Touched by Angels Page 0,40

she'd incurred the mistrust and ire of her class.

Emilio sat up and looked over his shoulder. "Miss Cassidy comes to my apartment most every afternoon, and I ain't making no fuss about it."

His remark was followed by several boos and hisses. Emilio just smiled. He reveled in the fact that Brynn had been seeing a good deal of Roberto. What he said, however, wasn't true.

"All right, all right," Brynn said, holding up her hands. "It looks like I owe you an explanation."

"You're damn right you do."

Brynn looked into a sea of angry faces. "Malcolm, you're right. I did stop off at your place yesterday afternoon. I wanted to tell your mother it was a pleasure to have you in my class and report to her that your progress in the last few weeks has been nothing short of amazing."

Malcolm's mouth snapped closed. He looked confused, then relieved. "You wanted to tell her good things about me?"

"Is that why you came to my house?" Yolanda asked.

"Yes. I'd hoped to visit everyone's family by the end of the quarter. Yolanda, I couldn't be more pleased with how well you're doing. You've maintained a B average, and I wanted your family to know how hard you've been working."

"You won't be able to say that about me."

Denzil was right about that. His grades had been dismal, and he gave little if any thought or effort to his assignments. His contributions to the class were limited to disruptions and arguments.

"Well," she said, thinking on her feet. "I thought I'd tell your parents how I've noticed your ability to argue an issue from any point. That's the quality of a good attorney. If you were the least bit interested, you could make a career learning the law."

"An attorney?" Denzil sat up straighter on his chair. "Me, an attorney?" He laughed under his breath. "I've had lots of experience with the law, and I've met some of those fast-talkin' lawyers, too. Only they were looking to toss my butt in jail."

"There are other kinds of attorneys," Brynn told him.

"I could wear one of those fancy silk suits, couldn't I?"

"Of course. Listen, Denzil," she said, her convictions causing her voice to grow strong and sure, "this is exactly what I've been telling you all quarter. You can be anything you want. The power is right here inside you." She held her clenched fist against her breast. "All you've got to do is want it bad enough."

"I ain't never had anyone tell my mother good things about me," Yolanda said. "The only time a teacher ever came to my house was because she thought I took something out of her stinking purse." Looking away, she sighed loudly. "I did it, too, because that teacher was a real jerk. She wasn't even fair."

"You got any good things to tell Roberto about me?" Emilio asked, and draped his elbows over the back of his seat. He was sitting proud.

"I have plenty to tell Roberto about you," Brynn teased as she rubbed the chalk dust from the palms of her hands.

The class laughed, just as Brynn intended they should.

"Now that I've answered your questions, please return to your writing assignment." Generally, when she directed her students' attention back to a written task, a grumble of discontent would spread across the room. Not this time.

After the bell rang, dismissing the class, Suzie Chang made her way to Brynn's desk. The shy girl clenched her books tightly. "You wanted to talk to me, Miss Cassidy?"

"Yes," Brynn said, scooting the chair back. "Suzie, you're an excellent student. This last paper you wrote about Anne Frank is as good as anything I've read on the subject. You revealed both insight and sensitivity to the Jewish girl's plight."

Uncomfortable with the praise, the teenager lowered her gaze. "Thank you."

"I'd like to know if you plan on attending college next year."

"College." The girl's eyes lit up briefly, then she sobered and slowly shook her head. "I can't."

"But Suzie, you're exactly the kind of student who should continue their education. I can feel the hunger in you, the desire to learn. There's a way, I promise you. I can help you if you want."

The girl shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She kept her head lowered and refused to meet Brynn's eyes. "I can't, Miss Cassidy."

"Suzie, didn't you hear what I said to Denzil earlier? Where there's a will, there's a way. Now if you're worried about the money, there are scholarships. I'll help you fill out