Unofficial School Business

By Cindy Love

Caesar and Amanda go through a series of events in their personal and professional career as educators after Hurricane Katrina. Caesar finds himself in a love triangle that forces Amanda to take a dip into the forbidden pond. Caesar discovers deep secrets about this father and is forced to be involved in illegal activities that may cost him, not only his career, but possibly his life. Amanda steps up to save him and their marriage as she leads a team to partake in a lucrative investment opportunity involving charter schools.

This new and upcoming author brings an entertaining and drama-filled story that's a riveting page turner. The story will both warm your heart, pique your interest about what really happens in school systems, and leave you beseeching for more.

"As a business owner, I was intrigued on how the work place was captured with sizzling sexy details of its leadership's personal drama," CEO of True Books.

Quote from the book:

"...added another hole in Lynn's belt of pain that she couldn't help to wear daily."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781514419458

Cindy Love

Cindy Love is an educator from New Orleans, who tells a fictitious story of events that occurred after Hurricane Katrina relating to school reform.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by Cindy Love.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2015917537

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5144-1947-2

                Softcover        978-1-5144-1946-5

                eBook              978-1-5144-1945-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/27/2015

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

724627

39519.png

Caesar

Yes, ooh … sttt … moaned the executive chief of staff at the local school district in the Greater New Orleans Area. Caesar rested his hands on top of his mistress’s head as he leaned back on his mahogany wood desk, knocking his monogrammed nameplate over, hitting his cell phone, which commits to dialing his last call, his wife. Caesar was no playboy, but he had become quite content with his double life. He became a smooth operator and learned to juggle two women just fine. Caesar, very pleasing on the eyes, was about 6'3" and had a caramel complexion with naturally curly hair, compliments to his Hispanic father. Caesar wore thin square glasses, creating a very studious look, which the ladies loved. He looked a lot like Rick Fox with glasses especially in Fox’s younger years. Caesar’s mother was more of a mocha color with long, thick curly hair, which she now wears natural, like that of Diana Ross, unlike her younger years when she wore straight hair, like that of Pocahontas. Cathy Stemmingway was a retired principal as well as a former member of the senior staff in the local central office. Cathy was well-known within the public school community and very proud of her son, who was noted as one of the youngest educational executives who earned a second-in-command position in the local school district.

Yes, right there, right there, crooned Caesar as he released the stress from days filled with tiring and stressful community meetings that were always plagued with heated, frustrated, and emotional community members as they watched their beloved childhood schools be renamed and restructured and appointed to people from all over the country. Everyone seemed to know what to do with the local youngsters, except for the locals.

You liked that? Hello! Caesar!

Glazed with ecstasy, Caesar stared out of his fourth-floor corner office window, where the parking lot looked more like a car dealership. Yeah, yeah, baby, I do. You know exactly what to do with those soup coolers of yours.

You’re too stupid. I’m serious, C, you never take me seriously. Lynn pursed her lips and drooped her eyes like a slow loris, the animal with the biggest and cutest eyes, does. In her baby voice, she said, Well, when will I have some alone, alone time with you? She grabbed and straightened his tie.

"In due time, you know my situation. Don’t worry, we will spend more time together. Well, actually, I’m not sure if you will have time for me."

What! Lynn shouted with a bit of astonishment.

Well, I didn’t get a chance to tell you. This school year is quickly approaching, and Frank Moore has announced his retirement, and I was thinking that you would make a great principal at Washington Middle School, Caesar informed.

Lynn stared into space until she began to crack a cynical smile. Really, bae, are you serious? When do I start?

Caesar continued to explain to Lynn how she needed to wait and be patient. Nothing is official. Just give me some time and let me take care of all the preliminaries. The position will be posted, and I’ll let you know the next steps, Caesar explicated.

Lynn moved in closer to Caesar from behind, lifting her leg around his as she caressed his neck with her lips and she grabbed his chest with both hands. I hear you, baby. I appreciate you so much. You are always taking care of me, Lynn murmured.

What they say about down south has some truth. A lot of people have acquired positions on their backs, on golf courses, at restaurants, coffee shops, etc. It is even rumored that board members promised hopeful administrators positions if they worked their campaigns.

Mr. Stemmingway, you have a call on line 1, uttered Cherry.

Thanks, Cherry, voiced Caesar. Caesar looked at Lynn, giving her the good-bye eye.

Okay, I’m going, Lynn spoke. Good day, Mr. Stemmingway, Lynn continued in her proper business voice. Lynn used Caesar’s stainless steel eight-ounce coffee mug to refresh her lipstick, then she stood to straighten her Anne Klein miniskirt and button her matching suit jacket while grabbing her clipboard and briefcase. As she headed to the door, flashing a flirtatious smile, Lynn said, Have a good day, sir.

Caesar picked up the phone and said, Stemmingway.

Hey, honey, you called me? asked Caesar’s wife, Amanda.

