Holding the marker empowers me to speak as I create, like a talking stick.I provide brief explanations for clarity.I even share that my father is allergic to most milkweeds, and incessant sneezing inhibits his ability to study them—a personal anecdote that I find amusing, even if no one else does.
I run out of space as I attempt to move east, and turning to my aghast students, I’m out of breath.Jayden quiets his music.
“It’s a little rudimentary,” I say.
“That’s rudimentary?”Myla blurts.
Jayden laughs.“Dr.Blake, you’re like a tattooed Bob Ross with your happy, little trees.”
“Is that a compliment?”
They share a confused glance.“Um, yeah.”
“Then, thank you.”My phone alarm sounds, signaling the end of class.“Wow, we’re done already.I hope you learned something today.”
“I had no idea that North Carolina was so diverse,” Myla says, pausing instead of jumping out of her seat as usual.“I recorded this to watch later.Is that okay?”
“Yes, of course.Please email with any questions about today’s lesson,” I say, reaching for the eraser.
“Here’s a question,” Myla says, “can you do that again tomorrow?”
My tension dissipates in a sigh.“Certainly.Have a nice day.”
They exit the room, and I lean against the podium, practicing my Ins and Outs.I did it.I taught a class (albeit small) without boring them to death,andthey learned something.
I’m elated, and a little pained.Forced to ignore the headache forming at my temples, I ogle my creation before erasing it.The result is vibrant and intricate, full of life, which is precisely what this classroom needed.
Board clean and lights off, now, I get to see Henry.
CHAPTER33
Henry
Venus spillsout of the Environmental Sciences Building and abruptly halts her rush when she finds me there, waiting for her.Her brow is pinched and smudged with dirt along the temples.
“Hey, how’d it go?”I ask with a smile, though my heart drops at the sight of her bothered expression.
Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out.The crease to her brow deepens, and she fidgets with her jewelry.She’s on the step above me, putting us nearly at eye level.Her obvious distress makes me think that I’ll need to give better advice, something more concrete and actionable thanbe yourself.“Whatever happened, we can?—”
My cued-up platitudes fall to the wayside when she gives up on words and falls into my arms, silencing me with a warm, tight, full-bodied embrace.
“It was so much better,” she whispers in my ear.“Thank you.”
Her scarf tickles my cheek as I smile against her and wrap my hands around her back.“I knew you could do it.”
People filter around us, the doors to the building screech open and thud shut, but neither of us lets go.Holding her brings a strange relief that I didn’t know I needed.All the energy and angst of being a parent, teacher, student, and reluctant museum proprietor collapse at her feet like a house of cards finally folding.With her, I feel like I’m just Henry.
She tugs away slowly, letting her hands linger on my shoulders, and she looks confused.“I thought we were meeting at the food court.”
“My class ended early, so I thought we could walk together.You have, um…” I motion toward the dark smudges on her face, and catching my meaning, she glances at her hands, which are also dirty.
“I was running late and didn’t have time to wash my hands,” she says, still looking anguished.“It’s whiteboard marker residue—not the kindest medium.It’s also given me a splitting headache from the fumes.”
Her hands go to her temples again, but given the smudges, she reconsiders.
“Come with me.”I take her hand and tug her to the nearest bench.A towering crepe myrtle showers us with tiny pink flowers, carried away by the breeze.I reach to wipe them off the seat, but she plops on top of them, uncaringly.Pink blossoms drift into her long hair while she closes her eyes, and damn, she looks so fucking pretty that it takes me a moment to remember why I dragged her over here.
I wipe the blossoms from my seat—Venus can pull off pink flowers in her hair or on her backside, but I’m not sure I can.I tug my messenger bag into my lap, flip it open, and rifle through my supplies.
