Page 15 of Champagne Nights

“Tutor kids? Tutor them in what?”

“English.”

It was a good thing she couldn’t see the expression on my face because I was sure she’d be offended by it.

“I don’t understand.”

She gave me a small smile. “I’m a teacher. I teach English Lit over at Roosevelt High School.”

“In Brooklyn?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I—”

“You don’t understand how a blind person could teach a class, right?”

“No. Yes. I mean?—”

“It’s okay, Ethan. I get that same reaction from everyone. I graduated from NYU and did my student teaching at Roosevelt. When I graduated, they offered me a job as a full-time teacher, teaching eleventh grade. Actually, I have to report to school on Monday to get things set up, and school starts on Tuesday.”

“How long have you been teaching?”

“This will be my second year.” She carefully picked up her wine and took a sip.

“Have you always wanted to be a teacher?”

“Ever since I was ten years old. I wanted to help others like I was helped. I was a child when I lost my sight, and it was the most difficult time of my life. Trying to adapt to a world of darkness was something I didn’t think I could do. But I did, and I owed it all to my teachers at Lavell and my aunt and uncle. I could sense the gratification they got when they taught me something, and I wanted to experience that.”

“Why English Literature?”

“I fell in love with it when I was first introduced to Shakespeare. For me, it was a new way of seeing the world, their world, and the time it was written. When I read someone like Jane Austen or Ernest Hemingway, even Shakespeare, I am so absorbed in their writing and stories that I get lost, and sometimes I forget I’m blind. If that makes sense.”

I stared at her as a small smile crossed my face.

“It does make sense. Roosevelt is a tough school. Not the school, but the kids. I’m really surprised you like teaching there.”

“Many students there come from broken homes, and some are just there because they have no choice. But when they walk into my classroom, they walk into another world. They feel my passion, and they become passionate about it after a while. If I can help one student follow their dreams, then every day of teaching is worth it.”

This woman was incredible as far as I was concerned, and the more we talked, the more intrigued I became about her. I desperately wanted to reach out and run my hand across her cheek because controlling myself in her presence was becoming difficult.

Chapter Seven

Aubrey

I got up from my chair and began to clear the table. I heard Ethan get up and follow me into the kitchen, open up the dishwasher, and place his plate inside it.

“I can clean up,” I spoke.

“And I can help. You cooked a wonderful meal for me, and it’s the least I could do.”

I wanted to know about him. About his life and his business. We only talked about me during dinner and nothing about him.

“Now that you know about me, what’s your story, Mr. Klein?”

“Well, I grew up in Manhattan and have a sister named Lila. I started my technology company when I was twenty-one, and the rest is history.”

“Come on. There’s more to you than that.” I smiled.

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