CHAPTER
1
One thing Jy hated more than seeing pictures of his ex-wife and her slick husband in the society columns of Melbourne newspapers was being summoned by the Education Department. He loathed bureaucracy.
But he loved shaping young minds, so he’d suck it up and front the big wigs. For the third time in two months—some kind of record for the principal of an elite private school, apparently.
‘Mr Bosch will see you now, Mr Atherton.’ The PA pointed to a heavy wooden door to his right. Like he needed the instruction. He’d been privy to the condescension and censure behind it already. What could they say this time? He’d already been warned and he’d chosen to flout the rules. More fool him.
Mustering a tight smile of thanks for the PA, he opened the door. To face a firing squad.
Nothing quite as dramatic, but this time, Gus Bosch, chief education officer for the state of Victoria, had a backup team: three fellow cronies in their sixties wearing matching grim expressions.
‘Take a seat, Mr Atherton, and we’ll get started.’ Gus didn’t bother introducing his mates. Jy hoped that meant he wouldn’t be staying long.
Closing the door, Jy resisted the urge to slip a finger between his collar and his neck. He’d been wearing a suit and tie daily since he’d graduated uni and started teaching fourteen years ago; didn’t mean he had to like it.
The four men stared at him as he crossed the room and sat opposite them—spine ramrod straight, shoulders back, hands clasped in his lap: perfect minion posture.
‘Thanks for coming in today,’ Gus said. Like Jy had been given a choice. ‘We’ll make this brief.’
Good. The briefer the better so Jy could get back to what he did best: running Korrungal Grammar, the small private school he’d worked at for the last five years and been in charge of for the last twelve months.
‘Rest assured, we’ve heard all your concerns regarding the new curriculum and taken them into consideration. And it’s because of your passion for education in this state that we’re sending you to Acacia Haven.’
Gus’s monotone grated on Jy’s nerves as much as the CEO’s outlandish proclamation. ‘What do you mean you’re sending me? I’m a principal. I can’t be shipped off anywhere.’
A groove dented Gus’s brow and his lips thinned. ‘You’re not being shipped. We need someone with your experience and expertise to ascertain whether the school is viable.’
Jy struggled to hide his growing horror. They were sending him to some godforsaken place he’d never heard of to shut down a school? This was a major slap on the wrist. An archaic punishment for having the balls to stand up to these dinosaurs with their antiquated ideas of what constituted a good education.
When he remained stubbornly silent, trying to get his rising temper under control, Gus continued. ‘We’ve already teed up your deputy to take over your role for the month you’ll be in Acacia Haven.’
Jy would deal with the traitor Olga, his vice principal, later. She could’ve given him a heads-up at least.
‘We want you there for the first four weeks of the new term to ascertain why their VCE results are the lowest in the state and if there’s any chance to rectify. If not …’ Gus shrugged, as if closing down a school meant nothing. ‘We expect a full report and will take your recommendations into account.’
That’d be a first, considering they’d shot him down when he’d voiced his opinions on their proposed changes—while Science, Technology, English and Mathematics were still valued, they wanted to invest more money into humanity teachers than STEM along with sacking school counsellors—in a very public forum of senior teachers and principals from all around Victoria. He’d stuffed up. He should’ve kept his big mouth shut.
‘Do you have any questions?’
He had a feeling they wouldn’t want to answer anything he had to ask. Like ‘Why are you treating me like a naughty child being sent to detention?’ Or ‘Why would I want to spend the last month of summer in some hick town I’ve never heard of?’ Or ‘Where the hell is Acacia Haven and is it as hokey as it sounds?’
Instead, he cleared his throat and said, ‘When is the report due?’
Gus raised his eyebrows, apparently surprised by his acquiescence. ‘After you return … the first week of March, is fine.’
Nothing was remotely fine about this ludicrous situation and Jy didn’t appreciate being treated like a recalcitrant insubordinate. But he was coming up for long service leave in April after being in the education system for almost fifteen years and the last thing he wanted to do was give these guys an excuse to screw him over somehow.
‘We’ll email you the details and if you have any questions after that, feel free to contact me.’ Gus stood and extended his hand. ‘Good luck.’
Jy hid a grimace. He had a feeling he was going to need it.
CHAPTER
2
Jy saw three things as he hit the outskirts of purgatory. Two girls, barely school age, making daisy chains on the side of the road. A rogue roo up on hind legs staring balefully, like he wanted to leap out in front of the car and add to Jy’s woes. And an ocean so blue his eyes hurt.