“I was wondering if either one of you had dated her yet, yes.I didn’t mean to step on your toes if you’re already seeing her.”Knox said that other than helping her move in, he wasn’t seeing her socially.Not yet, anyway.“All right.I’ll leave it alone then.Zander doesn’t seem to be willing to date much either.Have the two of you formed a pact of some sort that you’re not dating anyone?”
“No, nothing like that.But we have been busy with Carrie’s case.It’s been a long time in coming around.But I’m glad to see that it’s paid off finally.”He said that he was as well.When he’d spoken to Carrie, she seemed to have a weight lifted off her shoulders.“I would imagine that she has.I can’t imagine walking around waiting for one of you guys to knock the shit out of me at any time.They’ve done enough damage to her, I would say.”
They talked about how much work Carrie and Mandy were doing for the older generation in town.They’d had several classes now in teaching women and men how to use a computer to order online and to run a household with a computer in mind.Ordering groceries was the biggest class that they held, and so far, everyone who went through the classes had good things to say about it.He was very proud of them for doing it with the Martha Grable Foundation.
“Did you hear that this week’s dinner is going to be at Locke’s house?He said that there’s a pregame on television for Thursday night and he wants to watch it with us.”He said that he’d not heard, but that sounded fantastic.“Yeah, I guess he’s ordering food in so that we can have a variety.I’m just hoping that he has the kind of food he did last year for the end of season games.That was a blast.”
“He does know how to get food done up well.”Knox laughed and told him about the mess-up last month when he’d ordered food for a meeting.“It was all fresh food, and the people looked at it like it was garbage.No one ate any of it because it was things like fresh vegetables and fruit.I wish I could have seen his face when he had it all set up for them.It must have been a disaster.”
“Yeah, but I heard that he did the same thing the next month with a meeting.Those people enjoyed it a great deal.I guess it depends on the people that he’s meeting with.”Knox agreed and said that he loved a fresh layout.“I do as well.It’s not something that I want to eat every meal, but I could enjoy some of it if it’s around.I’d like to have pizza too.And some burgers.I wonder if he’ll have that sort of layout for the house dinner?”
“Who knows with him.”And that was the truth.Locke was a doctor now and knew the value of eating well.So did his wife, Alex.But he’d noticed that they could pig out on different foods, too, when it was around.“I have work to be done.Do you need anything else from me while you’re here?”
“Are you shoving me out the door?”He said that he was actually because he really did have a lot of work to do.“All right, I see how you are.I’ll get going, but I did want to ask you about the strip mall.Do you have anyone who wants to rent out one or more of the spaces?Have you heard anything?”
“Nothing other than the tire shop that’s going to be going in as soon as his part of the building is finished.I’ve been wondering about a hardware store.We could certainly use one of those on that end of town, but I haven’t heard anything.There was interest in a fishing shop, they’d sell licenses and such along with bait, but I’ve not heard anything more from them since they first asked.That would be great around here, I think.I would love to learn how to fish again.Remember doing that as kids?”
“Yes, sometimes it was the difference between us eating or not.I hated it.”He said he had as well, but would really like to go out and fish again for fun.“I don’t know.You do it and let me know.I might even join you sometime.But my first thought is no, I want nothing to do with catching fish and having them because that’s all there is.”
“I understand.”He thought that he did too.There were lots of things that he loved doing now that he hadn’t as a teenager.There was chopping wood for his house that he used to do because it afforded them school supplies.Now it was fun for him to sit next to this fireplace and be warmed by wood that he’d cut up.There were other things, too, that he now enjoyed that he’d not as a child growing up with nothing.Less than nothing really.
Every once in a while, he’d think about his father.He was a mean bastard and a drunk.When they were growing up, his dad would be drunk before noon, and he was a mean drunk, too.Once, when he was bringing in the groceries that they had gotten, his dad was pissed off because they didn’t buy any beer.Not that any of them were old enough to purchase the stuff for him, but he beat them all within an inch of their lives that night.It had been three days before any of them could walk around, and by then all the food was gone.He either ate it all while they were down or tossed it out.More than likely the latter of the two.Their father wasn’t a good man at all.
“I’m headed out.I’ll see you Thursday for sure.”He’d see him tomorrow, too, because that’s just the way that they were.They would hang out together every day for some time, and it was good for them all.He loved his brothers more than anyone in the world, and he told them that daily.
They were close, the six of them, and even though they had wives now, most of them anyway, they were still close.He loved the fact that they got together once a week to hang out, and he loved even more that they saw each other daily when they were doing something as a family.Knox simply loved being around his family, no matter what was going on.
