Page 10 of After the Rain

Professional. Helpful teacher offering to support concerned parent. Nothing unusual about that.

So why was I overthinking it?

I closed my laptop and pushed back from my desk. What was wrong with me? I'd been divorced for six weeks, barely adjustingto single parenthood. Cooper's education was important—that's all this was about.

Ezra seemed like a dedicated teacher who genuinely cared about his students. Cooper talked about him constantly, always with enthusiasm. The man was clearly good at his job, and Cooper was thriving in his classroom.

"Important client email?" Marcus's voice made me jump. He was standing in my office doorway with that expression he got when he was trying to figure out if I was having some kind of breakdown.

"Just school stuff. Cooper's teacher."

"Must be some pretty intense school stuff. You've been staring at that screen for fifteen minutes."

Had I really been that obvious?

"Just want to make sure I'm supporting Cooper's education properly." Which was true. Cooper's kindergarten experience was crucial, and I wanted to be an engaged parent.

Marcus raised an eyebrow but didn't push. "When you're done with your intensive educational research, we need to review the Henderson timeline."

After he left, I pulled the email back up. Meeting outside school seemed practical—we could talk freely about Cooper's needs without the time constraints of morning drop-off. The fact that he'd signed it with his first name was just professional courtesy.

I started typing a response, deleted it, started again.

Coffee sounds great. I'd love to discuss Cooper's adjustment and any ways I can better support his learning at home. Are you free after school any day this week?

Professional. Focused on Cooper. Completely legitimate.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself.

My email pinged back quickly.

How about tomorrow after school? Moonbeam Diner around 4:00? Looking forward to it. Ezra

I read the message twice. Good—we'd have time to discuss Cooper's development properly.

Either way, I had a coffee meeting about my son's education. That's all this was.

The next day felt long,but that was probably just anticipation about getting useful insights into Cooper's educational needs. I caught myself checking the clock during a client call with the Henderson family, eager to wrap up work so I could focus on the meeting.

"Wade?" Mrs. Henderson's voice snapped me back to the present. "Did you hear my question about the kitchen renovation timeline?"

"Sorry, yes. The cabinet installation should be completed by the end of next week." I scrambled to find my notes, hoping I was giving accurate information.

Marcus shot me a look that clearly said we'd be having words later.

After the Hendersons left, he cornered me in the break room. "Okay, what's going on with you today? You just gave clients a timeline estimate without consulting your project notes."

I poured myself coffee I didn't want, buying time. "Just tired. Cooper was up late with a nightmare."

Not entirely a lie. Cooper had woken up around eleven asking for water, claiming he'd dreamed about giant dinosaurs. But he'd gone back to sleep easily.

"Is everything okay with him? The divorce stuff still affecting him?"

Marcus had been supportive throughout my separation, offering to babysit when I needed to meet with lawyers. His concern was genuine.

"He's actually doing really well. Loves his teacher, seems happy at school. I'm meeting with Mr. Mitchell this afternoon to discuss his progress."

"That's good. You seem like you're adjusting better too."

---