| Chapter Twenty-Five The Meeting |
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Wendy�s heart raced as she and her father entered the cafeteria. The noise seemed to die down and she felt like all eyes were on her. As if the entire school knew about her and Ricky being found inside the upstairs linen closet and About her punishment. Wendy squeezed her fathers hand and stepped closer to him as if all eyes had snatched her up and whisked her around the room in judgment and ridicule. Mark seated Wendy between himself and Patricia at a nearby table. Patricia smiled and gave Wendy a quick hug. �Good evening Wendy.� �Good evening.� Wendy replied. She turned and watched her father walk away from the table. When she caught eyes starring at her, she quickly turned and buried her head in Patricia�s shoulder. Wendy didn�t know why, but she suddenly didn�t feel so comfortable being in the cafeteria and wished she could eat supper in her room. She stuck her hand inside her pocket and touched Ricky�s note. Her stomach settled a bit when Mark returned with a plate of food. I�ll just pretend no one is here but me, Daddy and Patricia. Wendy looked at the plate of food, then picked up her fork. As the food touched her lips, and the noise of the cafeteria returned to it�s level, she began to feel a little better. She sat quiet as the adults around her made small conversations that didn�t much interest her. She just wanted supper to be over so she could see Ricky again and know for herself that he was fine. Wendy took a few more bites of food, sat her fork down beside her plate and placed her hands in her lap. Her thoughts drifted but soon caught Marks eye. �Eat the rest of your supper Wendy.� �What?� �Your plate still has food on it.� Mark reminded. �I don�t think I can eat anymore.� Mark sat his fork down and placed his hand under Wendy�s chin. �I gave you very little food and you will not waste it. Do you understand?� Wendy�s lips quivered at Marks scolding voice. �Yes sir. I understand,� Wendy picked up the fork and took another bite of her cold mashed potatoes. Though Mark returned to his conversation, she knew he would be watching. She knew now would not be a time to disobey her father. When she scraped the last morsel of food from her plate, most of the others had left the cafeteria. Mark had left the table as well and was talking to Mr. Stein by the exit door. Ricky wasn�t with him. Wendy glanced at her father, then quickly looked around the room. Ricky was no where. Wendy sat and waited for her father to return and give her permission to leave the table. When Mark noticed Wendy looking around, he knew she was finished. The two men shook hands and parted. When Mr. Stein turned away, Wendy saw him. Ricky had been behind Mr. Stein the entire time. Turned away from the adults and kept out of Wendy�s view. Mr. Stein had placed Ricky in the corner while the two adults talked. He had kept Ricky from her view on purpose. Wendy hated Mr. Stein more than anything. �You may turn your plate in now.� her father ordered. Wendy stood up and pushed in her chair. She took her plate to the washing window and handed it to the lady before turning to her father. �Are we having our meeting now?� she asked. �Not tonight sweetheart.� Wendy felt as if she were going to cry. She had been so close, but yet so far from him. She had been told there would be a meeting. Now there wasn�t. going to be. Wendy looked down to the floor. Mark reached up and lifted her chin. �I know you were looking forward to it. I wanted to get things solved as well, but young Ricky has gotten himself into a bit of trouble and Mr. Stein decided as a punishment for his behavior, he has cancelled the meeting until tomorrow evening.� �He�s not going to whip him is he?" �No sweetie. Not this time.� His attitude has been one of non cooperation and disrespect,, but his punishment will not be a physical one.� Wendy wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him. �You young lady, are free to go. Go visit with whomever you wish. You have a couple hours and then it�s back to your room by nine. Wendy smiled, hugged Mark again and ran off down the hall. Wendy played with Nadia and Sarah. She pushed them outside on the swings and as bedtime approached, she gave the girls a bath. She read to them and tucked them into bed. As she departed, the clock in the hall said 9:15. She rushed down the hall but when she entered, her father sat at the table. �Wendy stopped just inside the door. �I can explain!� She cried. "Would you come here please.!� Wendy closed the door behind her and approached with caution. She knew her father had specifically instructed her to be in bed by nine. She knew she had disobeyed. Wendy stood in front of Mark and waited. She followed with her eyes as he stood. Wendy shivered and waited for her father to reach for his buckle. Instead she felt the comfort of his arms wrap around her. �You�re the best big sister in the whole world. Did I ever tell you that?� Wendy rested her head on his chest and shook her head no. �Well you are, and though I told you to be in bed by nine. Jessica told me about the baths and the stories. I know from experience how those two can keep you up late. I know it wasn�t intentional and you need not worry.� Wendy turned her head to the side and looked up. �Thank you Daddy.