Graceful Submission by Melinda Barron Read Free Book Online Page B

and Toffer joined in.
    “You don’t want to be me?”
    “No, baby, I don’t want to be you. I want to be inside you. But that can wait. I’m in my office, waiting for you. Knock and come inside. What’s the first thing you’re going to say?”
    “Joe Watson, you’re an amoral bastard with a lying tongue.”
    “Hum, something tells me that doesn’t set the right tone. Shall we try again?”
     

Chapter Six
     
    Note to self: You are strong and independent. Don’t allow Joe Watson’s lies to bring you down. And don’t under any circumstances allow this situation to come into your classroom.
     
    To Do List:
    Talk to Watson after school about the false accusations
    Have dinner with Becca to discuss situation
    E-Mail Toffer after meeting with Watson
     
    Grace stiffened when the office aide came into her class before lunch to replace her so Grace could “attend a meeting in Mr. Watson’s office.”
    Her role-playing with Toffer last night had been very helpful. They’d stayed on the phone until
two a.m.
going over various scenarios of the meeting, depending on what Watson would say and how he would react to her statements.
    When the conversation had drawn to a close, Grace had sighed.
    “So much for a wonderful evening playing with the toys you sent me.”
    “We’ll save it for tomorrow, I mean, tonight. Make sure you don’t open the box. E-mail me after the meeting, and then call me after your dinner with Becca.”
    Now, Grace stopped outside Watson’s closed office door. She took a deep breath and knocked. When the door opened her bravado disappeared. Watson was sitting behind his desk, a smug smile on his face. Sitting opposite him was Frank Medina, president of the board for the academy, and Bart Barlow.
    Medina stood and held out his hand.
    “Grace, thank you for joining us. We have a bit of a situation here that we need to discuss.”
    “So it would seem. I would have liked to be included in this conversation from the beginning, not joining in after everyone has obviously already given an opinion. That puts me on the defensive and makes me guilty until proven innocent.”
    A blush spread across Medina’s face. “I apologize for that. But I assure you, Grace, there will be a full investigation. I would like to hear your side of the story. Please, take a seat.”
    Grace nodded to Watson and Barlow. Neither man had stood when she’d walked into the room. Watson looked calm and self-righteous. Barlow’s hands were clutched in his lap, his lips thinned in anger.
    “I want her fired, right this minute. And I want my son’s transcripts changed to take the F she gave him off. That bitch kept my son from going to CU this fall and made him miss a season of football.”
    Grace stiffened, and then closed her mouth when Medina held up his hand.
    “Mr. Barlow, I respectfully request that you watch your language. This is a meeting to discuss accusations, not for a final ruling on charges filed, because no charges have been filed. I agreed to let you stay while I talked with Ms. Kinison because you assured me you could hold your tongue. If that is not the case, then you need to leave. Now.”
    “Someone has to represent my son’s interests,” Barlow hissed.
    “And I will tell you again, that this is not a hearing,” Medina replied. “What I would like is for you to calmly tell Ms. Kinison what you told Mr. Watson and myself. Then, I will give her a chance to respond. From there, I will decide whether to take this issue to the board or not.”
    “Fine. A few days ago, Dominic told me that Ms. Kinison told him last year that unless he paid her $1,000 that he would fail her class. Dominic told her that he didn’t have that kind of money and couldn’t get it. She told him the amount was non-negotiable and when no money was offered she failed him. End of story.”
    Grace shook her head. “Why did he wait almost ten months to make this accusation?”
    “He’s a kid. He was scared. But the more he