Chapter 8: The School Principal's Secret
Tasha looked at the caller ID.
Mrs. Carter.
The same woman who had handed Maya over without calling her mother.
Kiara declined the call.
Immediately, another call came through.
Derek noticed.
"Answer it.""
Kiara shook her head.
"Not now.""
"Answer it.""
"Why are you suddenly giving me orders?""
Derek stepped closer.
"Because I want to know why the school receptionist is calling you.""
Tasha held out her hand.
"Put it on speaker.""
Kiara stared at her.
"No.""
Tasha turned toward Officer Reynolds, who had just returned from the hallway.
"Officer, Mrs. Carter is calling Kiara. I think she knows something about the altered documents.""
He approached.
"Please answer the call.""
Kiara hesitated.
Then she pressed the green button.
"Hello?""
Mrs. Carter's voice came through.
"Kiara, are you alone?""
Kiara looked at Derek.
"Yes.""
"Have you found the original?""
Tasha's eyes widened.
Derek stepped forward.
"Mrs. Carter?""
Silence.
Then the receptionist spoke.
"Oh. Derek. I didn't realize you were there.""
Tasha felt her stomach tighten.
"Why are you asking Kiara about the original?""
Mrs. Carter didn't answer.
Derek took a breath.
"Mrs. Carter, what exactly did you do with the paperwork?""
"I only handled the documents you provided.""
"That's not what I asked.""
The receptionist's voice became defensive.
"I followed the instructions.""
"What instructions?""
A long pause followed.
Then Mrs. Carter said something that changed everything.
"The principal told me to use the second version.""
Tasha stared at the phone.
"Which principal?""
"Our school principal, Mr. Bennett.""
Derek looked at the officer.
Officer Reynolds motioned for everyone to remain calm.
Tasha spoke again.
"Why would the principal instruct you to replace a signed authorization?""
Mrs. Carter's voice trembled.
"He said there had been a misunderstanding between the parents and that we shouldn't make the pickup more complicated.""
"Did he know I hadn't been notified?""
"I don't know.""
"Did he know I hadn't agreed?""
Mrs. Carter went quiet.
Then she said:
"He told me Derek had full authority to make the decision.""
Tasha closed her eyes.
She was beginning to understand why everyone had been so comfortable ignoring her.
Every person involved had been given just enough information to believe someone else had already handled the difficult questions.
But nobody had asked the mother.
The next morning, Tasha arrived at the school with Maya.
She had spent the night with her daughter, barely sleeping.
Maya had woken twice.
Both times, she had reached across the bed to make sure Tasha was still there.
At breakfast, she had asked whether she needed to bring her backpack to the new apartment.
Tasha had told her she wouldn't have to go anywhere she hadn't been told about.
Now they stood outside the principal's office.
Mr. Bennett was waiting.
He was a tall man in his fifties, wearing a navy suit and a school identification badge.
"Mrs. Tasha, please come in.""
Tasha didn't move.
"Before we sit down, I want to make one thing clear. I am not here to discuss whether Kiara is a good person. I am not here to discuss whether Derek trusts her.""
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"I understand.""
"My daughter was released without my knowledge. I want to know why.""
He opened the office door.
"Please.""
Tasha entered with Maya.
Mrs. Carter was already seated near the window.
She looked uncomfortable.
Mr. Bennett sat behind his desk.
"I've reviewed what happened yesterday.""
"And?""
"There were procedural errors.""
Tasha stared at him.
"Procedural errors?""
"Yes. The staff should have verified the authorization more carefully.""
"Should have?""
Mr. Bennett folded his hands.
"We're reviewing our procedures.""
Tasha leaned forward.
"Let me explain something. I don't need a new procedure today. I need to know who decided that my daughter could leave with someone who wasn't her parent without anyone contacting me.""
Mr. Bennett glanced at Mrs. Carter.
"Mrs. Carter received the documents from Mr. Derek.""
"And who instructed her to accept the second version?""
