Page 72 of Worst Nanny Ever
“She says chitter-chatter is a waste of time,” he says into the folds of my dress.
I pull my phone out of my pocket and hand it to him. “Here, you can use that coloring app you like.”
“Thanks, Hannah,” he says, taking the phone. One of his little hands lifts again to check if the gum is still there—roger—but he steps out of the classroom without any further argument, shutting the door behind him.
“You shouldn’t allow a child unobserved access to your phone,” Mrs. Applebaum says primly.
“I trust Ollie more than ninety-nine percent of adults. Now, why are you letting him get bullied? I’m told that’s frowned upon in schools these days.”
She gapes at me. “Well, I never. If you’d bothered to ask me what happened, I would have told you that Mickey stuck gum in Ollie’s hair as retaliation after Ollie shoved him. Now, obviously neither behavior is acceptable, and both boys will be missing recess on Monday, but this is hardly a cut-and-dry case, young lady?—”
“I’m Hannah.”
“All right,MissHannah. Ollie has struggled to make friends in the classroom, and this morning’s little stunt didn’t help.”
“That was an honest mistake,” I say tightly.
“I don’t see how. The boy lied about seeing a mouse, and it caused chaos. His father didn’t so much as reprimand him.”
I don’t see the point in explaining the code word misunderstanding to her. Something tells me it wouldn’t soften her. So I settle for saying, “Maybe hedidsee a mouse.”
She gives me a withering glare. “A mouse would neverdareenter my classroom.”
“Rodents don’t pay attention to invisible territory lines.” I pause, trying to remember this severe woman might be Eugene’s secret beloved. “Did you know Mickey has been bullying Ollie? I’m guessing he said something to him.”
“I struggle to believe that.”
“Are youkiddingme?” I snap. “Did you hear about the wholeTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesthing?”
She sighs and folds her hands. “Mr. Thomas told me about it,yes. What you must realize,MissHannah, is that Ollie’s reading level and comprehension are several years ahead of the rest of his classmates. Mickey genuinely believed theTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswere real. When Ollie told him the truth and wrote down a list of facts about sewers, Mickey was embarrassed and upset.”
So the kid’s not some master manipulator, at least. He’s just a fan boy, kind of like Alice and the otherShips Ahoyobsessives. Maybe we can work with that.
“I’ll have a talk with Ollie,” I say.
I’m about to leave, but I pause, remembering that I’m supposed to be sugar-talking her for Eugene’s sake.
I check out her folded hands and don’t see a ring on her finger, but thereisan indent where a ring used to be.
“Do you have any children of your own, Mrs. Applebaum?” I ask, changing tack with an ingratiating smile.
“If that’s quite everything,MissHannah, I’ll be leaving. We’re not paid to stay overtime.”
“Oh, do you want to get back to your husband? I totally get that.”
“I’m not married,” she says. “Not anymore.”
That’s good news for Eugene, but I try to keep a neutral expression as I ask, “Was he a jerk?”
She actually smiles for half a second. “I have a policy not to discuss my personal life with any of my students’ parents or guardians.”
I lift my hands up, palms facing outward. “I get it. I was just curious.”
She makes a shooing motion with her hand. “Right now the only thing you need to be curious about is what that young man is doing on your phone.”
“Wait,” I say, desperate to make greater inroads for my new friend. “Travis told me there was a casualty after this morning’s…misunderstanding. A hedgehog pencil cup? We’d love to replace it, of course.”
Her lips flatten. “It’s irreplaceable. A colleague made it for my Secret Santa gift one year.”
