The ExPat Writer: January 2026

“I feel terrible. I just want to sleep,” Heidi said. It was true. If someone had shown her those e-mails from Amanda, she wouldn’t have believed them. The little girl she knew was sweet, well almost always sweet. They had never planned to give her a birthday party but to take her to New York to see the ballet. Amanda loved the ballet. She loved her ballet lessons.

She needed to keep everything to herself at least until she looked deeper.

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Sugar and Spice - Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

October 20 Monday Evening

HJPS Conference Room

Cambridge, Massachusetts

THE SIX BOARD members hung their raincoats and took a seat at the conference table where their names were displayed.

· Matthew Arnold –- Grade one

· Janice Copperfield – Grade two

· Malcolm MacTarnish – Grade three

· Jason Hampshire – Grade four

· Ellen Woodcock – Grade five

· Richard Collins – Grade six

Each board member had a child in the grade they represented. In many cases, such as Richard Collins, they stayed on the board, moving up with their offspring through the six grades. This would be Collins’s last year. His daughter Heather would graduate next June.

Cheese plates, sliced sausage, gourmet crackers and olives were strategically placed so everyone was in easy reach. Long ago, it was decided that only one bottle of a good red wine would be at the meeting to “marry” well with the cheese.

Elise’s secretary was in charge of procuring good wine and good nibbles. Per usual, her selections were complimented.

Unlimited tea and coffee were always available.

“I hated to see our school on the nightly news.” Ellen Woodcock.

“Also, Fox, ABC, NBC, CNN and then I stopped looking.” Jason Hampshire.

“Elise, do you know what our legal liabilities are?” Matthew Arnold.

“I’ve a meeting with our attorneys tomorrow, and I can e-mail you all what they tell me.” Elise.

“Is true that the Franklins have pulled their son out of the school?” Malcolm MacTarnish.

“Yes.” Elise.

“Do we have to return his tuition.” Janice Copperfield.

“Technically maybe. Friday was the last day for refunds.” Elise.

“Isn’t one of the girls on scholarship?” Janice Copperfield.

“Yes, half tuition.” Elise.

“Why don’t you tell us the full story, Elise.” Richard Collins.

“Friday a fifth-grade student heard four girls talking about killing Clay Franklin. She came to me: I called the police. They first spoke with the four families involved and then questioned the four at police headquarters individually. We also did a search of their lockers and found medical gloves, an apron, a knife and a note. There was a suicide note written by one of the girls supposedly to be by Clay. Now all the girls are saying they were working on a play supposedly for Robin’s drama group, but Robin says there is nothing formal planned.” Elise’s staccato speech stopped as if a light was switched off.

“Thanks, Elise.” Richard Collins. “What do we do? Choices, anyone?”

“Suspend the girls till future notice and it’s resolved.” Matthew Arnold.

“Let them back in and treat them as if nothing happened.” Janice Copperfield.

“No.” Everyone but Janice.

“But if they are innocent, they’ll fall behind in their schoolwork.” Janice.

“Their teacher can work with them on Zoom.” Elise.

“Is it good to have them together?” Matthew Arnold.

“The parents have said that they are not supposed to contact each other, but even if the parents had confiscated their phones, they have been in touch. Juliana’s mother phoned me to say Juliana’s phone had been wiped clean. She thinks Juliana has been talking with Amanda.”

“Have you talked with any parents? Janice Copperfield.

“The police have asked me not to contact them unless they’re with me.” Elise debated saying she’d been to Clay’s house.

“What do the police say?” Ellen Woodcock.

“They can’t comment on an ongoing investigation, but they appreciate our help. It doesn’t hurt that Amanda’s uncle is applying pressure on the police to drop the charges.” Elise.

Back and forth, back forth and back and forth it went until 10:19, when Collins suggested a binding vote on each idea. That produced another 22 minutes of debate.

At the end the board decided to suspend the girls until the police came to a decision on what to do. The fourth-grade teacher would set up a Zoom class schedule and would be paid extra only if she asked for it.

It’s Covid all over again, Elise thought heading back to her home. She knew bone-tired was a cliché, but cliché or not that was how she felt as she let herself into her home.

She was also cold and wet from the short walk from the meeting to her house, which was chilly. There was little point in putting on the heat. Hanging her coat on the coat rack by the door, she headed upstairs.

In her bedroom she switched on the light and the electric blanket and shoved her blue pajamas under the blanket. A shower warmed her tired bones.

Once in bed her last thoughts were, thank God, I wasn’t blamed and followed by what can I do to help those girls.

The ExPat Writer

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Sugar and Spice Chapter 21

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Sugar and Spice - Chapter 20

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The ExPat Writer

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Sugar and Spice Chapter 21

Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Sugar and Spice - Chapter 20

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