Nora looks up from some papers she was grading when she hears someone knock on the door frame of her classroom. She spots one of her students that has been failing her class standing at her door.

“What can I do for you, Mr. Thompson?”

Darin walks in and over towards Nora’s desk. He knew if he didn’t pass her class, that he would be kicked off the football team. Normally, he would get one of the smart kids in class to do his homework, but Mrs. Midnight had found out and put an end to it.

“I was wondering if your offer to help, still stood?” He felt nervous standing before Mrs. Midnight.

He couldn’t figure out why she made him nervous. Most of his classmates felt the same way with her. She was different than most teachers here at the school. It was like when she spoke, you did what she said.

“Yes, my offer still stands. However, Mr. Thompson, your grades are so bad. That you will need to get an A on all your test and turn in all your homework, until the end of the quarter. If you want me to help you with your school work, I’m normally here early in the morning and two hours after school.”

“Can’t I do a special project or something to help my grades out?”

Nora looks at him and could tell that Darin was worried about his grades. She thinks of a project he could do, that might be acceptable to improve his grades.

“I’ll tell you what. If you can put together a report showing how our government has advance or decline in the past five years. I will grade it and add the grade to your grades. You’ll need to cite all your sources and research. You’ll need to turn it in by the end of the quarter. That’s on top of bringing your grades up as well.”

Darin thinks about it. He really needed the grade, but he was lousy at reading. He found his Government class boring. He looks at Mrs. Midnight and could tell she was serious.

“How many pages does it have to be?”

“Including title page, index, and sources? Let’s say five pages long, double space. This way I can put any corrections in. So, altogether eight pages.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Midnight. I’ll be here this afternoon if that is okay?”

“I’ll be here Mr. Thompson.” Nora watches as Darin walks out of her classroom.

A few minutes later, Ginger knocks on the door frame and walks in.

“Hi, mom.”

Nora looks at her daughter. She had taken Ginger to a counselor she knew to talk about what she did a week ago. Ginger still had some nightmares, but she was doing better.

“What brings you up here? I thought you were with Williams?”

“I was. His mother invited me to go with them to the park this weekend if it is okay with you. Melody can come along if she wants too.” Ginger knew Mr. and Mrs. Morton liked Melody.

“Are you up to being around people?” Nora knew Ginger was still a little jumpy around loud noises.

Ginger looks at her mother “I’ll be fine mom.”

“Alright, you can tell Mrs. Morton that you can join them this weekend. Melody has dance class on Saturday.”

Melody had expressed interest in dancing. So, Kelly had signed Melody up with a dance studio run by a famous drag queen named Lady Bimbi. Kelly knew her from her days as a waitress at the bar.

“I didn’t know Melody liked to dance?” Ginger was surprised that Melody didn’t share it with her.

She thought they were growing close as sisters.

“She doesn’t know yet, Ginger. Kelly just heard back from Lady Bimbi a few minutes ago. She sent me an email telling me.”

“Oh, I won’t say anything, mom.”

“Thanks. So, which park are you going to with the Morton’s?”

“To the Botanic Gardens,” Ginger knew Mrs. Morton liked flowers.

“That sounds nice. Let me know what flowers are blooming and we’ll go as a family.” Nora knew Kelly loved flowers. She was already planting flower beds around the front of the house.

“I will mom and thanks.” Ginger places a kiss on Nora’s cheek and heads for her first bell class.

Nora’s first bell shows up.

She waits till everyone is seated and has taken roll. She goes and stands before the board and points towards a saying she had put up on the board.

“Alright class, what does Franklin D. Roosevelt mean by this statement?”

“Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.”

Ginger was walking into her first bell class when her teacher stops her at the door.

“What’s wrong Mrs. Sanders?”

“The clothes you are wearing today, Ms. Midnight. They are against the school code and a distraction to the male students.”

Ginger just looks at Mrs. Sanders like she was nuts.

“Are you serious? Do you think my mother would let me walk out of the house looking like a slut? Think about my last name?”

“Your mother isn’t the teacher of this classroom, I am. I interrupt what the dress code is.”

“Just because you interrupt it, doesn’t mean you are right, first off. Secondly, by insulting me. You're insulting my mother and she’s one woman you don’t want to insult. I think maybe I should go and get her. Excuse me please.” Ginger turns around and walks back down to Nora’s
classroom. She knocks on the door.

Nora hears the knock and spots Ginger standing on the other side.

“Excuse me, class.” Nora walks over and steps outside her classroom.

“What’s wrong, Ginger.”

