The Cocktail Club Read Online Free PDF

right amount.”
    A slow-burning anger took hold of me as he counted out my tens, fives, and four one-dollar bills. I strode out of the store’s automatic doors on fire.
    â€œMa’am,” the cashier called after me.
    I almost didn’t turn around until I heard him yell, “Your gum! You forgot your gum!”
    Everyone thought my life was a fairytale since my husband insisted that he didn’t want me to work outside the home. If they only knew the shit I had to deal with in exchange for that so-called luxury.
    With the money clutched tightly in my hand, I climbed back into my car, and headed toward my son’s school. Since Kevin was the sole breadwinner in the family, nearly everything else fell on my shoulders. He may have been a chemical engineer, but I was the domestic engineer, and my job was far more stressful!
    When the school called about my son’s sudden change in behavior, there was no question about who would go up there and meet with the principal.
    My mind was still stuck on my husband’s cheap, frugal behind when I realized that I needed to get it together before the meeting. Sitting outside of the school, I tried to put my mind in the right state. I dug into my purse, and pulled out the small, rhinestone-encrusted flask. I removed the lid, and took a couple of swigs.
    Next, I checked my lipstick in the rearview mirror, and then I popped a peppermint into my mouth. I sucked on the candy really hard, chewed it up, and popped another one in.
    Once I felt I was good to go, I got out of the car, and walked into the cool building.
    The front office was decorated like a living room with two large, plush sofas. There was a coffee table, two small bookshelves, and a flat screen TV that hung in a corner. I turned to my right, and spoke to the lady who sat at the desk.
    â€œI’m Darby Jaxon, and I have an appointment with Principal Johnson.”
    â€œOh, yes, Mrs. Jaxon, he’s expecting you. Right this way.” The secretary stood and walked to meet me at the doorway. She escorted me behind the half-swinging door and down a carpeted hallway.
    When she knocked at the door, my stomach did an awkward somersault. I never liked the principal’s office, and all these years later, nothing had changed.
    â€œWho is it?” a male voice asked from behind the closed door.
    â€œMr. Johnson, Mrs. Jaxon is here to see you.”
    â€œOh, yes!” I heard movement, and soon the door swung open. “Thank you, Linda,” Mr. Johnson said as he looked at me.
    Linda nodded slightly, and turned to leave.
    â€œMrs. Jaxon, thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. Please have a seat.”
    Principal Johnson was a fortyish-year-old man with a slicked-back mane of thick, jet-black waves. He towered over my petite frame, and didn’t take his seat until I sat.
    â€œWell, it’s not like I had a choice,” I said.
    His office was neat and homey. There was a large, wooden desk, and two wooden file cabinets to the left. A tall, leafy tree stood in the opposite corner, along with an oval-shaped table surrounded by several chairs. The lighting in the room was far too soft for my taste, but I could feel the mood he tried to set with the faint jazz that played in the background. He even had curtains at his windows.
    It was hard to believe that the idea of a visit with the principal struck such dread into my heart, yet the thought of my kid in trouble frightened me even more.
    â€œAre you okay, Mrs. Jaxon? Can I offer you some coffee or water?” he asked.
    A flood of adrenaline rushed through me as I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead. I didn’t like the idea of him and his colleagues talking about my family, and that was probably exactly what they had done.
    â€œOh, no, I’m fine, but thank you. Now about Kevin Jr.”
    â€œYes, well, as my secretary told you, this is most unusual. I’ve been an educator for more than thirty years,