Good Daughter (9781101619261) by Porter Jane

Author:Porter, Jane [Porter, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781101619261
Publisher: Penguin USA
Published: 2013-02-04T22:00:00+00:00

Kit slowly rose to her feet as Delilah dashed out the door, her thoughts jumbled, emotions stirred.

“Tests, please,” she said flatly, moving to the front of her classroom to collect the essay tests from her sixth-period students.

Numbly she accepted the essays from her departing students, replaying her conversation with Delilah over and over in her head. This meeting with Michael would not be good. Kit actually felt scared. But why? What could Michael do?

Once her students were gone, she paper-clipped the essays together and put them in her briefcase to take home and then organized her desk, clearing off clutter and filling out some forms that should have been turned in to the office earlier in the day.

A knock sounded on her open door. “Can we come in?” a familiar male voice drawled.

Kit looked up, saw Michael in the doorway, smiling at her, lean and tan and confident in his expensive business suit. Her gaze moved to Delilah, who stood at his side, pale. Skittish. Terrified.

Feeling as if she’d been sucker punched, Kit swiftly looked away from Delilah’s face.

“Please,” she said crisply, gesturing to the chairs and table in the corner of the room, wondering if she was to call him Michael or Howard and then decided she’d use neither. “Why don’t we sit over here, Mr. Dempsey? Delilah?” she said, walking to the table and taking a seat in the same place she’d sat with Jude and Delilah nine days ago.

They all sat down, with Delilah choosing a chair as far away as she could manage. “So what can I do for you?” Kit asked Michael, thinking that it was best to be direct, as she had no desire to prolong this meeting.

“I thought I would check in with you, see how things are going. Sometimes it’s hard to get information out of Delilah.” Michael smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “How is she doing?”

“She’s had a great week.”

“The week’s not over,” he retorted.

“You’re right. It’s just Thursday. But it’s been a great week so far. Delilah’s brought her grades up in all her classes, has a hundred percent in her math homework, a ninety-four on her reading quiz yesterday, and a ninety-eight on her biology test earlier this week. That ninety-eight was the second highest grade out of all the freshmen, and that’s to be commended.”

He studied her for a long moment, and his lips quirked, as if he were secretly amused. “How about last week?” he asked abruptly. “I’d love to hear about last week.”

Kit heard the faint hitch in Delilah’s breathing and her insides knotted with anxiety as she understood now that Delilah needed protection, and questions from the adoption application came to mind: Growing up, what were you usually punished for? And, how were you punished?

How was Delilah punished?

“We had some bumps,” Kit answered Michael carefully, “but it’s behind us, and I’m really excited about Delilah’s potential. She’s a very gifted—”

“Liar,” Michael interrupted, finishing the sentence for her. “A very gifted liar. Isn’t

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