“Mrs. Sanders said what I am wearing is a distraction to the boys in my class and against the school’s dress code.”

Nora steps back and couldn’t see anything wrong with the way Ginger was dressed. She knew Mrs. Sanders was an old fashion type of teacher.

“Go to the office and get Vice Principle Bones please.” Nora makes sure to give Ginger a hall pass, so she doesn’t get in trouble.

Vice Principle Bones was talking to a student who had arrived late to school when Ginger walks up to him. She waits till he writes a hall pass for the student, before approaching him.

“Hi Ginger, what can I do for you?” VP Bones had spotted Ginger waiting for him.

“Mrs. Midnight sent me to get you Mr. Bones.”

“Did your mother say why, Ginger?” He knew Nora could handle any problems that might come up.

He wonders why she needed him. He follows Ginger back to Nora’s classroom. As she got closer to the door, he could hear Mrs. Midnight teaching her class. Ginger knocks gently to get her mother’s attention.

Nora spots her daughter and VP Bones.

“Class, your assignment and homework are up here on the board.” Nora steps outside in the hallway.

“What’s the problem, Nora?” VP Bones was curious.

“You’ll find out in a few minutes, Mr. Bones.” Nora walks down to Mrs. Sanders classroom and doesn’t even bother to knock before entering.

Mrs. Sander was in the middle of talking to her class when she noticed her door open and Mrs. Midnight comes walking in. She also notices that Nora wasn’t in a pleasant mood either.

“How dare you come in my classroom, so rudely.” Mrs. Sanders stood looking at Nora with an angry look on her face.

“I have yet to be rude to you, Mrs. Sanders. Now, tell your students what they need to read and do and step out in the hallway please.”

“You can’t tell me what to do Mrs. Midnight in my own classroom.”

Bones heard the tone of voice from Mrs. Sanders. He steps into the classroom “I think you should do what Mrs. Midnight suggest, Mrs. Sanders.”

Mrs. Sanders looks at VP Bones. She didn’t know he was outside in the hallway. She looks at her class “read chapters 9 & 12 and answer the questions on page 35.

Mrs. Sanders steps out into the hallway and shuts the door behind her. She cast a death glare at Ginger.

“She’s not the one you have to worry about Mrs. Sanders. It’s me. “Nora slipped back into her agent personality.

“Now, why don’t you ladies explain to me what is going on?” VP Bones looks towards Nora and Mrs. Sanders.

“Mrs. Sanders said that the clothes I am wearing are a distraction to the male students around here, Mr. Bones. I told her my mother would never let me out of the house looking like a slut.”

Ginger looks at Mrs. Sanders when she says that.

Mr. Bones looks at what ginger had on and there was nothing that was breaking the school's dress code or would cause a distraction to male students.

“Then she came down to me and told me what Mrs. Sanders had said. I told her to go and get you Mr. Bones. That way no one could say I’m favoring my daughter.” Nora looks at Mrs. Sanders.

If looks could kill, Mrs. Sanders would be dead. Nora knew that this wasn’t the first time she had picked on a female student about the way they were dressed. She knew Principle Kramer had spoken to her a few times.

“Now, Mrs. Sanders. What part of Ginger’s outfit causes distractions to young boys or goes against the school dress code?”

Nora looks at her daughter.

“She’s not wearing a bra.” Mrs. Sanders couldn’t see any bra straps.

“Ginger, step over here to me please.”

Ginger does as her mother request.

Nora lifts one corner on Ginger’s blouse, so she could see only.

“I think your wrong Mrs. Sanders. Ginger is wearing one of her favorite bras, would you like to check?” Nora looks at Mrs. Sanders for an answer.

Mrs. Sanders just ignores Nora’s request.

“Are you questioning my judgment?”

“In this matter, I am. I think maybe you should consider retiring.” Nora felt that it was time for Mrs. Sanders to retire before a lawsuit was brought against the school.

“I have to agree with Mrs. Midnight's judgment here, Judy. Maybe it’s time for you to submit your paperwork for retirement.”

“Fine, I will.”

“Oh, one more thing as well, Mrs. Sanders. You’ll mark my daughter as present and give her the school work you caused her to miss as well.”

Mr. Bones just smile as he listens to Nora boss around Mrs. Sanders. Maybe Nora should think about running for city school Board. He’ll have to suggest it to her next time she has lunch with him and Principle Kramer.

The school bell rings letting students know that class has ended and to go to their next class.

“I’ll be in the office if either of you two needs me.” Mr. Bones heads towards the front office.

Ginger heads to her next class.

Nora gives Mrs. Sanders a look before heading back to her classroom.