A warm Southern greeting.

Behind the counter when Spencer entered was an attractive older blonde woman, the school seemingly doing its very best to hire and keep attractive women working there. Abigail Hall had worked at the school for a number of years now. Spencer knew her by her strong Georgian accent from whenever he had rung the school. She’d married a man in town and came to Avonwick to live with him. She was in her mid-forties with long curled hair.

“Well good afternoon there, Sugar. What can I do for you?” Abigail greeted Spencer when he came in. Abigail preferring a standing desk to keep herself upright and active during the working day.

“I’m Spencer. Amy Askren’s Father. I was wanting to take Amy out of school a little early today if that’s possible,” Spencer said introducing himself in person for the first time.

Abigail held out his hand for Spencer to shake. Her soft hand small in Spencer’s larger palm. “And I’m Abigail but you already know that. You don’t mistake a voice like mine around here,” she said pleasantly putting Spencer at ease. “I heard about your accident yesterday. Just terrible! I hope for ok now?” Abi said questioningly.

“A little sore but I’ll be fine,” Spencer admitted. Of course, the school would know about his accident. Tony would have had to have told them yesterday to get a message to Amy then.

“Is that Spencer Askren?” A voice called out from the office adjoining the reception as the School Principle come out to see who was there.

“Miss Winters, right here,” Spencer answered back as he was joined in the foyer.

A couple of years younger than Abigail, Miss Winters looked poised and professional in black-rimmed reading glasses along with a simple red shirt and black skirt. Lightly made-up and with just a hint of tasteful jewellery, her long straight black hair done up in a modern style as she kept atop of the fashions.

“Abigail, would you call Ms Black and ask her to have Amy packed up and ready to leave when we arrive,” Mary Winters told her receptionist. “Amy has Art last period. I’ll walk you there myself.”

It was a credit to her professionalism that Principle Winters could recall off the top of her head exactly where any of her students would be in their timetable at any time.

Leading Spencer back out of the reception while Abigail placed the call through to the class phone of Ms Black in the Art department, Principle Winters started to give Spence a guided tour of the school of sorts. As they passed the school’s trophy cabinet Mary commented that she was looking forward to seeing how Amy performed for the school’s softball team in the coming season. Her knowledge of the school’s student’s running to their extracurricular activities as well.

They were most of the way to Amy’s classroom when Spencer caught site of Britney Lochlan coming the other way down the hall. It was well past lunchtime when Spencer would have expected to find her in the school canteen. Mrs Lochlan perhaps staying late to clean up or do some ordering. On seeing her Spencer groaned under his breath, thinking ‘not now’ to himself.

Principle Winter picking up on Spencer’s attitude with a raised eyebrow. “Not in the mood for Britney?”

“Is anybody really?” Spencer said hopefully disarmingly.

“We don’t have to talk to Mrs Lochlan if you like,” the School’s Head offered cryptically.

It was Spencer’s turn to raise his eyebrows.

Mary Winters pulled a bunch of keys from a retractable chain on her belt and turned to the door next to them, fitting one of them into the lock. “After you Spencer,” the Principle offered, holding open the door to the tiny room.

Unbeknown to Spencer it was the janitor’s closet he’d stepped into. The room went pitch black as Mary closed the door behind them. What little room there was taken up with the janitors’ trolley and other cleaning supplies. Spencer could feel as Mary Winters pressed herself up against him in the tight confines, the handle of a mop sticking into Spencer’s back preventing him from stepping back away from her.

“So day trips to Cherryville with Mrs Collins becoming overnight trips…,” Principle Winters pounced on Spencer when she had him trapped, teasing him.

“Ahh! Miss Winters! That was never our intention,” Spencer tried to back cover.

“Oh, it never is intended. It just… happens,” she countered.

“I can assure you I have the very real bruises to prove to you the car accident did happen!” Spencer said panicking slightly.

“Come to one of my parties and you’ll have some very real bumps and bites there too,” Mary said wistfully, forgetting who she was speaking to for a moment.

“I beg your pardon?” Spencer asked confused at the mention of any party.

“Never mind, forget about that. Tell me, Spencer, have you ever played Seven Minutes in Heaven as the kids call it?” Principle Winters asked as her hand went to Spencer’s fly and started to slide the zipper down ever so slowly.

“Mary!” Spencer practically yelled.

Laughing she opened the door behind them now that Britney Lochlan would have had enough time to pass by and she'd had her fun. Spencer immediately stepping out into the hallway now that he could move freely and frantically looking around for any sort of help.

“Oh, Spencer! Relax. I’m just having a bit of fun with you,” the head of Carter Junior told him, the way her eyes run up and down his body making it not entirely the truth or a lie either. “Ms Black’s classroom is just around the corner,” she said, slowly getting Spencer to follow her once more.