“Ah, crap, I forgot!” Adam grumbled.
“Oh, no. I’m good. I was going to buy one from the Merc, anyway.” I patted Danny’s unbraced left hand. He didn’t need to be stressed about that right now.
His eyebrows creased. “We could go back and get another one?” He looked at Adam.
I smiled. “Oh, I think one tree excursion is enough per year. I promise I don’t mind.” I reached over and side-hugged Danny. “I loved being there for the experience. I’m happy with a tree from the Merc. Thanks for letting me come with you though.”
He slowly nodded. “Okay.”
I looked up, and Adam was staring at me. He had tired eyes and a soft smile. Adam reached up and ruffled Danny’s hair. “Sorry again about your wrist, Champ.”
Danny yawned. “It’s okay.”
I knew one thing that would cheer Danny up even more. “Oh no,” I feigned sadness. “Danny, you won’t be able to hold a pencil, which means you won’t get to practice your spelling for a few weeks.”
Danny’s bright eyes shone, and he showed a gap-tooth grin. “Yes!”
We all laughed.
“Hey, Faith.”
I looked at Adam, and his brown eyes searched mine. “Thanks for telling the doctor about my back.” He shrugged. “I get a little focused on Danny, but it was nice to have someone watching out for me for once.” The right side of his mouth pulled into a smile.
I shook my head and blushed. “Haven’t you heard about the oxygen mask thing?”
Adam’s forehead scrunched. “The what?”
I looked at him. “You know, like in planes?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“You have to put on your own oxygen mask first, and then you can help others.”
“Hm.” He nodded.
We listened to Christmas music on the radio as Danny slept on my shoulder as we passed farms outside of Hillsdale. The same peace I had on the mountain surrounded me in the cab of thistruck. It was radiating calm and contentment. I reached over and touched Danny’s hair; it was soft in my fingers.
Wait. What was I doing? My hand froze.
As his teacher, this was totally inappropriate. All day was.
I closed my eyes. Stupid.
Would this hurt and confuse Danny at school? I forced my hands to my sides and refused to move them.
We pulled into my parking lot, and I slid out from under Danny, laying his head onto the seat. Trying to force more space between myself and this little family. “Thanks for letting me come get trees. It was amazing,” I whispered to Adam as I reached for the handle.
Adam rolled his eyes. “Yeah, hardly the outing I expected.”
I raised my right shoulder. “True, but I still loved being in the mountains, and I got to cut down a tree. So overall definitely a win for me.” I smiled and opened the door. “Good night, Adam,” I called over my shoulder then shut the door and rushed away before I got pulled further in.
A door shut behind me, and I turned to see Adam walking up to me.
My throat tightened, and my hands shook. What was he doing? I remembered I was still in his coach jacket. I’d put it on after the urgent care. “Oh, sorry! Your coat.” I slid it off my shoulders and handed it out toward him, instantly missing its warmth and the smell the second it was gone.
He grabbed the coat and put it over his arm and gestured toward my door. “I forgot about the coat. Figured I would walk you to your door, the least I can do after today.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and shrugged.
We walked the rest of the way in silence. I grabbed my keys from my pocket and inserted the key into the lock, unlocking the door.
