Ben and Alex noticed Nate’s work truck still parked at the Anderson household. Both knew that what happened yesterday, Nate was in no condition to work. Not showing up for school after having to spend the night in the hospital; Alex had no idea if Nate had the keys to the truck or not.
“Why not call Nate,” Ben speaking; “perhaps we can get the keys from him so the lawn work can be done for the evening.”
“No need,” Alex hopping up onto the truck’s cab; “help me with the lawn mowers and we can walk to the few yards that need mowing.”
Ben was hesitant at first, but realized that neither had the keys to the work truck. With Nate never anticipated getting attacked by two were-panthers the evening prior; Alex’s quick thinking made sense. Helping to unload the mowers; the two were quickly interrupted with the arrival of William and Martha, both coming home from their respective jobs.
“Ben, Alex,” William getting out of his car first; “Nate is not with either of you?”
“He never showed up at school today,” Ben answering; “guess he is still at the hospital.”
“You mean he isn’t upstairs resting,” William looking alarmed; “I got a message that he was discharged this morning.”
“What’s wrong,” Martha getting out of her vehicle; her vulpine hearing picking up on William’s change in tone as she approached.
“Nate isn’t home apparently,” William responding; bristling at the news that his son might be playing hooky again.
“He is most likely with Jean,” Martha remaining calm; “at the Talbot’s. I can call and find out,” Martha getting her cell phone.
“Fine,” William still grumbling; “so why are you two taking the lawn mowers?”
Alex was the one who answered William’s question. Explaining that neither of them had the keys to the truck and they had a couple clients booked for yard work, William nodded as he found the answer satisfactory.
“Nate is with Jean at the Talbots,” Martha putting down her cellphone; “I talked to Nate and then Jean. Apparently he is still dizzy and having trouble walking without a cane still; but that is to be expected.”
“So he won’t be home tonight then,” William sighing; “and Eric? Is he home from school?”
“I don’t think so,” Ben answering; “after school went out he was with Spencer and Frieda as they hoped into Benton’s town car.”
“Dam,” William responding; “I was hoping to talk to him about his day today as a senior.”
“Oh yeah,” Alex chuckling; “Ben and I were surprised to see him enter our home room this morning. We thought he was lost until he showed us his class schedule.”
“So you two know of Eric’s day then,” William looking at Ben and Alex; “what was his mood after being placed in senior classes?”
Ben and Alex looked each other and sighed; with each quickly explaining how Eric came to class stunned with his schedule. They quickly inform William about Eric’s altercation with his math teacher Jeff Wilson. Taking the teacher to task for his abrupt teaching methods; Eric made the man livid when he corrected him on a math answer from the text book that turned out to be wrong. While William wanted to know more as to what happened; Alex had to end the chat as they had some lawns that needed mowing. With the two high tailing it out of their; neither noticed William making a beeline inside.
*******
As Martha was in the kitchen seeing what to make for dinner; William quickly walked towards the nearby cordless phone. Grabbing it and punching in a number, William waited for the other end to pick up.
“Andrews speaking,” William hearing.
“Andrews,” William walking to the makeshift study; “its William Anderson here, I heard Eric had an interesting day today.”
“Oh yeah,” Principal Andrews exhaling a sigh; “I take it you talked to Eric already?”
“No he is not home,” William answering; “Ben and Alex told me about the day. They also told me about Eric’s encounter with a Jeff Wilson? His math teacher?”
“Ah that,” Andrews tone changing; “I was going to call you in regards to that. It seems Eric gave an answer to a question and Jeff Wilson jumped at your son thinking it was wrong. Apparently Eric was correct and even explained to Jeff that most of the answers in the text book was wrong. Jeff who was already steamed regarding another student,” Andrews continuing; “tried to give Eric a detention for correcting him.”
“Tried,” William raising his voice; “is my son in detention right now?”
“No,” Andrews answering; “but Eric did dare Jeff to go through with it. Telling the teacher he would welcome hearing him explain to you why he was being given a detention for answering a question and pointing out that the given answer was wrong.”
“Well that is a relief,” William sighing; “anything else I should know?”
“Jeff Wilson does have a history with student bullying,” Andrews stating; “it’s no secret the student body despises him. Some even call him fat piggy behind his back.”
“Then why is he still teaching,” William asking; “if Jeff Wilson is a bully to the students, how come he is still teaching?”
“Because no formal complaints have been officially made,” Andrew’s responding; “a fact that I have made Jeff aware of. As well as that it could inevitably change.”
“If he tries to go after my son again,” William stifling a growl; “then expect a formal complaint from me shortly afterwards.
“I’ll take that under advisement then,” Andrews commenting; “but while I have you on the phone, do you have time to go over the college courses Eric has picked?”
******
“Before we sit down to Eat,” Benton getting up from the chair he was sitting in; “there is one thing I need to tell you Amanda.”
Amanda looks at her husband as he takes another drink of water; waiting for him to speak as he looks nervous despite having taken a Xanax a few minutes prior.
“I called Frances Twist a few minutes ago,” Benton putting down his glass; “I asked her if it was possible to see her tomorrow in regards to my therapy.”
“Okay,” Amanda not concerned with this revelation; “nothing wrong with that.”
“Well she suggested I’d might have to wait as her office was being swept for any more of Crawford’s surveillance devices,” Benton leading Amanda out of his study; “I asked if she wouldn’t mind having the session here instead.”
“At the estate,” Amanda looking at her husband; “is that possible?”
“It would seem so,” Benton sighing; “Frances did say it was unorthodox, but she has had made house calls before. But this is the strange part,” Benton stopping just before the dining room door and looking at Amanda; “Frances ask if you could sit in on the session as well.”
Amanda looked at Benton with a shocked and confused look on her face, unable to respond to what Benton just said.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Benton speaking.
“I’ll think about it,” Amanda answering; “right now let’s eat the pork tenderloin Ethel had prepared.”
“I’ll collect Frieda and her friends then,” Benton nodding; “from the quiet, it is safe to say they finished their rutting.”