� Wendy hopped into bed and snuggled under the covers. Mark tucked her in, kissed the top of her head and turned out the light. �Good night Girls.� �Night Daddy.� Wendy woke with the sun, Made her bed and took a quick shower. By the time she made it down for breakfast, the cafeteria had already began to fill. Wendy looked around and found Alex.. They chatted about everything they could think of while they stood in line. As she stood moved along, David came up and hugged her. Told her how much she had been missed, then took his place at the end of the line. Several of her brothers and sisters did the same while she made her way toward the line of food. Wendy and Alex chatted all the way through receiving their food and all the way to a table in the far corner of the room. Just as Wendy took a seat, she felt a hand on her shoulder. �I assume that is your breakfast? �Yes sir.� �I will allow you to sit and eat with Alex and the others but. you may not speak with Ricky. Understand?� �Yes sir.� Mark raised his brow at Wendy. �I won�t Daddy. I promise.� �Very well then.� Mark turned and joined his own group for breakfast. Wendy sat and visited with the other kids around her table. When some asked her about the spanking, Wendy told them it wasn�t their concern.� Alex quickly nudged Wendy as she took a bite of her eggs. �Look Wendy!� Wendy looked up just as Mr. Stein entered the cafeteria with Ricky beside him. �I wonder how long Mr. Stein is gonna make Ricky stay that close to him?� Alex asked. Wendy watched as they came closer. When Ricky and Mr. Stein walked past, he pulled Ricky to the other side and blocked her view. Ricky knew better than to look around Mr. Stein. �I hate him!� Wendy shouted after Ricky and Mr. stein had gotten out of hearing range. When lunch came around Wendy asked her father if she and Alex could take their lunch and eat it under the big oak around the side of the building. Though she wished to see Ricky, she didn�t want to see Mr. Stein. After lunch, Wendy took Alex to Miracle Hill to show her the view. Being inside with Ricky so close and knowing she couldn�t speak to him hurt to much. The girls spent most of the afternoon hiking on trails. When the school came into view, Wendy decided she didn�t want to go back just yet. Wendy and Alex went to the church instead. �Why did we come in here?� Alex asked. �It�s quiet here and I can think.� Alex stood by the very last pew and watched Wendy walk past the rows of benches. Wendy went to the front and took a seat. Alex felt funny about being in the church when it wasn�t Wednesday evening service or Sunday mornings. She didn�t much like being in church at all and she couldn�t understand why Wendy had wanted to come. Finally Wendy stood and Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Only Wendy didn�t come. Instead Wendy approached the steps that led to where the minister stood on Wednesday and Sunday. She knelt down on the steps, interlocked her tiny fingers and bowed her head. Alex rolled her eyes, waved her hands in the air and left the church. �That girl has plain lost her marbles. She�s hopeless.� Alex took a seat on the steps, placed her elbows on her knees and plopped her chin onto her hands. �That girl better not take all night!� Several minutes passed and Alex became restless. She had counted the holes in the tops of her Mary-Janes enough to make her dizzy. She glanced over to the school and noticed many of the children running toward the school. Alex knew supper must be ready. Alex jumped up and went back into the church. �I don�t know what you�re praying about, but supper is ready and I particularly don�t want a spanking before bed because I missed supper.� Wendy stayed silent for a couple more minutes, then stood. All the way back to the church Wendy stayed quiet. Alex wanted to ask her why they had gone to the church and what she needed to pray about, but she had a pretty good idea. She loved Wendy and though she didn�t like church or believe, she hoped all Wendy�s prayers would come true. When the girls entered the cafeteria, the line for food still went half way down the center of the room. The girls hoped they hadn�t been missed as they took a place at the end of the line. As soon as they filled their plates, they found their friends and enjoyed their supper. As the cafeteria emptied, Mark approached. �Hi Daddy.� Are you finished with you supper Wendy?� �Yes sir.� It�s time to go then,� he stated. Wendy dumped her tray and joined her father at the entrance of the cafeteria. They walked through the halls, weaving in and out of children as they stood and visited. Wendy followed Mark to the door of the library. �Is the meeting in here?� she asked. Mark nodded and reached for the knob. Wendy walked through the door and quickly surveyed the room. At the far end, she could see Ricky sitting at a table next to Mr. Stein. Seated at the end of the table was Mr. Parker. Wendy�s tummy turned into a knot. She hoped her supper would mind itself and stay put. "Daddy!� she said barely above a whisper. "I�m scared." Mark took Wendy�s hand and led her through the rows of tables toward the back of the library. Wendy glanced at Ricky. His head bowed to the top of the table. Her heart grew heavy with sorrow to see him this way. Mr. Parker looked over the rim of his glasses. �Have a seat young lady!