Page 39 of Call Me Mrs. Taylor

I let out a soft, incredulous chuckle, shaking my head in disbelief. “Wow. That’s…” I press a hand to my chest like I’m genuinely rattled. “I don’t even know what to say.”

Aniya’s eyes narrow slightly.

She knows.

But knowing andprovingare two very different things.

I shake my head again, sighing to show how hurt I am by the accusation. “I would never say something like that. Ever. It’s completely inappropriate. I wouldn’t evenjokeabout something like that.”

Nevaeh’s lips part slightly as she reads my reaction. Sisco frowns, his brows furrowing.

“So are you saying our daughter’s lying?” she asks.

I shake my head gently, my expression softening. “I’m not saying that at all.” I keep my voice even like I’m guiding them through a missed answer. Always the patient teacher. “I just think there might’ve been a miscommunication.”

Aniya’s fingers twitch against her arm. “I know what I heard.”

I give a sympathetic look. Poor, stupid child. “Sweetheart, maybe you misunderstood. You’re a smart girl, but sometimes when we’re upset, we get confused and hear things differently than how they were meant.”

“Okay, then whatdidyou say?” Sisco demands.

I stare at Aniya. “I honestly don’t know. I’m trying to figure out the context. When did I supposedly say this, Aniya?”

Her nostrils flare as she realizes I got her little ass. Yeah, tell your parents what you did and what you said first, you little miscreant.

“I don’t remember,” she lies. “But I know what I heard.”

I smile gently. “Well, if you can’t remember when you think you heard this—“

“Ididhear it!”

Sisco and Nevaeh shift in their seats. Jonetta’s eyes dart between us, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features.

Nevaeh exhales sharply, folding her arms in front of her. “I don’t see why she would make something like this up.”

“I don’t either,” I say quickly, nodding like I’m on their side. “Aniya is a bright, amazing kid. You two have obviously done a wonderful job with her. That’s why this is so confusing. If she truly believes I said that, then somewhere, something got twisted.”

Sisco looks down at his daughter, then scrubs a hand down his face. She must lie at home. A lot. He looks like he’s sick of her shit.

“So are we supposed to just let this go?” he asks Jonetta. “What do we do here?”

Jonetta sighs, her fingers pressing against her temples. “Look, I wasn’t there, so I don’t know exactly what happened. What I do know is that Aniya is one of our best students, and Raya is one of our best teachers.”

That last part is a bold-faced lie, but I appreciate it anyway. Then I feel bad for Jonetta. She’s always been a good director. She gets on my nerves sometimes, but she’s good at her job, and this is her livelihood. She doesn’t deserve this.

Aniya’s nails dig into her arm, her eyes burning into mine. “She said it,” she insists, deliberate and unshaken.

I lean toward her, my voice dropping to a tone that’s as close to maternal as I know how to get. “I would never say anything to hurt you, Aniya.”

She doesn’t blink.

It tastes bitter on my tongue, but I say it for Jonetta’s sake.

“I’m sorry, Aniya, if you misunderstood something. I hate that you’ve been carrying that around over the last few days, thinking your teacher would say that about you. That’s awful. I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

Jonetta exhales. “I think we can all agree that open communication is best moving forward.”

I nod and visibly relax my body, releasing the weight of this travesty. “Absolutely. The last thing I want is for Aniya to feel uncomfortable in my classroom. She’s such an incredible student. So bright. So inquisitive. One of my best.”

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