When we got home, supper was already cooking. I hadn’t asked Theresa to make us anything, but it seemed I hadn’t needed to.
“Grandma!” Evanne shouted as she went flying into the kitchen
“Well, hello there, button!” Theresa knelt down to give Evanne a hug. “I’m just putting together a nice casserole for the three of us. How was your first day of grade three?”
Evanne launched into the same mile-a-minute spiel about her day as she had with me. When she got to the part about her homework, a part of me had hoped Theresa would offer to help, but instead, she said, “That sounds fun! Why don’t you go take care of that while I finish fixing supper, hmm? Then it’s out of the way.”
“Okay!” Evanne said. “Daddy promised to help!”
Theresa looked at me with an arched eyebrow and waited for a response.
“Sure, sweetie,” I said, trying not to sigh as I followed her into the living room.
Despite everything, I had to smile as she settled in with a grave expression on her face. It was good to know that she took her schoolwork seriously.
“Listen,” I said as she pulled her notebook and pencil case out. I lowered my voice so Theresa wouldn’t hear, ignoring the flash of shame that washed over me. “I can…I can help you come up with a story, but you’ll have to write it out yourself. Ms. Browne will know if it’s a grown-up’s handwriting.”
Evanne hummed, nodding. “But sometimes I, um…need help with spelling. Some words are hard. Can you read it while I write?”
I scratched my chin. “I don’t know, sweetie…”
She looked up at me with those big, sad eyes that she hardly ever used to get away with murder.
“I’ll watch,” I agreed. “Maybe Grandma will want to, um, to hear your story after supper.”
“Okay.” She beamed up at me. “Ready?”
For a single word, that was an insanely loaded question.
Thirteen
Lumen
By the timeschool let out Thursday afternoon, I was both exhausted and exhilarated, a combination that I was sure I’d experience over and over again while doing this job.
After years of balancing college courses and working at a job I tolerated for Mai’s sake and my own financial sanity, I had a career. A pension. Benefits. Medical insurance. As much job security as anyone could in this economy.
There were only a few people left on the school grounds as I left the building, but that wasn’t surprising. I’d stayed late adjusting my lesson plans now that I had a better understanding of my students, and I was looking forward to seeing my ideas implemented.
As exciting as it was, it was also more than a little terrifying, knowing that all of this rested on my shoulders. I’d enjoyed student teaching but had chafed under a teacher who was so old school that she’d shot down any fresh ideas I’d suggested. Once I’d finished, I’d already been planning all the ways I’d do things differently.
I loved being able to try some of the new techniques I’d learned under my favorite professors, as well as coming up with unique ones of my own, but I hadn’t truly understood how daunting it would be to not have that safety net of another teacher. Not that my colleagues weren’t supportive, but it wasn’t the same as knowing that at least partial responsibility for the students’ well-being belonged to someone older and wiser. Someone who’d take more of the blame if something went wrong, to be honest.
As I made my way toward the bus stop, I was already going over my budget in my head, double-checking when I’d be able to afford a car. I didn’t have a problem with public transit, but this was Seattle, which meant either juggling an umbrella with all of my stuff or getting wet. I needed to be able to transport not only myself but my supplies as well, which meant car shopping was in my near future.
Only half-aware of the world around me, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure running along the other side of the road, heading in my direction. On reflex, I looked, taking in the impressive height and athletic build before I got to the golden hair and a familiar face.
Shit.
How the hell did this keep happening to me?
Alec did a double-take only a few seconds after I recognized him, not giving me the chance to pretend that I was still oblivious to his presence. Not knowing the proper protocol for greetings post-almost-hook-up, I raised my hand to wave. He did the same thing, then jogged across the road.
Wow, he was…sweaty. And it wasn’t the turn-off I would’ve thought it’d be. While the misty air could’ve accounted for some of how damp he was, there was no doubting how hard he’d been pushing himself. He wore typical running gear, and he was breathing heavily, which for some reason I didn’t want to think too much about, mademebreathe heavily. Had he looked that good the night I’d run out on him?
The memory of what I’d done sent heat rushing to my face, and I second-guessed the wisdom of not having made an immediate excuse about why I needed to be somewhere else.
“So, did you head for the bus stop last Friday too?” The teasing note in his voice made me a little less self-conscious.
