Alone in His Teacher's House (5 page)

Marvin started to write his name at the top. He wrote:
Ma
. That was as far as he got.

He tried not to think about Waldo—the way he always wanted to be petted, his white whiskers, his whining that sounded like singing.

He took a deep breath.

And what about Mrs. North? What was she going to do when she came home?
Tomorrow night!

Marvin imagined her opening her front door. She’d be surprised because Waldo wasn’t there to greet her.

In his mind, Marvin saw her going through the house with her suitcase still in her hand. She was calling, “Waldo? Waldo? Wa-wa-wa-Waldo?” And then he saw her picking up the telephone.

He imagined himself alone in his room as the phone downstairs was ringing.

Miss Hillway came around and collected the worksheets.

“Ma?” she said, looking at Marvin’s paper.

“Um, may I have more time?” he asked.

“I want Mrs. North to see this,” said Miss Hillway, snapping up his paper.

At recess, Marvin walked off by himself.

Judy Jasper and Casey Happleton came running up to him.

“Hey, Marvin!” said Judy, out of breath. “What are you eating under there?”

“What?” he said.

“What are you eating under there?” asked Casey.

He didn’t know what they were talking about. “Under where?” he asked.

The two girls roared with laughter. “You’re eating your underwear!” exclaimed Judy.

“You said you were eating your underwear,” Casey explained.

“Leave me alone,” said Marvin, walking away.

“It’s just a joke!” said Casey “What a crab!”

“Oh, there’s Justin,” said Judy. “Hey Justin! What are you eating under there?”

“Under where?” asked Justin.

After school, it felt strange not to have to go to Mrs. North’s house. Marvin felt empty.

“Are you okay?” Patsy Gatsby asked him.

He shrugged.

“Oh, he thinks he’s better than everyone,”
said Stuart, coming up behind them. Nick was with Stuart.

“Shut up!” said Marvin.

“I don’t have to!” said Nick.

Marvin glared at Nick. “Waldo’s dead,” he said. “Are you happy now?”

Nick’s mouth dropped open.

“What happened?” asked Patsy.

Marvin told them how Waldo wouldn’t eat. And about the liver. And then what he found this morning.

“Promise you won’t tell anyone, okay?” he asked.

They promised.

“Oh, man,” said Nick. “You are the unluckiest kid in the whole world.”

Waiting

The worst part was waiting. Just waiting.

“Will you take me to see Waldo?” Linzy asked during dinner.

He hadn’t told his family yet.

“I
wuv
Waldo,” said Linzy.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” said Marvin.

“Why not?” Linzy demanded.

“It just isn’t,” said Marvin.

“Can I go with Marvin to see Waldo?” Linzy asked her mother.

“It’s not up to me,” said Mrs. Redpost. “It’s up to Marvin.” She looked at Marvin.
“And I know you always consider your sister’s feelings, don’t you, Marvin?”

“Please, Marvin!” said Linzy. “I’ll let you come to my birthday party.”

Marvin sighed. “Sorry,” he said. He tried to think of a nice way to put it. “Waldo’s not there anymore.”

“Where’d he go?” asked Linzy.

“He’s in heaven, with the angels.”

“Oh no!” said Mrs. Redpost, dropping her fork.

“Oh, you mean he’s dead,” said Linzy. She crunched into her pickle.

She didn’t cry until an hour and a half later. When she went to bed. Right after she said a prayer “for Waldo in heaven.”

Marvin’s parents tried to make him feel better.

“It wasn’t your fault,” said his mother. “You know that.”

“Do you want me to talk to Mrs. North for you?” asked his father

“No,” said Marvin.

When he got to school Wednesday morning, he was mobbed by the kids in his class.

“Did you kill Mrs. North’s dog?” asked Justin.

“He forgot to feed him,” said Melanie. “The poor dog starved to death.”

“I heard he choked to death,” said Kenny. “On a piece of liver.”

Marvin looked around. He knew Stuart and Patsy could keep a secret. It must have been Nick.