� Wendy snapped her head toward Mr. Parker. His face held sullen disapproval. Wendy turned and looked at her father. He had already taken a seat. Wendy quickly sat down, then folded her hands and placed them on her lap. Wendy starred at the table top. Mr. Parker shuffled the papers lying before him, then cleared his throat. �The rules of Barrington Hall are very clearly defined. When they are broken by a deliberate act of disobedience, the transgressor should expect nothing less than to be caught and dealt with accordingly.� Mr. Parker stood from his chair. �Stand up young lady!� Wendy snapped her head around, then quickly stood. Unsure just what Mr. Parkers intentions were, Ricky looked up and waited. It was all he could do to stay seated and not leap to Wendy�s rescue. �What is a transgressor young lady?� Wendy clutched onto the side of her jumper to keep her hands from shaking. It didn�t help steady her voice any as she spoke. �Someone who goes beyond the limits set for them.� she replied. �I suggest you look at me when I�m speaking to you. Wendy turned her face up and looked into Mr. Parkers scolding eyes. Is that what you did young lady? �Yes sir.� �Did you think you wouldn�t be caught?� �I was hoping we wouldn�t.� Mr. Parker took his eyes from Wendy and cast them to Ricky. �Stand up young man!� Ricky stood, took a step toward Mr. Parker and folded his hands behind his back. �Young Man! She was hoping you wouldn�t get caught. Wendy isn�t a criminal yet she is thinking like one. For isn�t that the way a criminal thinks? That they won�t ever get caught? Yet that is why they are criminals, because they always get caught?" �No sir. She just said she hoped we wouldn�t get caught, not that we never would.� �Are your hands comfortable behind your back young man?� Shocked at such a statement, Ricky took his hands to his side. �No sir. Not anymore.� Mr. Parker reached over and lifted Wendy�s chin. �Wendy, you can thank your father for speaking on your behalf to me. It was he that saved your bottom from my strap this time. Time will tell if you truly learned your lesson in this matter. You may sit down now!� Wendy quickly planted herself back into her chair. She kept her eye on Mr. Parker, for Ricky still stood at his mercy. �You weren�t so lucky were you young man?� Risky spoke quietly. �No sir. I wasn�t.� �My strap stayed with you for days didn�t it? Ricky glanced over to Wendy. He didn�t want her to know. �yes. I felt it for days after sir.� Mr. Parker pointed for Ricky to sit, then Mr. Parker took his seat. �Kevin,� Mr. Parker looked at Wendy. �I mean Mr. Stein, Mr. Johnson, and myself sat down and discussed this whole situation and we have come up with what we think is a more than fair compromise. We have written up a contract for the two of you to sign. The contract isn�t negotiable and it will not be disobeyed. If either of you break the contract, the consequence will be Young Ricky�s removal from this institution.� Ricky�s eyes widened and Wendy sucked in a deep breathe followed by quivering lips. Mr. Parker slipped each of them a copy of the contract. Wendy didn�t want to look at it. She knew already what it said. That she and Ricky couldn�t ever speak again. Looking at him in the cafeteria and in class would be worse than not seeing him at all. Wendy stared at the paper, then burst into tears. Ricky had already read the first few sentences when Wendy broke down. �Wendy! Wendy don�t cry. Read it!� Ricky pleaded. Wendy wiped her tears and stared at the paper. She read the first couple lines then looked at Ricky. The paper was giving them permission to be friends. Wendy wiped her tears and continued to read. They could sit together at meals as long as they weren�t being punished for some other trouble. They could study together and hang out. So far the only thing Ricky found on the contract that would cause him to be removed from Barrington would be if he snuck into the girls dorm or if they were caught in any closets together. The contract was giving them permission to like each other. Ricky and Wendy looked at Mr. Parker. He was smiling. Mark and Kevin were smiling too. Mark could see the puzzled look on the childrens faces. �Wendy do you still have the note Ricky gave you?� Wendy nodded, then reached into her pocket. Mark took the note and opened it. �We all read this note. We do understand just how special you are to this young man, still you two are too young to date. Richard! You may hold my daughters hand, but she is too young to be kissed. Do you understand me!� �Yes sir. I understand. No more kissing.� �It�s listed right here on page two. Though It won�t get you removed from school, It most definitely will get Wendy a trip across my knee. You will watch her take her spanking. I know you don�t want that, so obey it!� �And if I find out you did! I�ll whip you soundly young man! Ricky turned to Mr. Stein and shook his head. �I won�t. Don�t worry. Ricky picked up a pen and scribbled his name on the bottom. He handed Wendy the pen. She signed her name and smiled at her father. �We will be watching the two of you so I suggest you two establish a friendship of some sort and keep the romance on hold until you reach the age of sixteen. Understood?� Mr. Parker asked. �I love her, but I do understand we are too young. I, we will obey the rules you�ve set for us. Won�t we Wendy?� Wendy looked at Ricky. She knew he meant it. She looked at Mr. Parker and nodded. Then she looked at Ricky again. Though she tried not to show it, her heart danced with joy. |