Maggie Undercover by Elysa Hendricks

bit his tongue and looked down at the
papers on his desk.
    Where had that come from? He couldn't afford
even harmless teasing with a student. For the last few weeks he'd
fought to keep Maggie McCade at a proper distance, but she'd
managed to insinuate herself into his life. In his class and the
computer club she behaved like most any other student. Outside of
school, while they worked on the sets for Alexandra's play, the
dynamics shifted. She treated him as an equal and demanded the same
in turn. The barrier that existed between teacher and student
dissolved. Why?
    For his and her protection he had to rebuild
the wall between them. But construction would have to wait until
after Halloween. He couldn't disappoint his daughter. How was he
going to explain to her why Maggie didn't come around anymore?
    Maggie perched on the edge of his desk. "Is
Alexandra eager to go Trick or Treating? I know I am. I'm a real
sucker for candy, especially chocolate."
    "Trick or Treating is from four until six."
He didn't mention the community-sponsored party in the town square
afterwards.
    "Okay, I'll be over about ten to four. Do you
have flashlights? It's going to be dark before we're finished."
    Her maturity showed in the little things.
    ***
    Alexandra scowled when she opened the door to
Maggie's knock. "I thought you'd be one of the good fairies, Flora,
Fauna or Merryweather, not mean old Millicifent."
    Samson trotted over, sniffed her feet then
plopped down and waited to be petted. Maggie gave him an absent pat
before kneeling next to Alexandra. "I'm sorry. You didn't say
anything and I had this material so I decided to be Millicifent.
Besides I'm too big to be one of the good fairies."
    "I'm little. Maybe I should be one of the
fairies." The words came out reluctantly at first. Then she cast a
sly look at her father.
    What was the little minx thinking?
    "Then you could be Princess Aurora for
Daddy's Prince Phillip. He's too tall to be my real prince. It
looks funny when he has to bend over all the time. You and Daddy
fit together better." Alexandra flashed them a big grin.
    Maggie's startled look reflected Jared's
shock. Out of the mouths of babes. Did Alexandra see the sizzle
that flared whenever he and Ms. McCade were together? Was it
visible to anyone else? Jared's imagination showed him how well he
and Ms. McCade would fit together. Heat rushed through him. He
squashed that line of thought. His Prince Phillip costume left him
little room to let his imagination play.
    "But Alex, you are Princess Aurora both for
Halloween and the school play," Maggie said. "You already have a
costume. Besides, how can there be a happily ever after if there's
no wicked fairy for the prince to defeat?"
    "Oh, all right." Her tone was half
disappointed, half relieved. "But my name's Alexandra, not
Alex."
    "And it's a beautiful name, very elegant and
sophisticated, but everyone needs a nickname, too. My real name is
Madeline Margaret. But all my friends call me Maggie."
    "Mad Maggie," Jared said under his
breath.
    If she truly were Millicifent, Maggie's glare
would have incinerated him.
    "If you don't like Alex pick out your own
nickname, before someone else does it for you."
    "Well, I don't know. Grandmother and
Grandfather and Mother never called me anything except Alexandra."
She looked up at him. A concerned frown made her appear older than
her nine years. "What do you think, Daddy? Do you like Alex for my
nickname?"
    "What's in a name? A rose by any other name
would smell as sweet," he quoted. At Alex's confused look, he said,
"I think it's a great name." He held his breath. For the last few
weeks he'd seen a different child emerging from the brittle shell
his ex-wife and her parents had encased Alexandra - Alex in. Taking
a nickname would signal her acceptance of her new life.
    "Lisa's real name is Elizabeth and Bobby's is
Robert." She appeared to be considering her options. A smile erased
her frown. "I like it."
    "Good. Alex it is." Maggie stood up