“What do you think Mrs. North is going to do?” asked Casey.

“She’ll flunk you for sure,” said Justin.

“If you’re lucky,” said Warren.

“I’d move to another state if I were you,” said Gina.

“I’d move to another country,” said Heather.

“You can go to jail for murdering someone’s dog,” said Judy.

Clarence and Travis joined the group.

“Hey, Marvin?” asked Travis. “Did you shoot Mrs. North’s dog?”

“Got him right in the liver!” said Clarence.

The rest of the day was just a blur to Marvin. He couldn’t pay attention. He just kept thinking one thought.
Mrs. North will be home tonight!

Miss Hillway said good-bye to the class. “Thank you. It was a most enjoyable week. You’ve been a wonderful class.” She looked at Marvin. “Of course, there are always a
few exceptions
. Mrs. North will get a full report.”

“Do you want to come over to my house?” Stuart asked as they walked out of class together.

“No,” said Marvin.

Now that Waldo was dead, Marvin’s friends liked him again.

“Why not?” asked Nick. “It’s not like you have to go to Mrs. North’s!”

“I just want to be alone,” said Marvin.

“Did the vet tell you what time Waldo died?” asked Stuart.

“No,” said Marvin.

“You should ask him,” said Stuart. “They can figure those things out. Because if Waldo died before midnight, then Mrs. North only has to pay you for five days. Fifteen dollars. But if he died after midnight, then she has to pay you for six days. Eighteen dollars.”

Stuart was good at math.

“I guess you don’t get the four-dollar bonus,” said Nick.

Marvin walked home. Then he got on his bike and rode to Mrs. North’s house for the last time. He still had to bring in her newspaper and mail.

Her house felt empty, like a cave.

He wrote her a note.

He went home and waited for Mrs. North to call.

“Do you think I’ll be expelled?” he asked Jacob.

“I don’t think she can do that,” said Jacob. “It’s not like you did it on purpose.”

“I just did what the doctor told me,” said Marvin.

“But she’ll still blame you,” said Jacob. “She might say she doesn’t. But really she will. Every time she looks at you. Every time she gives you a grade. She’ll be thinking, ‘Marvin Redpost. He’s the boy who killed my dog.’ ”

Jacob patted Marvin on the back. “You’d be better off if you were expelled,” he said.

The phone rang.

Marvin felt his heart jump.

But it was just one of his mother’s friends.

He went to bed at nine o’clock and lay awake for at least two hours.

Mrs. North never called.

I’m Sorry

Marvin tapped the red post—for luck—then bravely walked to school.

He entered his classroom.

Mrs. North wasn’t there.

“Have you talked to Mrs. North yet?” asked Casey. “What are you going to say to her?”

Marvin shrugged.

“Man, I can’t believe you’re here,” said Clarence. “If I were you, I’d be in Mexico.”

No one got close to him, not even Nick or Stuart. No one wanted to be seen with
him when Mrs. North walked in.

The bell rang.

Marvin kept his eyes on the door.

“She probably can’t stop crying,” said Melanie. “That’s why she’s not here.”

Maybe she never came home
, thought Marvin. That’s why she never called. Maybe she had such a good time on her trip, she decided to stay
forever!
Maybe she fell in love with someone. And she’s sailing around the world with him.

Mrs. North walked through the door. “Good morning, everyone,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again.”

She glanced at Marvin, then turned her head away.

He looked down at his desk. He thought he saw a flash of hatred in her eyes.

“Well, let’s see if anyone learned anything while I was gone,” she said. “This won’t be graded. I just want to see how far you got. Gina.”

Mrs. North handed a stack of tests to Gina, and Gina passed them out.

Marvin set right to work. He didn’t dare take his eyes off the paper.

Mrs. North was walking around the room. Marvin wasn’t looking, but somehow he knew.

She was coming toward him. He could feel it in his bones.

The room got very quiet.

She was getting closer.

He tried to focus on his work.

She was right beside him. He could see her shoes.