(Author's POV)
Joyce stood at the bottom of the steps for a full minute after Aurora's car disappeared around the corner.
Then she went inside.
Mr. Sayer tried the standard deflection - the student's conduct, the school's standards, the difficulty of the situation. Joyce cut him off before he finished the second sentence. She set Leo's exam papers on his desk. She'd pulled them from the file herself on the way in.
The scores were nearly perfect.
"Explain this to me," she said.
He lasted about four minutes under her stare before the sweat showed at his collar.
"Mrs. Langford." He exhaled. "I received a call. From a Ms. Sienna Rathbone. She was very clear - she said under no circumstances was this boy to be admitted. She said it came from the family." He spread his hands. "I didn't as
