Rebecca & Heart by Deanna K. Klingel

Author:Deanna K. Klingel [Klingel, Deanna K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press, LLC
Published: 2018-01-04T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

The Tutor

Though the mother is disappointed that Rebecca can’t attend school with the other children, she doesn’t give up totally. She believes education is important for Rebecca. She hires a tutor for her after the school incident. He’s been coming for a few months now.

Mister Harry White, Rebecca’s tutor, is a quiet man and seems to all of us to be suitable for Rebecca. Rebecca resigns herself to having him around a few hours each day. The mother feels as long as she spends time with Mister White she must be learning something. I ride the fan blade and try to pay attention to his lessons, so I can learn, too. Heart lies at Rebecca’s feet, absorbing the instructions.

One afternoon at the first winter tea, I overhear other mothers discussing their children’s school progress, and in particular, their report cards. The mother begins to worry that perhaps Rebecca isn’t progressing as much as she hoped, and perhaps we are all missing out on something. She summons Mister White. I ride in on his shoulder.

The mother sits at her desk in the little household office. She looks at the tutor through her half-lens eyeglasses. She taps her pen as she speaks. The tutor chews his lip and tries to follow the pen. I peer down from the drapery rod.

“So, you see, Mister White, all I’m requiring at this time is accountability. You’ve been tutoring our daughter for quite some time now, and my husband has paid you quite generously. Other children receive frequent accounting in the form of a report card. If we had such a report card from you, then we’d know what she’s learned, and how she’s progressed. So, for future, Mister White, we require a report card, as you do for other children.”

“Madam, if I may speak bluntly, Rebecca isn’t like other children. Rebecca’s world is…well…it …she isn’t like others. Rebecca is different. I’m not saying that she can’t learn. Indeed, Madam, the child may, in fact, be brilliant and she knows many things. But the results of her learning can’t be assessed by the same criteria. We may never know, or understand, all that Rebecca knows.”

“Mister White, I’m painfully aware that Rebecca isn’t like other children. And that’s precisely why you are employed. Either you provide the required report card, or I’ll be forced to locate a more suitable tutor for the girl.

“My husband and I will be away for a while. Upon our return, I’d like to see a complete accounting in the form of a report card of what you’ve achieved with her. That is all, Mister White.”

Well, the poor man. He’s pale and sad. I think he’s fond of our Rebecca. He knows she’s learning, but in her own way. He slips out the door. The mother leaves shortly after. I hang around in her office snooping.

She has a picture on her office wall of her hero Amy Johnson, the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. She told Rebecca about the flying hero, hoping she’d be interested.

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