The front door opened, and Zoe paused. "Oh, hi, Mrs. M," she said. "We were just watching TV."
Jon spun around, for a moment expecting his mother to be standing there instead of...Kyla Leeson....or rather Kyla Madison. He almost didn't recognize her since he'd seen her carried in. Kyla Leeson had been a shy blonde teen with a slim build and glasses, who was often hanging around with Jay Duncan. Kyla Madison was a trim looking middle-aged woman.
"Jon, is your sister home?" Kyla asked.
"Umm..." Jon said, looking at Zoe. "No?" He tried.
Kyla shook her head. "I told her that she was supposed to finish her homework." She sighed. "Jon...is there anyone at your school who does tutoring? I mean, she isn't interested in my help."
"I can do it, Mrs. M, if you want," Zoe said.
Jon looked at her. "You?"
"Have you ever tutored anyone before?" Kyla asked.
"Umm...no, but...I get As in Math."
"You do?" Jon said.
Zoe shot a glance at him. "Yeah...history is what I suck at. I mean, who defeated who at what battle...who cares?"
"I appreciate that, Zoe...but maybe someone she doesn't know well might be better," Kyla said.
Zoe shrugged. "Okay...tell me if you change your mind."
"I'm texting her...honestly...why didn't she....Oh, I turned the notifications off. She's doing her homework at a friend's house." Kyla said. She collapsed in a nearby chair.
"Are you all right?" Jon asked.
She looked at him. "Yes, Jon....just I had a full day at work, I have to make dinner, I have to pick up your brother, and your sister is embarrassed to be seen with me in public." She sighed. "I just feel....old all of the sudden."
You don't know the half of it, Jon said. He hadn't thought of Kyla as this maternal figure, but this version seemed to pull it off somehow.
Right now though, he had the rest of the night before Karyn and Linda returned...he hoped. It wasn't a guarantee. After all, no one had replaced the head cheerleader, and he hadn't even noticed Kyla was missing, so who knew who else was gone?
