“Please, have a seat.” He pointed to a chair across from her desk and then took his place across from her, interlacing his fingers together in front of him.

“You’re kicking her out, aren’t you?”

He smiled sadly. “I have no choice, Kate. We’ve given her more chances than any other student who has done these sorts of things. The only reason I’ve given her so much latitude is because I know you. You threw a wonderful anniversary party for Marilyn and myself last year. But, I can’t keep covering for her. She’s ratcheting her behavior up.”

Kate took in a deep breath and blew it out. “What am I going to do with this kid?”

“I don’t know. Maybe enroll her in the alternative high school?”

“Alternative high school?”

“They cater to kids with behavior problems, pregnant students, and so on.”

Kate didn’t want her daughter there. She wanted her to thrive in a regular high school, but how? She couldn’t seem to make her understand that she was throwing her future away for nothing.

“Is she in counseling?”

“She was, but honestly we stopped going because sometimes she’d just sit there and not speak.”

“Maybe a retreat or wilderness experience?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I have to think this through.”

“I’m really sorry, Kate. Your daughter is obviously tormented by something in her mind. But the public school isn’t the place to work those things out. I have to protect the other students here. I hope you understand.”

She did. She wished she could defend her daughter, but there was no defense.

“I’ll take her to clean out her locker, and then we’ll go.” She stood up and shook his hand. “Thanks for trying, Dan.”

“Good luck. I hope it all works out.”

As she quietly left the room and collected her daughter, she wondered what in the world she was going to do now.

Mia tapped her foot nervously as she waited for Carl to enter the room. He had been her mother’s attorney for as long as she could remember, handling all sorts of issues for the B&B. He had also handled her estate when she passed away, reading her will to Mia and a couple of close friends who she’d left some of her personal possessions to.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Mia. I had a client meeting run a little long.” He sat down behind his old, wooden desk - something from the seventies, no doubt - and looked at her. His balding head reflected the fluorescent lights above, and his white button up shirt was pulling so hard on the buttons that she feared one might pop off and blind her.

“No problem.”

“So, what brings you here today, my dear?”

“I found out some shocking information, and I want to know if Momma ever said anything to you.”

“Alrighty, what is it?”