Taking a crayon from his pocket, Oscar stood on tippy toes and carefully wrote his name on a sheet of paper. His tiny fingers gripped the crayon awkwardly, but the letters were surprisingly legible. “O-s-c-a-r,” he spelled out as he wrote.
Eden applauded softly, genuinely impressed. “That’s wonderful. You’ll be an awesome student.”
Oscar beamed, his smile lighting up the room.
Rex, sensing the celebratory mood, nudged Oscar gently, earning himself a tight, appreciative hug from the boy.
As Oscar scampered off to join the rest of his pre-school class, Eden stood in her doorway and watched them. The children were spread out on the floor, some stacking blocks, others drawing, and a few playing a game that involved counting colored rings.
Their excitement of being with their friends and doing something they enjoyed stirred a familiar ache in Eden’s chest—the same ache she felt every time she remembered her days as a teacher. Watching the children learn and grow had been her passion, and her abrupt departure from teaching had left a big chunk of her heart missing.
She walked back into her office and tried to focus on the spreadsheet in front of her. But her thoughts drifted to her classroom, her students, and the dreams she’d had for them. Oscar’s simple joy in learning something as fundamental as writing his name reminded her of why she had loved teaching so much.
Pushing back from her desk, Eden decided she needed a break. Walking over to the window, she looked outside. Families came and went from The Welcome Center and volunteers hurried inside from the parking lot. With all the activity, there was a sense of community and support that resonated deeply with her.
“Knock, knock,” a familiar voice said from the doorway.
Eden turned and smiled at Pastor John. “Hi, John. How’s your morning going?”
“Better than I thought. I just heard back from the county. They’re funding the expansion of the medical center and another ten family rooms for The Welcome Center.”
“Congratulations,” she said warmly. “Shelley told me about the projects. They’ll make a huge difference for the community.”
“That’s what I focused on in my presentation. Thankfully, the committee agreed. Is everything all right? You seem a little down.”
“It’s not my job,” Eden assured him. “I’m loving every minute of working here.”
John stood silently in the doorway, waiting for her to continue.
Eden sighed. “Shelley warned me you don’t give up easily.”
“It drives her insane,” John admitted. “But it helps everyone know where they stand. If your job isn’t worrying you, what is?”
Taking a deep breath, she pointed to the pre-school class in the play area. “Oscar, the little boy beside the blocks, starts school soon. He was excited when he told me what he’d be doing. I miss being a teacher,” she admitted. “I miss waking up each morning and feeling the same buzz of excitement Oscar’s feeling.”
John moved closer. “Maybe there’s a way to combine your love of teaching with your new life in Sapphire Bay.”
“I don’t think I’m ready to go back into a classroom,” Eden told him sadly.
“What if you weren’t the teacher? The local elementary school is always looking for volunteers. Or you could help with some of the church’s education programs.”
Eden frowned. Volunteering could be a way of testing whether she was ready to be part of a learning environment. The more she thought about it, the better it sounded. “I’ll call the school tomorrow and see what they say. If that’s not a possibility, should I talk to you about the church’s programs?”
John nodded. “But if I’m not available, talk to Shelley. She has all the information about our programs on her laptop.”
Eden tilted her head to the side. “I didn’t see Shelley at breakfast this morning. Is she okay?”
“She had a sleep in.” When Eden’s eyebrows rose, John chuckled. “I know. It shocked me, too. She’s usually awake by five o’clock, but I’m not complaining. I’ve been telling her for weeks to stay in bed for longer.”
Eden lifted her hand and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I’ll call her and offer to make dinner. There isn’t that much time until your baby’s due and the more rest she gets the better she’ll feel.”
“That’s what I’m hoping,” John told her. “But you know Shelley. She gets bored easily.”
Eden grinned. “What she needs is a project she can do from home. If I think of anything, I’ll let you know.”
“That’d be great. And if she can do it sitting down, I’ll be even happier. Good luck with the school.”
Eden nodded as John walked away. If she could get past the knot in her stomach when she thought about teaching, it would be a game changer. Especially if it meant she could return to the only career she’d ever wanted to do.
