Taking Care by Ed N. White

Author:Ed N. White
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Histria Books
Published: 2023-09-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Monday morning, my first thought was to call Dr. Englund. It was 7:15 a.m.; that was not going to work. 5:15 a.m. in Arizona, nope. Emma, of course not, and I knew Tom was a late sleeper.

So, I made oatmeal. Then I watched the morning news shows, took a shower, shaved, and cut myself. First, I dressed in what I pictured was appropriate garb for a meeting with a private school administrator. Then, I took most of that off and put on a hoodie and sneakers to shoot some hoops. At 9:30, I figured it was the perfect time and cranked up my phone.

“Meadowbrook Academy, hold, please.”

“Crap.”

“Meadowbrook Academy, how may I direct your call?”

“Doctor Englund, please. It’s Dexter Phillips calling regarding a new client… student.”

“Doctor Englund is finishing a call now, please hold, and she’ll be right with you.”

I held.

A lovely voice came on the line, cheery without being sappy, direct without overbearing. “Good morning, Mr. Phillips; I’ve been expecting your call. Attorney Kaspersky said you and your wife were in Arizona; how lovely. Now, we need to talk about Miss Spector.”

I let one small detail slide and said, “Yes, I know her as Emma, although I understand that is not her real name. Unfortunately, I’m somewhat out of touch with her present situation, which happened while I was away. The only information I have is from Tom Brandt. He said I need to meet with you… papers to sign or something… and I will pay all the bills.”

“That is true, we need to meet, and I would like to do that today. I prefer not to meet on campus because Emma is currently reluctant to see you. I can explain that more fully when we meet. So, instead of my office, I’ll meet you at Gloria’s Tea Shoppe — with two p's — in the village. We can do that today, one thirty?”

Holy shit! And Tom thought the nuns were strict.

I arrived in the village ten past one, not daring to be late. The academy campus could be seen to the west, spreading itself on a hillside with old and historical buildings. Their website told me the girls were housed eight to a “cottage,” along with an experienced female counselor. Each cottage was self-contained with kitchens where the girls learned cooking skills. In addition, there was a hybrid library, meeting, and lesson room, where the girls received academic instruction from different subject tutors. Also, two buildings housed the labs and classrooms for a fully accredited high school education. The girls were responsible for managing their cottages under the guidance of the counselors. They planned their menus, duties, and housekeeping as part of developing their life skills. Five cottages were for girls aged fourteen to sixteen years old and three cottages were for those older than sixteen. From the website, I learned that someone of Emma’s age and having obtained a GED would receive more advanced instruction to prepare her for possible college entry.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see how she was doing, but that was impossible now.

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