Huh, no, I’ve been in meetings all day, expressed Caesar. What’s up?

Oh, nothing, I’m here in the office, and my cell was in my purse, explained Lynn.

Oh, okay. Well, what’s up for dinner? asked Caesar.

I don’t know. I’ll pick up something later. I have to go. Someone is at my desk, Amanda whispered as she rushed off the phone.

Amanda Stemmingway is one of the two finance managers at the local school district. Being Caesar’s wife caused Amanda to be quite popular in and out of work. Everyone knew her because of her infamous husband. Amanda loves her husband and is eight months pregnant with their first child. Amanda and Caesar were high school sweethearts who both had ambitions to climb the corporate ladder. Obviously, her journey up the ladder was going quite slower than Caesar’s. Nevertheless, she loves him and is always supportive, despite the rumors of her husband’s infidelity. Caesar loves his wife as well, but temptations sometimes get the best of him. For quite some time, Amanda was all he knew since the age of seventeen. They met during their senior year at a neighborhood party and started out as friends. They became closer as they both attended schools in Atlanta—Morehouse and Spelman. What a cliché. As they adjusted to the new town, they became even closer. Stemmingway, although he remained faithful throughout their courtship, often wondered how it would be with another woman. Once in his senior year in college, he and Amanda had a heated argument at a restaurant nearby. Amanda stormed out, leaving Caesar there alone. One of his classmates from his statistics class recognized that he was alone and sat next to him and began to start a conversation. Talking, laughing, and drinking had Caesar feeling much better and more vulnerable for companionship. He and his classmate, Tessa talked all night, and they even kissed and he was just about to move to second base when his phone rang. It was Amanda with a huge and heart-wrenching apology. Caesar couldn’t stand to see Amanda upset, so he left Tessa and ran back to her. He was always a sucker for Amanda.

Meanwhile at the Community Meeting

Why don’t you give the schools back to the locals? Who are all these people? Those people do not know or respect our culture. Ever since Hurricane Katrina, everyone from New York, Boston, California, and from all over is after our schools. They just want to make money on the backs of our children, Cornell Winsor exploded in the community planning meeting. Cornell was a major community leader in a historical neighborhood named Treme. Treme is one of the first culturally rich African American neighborhoods established in the New Orleans area. The community has been noted for producing very successful and accomplished African Americans. The anchor of this neighborhood has always been the schools. And because of the state takeover, the neighborhood schools were seized and weren’t able to operate under the local parish school system. Just a few months after Hurricane Katrina, the state passed a law indicating that schools who received an unacceptable rating will be taken over by the state.

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans. Over 80 percent of the city was reported underwater. The city was charged with the daunting task of rebuilding everything especially the schools since they were and continue to be the hub of many neighborhoods. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, 60 percent or more of the schools were failing in the local school district, and after several attempts, the school district struggled to decrease or to reverse the alarming failing rate. Despite all efforts from the local school board and the numerous attempts of reform, the schools seemed to fall short of satisfying the needs of the community. As if anything can get worse, the local school district fired all the employees. And not long after that, the state inherited mostly all the schools, at least those who were deemed failing. The state named this entity Recovery School District (RSD). RSD opened and operated the schools after Hurricane Katrina as early as 2006. RSD deployed teams from the state department of education to help jump-start the new district. The teams worked endlessly to prepare the schools with facilities, resources, and staff. Once schools were up and going, the RSD, very similar to the local school district, struggled to produce successful schools. Although it was often reported that the schools made double-digit improvement (17 percent to 31 percent proficient), many believed that the double-digit gains were just the schools returning to its pre–Hurricane Katrina status. RSD soon discovered that creating successful schools wasn’t easy and wasn’t what they desired to do directly. Therefore, it was determined that the best way to improve the schools is to charter them to approved organizations. The organizations that were considered to operate schools had to undergo a rigorous process. In down south Louisiana, the organizations chosen to operate the schools have not always been logical or just. It will never be revealed how some organizations that possessed the same qualifications, experiences, and resources were awarded charters while others with similar characteristics were not.

Back at the Community School

Cornell, annoyed and frustrated with the executives from both ends, local and state, stormed out of the meeting with his many followers. It would be a cold day in hell before I let you take my neighborhood school.

A community meeting with arrogant executives from both districts, conspiring advocate groups, and passionate community members was a meeting that usually lasted for hours. Victor Davidson, the superintendent of RSD, sat at the head of the twelve-foot wooden table, doodling on his notepad, pretending to take notes, wondering how he got there with all the unnecessary drama. Then he just remembered the lucrative meeting he had with the state superintendent. It was just another day at the job.

Caesar was there, gloating inside because for once he noticed some uneasiness with the competition. He said to himself, Good job, Cornell. As he snickered to himself, he noticed a text from Lynn.

Lynn: Hey, I want you and need you inside of me.

