She listens and decides

You open the door and usher Brian and Valerie into the outer office. A sharp eyed, white haired woman who you had not seen before looks up from a secretary's desk and regards the three of you carefully as she stands up.

"Good afternoon gentlemen. And Miss Cummins. I'm Muriel Holliday, Ms. Naylor's secretary. What brings you here?"

"Good afternoon Ma'am," you reply, taking the surprisingly strong hand she offers. "I'm Mason Carter and this is Brian Watts, new teachers. We were hoping to see Ms. Naylor on a matter of involving Miss Cummins."

She turns her implacable gaze on Valerie, who seems to quake a little. "Would this be a disciplinary matter?"

"In a manner of speaking Ma'am," you reply. "Some developments have occurred regarding a previous incident that we think Ms. Naylor should be aware of. Is she in?"

"I'll see if she's available," the elderly woman says, and after a brief tap on the inner door, steps into Ms. Naylor's office and closes it behind her. When she emerges a few moments later she holds the door open. "Ms. Naylor will see you now gentlemen. Miss Cummins is to wait outside for the moment," she adds, pointing the worried looking girl to one of the straight backed chairs against the wall.

As you step into her office Ms. Naylor rises from behind her desk with a smile that seems to be more for Brian than for you. She's wearing a tailored dark blue suit, just as conservative as the one she wore yesterday, and her hair is pulled back into the same no-nonsense bun.

"Come in gentlemen," she says gesturing to the conversation area across the office. "Please take a seat. Miss Holliday tells me that Valerie Cummins has been causing problems again?"

"Actually, Miss Cummins has made a full confession of yesterday's events, and a complete apology for her behaviour," you reply, handing the documents to her.

She looks surprised, but takes the documents and reads them quickly, then reads them a second time more carefully. Finally she puts them down on the coffee table and looks at the two of you.

"Well that's very interesting. Please be so good as to tell me how this came about."

"Miss Cummins came to our cottage yesterday, in hopes of getting Coach Watts to intervene on her behalf regarding her eligibility for sports. I don't think she realised that we share the cottage and was surprised to see me there. I informed Coach Watts of the events yesterday, and he advised her that he was in agreement with your decision."

"I see," the headmistress nods, glancing at the documents.

"Miss Cummins told us that she agreed as well, but that she now understood the cruelty of her behaviour, and apologised completely to me. As you can see in what she wrote, she has also agreed to apologise publicly to the other girls involved, and to both of the teams she plays on for any discredit she has attached to them. She has offered to make a full confession and apology to the entire student body, if you deem that appropriate."

"Miss Cummins has a long history of behaviour problems, and an equally long history of deceit. What makes you think that her apology is sincere?"

"Obviously we don't know the girl as well as you," Brian says. "But speaking as a coach and someone who has been around athletes most of my life, I can say that her desire to play is very sincere, and that she is willing to do anything to have her eligibility restored."

"So what are you recommending, Coach Watts?"

"Mr. Carter and I have discussed the matter at some length. We think that restoring her ability on a probationary basis would be appropriate, as long as she makes the appropriate acts of contrition, and continues to maintain a proper standard of behaviour."

The headmistress sits back in her chair and considers the matter. You think you see a smile flicker across her lips for a moment before her face resets into sternness. "Very well. I understand Miss Cummins is outside. Mr. Carter would you be so good as to summon her please?"

You go to the door and call Valerie in. She stands facing the three of you, her hands clasped in front of her. Her head is bowed slightly and she looks warily at Ms. Naylor.

"Miss Cummins, these gentlemen have spoken on your behalf. They assure me that your apology and offers of repentance are genuine, and that your desire to improve your behaviour is sincere." You see a light of hope dawn in Valerie's eyes, then die with the headmistresses next words. "I must tell you that I am not as convinced of your sincerity as they are. Your history in this institution has been disgraceful, and were it not for an overabundance of mercy on my part you should have been expelled some time ago. To be frank Miss Cummins, before these gentlemen approached me, that was the decision I was finally prepared to make."

Valerie looks crushed, her chin starting to wobble and her eyes filling with tears. Ms. Naylor lets her suffer for a moment before speaking again.

"However, since Coach Watts and Mr. Carter have gone to such efforts, and have obviously reached something within you that other teachers have not been able to, I am prepared to delay that decision. Your eligibility is restored on a probationary basis, and your expulsion is placed in temporary abeyance. This means that any further disciplinary issues arising will result in two things. Firstly your eligibility will be rescinded and letters will be sent to all relevant sporting authorities advising them of such. Secondly, you will be expelled from Pink Rose Academy, and will have 24 hours to vacate the campus. A letter will be sent to your parents advising them of this decision. Do you understand?"

"Yes Ms. Naylor. Thank you Ms. Naylor," the girl says with a sob of relief.

"The apologies you allude to in your documents will be made. You will apologise to girls involved, with a faculty member present to witness. You will apologise to both the softball and soccer teams with the appropriate coaches present to witness. A full public apology to the student body is unnecessary. Do you understand?"

"Yes Ms. Naylor. Thank you Ms. Naylor," Valerie replies, tears of gratitude running down her cheeks.

"You should thank these gentlemen, Miss Cummins. I very much hope that you will prove worthy of their efforts and their trust. You may go now."

"Thank you sirs, thank you so much," Valerie says with tearful happiness as she leaves the room.

"Well gentlemen, I hope you are right. Perhaps our young troublemaker has finally matured." She pauses as if measuring her next words. "As both of you know I am not in agreement with adding male staff to the faculty. Nothing today has changed my mind in that regard, but I do want to say that you both handled this with professionalism and a high degree of compassion. Excellent work gentlemen," she says, standing up and shaking both of your hands before escorting you to the door.