Page 37 of Crow's Haven
Chase hugs my neck quickly. “Sorry, Ladybug.”
“It’s okay,” I whisper, hugging him back.
Five minutes later, I’m seated in the principal’s office, my heart is pounding, my nerves are frayed. Crow arrives moments after, striding into the room confidently, his presence immediately calming me.
He sits close, our knees touching beneath the table. “What happened?” he asks quietly, eyes darkening protectively.
“Boys caught a frog and brought it to class,” I explain briefly. “But the teacher’s reaction was harsh. I wanted you here.”
He nods, voice steady, reassuring. “I’m glad you did.”
Principal Davis joins us quickly, being calm and professional. Ms. Fields sits opposite, her back rigid, she’s clearly defensive. My nerves coil tighter.
Crow speaks first, direct and calm. “We understand Scout and Chase broke a rule. Bringing the frog was a stupid thing to do. But my old lady says the way they were spoken to is unacceptable.”
Principal Davis listens closely, turning to Ms. Fields with raised brows. “What exactly happened?
Ms. Fields huffs indignantly. “I was firm, but fair. Those boys caused significant disruption, and I refuse to tolerate disrespect.”
“Disrespect?” Crow leans forward slightly, voice low but authoritative. “My boys aren’t disrespectful. Can they be curious? Absolutely. Mischievous? Sometimes. But disrespectful? No. Did you consider that they might’ve simply been excited to share something they found interesting? They’re kids, that’s what kids do!”
Ms. Fields reddens. “I don’t believe it matters. This is a classroom, not a field trip.”
“It matters,” Crow interrupts gently but clearly. “They’re six-year-olds. Learning, making mistakes, figuring out boundaries is part of their job, what you people call age-appropriate behavior. Your job is to guide, not humiliate.”
I chime in, “Why do you have the two little chairs in the classroom at all? It seemed very much like some kind of humiliation ritual, especially with the way you spoke to them.”
“I didn’t humiliate them,” she states loudly.
Principal Davis raises a hand, cutting off the tension smoothly. “I believe we’ve discussed this before. You were told to remove the time-out chairs and to use gentle reminders and redirection rather than harsh reprimands. These boys are well-behaved and loved. Their caregivers clearly take their responsibility seriously.”
Ms. Fields stiffens further, silent. Principal Davis meets my eyes, sincere. “I apologize for your experience today, Ms. Jackson. Rest assured, this will be addressed.”
“Thank you,” I reply quietly, voice steady despite my racing heart.
Crow’s hand gently squeezes mine under the table, steadying my nerves.
As the meeting concludes, Ms. Fields excuses herself briskly, leaving us with Principal Davis, who sighs gently. “I’ll be keeping an eye on the situation. Please don’t hesitate to call if anything else concerns you.”
We thank him again, stepping out into the bright hallway. My shoulders sag slightly, relief flooding through me. Crow’s hand remains warm on mine, thumb brushing lightly against my knuckles.
“I’m sorry about all this,” I whisper, looking up at him.
“Don’t be,” he says simply, eyes softening. “You were amazing in there. Standing your ground, protecting our boys.”
Our boys. Those words wrap around my heart warmly and tight. “I just... couldn’t let her talk about them like that.”
“Exactly.” He gently cups my jaw, thumb stroking my cheek softly. “You stood up for them, without hesitation. You have no idea what that means to me.”
I nod, grateful that he didn’t think I went overboard. Crow trusts me with his children, and I never want to do anything to make him doubt that I have their best interest at heart.
“They’re in kindergarten,” I whisper softly, holding his gaze. “I don’t know why people can’t just let them be kids.”
“Don’t worry, they’re tough,” he murmurs back, his voice deepening. “This isn’t gonna emotionally scar them. And if it does, we’ll get them someone to talk to about it.”
He reaches out and pulls me in for a tight hug. When he loosens his hold, I pull back and clear my throat. “We’d better rescue the boys. We can take them out of school early, just this once. They looked pretty upset when I saw them in the classroom.”
He nods, squeezing my hand gently. “Yeah. Let’s hope Freddy survived too.”
