,” Maggie holding onto their crying newborn; “remember?”
“Why would I do that,” Evan seeing his keys by the change table.
Maggie just smiles as she continues to comfort Evan Jr.
“Well I’m going to be late if I linger any longer,” Evan kissing his wife and newborn son; “I’ll see you later.”
“Take care,” Maggie responding; sighing as she looks at her son. “Now to settle you back down.”
Spencer watched as her father dashed out the door; the sound of her brother still crying as she finished her breakfast of cereal and toast. Putting the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, Spencer heads back upstairs.
“Mom,” Spencer speaking; “is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine,” Maggie answering; “your brother is just being fussy. You want to hold him?”
“Sure,” Spencer answering; “I got a few minutes before I have to go.”
“Careful,” Maggie handing her son to Spencer; “remember to support his head.”
“Why was Evan crying,” Spencer watching her brother finally calm down.
“He accidently rolled onto your fathers keys,” Maggie shaking her head; “dad forget them up here last night when he changed his diapers.”
“Ah,” Spencer answering; “why would dad leave them up here?”
“He is tired,” Maggie sitting down in the nursery chair; “raising a baby is not easy. You’ll find this out eventually.”
“Not for a while at least,” Spencer putting her brother back into the crib; “but you did all the work. You should be tired not dad.”
Maggie just chuckles; enjoying Spencer’s comment. While her daughter was correct; Maggie did bore the baby to term, delivered the child; expending lots of energy doing so. Yet Maggie looks on at her daughter and sighs.
“With your father’s new job,” Maggie getting up; “all the strange hours he works, I’m surprised your father hasn’t collapsed from exhaustion. What with his son now here.”
“Dad works odd hours,” Spencer looking concerned.
“You would know if you spent more time here, then with your friends,” Maggie pointing out; “now with school starting, I will need your help with Evan Jr while your father is busy.”
Spencer could see her mother’s side of the conversation. What with her spending the lion’s share of her summer break at either Eric’s of Frieda’s place, she had no idea of her father’s work hours. Spencer was about to speak up when she hears a car horn going off.
“Your ride is here,” Maggie looking out the window; “get going. You don’t want to be late on your first day.”
“Oh that means Frieda is here,” Spencer responding; “I’ll see you after school.”
“Take care darling,” Maggie smiling.
Dashing out of the house to the waiting town car; Spencer sees as she opens the door that Benton is driving and Frieda was sitting in the back seat.
“Where is Eric,” Spencer asking.
“That is the next stop,” Frieda smiling; “like my dress for the day?”
“It’s very cheery,” Spencer eyeing the yellow skirt with matching blouse; “but why white knee high socks?”
“Why not,” Frieda smiling even more before getting close so only Spencer can hear; “and it’s not what I’m wearing that should excite you. But what I’m not wearing."
Spencer looks thoughtful for the moment before looking at Frieda in surprise, “Eric is going to like that.”
******
The ride to school was thankfully for Benton uneventful. After picking up Eric at his place and the three quickly talking; Benton was able to pick up some snippets of conversation. Despite their best efforts to speak in hushed tones; Benton was able to pick up that Nate would not be at school today due to being assaulted last night. Already suspecting who orchestrated the attack; Benton already had his plan to get back at the man, yet for an entirely different reason.
Knowing Jack Crawford was planning to try and steal Frieda’s trust fund; a task that the wrathful were-panther knew would be impossible. Yet after Nate being assaulted, Benton wondered if Jack would be willing to commit further criminals acts to achieve his ends.
‘He needs my wife’s signature and thumb print,’ Benton thinking to himself; ‘as well as Lance’s. Looks like I’m going to need to get security back at the estate.’
“We are here,” Benton pulling up to Moon Lake High; thankful that the distance from the Anderson household and the school was short.
“Thanks dad,” Frieda opening the door to get out.
“Thanks Mr. Knight,” both Spencer and Eric saying in unison.
Benton quickly drives off as soon as the door was closed and everyone out; leaving the three to mill about like the rest of the student body.
“So any idea what extra-curricular courses your taking,” Spencer staring up a conversation.
“Other than basic accounting,” Frieda commenting; “I’m not sure of anything else. You?”
“Oddly enough,” Spencer responding; “home ec.”
“Anything else,” Eric looking at Spencer oddly as they walk to their usual spot.
“Maybe art,” Spencer responding.
“Not the police science class,” Eric answering; “you know that is available.” Eric knew Spencer was leaning toward law enforcement, so he made sure to mention that course.
Before spencer could respond; the bell signaling the start of school could be heard. With this being the first day, everyone was instructed to head to the school gym for their locker assignments and home room locations. As Eric, Spencer and Frieda walked inside, Principal Andrews walked up to the three.
“Excuse me Eric,” Principal Andrews speaking; “can I see you in my office? Frieda, Spencer please proceed to the gym as instructed."
As Frieda and Spencer look on confused; Eric could sense their concern and worry thanks to their unique bond. Entering the principal’s office, Eric takes a seat just as Andrews closes the door.
“I’ll try to keep this brief,” Andrews pulling out some paperwork; “with your stellar grades you are being placed into advance classes.”
“Say what,” Eric looking confused.
“You’re the only student to get perfect marks on all his end of term exams and tests,” Principal Andrews responding; “if it wasn’t for the fact you have a high I.Q, you would have been suspected of cheating.”
“I didn’t cheat,” Eric answering back.
“I know,” Principal Andrews placing the paper work in front of Eric; “the classes you will be taking are senior year level core subjects. Math, History, Science, English. The usual,” Principal Andrews continuing as Eric looks at the paperwork; “your extra-curricular courses, those will be college level courses.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Eric looking confused; “I thought…”
“You thought this was a bad meeting,” Principal Andrews speaking; “most of the time, when a student is taken to my office it is. But in this case it isn’t,” Andrews smiling; “your father called earlier to let me know of your brother not being here and to tell me he never told you of the conversation I had with him and your mother about this.”
“My parents know of this,” Eric answering; “why didn’t they tell me?”
“Your father’s answer when I asked him a similar question,” Andrews answering; “was I didn’t want to ruin Eric’s summer break with worry. I guess they were going to tell last night…”
“But my brother got attack,” Eric finishing the sentence; “that explains mom’s insistence of a family dinner. But they could have told me I was being pushed ahead.”
“I know it is a lot to take in,” Andrews doing his best to be supportive; “yet this is a good thing. With your high I.Q you need to be challenged academically. So I suggest you read your extra class option over before leaving to rejoin your friends at the gym.”
“Will I be taking my extra classes at the college,” Eric asking; “or will I be taking them here?”
“Mostly here,” Andrews answering; “through a virtual presence device or via email. It depends as some of your college classes could interfere with your regular classes. Moon lake College does have a different schedule than ours. But you will need to head over to the college to hand in course work. That you can talk to with your father about."
“That I will,” Eric looking at the various choices he has in regards to college courses; “does this mean I’ll be graduating high school this year?”
“With special circumstances,” Principal Andrews answering; “but yes, this would be your final year of high school.”
"I'll be graduating along side my brother," Eric looking stunned and slightly bemused; "wait till he finds out about that."