“We don’t know yet, something could—”
“Don’t lie to yourself,” she says, interrupting me. “And you’re leaving with her? Seriously? Then I’ll be stuck here, alone.” She stomps her foot and frowns like the toddler Kate used to.
“You won’t be alone. And I don’t even know if I’m leaving or not.” I pat her leg and stand to walk over to the sink. I rinse my mug and start a fresh pot for the rest of the faculty.
“What would you do? Long distance?” Kate asks over her shoulder.
“I don’t know . . . maybe?” I wipe the sink.
“You know that won’t work,” she says, knowingly. She’s tried long distance before and it tore her apart. Being on the girl’s side of things was eye opening as a man, seeing her fear and anxiety over the “what ifs.” I couldn’t stand to be the reason Ellie was stressed or worried or feeling anything but happy and secure in our relationship. But even the best of guys, with the best intentions, can’t stop a woman from breaking their heart because they can’t handle the distance. I couldn’t handle that either.
I grip the sides of the back counter and take a deep steadying breath.
Maybe I could go to New York? Surely I could find a place to work that’s comparable to Glendale. And our families are here so we would visit often . . . right?
I hear a knock at the break room door. “Excuse me, Mr. Divata?”
I look up to see a woman I don’t recognize standing on the other side of the door. She is way too overdressed to be a substitute—wearing a gray pantsuit and very pointy shoes.
I shake off my emotions and walk over to greet her. “That’s me. What can I do for you?”
“I’m Mrs. Herrera”—she shakes my hand firmly, looking over my shoulder to nod at Kate—“I’m with the school board.” Her tone is not a friendly one as she pulls out a slip of paper and hands it to me. “You are required to attend our upcoming board meeting for an evaluation.”
My throat closes as I take the paper, Kate is swiftly by my side reading it over my shoulder. I see spots around the paper and can only make out a few words . . .
Violation.
Insubordination.
Termination.
Kate snatches the paper out of my hands. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“Mr. Divata, it is paramount that you and Ms. Bailey attend this meeting.”
The room feels like it’s swaying as all I can do is nod in response. She nods at Kate and I then walks down the hallway, disappearing around the corner.
“What are they going to do?Fire you?”Kate yells as she steps into the hallway, looking in the direction of Ms. Herrara then back to me. We’re both baffled.
Emma approaches from the opposite end of the hallway, looking between me and Kate, “What’s going on?” She looks over Kate’s shoulder at the paper, Kate hands it to her.
“I’ll be back!” Kate shouts as she runs off down the same way Ms. Herrera left, leaving Emma and I standing in the doorway.
Emma scans over the paper, reading different points out loud, “Due to recent developments . . . interpersonal relationship . . . termination?” She gasps, placing her hand over her mouth as she continues to read. “No, no, no.” She shakes her head in disbelief—the very feeling I, so ignorantly, am feeling right now.
I stay planted in the doorway as shock works its way over me.Termination?I feel like an idiot thinking this all was going to blow over. Pictures of my life work their way across my mind like a slideshow: graduating from Glendale, my first job here, my first promotion, everything I worked for while being here.
The first school bell rings and students pile into the hall from the front door, opening lockers, high-fiving each other, waving at Emma and I as they pass. Seeing their faces ignites something inside me, dissolving my shock and filling me with something else—something righteous.
This is my school. These are my students.
The option of leaving Glendale for New York is gone.
I’m not going anywhere.
Chapter twenty-seven
Ellie
