I know it’s sexist, but I never saw a male kindergarten teacher coming. “Yup! I’m Hailey Eileen Scott.”
Mr. Burke grins at her and holds his hand out, leaning down so they’re eye level. “Well, it’s great to meet you, Miss Hailey.” She giggles, but her eyes are scoping out the classroom and not her new teacher. Unlike her father, who cannot make himself look away. He’s still crouched down at her eye level although he’s released her hand. “How would you like to play with some of the cool toys we have here while I talk to your dad about boring stuff?”
“Yes!” She bounces off, not needing another invitation.
Mr. Burke directs me to a small table and two ridiculously small chairs. “Sit?”
I stare at the chair. “You kidding?”
He chuckles. “I promise, a chair has never given way on me. You’ll be fine.” He takes a seat in one of the tiny chairs, and I shrug, taking a seat across from him.
He pulls out a folder full of papers with Hailey’s name on it and starts going over some of the basics, mostly a mission statement for the year.
“So, this will be her first year in school?”
I nod. “Yeah. She was with my aunt last year. I didn’t think she’d need preschool.” I grip the back of my neck, suddenly embarrassed that I let my kid down or something.
“Not a problem.” He doesn’t seem to be judging me.
“She’s really smart.” I have no idea why I feel the need to defend my decisions. “And I uh, worked nights. So I wouldn’t have seen her at all.”
Those brown eyes meet mine with curiosity but again, no judgment. “Makes sense.” He looks down at the papers in front of him. “And will she be riding the bus? Or will you be dropping off and picking up?”
“The bus in the morning. My aunt’s friend, well, her daughter—she’s going to be putting Hailey on the bus for me because I go to work at five, but I’ll be there to pick her up every afternoon.”
He nods, and I wish I could just shut up. I’ve never had a problem with being quiet before, but something about him unsettles me. Like I need to defend myself. “That’s perfectly fine. I just need to know so I don’t put her on the bus in the afternoon.”
“I’ll be here.” I give him the clipped answer and feel like a dick. That part, I’m used to. Most people assume I’m an asshole from the get-go, and I suppose I can be one.
“Can I ask about her mother?”
My body stiffens. My eyes immediately go to Hailey, who is playing happily across the room.
Every instinct inside me is saying no.
But I know that he’s only asking because he’s going to be her teacher. He should know her background.
No matter how painful.
* * *