Darrel was made to wait outside the office as Joan and Douglas talked to his teacher. Swinging his legs as they hung over the chair; Darrel was feeling bored. Wanting to go out and play with some of the other kids, Darrel had no idea why he was being kept behind.
*******
“I know meeting parents after the first day of school is unusual,” the elementary principal speaking; “but in Darrel’s case we felt it was necessary.”
“Is it necessary,” Douglas looking perturbed; “to keep us in the dark as to why we were called?”
“I know why we are here,” Joan sighing; “Darrell said a few things that can be dangerous if the wrong person heard it.”
“What,” Douglas looking at Joan; “what did Darrell say?”
“Questions,” Darrel’s teacher chiming in; “that could risk our exposure.”
“Fortunately,” the principal shaking his head; “every student, with the exception of a few enrolled are were’s.”
Douglas looked at the principal in stark confusion. Sure Moon lake was a sanctuary for were’s to live in peace and with one another without fear. The town’s laws and layout crafted in such a way that doesn’t hinder a were from being in their fursona after sunset or indoors. Yet Douglas was at a loss for what the Principal and teacher were talking about.
“Is this why you called me down here,” Douglas getting up; “to try and trap me into being a bad parent because of what Darrel said?”
“Please sit down,” the principal speaking before getting cut off.
“No,” Douglas none to amused; “I am a very busy person at the moment. Dealing with a criminal that attacked my station yesterday,” Douglas growling; “a plague of news reporters infesting our town; a multi-millionaire living in Seattle who may or may not have ordered the attack on a seventeen year old yesterday. As well as a dozen other annoying issues; dragging me down here,” the sheriff raising his voice; “is a complete waste of my time!”
“Douglas,” Joan trying to calm down her mate.
“Not now Joan,” Douglas mustering some civility; “Darrel is only six years old. His mother was brutally murdered last December,” Douglas glaring at the teacher and Principal; “before he came to Moon Lake, his mother had him home schooled. Coming here and finding out he, Alyssa and Joan were not the only were’s,” Douglas making the two faculty member feel afraid; “it made him so excited he hasn’t come down that cloud just yet. So expect him to keep saying whatever it is you find questionable,” Douglas quoting a few words with his fingers; “because Joan and I have no intention of stifling his curiosity or punishing him for saying what you fear the most.”
The elementary teacher and principal look on in stunned silence as Sheriff Cooper storms out of the office; leaving Joan to look surprised as well. Never seeing him that mad before; she like the other adults hear Douglas talking to Darrel thanks to them all being were’s.
******
“Am I in trouble uncle Yogi,” Darrel looking up at the large man he just heard blow up in the office.
“The school might think so,” Douglas sighs as he looks down at Darrel; “but frankly they should know better than to freak out just because of the town’s special secret. More so,” Douglas helping Darrel up; “when I know more about the town then they do. So what is it you said to make them drag me down here?”
“I asked a few of the other kids,” Darrel answering; “what kind of were’s they were.”
“That’s it,” Douglas looks back at the principal’s door in complete disgust; “and that warrants having to call me down here? Doesn’t the school have better things to deal with than a simple question of getting to know your classmates?”
*****
“He has a point,” Joan looking back at the teacher and principal; “and if that is why you called us down here. I’m not surprised Sheriff Cooper blew up on you two,” Joan sighing.
“It wasn’t the only reason,” the teacher speaking; “yet finding out Darrel was home schooled does explain something I noticed earlier.”
“And that would be,” Joan eyeing the teacher suspiciously.
“Darrel lacks some of the fundamental a six year old should know by now,” the teacher speaking; “he has a possessive nature towards toys and refuses to share.”
“So,” Joan rolling her eyes; “show me a child that doesn’t have that same nature.”
“Darrel constantly interrupted my class today with his questions,” the teacher adding.
“Again,” Joan shaking her head; “every child does that. Some more than others; hardly a reason to drag me and Douglas down here.”
“Darrel’s reading skills,” the principal speaking up; “are lower than what some of the other students of his age range are currently at.”
Watching Darrel grow up and helping Alyssa care for the kid; Joan was surprised to hear that. Acting as a nanny for the young wer-mer while Alyssa was away at times; Joan knew to make time to read to the kid and have him read back at times.
“Preposterous,” Joan feeling defensive; “Darrel can read because Alyssa and I helped him on that.”
“You knew Darrel’s mother,” the teacher looking surprised.
“I lived with Alyssa back in Burbank California,” Joan glaring; “we had a relationship. Not the kind you are thinking,” Joan growling; “so don’t even go there. But we always made time to read to Darrel.”
“And now you are with the sheriff,” the principal looking quizzical; “mind explaining that?”
“Darrel’s mother was murdered,” Joan in no mood to go down memory lane; “suffice to say after Tachibana found out Alyssa had a son, she made arraignments to have him brought here. As Alyssa’s friend and Darrel’s care giver, I came along to make sure he had something familiar during his transition. Tread carefully with your next question,” Joan holding back a snarl; “were-tigers can get very territorial when their fur is up. And right know my fur is up.”
Both the teacher and principal looked concerned for the moment; not wanting to get into a physical confrontation with the clearly agitated woman before them, both were at a loss as to what to do next. Joan seeing the two hesitate decides to end the conference.
“Like what Douglas said earlier,” Joan getting up; “this was a complete waste of time. Regardless of whether Darrel’s reading skills are par with everyone else his age is not a valid reason to bring me or the sheriff down here. Nor is his constant questions and the nature of his questions,” Joan adding; “it’s your job as a teacher to answer those questions and to help him learn the skills he needs for later. A parent or in this case,” Joan opening the door; “a legal guardian, can only do so much. And since the Sheriff is Darrel’s only remaining biological family member,” Joan driving home a point; “his job makes it difficult to spend the time needed to help Darrel develop some of those skills.”
******
It was after storming out of the office once her tirade was complete that Joan was able to calm down. Leaving the school and seeing Darrel playing on a nearby swing set with Douglas pushing him; Joan smiled as she walked towards the two.
“Shall we head home,” Douglas looking at Joan.
“In a bit,” Joan nodding; “I must first tell you what those two called us down here for.”
Joan informs Douglas as to the nature of the meeting they were called down for. Seeing Douglas scowl, reaffirms her belief that this conference was a waste of time.
“That person following you,” Douglas speaking; “I had him stopped by a couple of deputies. They just put a nice scare in him; so he won’t be bothering you again.”
“Oh yeah,” Joan remembering the dirty white car following her around; “what did that person want?”
“Me,” Douglas stopping from giving Darrel pushes on the swing; “he claimed to be a reporter wanting information regarding Frederick Parker.”
“Claimed,” Joan helping Darrel out of the swing; “you suspect something else?”
“Not me,” Douglas answering; “the deputies however, think the man is a private investigator. The answers the man calling himself Jose gave,” Douglas walking the two back to Joan’s vehicle; “led to that assumption.”
“You going to follow us home,” Joan looking at her were-grizzly mate; “I’m making sloppy joes for supper.”
“Messy food,” Darrel shouting after hearing what Joan just said.
“Unless I have an emergency to deal with,” Douglas watching Darrel’s excitement; “I’ll be close behind.”