Chapter Three – Time To Face The Music

“Auntie, what am I going to do?”  Jeanette groaned as she washed apples at the sink in the spacious kitchen. The children were taking their afternoon nap and would be awake shortly, looking forward to their snack.

Gloria Phillips shrugged. “Baby, there’s nothing for you to do but wait for the owner to contact you.” The elderly woman cut her eyes at Jeanette. “I wish you would stop working yourself to death.”

She appreciated her niece’s willingness to work an extra job to bring in additional money to help with expenses. However, having Jeanette safe and in one piece was what she cared about the most. Gloria wasn’t a betting woman, but if she were, she’d bet Jeanette’s lack of sleep was the reason she’d crashed into a parked car.

Jeanette placed the washed fruit in a bowl. “We need the money, Auntie,” she reminded Gloria as she dried each piece with a paper towel.

Earlier that morning the bathroom sink had begun to leak. She’d tried tightening it with a wrench which didn’t help. Her quick-fix solution was to put a bucket under the pipe and wrap electrical tape around it before calling Skip, the neighborhood handyman. It was just her luck Skip was at a family funeral and wouldn’t be able to stop by until tomorrow afternoon. The handyman never charged more than fifty bucks to fix a simple repair. But it was cash Jeanette couldn’t spare with her student loan due at the end of the month.

“The Lord will make a way. You just have to trust Him,” Gloria encouraged as she placed a dozen yellow, plastic tumblers on the counter.

Jeanette inhaled a deep breath. “Yeah, Auntie, I know.”

But she really didn’t know. It sure didn’t feel like the Lord was going to come through. All Jeanette saw coming through were bills, bills, and more bills. And everything was going up. A notice from the city came in the mail today notifying Gloria the property taxes would be increased in January.

“He will. Just watch and see,” Gloria predicted as she opened the cupboard reaching for a box of animal crackers. She frowned when she shook the box. There was barely enough for the afternoon snack.

“I thought there was more in here.”

“Nope.” Jeanette hesitated before suggesting, “Auntie, why can’t we ask the parents to bring lunch or snacks? At least for the ones who are allergic to everything and need a special diet.” Wiping another piece of fruit Jeanette grumbled, “That food is expensive.”

Gloria stubbornly shook her head. “Baby, I’m old school. I believe in educating and feeding these babies. They need good nutrition to learn. These new mothers think potato chips and juice is breakfast. Besides, some of them are struggling to pay tuition.”

Jeanette held back the scream threatening to break forth. Breakfast, lunch, and two snacks were provided to each child, five days a week. Along with a full academic program. Her aunt required her to have a weekly lesson plan designed to exceed public school standards of education. When each child moved on to first grade, whether it was to a private or public school, they had a solid foundation of the fundamentals.

As far as she was concerned the weekly tuition of one hundred seventy-five dollars was a steal. Jeanette tried to reason with her aunt that they were being underpaid for all they provided. What made Jeanette even angrier were the parents who were always behind on their payments but had the nerve to come strutting up in there dropping their child off with new designer handbags and shoes. Working at Macy’s, Jeanette knew how much that stuff cost. It certainly was more than the tuition they always seemed to be struggling to pay.

Jeanette didn’t bother to say anything as she continued to prepare the afternoon snack. Gloria was immovable and determined to run the preschool as she had decades ago. Even if it meant eventually running it into the ground.

***

Alonzo stood on the sidewalk; his eyes shielded behind aviator sunglasses from the late afternoon October sun as he looked up at the building. Tender Steps Preschool. Could this be the right address? he wondered, his gaze shifting to the faded Sesame Street characters dancing across the sparkling glass window. Alonzo glanced at the handwritten note. It was at the correct location. When he entered the school a chime went off.

The sound signaling someone had entered caused Gloria and Jeanette to stop what they were doing. Their eyes lit up, both praying for the same thing. A potential parent in search of childcare. Hopefully, the flyers Jeanette spent Saturday morning putting in mailboxes, under windshields, and at the neighborhood library caught someone’s attention.

