Page 8 of The Love Comeback
I shove my phone into my pocket and then finish the walk to work. When I arrive, I pull open the front doors and head straight for the teacher’s lounge. As the head of mathematics, I teach four classes and then spend the rest of my days working on the school programs, as well as collaborating with the gifted and talented.
And I’m starting in the middle of the school year, which adds total chaos.
“Morning, Ella,” Terry, the vice principal, greets me as soon as I step into the lounge. Her blonde hair is pulled up in a tight bun on the top of her head, and her penetrating green eyes are something out of a magazine. She’s in her mid-forties, and her youngest kid is in high school. “How’s Colton been settling in?”
“He’s doing great.” I hang my jacket up after shedding it. “I’m actually really impressed at how well he’s been fitting in.”Thanks to Kade for giving him newfound confidence.
“That’s excellent!” she says, her voice genuine. “I’m so happy to hear that. It makes things much easier on us when our kids are adaptable. I remember when I first moved my three kiddos here. It was tough.”
She squeezes my shoulder and then slips past me to exit the lounge. Most of the teachers have already found their way to their classrooms, but I don’t teach any classes for the first hour, and I’m supposed to be meeting with Valerie—she’s the head of the science department—to put together a robotics team application for students.
I pour myself a cup of coffee and wait for the tardy bell to ring before heading to Valerie’s classroom. My heels click down the hallways lined with red and blue lockers. This school is large—three times the size of the last school I taught at.
I giggle inwardly at the few stragglers in the hallway who duck from my gaze as if I’m going to do something about them being late for class.
After a five-minute walk, I arrive at Valerie’s classroom, decorated with frogs and Lily pads on the exterior door. The door is slightly ajar, but I knock anyway and then peer inside.
“Ella!” Valerie exclaims, her red hair in a mess of curls as she stands from her desk. Her face is sprinkled with freckles and framed with a pair of black-rimmed glasses. She looks to beabout five years older than me—but no more than that. “It’s great to see you again.”
“Likewise.” I smile. “So, I guess we should get started on this robotics application?”
“Yeah, of course, c’mon in.” She nods toward the desk. “Also, I meant to tell you that my son Aaron is actually in Colton’s class.”
“Oh, really?” I raise a brow.
“Yes! I didn’t put it together at first, since Colton’s last name is different from yours.”
I nod, unsure of how much to explain to her about my situation. “Colton is actually my sister’s son. She and her husband passed away about five years ago. I have custody of him.” I keep the smile plastered on my face, waiting for her to say something overly sympathetic.
But she doesn’t.
“You’re a strong woman, then,” she says instead, giving me the brightest, warmest smile. “I can already tell.”
“Thank you,” I say, relief flooding my system, appreciating the way she didn’t make it the sole focus.
“I guess our boys have really bonded over their love of hockey. Aaron wouldn’t stop talking this morning about how Colton knows the goalie for the Glaciers. Is it true?” She peers up at me as she takes a seat in her desk chair, and I pull up the extra seat.
“Itistrue,” I admit. “Kade and I went to high school together.”And he was my first for everything.“He’s been giving Colton skating lessons.”
“Wow.” Her eyebrows disappear beneath her bangs. “I figured Colton might’ve met him at the meet-and-greet they do after home games. But skating lessons? I’m impressed. No wonder Aaron has latched onto Colton the way he has. He’s been begging to try out for the spring travel team.” She lets out a sigh. “But my goodness, it’s expensive.”
My heart sinks. “Is it? I haven’t even looked into the cost of hockey…”
“Yes. It’s a big commitment.” She frowns. “If Aaron makes the team, of course, my ex-husband and I will need to work together to figure out a way to pay for it. I was hoping that I’d have a future scientist on my hands, but I think he’s leaning toward being a professional athlete.”
I burst into laughter at the pained, playful expression she gives me. “I mean, he could be both. Aren’t there a few big athletes who became doctors?”
“Maybe.” She giggles with me. “Who knows? Right now, the only thing he wants to be a doctor of is hockey.”
“We still have eight years to change their minds.” I shoot her a goofy wink. “But until then, I guess we have to support them in whatever they want to do.”
“Unless they’re going to do drugs.”
“Touché.” I set my bag onto my lap and pull out the roster of students. “So,allthese kids said they were interested in applying for the robotics team?” I can’t hide my surprise at the four pages of names.
“Yeah.” Valerie sighs. “Which is why we’ve now been tasked with developing an application for it. But honestly, I think most of those kids were told it would be like Transformers or something…” Valerie laughs, shaking her head.
The two of us spend the next forty-five minutes creating the application and discussing the selection criteria, while swapping stories about the difficulties of wrangling middle schoolers. Valerie’s passion for science is contagious, and I can’t help but be uplifted by her enthusiasm.