Caesar smiled but felt an ounce of conviction because he knew what he was doing was wrong. After all, his wife is pregnant and is always and will always be there for him. He began to think and come to his senses and decided that this was it. He was done with Lynn, especially as he looked up and saw his pregnant wife front and center, on the first row of the community center. He looked up at her, and she raised her eyebrows mouthing, You okay? Caesar nodded yes. That was confirmation for him. When Lynn becomes principal at her new school, she’ll be content, and I can easily tap out, Caesar thought.

Lynn

Lynn Taylor was a sexy, curvaceous woman who goes after whatever she wants. Like many other educators, Lynn spent several years in the classroom and was ready to advance in her career and sleeping with the man that can make it happen was fun and fair game. After all, Caesar was very generous on the eyes, and his sex game was on point. Although her affair with Caesar started out as an opportunity, she found herself falling for him. Occasionally she felt bad about what she was doing because she knew Caesar’s wife, Amanda, very well. They both taught at the same high school together, and she has even gone on several double dates with Amanda and Caesar. Amanda used to share all the intricate details about her and Caesar’s life. Amanda was such a plain Jane, and although she was quite a good friend, Lynn couldn’t resist the benefits of having Caesar. Amanda used to go to work bragging about how Caesar was moving up the corporate ladder—from teacher, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum and instruction, chief academic officer, and now chief of staff. Soon he will be superintendent, and Lynn felt that she needed him in her life. We would make a powerful couple, Lynn thought. Lynn always admired Amanda’s life and would do anything to take it.

Bloop. Lynn looked down at her new iPhone and saw a text from Caesar.

Caesar: We need to talk.

Lynn smiled. It’s time, she thought. My school must be ready.

Lynn: When?

Caesar: How about after the board meeting?

Lynn: Okay!

Lynn responded very excitedly about her new journey.

Bloop, bloop. Another text came through.

Chris: Le-Le, where have you been? I’ve been calling you and texting you since yesterday.

Lynn’s boyfriend had been calling her, but she’d been so into Caesar she forgot to call him back. Chris Cruizer, Lynn’s long-term boyfriend for about two years, just adores Lynn. Actually, they make a good couple. Chris is moving up the corporate ladder as well, but his journey just started. Chris was recently promoted to director of sales for a small growing company that in just the last three years have grossed ten million in sales. Each year, the company has grown and has been projected to double in sales within the next five years. Chris is about 5'10" with an olive complexion and is a little stocky. He is often mistaken for Anthony Anderson. He is always dressed so debonair, mostly in suit and tie except for days when he wears his linen suits or his Ralph Lauren polo shirts and pants, with matching shoes of course. If it were up to Chris, he and Lynn would have been married by now, but Lynn always refocuses them on goal setting and planning. As far as Lynn was concerned, next year both Chris and Lynn would turn thirty-five, and they were a few goals short, according to her before-marriage plan.

Like Amanda and Lynn, Chris and Caesar were buddies as well. In fact, Caesar and Amanda planned to ask Chris and Lynn to be the godparents of their new baby. For some reason, Amanda wasn’t so certain about the decision but would go along with it if Caesar was persistent.

Lynn dialed Chris’s number as she thought of a reason why she didn’t call him back. Hey, C, what’s going on?

Babe, where you been? I needed you.

Boy, you just had me, uh … the day before yesterday.

No, not that. I was calling you because I needed you to bring your fine ass over here so I can close this deal with a client. He saw your picture on my desk, and he said if I could get you to come in, it would have been a done deal.

Oh, I’m sorry. So you didn’t close the deal? Lynn asked.

Girl, please, I’m C. Cruizer, Chris bragged. It’s already done, but I could’ve gotten a sweeter deal.

My bad, bae. Well, let’s celebrate, suggested Lynn.

Okay. Tonight at your place, Chris agreed.

I’ll see you at 8:00 p.m. That will give me a chance to work out and shower before you come, Lynn decided.

Oh no, you won’t need to work out. I already have your workout plan, so get ready.

Oh, I’m ready, and I can’t wait until you come Lynn flirted.

Amanda

Amanda’s belly was getting bigger and bigger. Thursday morning, Amanda woke up and prepared for work. She detected something unusual with her body but couldn’t put her finger on it. It seemed like every month her pregnancy was displaying different changes. In the beginning, she used to panic, but now she had gotten accustomed to discovering new deviations from the norm. This time as she urinated, she noticed a large amount of discharge. What is this? she asked herself. Amanda did a Google search and soon found that it was nothing to be worried about. She felt sluggish and tired, and for the past month or so, it had been difficult for her to sleep and breathe during the day. Amanda’s feet were always swollen, and she couldn’t even see her feet anymore. Okay, bambino. It’s time for you to make your grand entrance, Amanda hoped. Amanda wasn’t sure how much she could take. A completely dressed Amanda grabbed her keys and got into her brand-new Lexus LS, which