Chapter 134: Remote Learning
*I don’t care what you do during homeroom. Just check in with me. Let me know what you’re having for lunch. – Evie*
Evie was an unconventional teacher.
She was aware of this, and did not care. Her students scored high on tests. Not just in her class, but other classes and the MCAS, the Massachusetts standardized test.
It was no surprise that when classes went virtual, hers continued to be unconventional. Today classes resumed after what she had referred to as longest spring break in her entire life. Three weeks.
Taz’s daughter-in-law still had family in Europe. So did Nessie and Siobhan. They both had already lost family members.
Doc, a few nurses and one doctor were sharing a three bedroom apartment. They were rotating through the rooms on shifts. Evie thought that there six or seven of them all together. They were working extended shifts and trying to minimize exposure to family members.
Especially those with kids, elderly and at-risk people.
Everything was topsy-turvy in the world right now. Her students were somewhere between scared, annoyed and confused. Today’s classes had just been them talking through everything.
“I’m scared, miss.” Enzo, her Italian exchange student, admitted. “My grandmother is in hospital and my uncle die last week. What if I never see my family again?”
“Enzo, I am so sorry.” Evie wiped at the tears that were forming. “I wish I could give you something better. Some sort of promise, but I can’t.” She was crying easily lately and wasn’t sure if it was the situation, or if she was pregnant.
“My mom is a nurse and is living in our neighbors travel trailer.” Ronni said, fear in her voice.
“My mom says it’s all a hoax.” Glen said.
“I can tell you, it’s not a hoax.” Evie said stopping the argument that was on the brink of starting. “Let me tell you why. First, there is no way that you could get all the world’s governments to work together on a hoax. We can’t even agree on metric or imperial for measurements.”
As expected, there were snickers as the tension began to alleviate.
“Second, there ain’t a single person on this planet that could rally everyone behind a single cause. Maybe tacos. But then it’s going to be soft or crunchy. Chicken, beef, fish, shrimp or even vegan. And damn it, now I’m getting hungry.”
“Me too!” chorused from several of her squares on her monitors.
“Before I go raid my kitchen, let’s get back on track.” She scooted back her chair as Camden ran into the room and climbed into her lap. “Or not.”
“Come on, buddy.” Ink said walking in to get the toddler.
“Go on, little man.” Evie kissed the top of his head. “Mommy will be done in a little bit and then we’ll play."
“OK. Bye!” he waved at the camera and then hopped down.
“I ordered a baby gate for the door.” Ink said scooping up his son.
“Thanks.” She smiled at him as he carried one twin and tried to keep the other one out also. “Let him come say like his brother did.”
David rushed past his dad’s leg and straight to his mom. He grinned at the two screens and then his little face lit up as he squealed and reached for the screen on the left.
“Li-li!”
“Hi, baby.” Lillian, one of the Saint’s daughters, smiled back at him.
“Go on, boys.” Evie kissed his head before putting him on the floor and nudging him to the door.
“Let’s try this again.” Evie said as she acted like she was pulling her hair out. “I don’t know when we’ll be back in the classroom. I’ve heard in a few weeks, and I’ve also heard not for the rest of the year. I’m telling you like I’ve told everyone else, my lesson plans are shit at this point.”
“Time and place, Miss Reagan!” several students chimed.
She blushed guiltily having been called out on breaking her own rule.
“Technically,” Lillian pointed out, “we’re not in the classroom.”
“Hush, Li-li!” one of the boys called out.
“OK, I broke the rule.” Evie admitted. “But, moving forward. Again.”
She grinned at her camera.
“What is going on around you is history in the making. I know that you are getting bombarded with assignments from other classes. We will continue with your weekly papers on the topic of your choice. I do have to have you log into the virtual classroom everyday.”
“You will see a daily assignment when you log in. It will be the same thing every day. Tell me how you feel. Once you have done that, you are free to remain for the discussion or leave. Daily discussions will be over pandemics, both the current one and previous ones.”
“Everyone will do the final paper over pandemics. Compare the current pandemic to one in history. Look at what changed after past pandemics or even just one pandemic and predict how this one will change our lives and society.”
They continued with the discussion, with very few students leaving. She heard several of the conspiracy theories and other students interject with facts. Catherine gave quite a few facts and was well informed. When Evie questioned this, the teen blushed and tried to hide.
“My mom is a professor of epidemiology at Boston University.”
“Oh my goshness!” Evie gushed. “Do you think that she would be willing to answer some questions for us?”
“Let me ask. Can I message you tonight?”
“Absolutely. If anyone else needs me, I’ll be setting up a classroom chat. You can also message me individually through chat or email me.”
Both twins squealed from the living room.
“I’m pretty sure that means class is over.” Evie laughed as they both ran into her office.
“Daddy’s home!” Camden told her.
“Daddy!” David echoed before they both ran back down the hall.
Laughing, Evie turned back to her students. “That’s class. I’ll see all of ya’ll back here tomorrow.”
After logging off from her last class, she made her way down the hall. Ink was on the phone while trying to wrangle the twins and Revelry. She took the boys to the kitchen and settled them in their chairs with a snack. Revelry took up his usual post between the two toddlers.
Going back to the living room, Ink was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Sensing that something was wrong, she sat down and hugged him close.
“My mom’s dead. And I don’t know how to feel. I don’t feel sad. I just…” He spoke softly and slowly. Then he let out a deep sigh. “I’m almost glad. Now I don’t have to worry about the boys being manipulated by her, but she’s still my mom.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” She soothed.
Tank came down from changing clothes and taking a shower. It was a routine that he had adopted since he was the only one working outside the home. The tattoo shop was closed and Evie was doing school virtually.
The club was doing everything that they could to make sure that everyone was taken care of. Nessie’s Kitchen was doing to go meals and even delivery. Open Arms did drive thru food distribution twice a month. The businesses that were still open, found work for those who needed it.
The daycare that the twins usually went to was one of the few still open. They were now operating twenty four hours a day and giving a discounted rate to those who were struggling.
Even the club families were taking care of each other. Teens from some families were staying with other families with young children. Lillian had offered to come stay with Evie, but since Ink was home there was no need.
When Easter rolled around, houses were egged with candy and toy filled plastic eggs. Not just the club families, but also neighbors and the daycare families. No one seemed to know where they came from. Years later, as Priscilla would be watching her own daughter with her first Easter egg hunt, she would admit that it was her and some of the other teens that did it.
The whole world had gone haywire. The only thing anyone could hope for was that it would come out better on the other side.
