"Morning!" Mary arrives downstairs and greets the couple already in the kitchen. Gloria bends the newspaper and looks over it to her. Jed roasts some bacon and eggs on a pan; a delicious smell wafts from his direction.
"How's Floret?" Gloria yawns and asks as Mary joins her at the table. She should be used to this early rhythm, but 6 a.m. is just way too early for anyone to wake.
"Sleeping like a log, as usual. Anything... in the paper?" Mary's usual smile twists in trepidation.
"Seems like we're in the clear, for now at least."
"Maybe everyone was just traumatized, and you'll have a big queue for therapy today," Jed jokes to a dead silent audience.
After too long of a silence, Mary courtly responds something at least.
"Maybe..."
"Don't distract yourself too much from your cooking..."
Gloria folds the newspaper and gestures for Mary to lean over the table with her, whispering very quietly:
"I checked today's classes and their attendees. Our two targets have-"
"What are you gals whispering on about?" Jed quips and slides bacon and eggs onto plates, distributing them evenly for three.
"Oh, just how I was certain your cooking would be a success, ye Gloria of little faith." Mary backs out of their secret meeting and chuckles.
"Right, who knows, maybe this is a new start, another attempt at climbing up from the bottom that was yesterday."
"Ouch, I'll reopen Sweet Honey someday yet, even if I have to do all the cooking! My mind still hasn't changed."
"Right, sorry. Hate to sound like a broken record, but maybe you should get some professional help; a cooking class or even just our university's cooking club would be a start."
Mary covertly grabs the salt and pepper shakers from the middle of the table, sprinkling some on her unseasoned bacon.
"Would I actually be allowed at the cooking club?"
"Oh, um- maybe, what do you think, Mary, who's the club president even?" Mary deals the seasoning under the table to Gloria as Jed shifts his attention to her.
"Hmm, let me think... I'm not actually sure," Mary gestures towards Jed with bacon on her fork. "But we can find out and ask today?"
"Well, either way, that'd be great, thanks." Jed smiles, seeming genuinely happy, wolfing down his own cooking.
"Alright, don't forget to wake Floret in time for her swimming club," Gloria remarks after she has seasoned her food and returns the glass shakers to their place.
"Of course I won't!" Jed grins as he pours honey onto his bacon from a big jug.
***
Gloria and Mary leave the apartment to be on time at the school, as the faculty is supposed to. "Are you going to wear that all day?" Gloria observes her scruffy sweater, a bit worse for wear and stained from yesterday.
"I've got a few pairs, differently colored though, stashed up at the school."
I have to remember to pick up Floret's washed clothes, too.
"
How prudent of you." Gloria adjusts her jacket and zips it up; the morning was misty and colder than usual. So she opted to wear loose jeans and a blouse instead of a dress. However, she might get sweaty in them when the day warmed up again.
"Well, anyway..." Gloria glances behind to see nobody else around on the streets. "Back to what I tried to tell earlier about Sarah and Emily. Thankfully, they failed this year's math course, so they have a refresher today."
"I see what you're insinuating. Let's hope they can pass it without attending." Mary smiles devilishly.
"Uh, what were you thinking of doing to them? I know we need to get the... insects out of them, but..."
"Me? Gloria, you'll help me too, won't you? You don't have any classes in the morning, right?"
"Oh, not yet, no..."
"Perfect! Now, which classroom did they have math at? I have a plan."
***
An hour and a half later, Mary and Gloria gather to covertly stake out Classroom 3B, as inconspicuous as two teachers can be in a university.
"Hi, Gloria."
"Morning, Mallory." Another student passed them, yet again greeting one of them.
It's been half an hour since they sat on the bench to wait. Maybe they were too optimistic, hoping the two troublemakers would show up early for class.
Gloria crosses her legs and looks around nervously. It was just a minute till eight, till the class started.
Mary got up, peeked inside the classroom, and returned to her. "We didn't miss them. They just aren't here..."
"I don't like this..."
Joline appeared and sauntered past them, "Morning," the math teacher said to Mary as she passed, whisking her long hair with her hand and looking away as she passed Gloria. She closes the door to class behind her.
