CHAPTER THREE
With an energy she didnt quite understand, Madelyn raced to Mark Kaurlins cottage after dinner, ignoring the sand flying into her sneakers.
She stomped past his open door and smacked the punching bag with her fist, watched it hit the floor with a thud.
Well, Mark said from a kitchen counter stool. Did you enjoy that?
She stood there, barely containing her energy. As of tonight, I havent listened to my father for a full week.
A waltz blared from a radio somewhere on the lake. Im so happy I could dance with a teacher! she said, and she spun into his arms.
Shock on his face, he pushed her back. Even as she tingled to his warm, strong touch, he shouted, No! Madelyn. No!
His jaw clenched. His eyes went sad. The look stunned her.
Why? she said. I mean, whats wrong?
This may sound funny, but I care about you too much to touch you. Touching you would be wrong.
Her head swam in confusion, and she felt hurt. She understood, yet didnt understand.
It cant be the touching and love kind of caring, he said. It cant be that.
She tugged the hem of her Jamaica shorts as if to make them longer than mid-thigh length. She didnt like how silent he became as he turned to the living room window, and how long his silence lasted.
Its not what they mean by good student-teacher relations, he said, his face never looking so sober. Just youre being here like this, this many days in a row. Itd be a definite problem for the powers that be. Sorry, but on that count, Im a little afraid of them.
You think theyd find out I come here and theyd assume the wrong thing? she said. Oh, Mark. Could they fire you? Id--Id lose you.
Dont be silly, Madelyn, he said to the window. Im not going to get fired, and you wont lose me.
But what would you do if they fired you?
I could always resort to stamping overdue books at your local neighborhood library, he said.
Could you imagine just stamping books at a library? she said.
No, he said sadly. She could feel his fear. His teaching job was important to him.
You are worried about it, arent you? she said.
Yes. Something needs to change here.
But, she said, they cant fire you--I mean, this is summer. Youre not my teacher and Im not your student right now and were not doing anything wrong. Wouldnt they realize that?
Mark, to her surprise, smiled. Madelyn, youre sharper than you think you are, than your father thinks you are. Now what do you think we should do about this?
She winced and said weakly, You said something about something changing. I should stop coming here so often.
For now, he said firmly.
Despite the void it left inside her, she said evenly, I better head home.
***
When her fathers booming voice jarred her awake the next morning, Madelyn wrapped the pillow around her ears and tried going back to sleep.
Until she heard, Mr. Kaurlin, this kind of thing could cost you your job.
Daddys talking to Mark!
Mr. Mayor, theres a good for what I did, Marks voice responded.
Blushing, as if Mark could see her upstairs on her stomach in just a slip and panties, she leaped out of bed and rushed into a skirt and blouse, swept a brush through her hair, and scurried downstairs.
Her stomach tensed. Was Daddy talking about her and Mark?
You dont seem to understand the severity of this, her father bellowed from behind the door to his den. Persuading this student of yours to leave his home and sleep on your porch is called harboring a juvenile.
Her stomach relaxed a bit. Daddy wasnt talking about her at all.
What you did that night is illegal, Mr. Kaurlin, her father said. The boys father is a prominent attorney in this city and he is enraged with your interference.
Mr. Mayor, Mark said, sounding slightly annoyed. Your phone call said this couldnt wait through the weekend. And this sounds like something superintendent Patricks himself should be talking to me about.
Its too grave a matter to wait, her father said. And Ive already consulted the superintendent on this. Knowing you live so close by we wanted this addressed immediately.
Mr. Mayor, Im very sorry the powers that be call what I did illegal. But the boys father is a drunk. He just needed a night away from the man to get his head together.
Mr. Kaurlin. You are not a social worker. You are not a guidance counselor--
Ive met the head of the guidance department, sir. Forgive me for saying so, but I wouldnt ask his guidance on when to eat lunch.
Mr. Kaurlin! Do you realize you are addressing the school board chairman who appointed him!
Her fathers volume level made her heart pound. She pictured his face reddening, his eyes wide with rage. She knew what her father could do when in that kind of mood and wanted Mark warned.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she knocked, heard a quiet but annoyed come in and entered. Her father sat at his huge walnut desk, looking grimly up at Mark, who stared back defiantly.
That boy did go to your guidance office, Mr. Mayor, Mark said, without looking at her. All he received were forms to fill out and was told hed have a three-week wait for an appointment with a counselor--
Well, there are procedures, her father said.
Procedures! Mark reacted. Is that all thats important in this school system? Dont go out of your way to help a kid. Just make sure he studies his homework every night and sits in the same seat everyday. Is that the philosophy of the school board you run, Mr. Mayor?
Kaurlin, that is enough! Her father stamped his hands on his desk.
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