Page 11 of Bridge to Safety

Chapter Five

Sunday had passedpeacefully, thank goodness. No Duke.

Rowan and Rachel had come by for a few hours in the afternoon to help paint, sort of. Whatever Rachel did needed redoing, which Rowan did after working on the front porch. Another weekend of painting indoors, and Shiloh could begin outside.

Monday morning, she stood in the doorway of her new schoolroom. A year of enriching young minds, minus the week she hadn’t been there, stretched in front of her. Some of her students’ parents would be people she’d gone to school with. How would they react at knowing she taught their children?

“Shiloh?”

She turned at her name and stared into the shocked face of someone she’d once been close to. “Hello, Susan.” The former cheerleader had always been nice to her. If anyone had believed her story, it was Susan.

“I never guessed the Ms. Sloan who’d be teaching here would be you.” She smiled. “How are you?”

“Good. You?”

“Engaged.” She wiggled her fingers, flashing a diamond. “I also teach fifth grade. This will be like old times.” Her smile faded. “I suppose you’ve seen Duke?”

“Unfortunately. I thought he had a scholarship and moved away.” She stepped into her room, pulling a rolling box of supplies behind her.

“Blew out his knee.” Susan followed her. She stopped in front of Shiloh and tilted her head. “Will you be okay?”

“I hope so. He’s already bothering me. I shouldn’t have come back.” Feeling as if she’d said too much, she occupied herself with unpacking the box.

“I believed you,” the other woman said softly. “Duke did the same to me. You were the only one brave enough to say anything.”

“Really?” She stiffened. “The two of you dated for a long time. King and queen on the football field once upon a time.” At least until Duke had turned his attention to Shiloh.

“We broke up because of him forcing himself on me after the homecoming dance. I told him if he didn’t leave me alone, I’d tell everyone what he did.” Her eyes shimmered. “The town would have believed me, too.”

“Yes.” Sweet, pretty, perfect Susan would’ve been believed.

She wrapped Shiloh in a hug before she could pull back. “Let’s be friends. Leave the past where it belongs. You let me know if Duke gets to be too much. I’ll sic the sheriff on him.”

Shiloh laughed. “I bet you would.” She relaxed and returned the hug. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

After unpacking, she headed to the playground where her students would be lined up and waiting. A little girl in front held a sign that read,Ms. Sloan.

“Hi, Shiloh.” Rachel waved frantically as her class filed into the building.

Her teacher shook her head and put a finger to her lips. “It’s Ms. Shiloh to you, young lady. At least at school.” She tossed Shiloh a smile and ushered her students inside.

“Good morning, class. Follow me, please. I’m sure this will be an exciting year for all of us.” Although she’d already had enough excitement since arriving in town considering the flat tire and Duke’s forceful attention.

The class spent the first half of the day going over class rules and getting to know not only Shiloh, but each other. At lunchtime, she escorted them to the cafeteria, then took her lunch to the teacher’s lounge.

Susan and one other woman sat at a table. Two other tables sat empty. Shiloh chose a seat across from the other fifth-grade teacher. “I’m Shiloh Sloan.”

“I know who you are.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m Melinda Larson. Duke is my cousin.”

Great. Rather than respond, Shiloh opened her lunch box and pulled out leftovers from the night before—Chinese food Rowan brought over.

“That’s a long time ago, Melinda.” Susan narrowed her eyes. “You know very well how Duke is. We women have to stick together.”

Shiloh widened her eyes. If something had happened to Melinda, then why had she looked at Shiloh as if she had leprosy?

“Hello, ladies.” The principal, Mr. White, joined them. “Hope you don’t mind. The only teacher I don’t know very well is Ms. Sloan.”

“Not at all.” Melinda smiled his way, batting her lashes.

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