He hesitated.
"I did.""
Tasha felt her jaw tighten.
"Why?""
"Because I understood the father had provided valid consent.""
"Did you read the original document?""
"Yes.""
"Then you saw the requirement to notify both parents.""
Mr. Bennett shifted in his chair.
"I understood that Mr. Derek was requesting an exception.""
"Where is that request?""
He opened a folder.
"We don't have a separate written request.""
Tasha stared at him.
"So you removed a safeguard from a child's pickup arrangement based on a conversation?""
Mr. Bennett sighed.
"I believed we were acting in the child's best interests.""
Tasha's voice rose.
"How can you claim to act in my child's best interests when you never bothered to ask what was happening at home?""
Maya reached for her mother's hand.
Tasha immediately softened.
"It's okay, baby.""
Mr. Bennett looked at the little girl.
"Hello, Maya.""
Maya didn't answer.
Tasha turned back to him.
"I want copies of every document. Every email. Every message about my daughter. And I want the school to preserve all the camera footage.""
"That can be arranged.""
"Today.""
"Yes.""
Mrs. Carter finally spoke.
"Tasha, I really didn't mean for this to happen.""
Tasha looked at her.
"You watched me walk into that office yesterday. You saw I was frightened. And instead of helping me, you told me to speak to Derek.""
"I was following the instructions I had.""
"You could have picked up the phone.""
Mrs. Carter lowered her eyes.
"I know.""
Tasha shook her head.
"That's what I can't forgive. You had a phone. You had my daughter's file. You had every opportunity to check.""
The meeting appeared to be over when Mr. Bennett opened another drawer.
"There is one more document," he said.
Tasha stopped.
"What document?""
He removed a printed email.
"It was sent to the school administration three days ago.""
Tasha took it.
The subject line read:
*REQUEST FOR UPDATED EMERGENCY CONTACTS — MAYA.*
She read the message.
It was from Derek.
He requested that Kiara be added as an emergency contact.
That part wasn't unusual.
But beneath it was a second paragraph.
*In the event of a disagreement regarding collection arrangements, please contact me directly. The child's mother may not be aware of all the details of the new household arrangements.*
Tasha read it twice.
Then she looked up.
"What new household arrangements?""
Mr. Bennett looked uncomfortable.
"I assumed he meant the apartment.""
"Did you ask him?""
"No.""
"Did you ask me?""
"No.""
Tasha placed the email on the desk.
"You're all very comfortable making assumptions about my life.""
Maya tugged at her sleeve.
"Mommy?""
"Yes, sweetheart?""
"Can we leave?""
Tasha looked down.
"Yes.""
She collected the papers.
Then she turned toward the door.
Before she could leave, Mr. Bennett spoke again.
"Mrs. Tasha, there is something I think you should know.""
She stopped.
"What?""
He looked at Mrs. Carter.
Then back at Tasha.
"Kiara didn't come to the school alone three days ago.""
Tasha's heart began to beat faster.
"Who came with her?""
Mr. Bennett hesitated.
"She was accompanied by a woman who introduced herself as a family representative.""
"Who?""
He opened another file.
A photograph was clipped inside.
Tasha recognized the woman immediately.
She was the same person who had dropped the shopping bag outside the apartment.
The woman who had disappeared into the elevator.
And beneath the photograph was a name.
*VANESSA COLE — FAMILY SERVICES CONSULTANT.*
Tasha looked at the principal.
"Who is Vanessa Cole?""
Mr. Bennett swallowed.
"She said she was helping Derek arrange a change in Maya's living situation.""
Tasha's fingers tightened around the photograph.
"What change?""
The principal looked down at the file.
"She submitted a preliminary application suggesting that Maya should primarily reside with her father and his designated caregiver.""
Tasha couldn't speak.
Then she saw the date.
Three days before the school pickup.
And the signature beside the application.
It wasn't Derek's.
May you like
It was hers.
Or at least, it looked like hers.