“I’ll go see,” Gloria said, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.

Jeanette grinned, holding up both her hands with her fingers crossed.

***

Gloria’s smile was bright. “Good afternoon. Welcome to Tender Steps Preschool. How may I help you?”

She prayed again that the young man was there to inquire about enrolling a child or two. The new daycare center down the street had lured four of her students by promising two free months of tuition. As a result, Gloria had to let go of the part-time teacher’s aide leaving the burden on Jeanette.

“Yes, I’m here to speak with Jeanette Adams,” Alonzo clipped out.

Gloria’s smile faded. She didn’t care for the scowl he wore. Gloria tilted her chin. “May I ask what it’s about?”

Although he didn’t look happy, he was handsome, nonetheless. Gloria hoped he wasn’t the car owner. Because if he was, Jeanette was in big trouble. The poor child was already working like a dog. She would surely kill herself taking on another job to pay for the repairs to Mr. Grumpy’s fancy car.

“Damage she did to my car.”

After the words recklessly tumbled out of his mouth, Alonzo felt like a jackass. The expression on the woman’s face was one of pure panic. An uneasiness snaked down his spine. Maybe he’d been wrong about Jeanette Adams. Or maybe not, the cynical side of him warned.

“Give me a minute,” Gloria said, heading toward the back of the building.

In the kitchen, Gloria eased up next to her great-niece gently taking the knife she was using to slice apples. If it wasn’t for this child, Gloria didn’t know what she would do. Even though she couldn’t afford to pay Jeanette a decent salary with health benefits, the younger woman was adamant about not leaving and giving up on the school. So many times, Gloria came close to closing the doors. And each time Jeanette would be right there telling her, “Auntie, you can’t give up. What about the parents who depend on us to teach their children and keep them safe while they work?”

Yes, Jeanette was a sweet child. Gloria had taken her in after the death of her parents in a car accident. Jeanette was a toddler at the time. The childless woman had never regretted raising her only nephew’s daughter.

The two of them were like peas in a pod. Gloria was grateful Jeanette stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her, toiling day after day educating young minds. She did not take for granted that Jeanette could very well be putting her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education to use teaching elsewhere making a decent living.

Shame crept into Gloria’s bones. If it wasn’t for her, Jeanette wouldn’t be in this mess. Maybe she should have taken her niece’s suggestion and raised the tuition. It would have given them the cushion they needed for unexpected expenses. Her bullheadedness led to Jeanette working a part-time job. It was her fault Jeanette had accidentally crashed into the man’s car. And now he was here wanting compensation for damages done to his property.

“There’s a young man out front to see you.”

Oh brother. Jeanette playfully rolled her eyes. Auntie was forever trying to push her into dating someone. Anyone. Last week she had tried setting Jeanette up with the new mailman. The week before that it was the roofer who came to do a patch job.

In all honesty, Jeanette didn’t mind her aunt’s meddling in her love life—or rather, lack of a love life—because she meant no harm. Her intentions were good. Gloria was forever admonishing Jeanette that she worked too hard and should get out to meet folks her age. With that thought, Jeanette kissed her aunt’s soft cheek.

“Auntie, who did you tell to come around here this time? Let me guess, the cable man.”

“Baby, it’s not like that this time.” A bit worried, she warned, “It’s the young man whose car you hit.”

The color drained from Jeanette’s face as she swayed. “Oh, Auntie…”

“He doesn’t seem happy about it either. If he gets out of line, I want you to yell. You hear me?”

Jeanette nodded.

Gloria went over to the closet. She removed a chain kept around her neck with a key dangling from it. Slender fingers nimbly worked at unlocking the door. When she took out a pistol and slid it inside the pocket of the full skirt she wore, Jeanette let out a soft gasp. Gloria pinned her with a meaningful glare.

“Baby, I’m right here.”

“Okay, Auntie,” Jeanette mumbled, dreading every step she took.

The last time someone had gotten out of line she and her aunt spent the night being interrogated by the police.

Can’t wait until the next episode?