Page 1 of Love Beyond Time
Chapter 1
Austin, TX
Present Day
Sun beamed against the windows as I walked down the line of tiny faces peering up at me. I knelt before each one, holding up a number between one and ten on my fingers, looking over each little body to ensure that laces were tied, backpacks on, and lunchboxes were in hand as I waited for their answer. As each called out the right number with a prideful smile, I gave them their daily sticker and moved on to the next student.
I could see Anthony three students down, pestering the unfortunate Harrison, who was standing in front of him and blowing in his ears every time he turned around to face the direction of the line. As Grace called out number seven and asked for help with her laces, I threw my most sterncut it outlook in Anthony’s direction. The ornery-but-exceedingly-bright child caught my meaning and returned the look with a sheepish grin as he stepped away from Harrison and stood still as a statue.
Two students later, I stood in front of Anthony. He rattled off the number nine that I was holding up in front of him before I even had a chance to look him over. Both laces were undone, and he had split his zipper so that only the middle of his jacket was actually closed.
“Good job Anthony! Here’s your sticker. Still haven’t mastered the old shoelaces yet, I see?”
“No, Ms. Mothgomfrey. I been working and working at it, but I just can’t seem to get that rabbit to go around the hole.”
I repressed an eye roll as I bent to tie his shoes. Anthony’s speech was better than all of the other kindergarteners in his class, and I knew he could say my name, Ms. Montgomery, without problem, but he just lived for the giggles of all the other students every time he said my name that way.
“Well, those rabbits can be tricky that way, but you just keep working at it. You’ll get it soon.”
“I sure will! I promise! I sure am tired of watching you tie my shoes every day. Ya know, I’m five years old, it’s humilly-aten.”
“Well, Anthony. That’s sure a big word. Where’d you hear that?”
“That’s what my Mama said to Daddy the other day. She said it was humilly-aten to be married to a man that thought it was okay to watch television all day long on Sundays while she cleaned and cooked and did laundry and that he needed to get his fat, lazy a . . .”
The bell rang, interrupting his speech and saving the day as far as I was concerned. I should’ve seen that coming. I knew better than to ask Anthony an open-ended question.
I quickly checked the last few in line and went to the front of the classroom, motioning for the day’s leader, Izzy, to hold open the door while everyone walked outside. Once everyone was out of the classroom and Izzy had returned to her place in the front of the line, I led them down the hallway, smiling at the sound of their tiny, squeaky shoes as they pitter-pattered single-file behind me.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, when the last child had been picked up, I shut the door to my classroom and plopped ungracefully down at my desk. I gently pressed my fingertips against my eyelids in an effort to push away the day’s stress. It seemed to help a little, so I stood up, stretching mildly before I tucked my long, dark hair, which was now frizzing after being out in the wind, behind my ears.
I pushed my chair in and circled the room for a quick sweep before I headed home. I bent over every few feet to pick up the various crayons, chunks of Play-Doh, and construction paper scattered across the carpet. I knew the custodian would come along behind me shortly, but I just couldn’t bear for her to see the classroom in this state of dishevelment. As I looked over the mess that scattered from one work center to another, I thought to myself, not for the first time today, how glad I was that I had decided against adding finger-painting to the day’s lesson plans.
With my arms filled to capacity with various craft litter, I deposited the load into the trash can next to my desk. With a glance around the room, I decided I was satisfied enough to call it a day.
I stacked the handwriting exercises for the letter “G” on top of my desk to grade first thing Monday morning, and I was buttoning my jacket when my classroom aide Mitsy opened the door and stepped inside.
“Are you ready for your big date tonight? I talked to Brian and he said Daniel is super-excited!”
I spun quickly to face her, panic settling in my gut. “What? Oh, Mitsy, I totally forgot! Look. Maybe you could just call him and see if we could do it next Friday? You know, I’m really swamped right now. We’d both have more fun if we did it when I wasn’t so distracted.”
Mitsy placed her hands on both hips and narrowed her eyes as she spoke to me again, “I will do no such thing! And if you think you are going to get out of yet one more date, well, let me tell you, Miss I-have-no-problem-dying-alone, I am not going to let you weasel out of this one! He’s a great guy, Bri. I haven’t actually met him, but Brian’s known him all of his life. His wife died two years ago, and he needs to get out of the house just about as badly as you need to. Just look at it as something that will benefit you both.”
I turned away from her as I closed the coat closet and walked back over to my desk to grab my purse. “I’m not trying to weasel out of it. I just really need to work on lesson plans for next week, and I think I’m catching a cold.”
Mitsy blocked the door to the classroom and grabbed my wrist as she dragged me back over to the filing cabinet beside my desk. I knew what she was about to grab before she opened the cabinet.
“You are not catching a cold, and don’t you dare try to tell me that you have lesson plans to work on.” I watched as she paused briefly to yank open the first drawer. “Let’s see. What do we have here? All of Monday’s lesson plans in this folder? Check. Tuesday? Check. Wednesday? Check. Do I really need to go on, Bri? You should just make it easier on yourself and tell me you’re going, because you are either way. All there’s left for you to decide is how soon you want me to get out of your hair.” She smiled sweetly and placed my folders back into the cabinet, slamming the drawer shut with immense satisfaction.
Reluctantly I grinned and held my hands up in surrender. “Fine. Fine. I’ll go. But you’re going to let me pick out my own bridesmaid’s dress for you and Brian’s wedding, right?
Mitsy thrust her hand in my direction, “Deal.”
* * *
I’d just zipped up the back of my dress when the doorbell rang at 7:30.At least he’s punctual,I thought as I tried to put an earring on with one hand while attempting to slip myself into my heels with the other.
