Kaevin lifted her, spinning and laughing. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Homeschooling sounds perfect!”
Alora giggled. “Okay, but put me down.” She beat playfully on his shoulders, but he held her fast.
“When can we start? Today? I must say I’m surprised Charles agreed. Father knows, as well?”
“Well… that’s the thing. I haven’t actually talked to my uncle or your dad.”
“Oh.” He loosened his grip, and she slid to the floor, still encircled in his arms. His mouth drooped. “Charles will never approve, and Father will take Charles’ side.”
“I disagree. I think we have a good chance of convincing them. Janice is really excited about it, and she can use the extra money. It would free our schedule up a lot since I wouldn’t have to go to class every day. Even if I were in Tenavae, I could bring a book along and do my schoolwork. Janice says, if I work hard, I could finish high school in a year and a half, or maybe less. That way I’d be free to move to Tenavae permanently when I’m seventeen.”
“I don’t believe you should mention that to your uncle. He doesn’t seem excited about the prospect of you living in Tenavae with me.”
“True. I’ll leave that part out for now. And there’s another little problem. I have to convince Uncle Charles to spend the money to pay Janice. He’s pretty tight.”
“Tight?”
“That means he holds on tight to his money.”
“Ah, I see. He doesn’t like to spend his coin. Perhaps I could entreat Father to contribute some gold.”
“I was thinking you could take classes from Janice as well.”
Kaevin’s face contracted as if he’d bitten into a lemon. “I’d rather not.”
“Not the same as high school. Not science and history and stuff like that. But you’re really good at math, and you could learn physics.”
Although he’d never had any formal math training, Kaevin had breezed through all the elementary concepts and was tackling algebra and geometry concurrently. Maybe that means our kids will have a chance at being good at math. Wait! I can’t be thinking about having kids with Kaevin. She ducked her head as she felt the heat rising in her face.
“Perhaps Father might be more willing to contribute if I were taking lessons as well.” He seemed oblivious to her flushed cheeks, which heated more when she realized she was still standing against him.
“Uhmm… Kaevin? Maybe we should—”
“Alora! Kaevin!” Uncle Charles’ voice made her jump, stumbling backwards, away from Kaevin. “Have you forgotten our rules about being alone together? Kaevin, your father will hear about this.”
Kaevin’s arms dropped to his side. “I’m sorry, sir. We were…”
“I saw what you were doing.” Charles pointed an accusing finger. “There’s no excuse for it.”
“But nothing happened. We were just talking.” Alora felt her hackles rising.
“You were not just talking. I’m not an idiot. And the point is, this is against the rules.”
“The rules are stupid!” She was losing her temper, but she couldn’t stop herself. “I can’t believe you don’t trust me more than that, Uncle Charles. I’m not going to do anything with Kaevin. I’m not like that, and neither is he.”
Charles’ expression turned to stone, and she felt like throwing something at him. “This is not about trust, Alora. It’s about rules and boundaries and obedience. I think you know that.”
“All I know is you hid the truth from me for fifteen years, but you expect me to always be honest. You treat me like a child even though I have the duties and responsibilities of an adult.”
Charles’ red face looked as if it might explode. Before his angry retort left his lips, Alora transported to her room. She knew he’d be livid as she flaunted yet another rule—no transporting while in Montana—but she wanted to show him she couldn’t be controlled.
She regretted the act and her words the moment she arrived in her bedroom. What’s wrong with me? Why do I act like a child when I’m trying to make him think of me as an adult? Her tears flowed and kept coming, even while she showered and dressed for school. I’ve blown any chance Uncles Charles would ever approve of homeschool, for sure.
*****
Kaevin watched a myriad of emotions pass across Charles’ face—none of them seemed pleasant. Charles’ gaze was fixed on the spot where Alora had been standing as if he were waiting to yell at her when she reappeared.
“Charles, may I have permission to speak?”