Chapter 17
SUSANNA
“Please take your seat, Madam Rax.” The principal, a stately woman with slate-gray hair and skin, gestured at the chair in front of her desk.
Mara heaved a long-suffering sigh. Smoothing the pencil skirt of her cream-white dress, she lowered herself into the chair and crossed her legs at the ankles, like the lady our mother had taught us to be.
“I’m glad you found the time to come here today.” The principal took her seat behind her desk. “It has been extremely difficult for me to arrange for meetings with your husband.”
“Dad’s busy,” Illal blurted out.
She and Ene sat by the hedge that circled the principal’s garden office. Exactly opposite from them, by the other hedge, another girl their age dangled her feet, sitting in a chair. That was Kessra, Ene’s arch-nemesis, as far as I was concerned.
Kessra’s mom sat in front of the principal’s desk, at arms-length from Mara. Since there was no third chair next to the adults, I took a seat next to Ene.
“I know your father is busy, Illal,” the principal replied evenly. “Being the captain of a crozan is a rewarding but a very demanding career.” She turned to Mara. “I’m glad the children have another parent now.”
“Of course.” Mara shifted in her seat, looking rather uncomfortable.
“I would like to discuss Ene’s behavior with you, Madam Rax,” the principal continued. “It has been escalating lately, and we could use your help.”
I sat up straight, shocked to hear that. “Her behavior? Escalating? What do you mean?”
Ene had been rather agreeable at home. I hadn’t seen her cry, and she participated in all the family activities with visible joy.
The principal smoothed down the hair above her ear, even though her neat high ponytail required no adjustments.
“Yes. We have concerns, Madam...” She moved her gaze from Mara to me, then back again, as if searching for differences between us.
As always, the only visible differences were our clothes. Unlike Mara’s elegant dress and high heels, I was wearing flat shoes, a loose shirt, and a pair of knee-length shorts. The clothes were new, made from a lighter and more breathable material than anything I’d brought here from Earth. The flowy cut of the shirt allowed for either one or three pairs of breasts without requiring any alterations.
“I beg your pardon, I don’t know your name,” the principal confessed.
She had seen me on many occasions. I’d visited the school daily and participated in many family events with the kids. I’d never talked to her, though. The principal must’ve been mistaking me for Mara all that time.
“I’m Susanna.” I gave her a nod.
Mara sighed again, rubbing her forehead.
“The nanny,” she clarified impatiently.
“Oh, the nanny. Of course.” The principal ran her hand over her hair again. “Anyway. I wanted to talk about Ene—”
“What about her?” I felt defensive.
The principal flinched at my voice but didn’t glance my way, not allowing herself to be distracted, I guess.
Kessra’s mom turned to me, however.
“She’s been terrorizing my daughter,” she stated flatly.
“She...what?” My mouth fell open.
Ene’s shoulders dropped. Illal placed a hand on her knee, and Ene grabbed onto it.
The principal nodded.
“Just this past week, there have been two incidents of unacceptable behavior. One, she spilled Kessra’s paints all over her dress—”
“A brand-new dress we just got her a month ago.” Kessra’s mom added tersely.
“It wasn’t her fault!” Illal jumped to her feet. “Kessra was bugging her while she was drawing. Then Kessra and Tazeal painted over Ene’s picture and ruined it.”
“Illal, please sit down,” the principal said in a calm, even voice. She turned to Mara. “It may be best for the children to leave for now.”
Mara glanced at me over her shoulder.
“I don’t think they should leave,” I said. “Illal is Ene’s classmate and a witness. The least we could do is hear her out.”
“Kessra has been mean to Ene for ages!” Illal blurted out. “And now that lots of other girls want to be Ene’s friends, she’s jealous.”
The girl’s mom huffed with indignation, making Illal falter under her glare. “My daughter would never—”
“Wouldn’t she?” I couldn’t sit back any longer. “Who cut Ene’s hair?”
“Kessra did.” Illal plopped back in her seat, her sister getting hold of her hand again right away.
“Are you aware of that incident?” I demanded from the principal. “How are things like that even allowed to happen in your school? We got no calls about that at all.”
The principal pursed her lips. “I was trying to get a hold of Captain Rax. Unsuccessfully. That incident has been discussed with both girls.”
“Then you just swept it under the carpet after that, didn’t you?”
Looking uneasy, she glanced at the kids. “Girls, why don’t you go to the play area? Find your brothers?”
All three girls climbed off their chairs and filed out of the room, one by one.
“My daughter—” Kessra’s mom started again.