Free Daffodils in Spring by Pamela Morsi

gave no indication, just a wide grin of pleasure at having run into her.
    â€œHave I discovered the truth about you, Mr. Landry?” she asked. “Are you one of those principals that hang out in the teachers’ lounge?”
    â€œNot really. And none of my teachers get much lounging time.”
    â€œBut you’re here now.”
    â€œLooking for you,” he admitted. “I thought you might be hanging out here while the book group is in session.”
    â€œActually Jazleen sent me in this direction,” Calla told him. “She saw you headed this way.”
    Landry grinned. “I like that girl more and more,” he said, chuckling. “I wanted to give you a tour of our school.”
    â€œGreat.”
    â€œThe teachers’ lounge here is about what you’d expect,” he said, opening the door wide enough to peek in. “A coffeepot and a refrigerator. Not the complete comforts of home, but it works. And you are welcome to hang out here anytime.”
    â€œThanks.”
    They began walking down the hallway. He kept his voice low so they wouldn’t disturb any classes in session.
    â€œWe have eighty-six students currently enrolled,” he said. “Ten teachers, six full-time and four part-time. We’ve got a staff of three, a few volunteers and a dozen trained mentors that are here on a regular basis.”
    â€œThat seems like a lot of people for so few students.”
    â€œIt’s a ten-to-one ratio, which is much better than a typical school,” Landry said. “But many of our students have been in our educational system for years without spending ten minutes with a teacher, so I figure it all evens out.”
    He showed her an empty classroom that had only a half-dozen desks.
    â€œWe do both day and night classes,” he said. “We try to accommodate varied schedules, so all the classes are small.”
    Calla nodded.
    â€œOn the first floor we have our Family First program,” he said. “Right now we’re just providing child care for our students when they’re in class. We’re hoping to start up some regular parenting classes not only for our students and alumni, but for all the young parents in the neighborhood.”
    â€œWow,” Calla said.
    â€œOur students face a lot of obstacles to education,” Landry said. “We try to figure out what they are and deal with them as effectively as we can.”
    The tour included a tiny but up-to-date computer lab, the half-dozen shelves that made up the school’s lending library, and a former loading dock that had been turned into an experimental theater.
    â€œOur students are from a media generation. They write the plays, perform the plays, provide the music and even capture it all on film.”
    Calla couldn’t help but be impressed. “Jazleen is going to love it here,” she said. “I’m beginning to think this is where Nathan should have gone.”
    Landry shook his head. “Nathan is a lucky guy. He’s smart, motivated and he had parents that had an eye to the future. He was going to flourish no matter what the educational element. Our students need a little more help to get them on to a more level playing field.”
    In the stairwell, Landry took her hand. “Are you saving your Saturday night for me?”
    She nodded.
    â€œGood, can I have Friday night and all of Sunday, too?”
    â€œYou’re going to get very tired of me,” she warned.
    He shook his head. “I can’t help myself. You’re like hard liquor, completely intoxicating and very addictive.”
    By the time he took his leave they were back on the second floor in front of the study hall. The ninety-minute book club meeting was ending. Calla waited for the first few girls to leave before she made her way inside.
    She spotted Jazleen immediately. A large girl, heavily pregnant, was talking to her. Jazleen’s face was completely