Chapter 5
Elaine had a good first week of school.She’d been able to get their names straight on the first couple of days, and their seating chart was easy enough to remember after that.Today was the beginning of her second week, and she was having so much fun that she was giddy when she got home.The best part of her day was when they had spelling of the words they had to work on, and they were catching up well after having a sub for so long.Elaine had lunch duty today, so she was able to hang out with all the kids while they had their lunch.Her favorite part of the day.
Once her class was ready to go outside, her assistant took them out.She’d be on lunch duty until all the kids were fed, about another hour and a half.However, she didn’t mind.It was a way for her to meet the other teachers while getting to know the upper grades of students as well.Just as she was taking a break to run to the bathroom, her cell phone rang.It was Knox.
“You’re working, so I’ll keep this short.You owe me dinner.I was wondering if you were busy tonight.”She told him she had papers to grade, but that wouldn’t take her all that long to do.“Good.I’ll pick you up at five, and we’ll have a nice dinner at theCrockery Pot.My brother owns it, but he’s not cooking tonight, so we might have some fun.”
“Is your brother not fun?”He laughed and said that he was, but he could also be intrusive as well.“I see.All right, I’ll see you then.I have to finish up my day here, and then I’ll be ready at five for you.”
“Great.”He rang off, and she put her phone back in her pocket.They frowned upon you using your phone while in the classroom, but it was all right to use it in the hallway.She’d never abuse that rule and would keep it to a minimum.She was glad that Knox didn’t keep her on the phone all that long, as she was sure he understood that she needed to keep her job.
By the time she got home, it was a quarter to five.There had been a meeting after classes were let out, and she’d had to attend.Then David, as he insisted that she call him, cornered her and asked her if she was doing all right.For some reason, he was starting to get on her nerves, and she didn’t like that.He was creepy, too, the way he tried to stand close to her when he was talking to her.She noticed that he didn’t do it to the other teachers when they were talking to him.
When her doorbell rang at five o’clock, she was finished getting dressed and was ready to go.She’d been looking forward to this all day and was excited to be able to spend more time with Knox.He was a funny guy, and she loved hanging out with him.He’d given her a lot of help when he’d helped her move her things into her place.Now she had a table and chairs as well as a couch to sit on.Things were moving quite nicely for her, and she couldn’t be happier.
The Pot was busy, yet they were seated right away.He must have made reservations for them, and she was glad.She was hungry and couldn’t wait to be seated.As soon as they were settled in their seats, bread and butter were brought out for them to munch on, and she was glad.The bread was a good appetizer as well as something to tide her over until they could order their meals.
She ordered the salmon with the rice pilaf and salad, and he ordered a steak with French fries and a salad.When their salads were brought to them, he took off his croutons, and she did the same for the cucumbers.They both traded what they didn’t want to eat, and it worked out well.The house dressing was delicious.
“This is nice for our first date.”She asked him if he thought that there would be more than this one.“I hope so.I’ve been looking forward to your calling me for our date since the night that you said you owed me.When you didn’t call, I did, and I’m glad that I did.”
“I am as well.However, I don’t know about this going any further than tonight.You’re well out of my league.”He laughed so hard that she could see tears in his eyes from it.“I’m serious.You’re thewealthy Ericksons, and I’m a lowly school teacher who was barely making it when you came by to help me out.You should be dating people more in your tax bracket.”
“I don’t want to date anyone in my tax bracket, as you called it.I want to date you.You make me laugh, and I enjoy talking to you.You’ve been a good friend too, and I’m glad to have gotten to know you.”She pointed out again how wealthy he was.“It’s just money.It doesn’t define me.I’ll admit that it does have its perks, but I do want to see you again and again.Besides, you’re not a lowly anything.Teachers are the ones who make our future what it will become, and I’m proud to know you.”
Just as they were being asked if they wanted dessert, Knox took her hand into his.She didn’t pull away like she thought she should have, but allowed him to hold her hand.Elaine thought him to be a romantic and was glad that they had this time together.When he figured out she wasn’t the person for him, she was going to be heartbroken and decided that she was going to get as much as she could from the relationship while it lasted.Just as their desserts were being put on the table between them, David came out of nowhere and sat down at the table with them.
“What do you think you’re doing?”She didn’t know what to say to him as he was drawing unwanted attention to them.“You’re mine, and you’re not to be going out with anyone else.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”He actually growled at her.When she tried to pull her hand away from Knox, he held her firmly and didn’t let her go.“I’m out on a date.There is nothing that says I can’t date while I’m working for the school.And as far as being yours, I have no idea where you got that idea.I belong to no one.”He told her again that she was his.