"She doesn't like you, does she?" Mary asks, surprised.
"That's math teachers for you. They turn their noses at biology for whatever reason," Gloria shrugged. "Well, what now? Our two pupils are missing."
"Can you stay here just in case they show up late? I'll start searching around the school."
"Sounds good, I'll just... sit here." Gloria folds her arms. "Good luck."
Mary gets up and heads towards the recreational room. Maybe they were skipping class there. She walks down the long corridor, turns a corner, and almost collides with the principal.
"Woah!" He manages to stop just before the hurrying nurse. "Mary, just who I wanted to see." He adjusts his broad black-rimmed glasses higher on his elderly face. Some wrinkles always stuck on his brow, but the vigor of life still shone bright in the rest of his features.
"Oh, good morning, Headmaster Thorndal," Mary grabs and runs the hem of her yellow sweater with her hand, as voluptuous and skin-tight as her blue one. "What can I help you with?"
"I know it's not my place to ask, but... I can't help but be curious. Just tell me if I'm overstepping."
"Uh- sure, ask away?"
"Was Clover doing alright? Did you have a disagreement or something? Maybe something in his personal life?"
"What? N-not that I know of, why?"
"Do you not know? He gave me his two weeks' notice yesterday and seemed to be in a hurry too, papers pre-filled and everything."
"What? He did? No, I had no idea..."
"He then applied to use the rest of his vacation time immediately, so he won't show up for work until his contract's over."
Did it really scare him so badly? I thought he had treated Insectus Infectus himself.
...
Was he just a big liar?
"Don't worry, Mary, I'll try to look for a replacement as soon as possible. Hopefully, your workload won't spiral out of control in the meantime."
"I... appreciate it." With a dejected look, Mary continues: "If you'll excuse me... this was all so very sudden."
"Oh, of course. Hang in there," the headmaster gives her an encouraging pat on the shoulder as he walks past her.
Mary erases the fake look of sadness and hurries to find the ticking birth-bombs before something happens that terminates her contract, too.
***
Gloria clacks the wooden bench with her longer-than-average, natural nails, slumping on the long bench and leaning on the wall. The corkboard, just at head-level due to her height, made it uncomfortable to rest against. On the board all sorts of scribbles and paintings from the art club and art classes; most of the school's walls were littered with them.
She sighs and looks at the wood-lined ceiling. She could have been sipping coffee, chatting to her colleagues, or preparing for her class in the teacher's room. Doing anything, than wait around.
Those brats just couldn't do as they were told...
The silence is broken by a set of steps. The principal's bald, tall figure appears from the direction where Mary went.
Gloria jumps to attention, straightening her back and posture immediately.
He spots her and approaches, in his chest pocket, a different flower adorning it each week. This time, it was a blooming blue balloon flower, a five-petaled, gorgeous perennial. Named after its spherical bud, though in her opinion, it looked more like an eggplant than a balloon when closed. "Gloria? What are you doing here sitting in an empty corridor?"
"Oh, um... Morning to you, too, Thorndal. Did you happen to meet Mary?"
"Yes, why?"
"Did she say anything? I spotted her sitting here earlier; apparently, a student missed an appointment time. So, I- I'm helping her track her down."
"Oh, she didn't say anything like that, but I guess that's understandable..." He thoughtfully grasps his broad and well-formed chin before his face softens. "I'm sure Mary appreciates the support, especially given the situation she's in now herself."
"Y-yeah..."
What is he talking about?
"Oh, but can I help? Who are you looking for?"
"Oh, that... that's a... confidential, patient confidentiality, you know. Plus, uh, women's business." Gloria grins awkwardly, "I'm sure you know how it is."
Seeming a little perturbed, he seems to understand the issue, however. "Right, I wish you luck. Just let me know if you need any help. I hope it's nothing serious."
"Thanks, I will."
Gloria sighs with relief as the well-dressed gentleman of a principal walks away. He was a little too helpful sometimes; at least, he seemed none the wiser to what was really happening. Thorndal's gentle understanding only lasted for as long as the peace did. His lectures and temperament were legendary; just don't get on his bad side, and he's the best employer a teacher could ask for.
