How did I not see this coming?
I knew my grades were slipping, but not
like this! This is a disaster. A free fall.
I barely made it through.
Meanwhile, Jackson’s grades have actually
improved, which makes him eager to
show Mom his report. That prompts her to ask
about mine, which I’d hoped she
might not think of until
it was misplaced somewhere.
Like in a shredder.
I brace myself for the big freak-out. As expected,
her eyebrows shoot up, then come together in a frown.
But when she looks at me, there’s no anger. No
yelling, no hands on hips—nothing.
Instead, she lets out a small, sad sigh and says she
understands and she knows I’ll get back
on track in the fall and in the meantime
I shouldn’t beat myself up.
It is like I’ve moved to an alternate universe.