Addie loved kindergarten and she looked forward to first grade. "Mommy, how many days until I can go to school again?" she asked.

It thrilled Alice to see her daughter smiling and enjoying life. Now that Jonah, Addie's father, was out of the picture, life was good. Jonah's abusive behavior could never haunt them again. Alice did not even attend his funeral.

"Three more weeks," answered her mother. Alice was remembering the struggles her child experienced last year during her first few days of kindergarten.

"Will I have a nice teacher?" she asked, red pigtails swaying.

"We will go to meet-the-teacher-day next week, sweetie and will know soon enough. But don't worry about anything. Mommy will take care of you."

Alice pondered the scene last year following Addie's first day at school and how she came home crying; declaring that she wasn't going back. Alice couldn't understand why her daughter was so adamant about this. She was not one to cling to her mother; she had been excitedly awaiting her first day. What could have happened?

At first glance, Addie's teacher looked to be a very pleasant, if elderly, lady. Her demeanor and physical appearance reminded Alice of Mrs. Doubtfire.

Alice pushed her daughter into the room as the child struggled to pull her hand out of her mother's grip. "Addie, please stop acting like this." Addie stopped fighting and moved close to her mother's side.

"Good morning," said Mrs. Doubtfire lookalike.

"Good morning," responded Alice. "I am Addie's mother, and I really wanted to meet you today. Addie seems to be afraid to come to school. Did something happen to yesterday?"

"Ah, yes," said the teacher. "Addie and I got off to a rough start."

Alice detected a resentful tone as she considered the words this stranger spat out one by one.

"Is there a problem?"

The teacher stared at the little girl and her mother. "Addie's father's name is Jonah, right?" She stated more than asked.

"Yes, but Jonah isn't part of this family any longer," Alice said. "He has been dead for two years."

"Twenty-five years ago I was Jonah's third grade teacher," she said. "I can't begin to tell you what that was like. He was not mischievous, but mean. That year was the worst of my teaching career. I took a year off teaching because of that experience. When I saw Addie was Jonah's child, I'm afraid I was prepared for the worst."

Alice understood the woman's hesitancy to embrace a child of Jonah's. Alice couldn't fault this teacher her moment of human reaction. Jonah had had a negative effect on most people whose path he crossed. Alice was certain Addie and her teacher would be just fine now.