Chapter 117: Miss Davis
*We don’t have to agree. But you will respect everyone in this room. – Evie*
“Mrs. Davis is your mom?” the girl nodded with what Evie would learn was a permanent smirk. “That’s good. Miss Davis, what is your question?”
“Is it true that you’re involved with two men?”
“I am.” Evie smiled and the smile on the girl’s face fell slightly. “I am engaged to two men; both are members of the Devil’s Saints. One works for Wolf Pack Security, the other is a tattoo artist and you will probably see both of them from time to time.”
“Isn’t that illegal?” she pressed.
“No. Adultery is not illegal in the state and since it is consensual between all three of us, it is not considered adultery. Plus, I’m not married. Legally, I can only marry one of them but I would love to be able to marry both.”
“We’re a Christian nation.” The demeaning girl said and several students from last year raised their hands. “That will never happen.”
“Mr. Al Musad, you have a question?” Evie asked pretty sure where this was going.
“Just an observation.” He said in a slight Afghani accent. “My family lived under a theocracy. I was lucky enough to be born after democracy. But I’ve heard the stories and see the fear that my grandparents have. Even my parents. This country is not a theocracy. And if it is a Christian nation, does that make my religion illegal?”
“Yes, Mr. Levy? Would you like to add something?” she asked one of the North Star students.
“I would just like to assure my brother from another mother, that his religion is not illegal.” The student said. “In my house, we have multiple religions. Over the past year, I have learned to appreciate them and their differences.”
“Do you mind sharing your living arrangements with the class?” Evie asked.
“My parents died and I went through a very rebellious phase and now I live at the North Star Ranch, which is for troubled youth.”
“I don’t believe that Miss Carli uses that term?” Evie pointed out.
“She calls us misdirected. Basically, we are one step away from juvie. But currently, we have a Jew, me, two Christians, a Muslim and an atheist. Sounds like a bad joke. Oh! And Miss Carli is Celtic Wiccan. But we have learned that the majority of our beliefs are the same. Love one another. So, if you want to love two men, rock on.”
“Yes, Miss Johansen?”
“Why is polygamy illegal? Shouldn’t it be covered by the Marriage Equality Act?” Camille asked.
“I wish it was.” Evie admitted. “There are about twenty countries worldwide where there are explicit laws allowing polygamy. There are other countries, about thirty or so, that have no laws defining marriage. Yes? And can I get your name?”
“Eric Jackson. What happens if you get married in another country to more than one person and then move to America?”
“If it is a legal marriage in that country, it is recognized here. For the most part, America does not prosecute polygamy which is why you have shows on TV about it.”
“Would they be called brother husbands?” Priscilla called out.
“Good question.” She laughed as someone knocked on her door. “Uh-oh. Nobody saw me eating in class.” Evie said as she opened the door and found the principal standing there with a scared looking girl wearing a hijab and long sleeve dress.
“Miss Reagan, I’m sorry. This is Fatimah Almasaud and her family just moved here. Her English is not very good.”
Evie smiled at the man before focusing on the girl who had yet to look up. “Farsi or Pashtu?”
“Farsi.” The girl mumbled.
Grinning, the teacher introduced herself in Farsi and invited the girl inside. She then dismissed the principle and introduced Fatimah to Ahmad before having her sit in the desk next to him. Evie then decided that it was a good time to go over the syllabus and passed them out.
“Miss Reagan, can you say all of that again in English?” Priscilla asked laughing.
“Sorry.” She blushed a little bit.
“How many languages do you speak?” Werewolf’s son, Colton, asked. “I’ve heard you speak at least four now.”
“Fluently, I speak Farsi, Pashtu, Spanish, Italian, German and Dutch. Conversationally I can also speak creole French, French, Czech, some Russian dialects and Gaelic. Need time to translate and formulate a response is Swahili, Yiddish, Korean and Japanese. I can speak Mandarin in a pinch but I struggle with Cantonese, and I’m learning Vietnamese courtesy of Tran who does my nails.”
“That’s why you were in intelligence!” One of her second-year students exclaimed. “And that’s why you can’t ‘tell' us what you did.”
“Very good Mr. Ramos. I was a linguist.” Evie admitted. “Once you learn the basics, you can pick up related languages.”
“Why did you get out?” one of the boys asked.
“An IED exploded close to where I was and I have a medical discharge. It sucks. I enjoyed my time in.”
They finished the syllabus and she explained the weekly papers. Evie also gave them their first homework assignment – giving her homework. There were a few questions and grumbles. And then her phone alarm chimed. Shortly after that, the last bell rang and the first day was officially over.
Exhausted was a good way to describe how she felt when Athos knocked on her door.
“You want good news, bad news or horrible news?” he asked propped in the door frame.
“Start with horrible and work your way up.” Evie suggested.
“It’s on a Saturday.” He grinned.
“Assuming that will make more sense with one of the other pieces of news?”
“I have a seven AM class.”
“Yeah, that sucks.” She agreed gathering her stuff.
“I got all the classes that I wanted.”
“That’s awesome. Let’s go home. I’m tired.”
“Just wait until they get bigger.” He said taking her bag.
