Page 2 of Asher's Assignment

“Bye, Miss Campbell!” The girl ran out the door before Esther could even lift a hand in farewell.

Esther chuckled. She might not be on a beach with a drop-dead gorgeous man, but she liked her life. Kids were great.

Once the car riders were all on their way home, Esther hurried back to her classroom to gather all her things and head to the Tylers’ house. She wished she could go home, but tickets to Costa Rica weren’t cheap, and she intended to visit Edie and Jordan as often as possible.

Hitting the lights, she looped her big purse over her shoulder and left the building. Water dripped down the sides of her face as she got into her little white compact SUV. Esther swiped at her face and started the car. Digging into her oversize purse, she unearthed her digital thermometer and took her temperature, checking to make sure she was safe to visit Leah. An illness could be deadly for the little girl.

The thermometer beeped and showed a temperature well within the normal range. Satisfied she was well, Esther stowed the thermometer, buckled her seatbelt, and put the car in gear. With her windshield wipers swishing away the rain, she rolled out of the parking lot.

The steady downpour gave way to a drizzle as she reached the other side of town. She was glad. This family was a little… judgmental, and she didn’t want to walk into their house looking like a drowned rat. They already didn’t like the fact that the state made them have a teacher come into their home every day. But their daughter couldn’t go to school. She’d had a heart transplant a couple of months prior and was still recuperating. Honestly, Esther didn’t understand why her parents didn’t submit the documentation to the district that would allow them to homeschool the girl. But until they did, she would continue to show up with a smile and keep Leah caught up so that one day she could return to school.

After parking at the curb, Esther walked up the crumbling porch steps, then knocked on the door. She heard the family’s Chiweenie set off a howl inside and smiled. The parents might be rude, but the dog was sweet. So was the kid.

The inner door opened and Leah’s father, Rob, frowned at her through the screen door.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Tyler.” She pasted a bright smile on her face.

He grunted and pushed open the storm door. “Leah’s in the kitchen.”

Esther stepped inside and hurried past him. She felt his eyes on her as she walked through the living room to the small kitchen at the back of the house. He wasn’t someone she’d want to be alone with. Everywhere she went, his twitchy gaze followed. The only respite she got was when she and Leah sat in the kitchen. Sometimes, though, he’d sit in on the couch, which gave him a direct line of sight through the kitchen doorway. Those days, she tried to turn her back to him or sit on the other side of the table, out of view. The moment she stepped out of the kitchen to leave, however, his gaze was on her, raking over her body and lingering on the places that made her the most uncomfortable. Today was no exception.

Buster, the family’s dog, ran over and sniffed her feet as she walked. She smiled and greeted the dog, but didn’t stop. Rob didn’t like it when she lingered.

The flooring changed from faded carpet to faded linoleum as she entered the kitchen. “Hi, Leah.” Esther’s smile turned genuine as she spotted Leah sitting at the small table pushed up against the cream-colored wall. At nine, the girl was the size of a six-year-old thanks to her long battle with myocarditis. She was a sharp cookie, though.

“Hi, Miss Campbell.” The girl’s voice came out quiet—quieter than usual.

Esther frowned and lowered herself into the chair next to Leah. “Everything okay?”

Leah pursed her lips and shrugged.

“Are you feeling all right? Should I get your dad?” She glanced over her shoulder toward the living room.

“No. I’m okay. My mom’s sick, so I’m not allowed to see her right now.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, honey.” Esther’s curiosity piqued. She’d never met Mrs. Tyler. She’d always been at work when Esther arrived. Rob Tyler was Leah’s caregiver. Leah said her mom’s job paid better and had better insurance, so her dad had quit his to take care of her.

“I hate this. I’m ready to be normal, but I know I’ll never be.”

“Eventually, you’ll get to a point where it won’t be so dangerous for you to get sick.” Esther hastily rethought her lesson plan for today. She’d brought some worksheets for them to go over for math, but she thought a game might be better. It might help lift Leah’s spirits.

“I know, but I miss my mom. She seemed fine last night, but dad said she’s running a fever. She hasn’t come out of her room all day.”

That didn’t sound good. “Well, how about we play a math game, then I’ll help you design a get-well card for her? Does that sound fun?”

Again, Leah shrugged. “I guess so.”

“Okay. I need to run back out to my car for a minute to get supplies for all of that.” She kept a supply tub in the cargo area of her vehicle with all the materials she thought she’d need for Leah’s home visits. That kit included a bag of candy. The girl loved M&M’s.

Esther pushed to her feet and retreated from the kitchen. Rob looked up from the motor sports magazine in his hands as she entered the living room.

“Where are you going?”

“I need something from my car. Leah’s a little upset she can’t see her mom right now, so I’m changing things up today.”

“Don’t baby the girl. She’s fine.”

Esther balled her fists but forced her voice to remain neutral. “It won’t hurt for her to have some fun.”

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