Page 45 of Love's Bloom
Warmth flooded through her. Misty remembered how Mrs. Walters had made her feel special. Misty couldn’t stop herself from giving her a quick hug. “You’re the reason I’ve always loved the idea of teaching. You were the best teacher I ever had. You made a difference in my life.”
“Ah, thank you. It was my privilege to have you as a student, and now it’s a privilege to work with you. Come to me anytime. I’m here if you need me.” Mrs. Walters left her to join other teachers.
Misty was thrilled to learn she’d have only nineteen students in her class. In Florida, she’d had twenty-eight. This would allow her to provide more one-on-one time with both high-achieving students and those who struggled.
Hazel had been assigned to third-grade students and was in a classroom next to hers, which made Misty feel relieved. If necessary, they could spell one another for emergency bathroom breaks.
After the morning meeting, Misty went to check her classroom. During the summer, she’d bought supplies and books, and she and Hazel had set up her classroom, placing tables the way she wanted them. She gave it a critical look and decided to make a few changes.
Her theme for her classroom was kindness, so she posted the “Kindness” banner she’d made so it would greet the kids when they entered the room. She could hardly wait to see their faces when they saw the colorful posters she’d hung and the bookshelves she’d filled. She loved the idea of rewarding kids for good behavior with reading time.
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A lunch of pizza and salad was a catered affair in the cafeteria. Misty was reminded of how kids formed certain groups and watched as the adults seemed to do the same, sitting at tables of four.
The principal, Nolan Deere, remained standing alone on the sidelines as if he wanted to remind everyone that he was in charge. He’d recently been transferred from the high school and was still an “unknown” as a leader of the elementary school. Misty privately thought he was a gruff man but was awaiting judgment on how well he performed his role.
Marilyn Walter waved Misty and Hazel over to her table, and another second-grade teacher sat with them.
After lunch, the group headed into the gym for another training session, and then Misty and Hazel were free to leave.
Misty couldn’t wait to check on Sugar.
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Misty arrived home to find a note attached to her front door. She opened it and read instructions from Crystal on how to operate her new security system. She could hear Sugar barking and hurried to unlock the front door and go to the control panel mounted by the front door, as Crystal had indicated. She punched in the security code, and the light on the panel turned green.
She hugged Sugar, let her outside, and then went through the house, reviewing Crystal’s message about how the system had been set up. She checked the windows where sensors had been installed. Misty didn’t think it would be necessary to have the system on when she was at home during the day. But it would be a big relief at night.
Crystal called to see how her day had gone and to check on how the security system was working.
After Misty filled her in on both, Crystal said, “Emmett’s mother is arriving a few days before the wedding. His father is coming on Saturday morning and will leave on Sunday. Of course, he’s making a political trip out of it, but we don’t care. It’s much easier on Emmett’s mother when his father isn’t around.”
“Sad, but I get it. I’m relieved you and his mother are getting along,” said Misty.
“Me, too,” said Crystal. “Natalie Chamberlain is a much different woman now that she’s sober.”
“Do you want me to plan a luncheon for you and Natalie? Or anyone else you want to invite?”
“It’s sweet of you to offer,” said Crystal, “but Nettie has already invited us to the Café, and I’m anxious for Natalie to see it so she can understand what Melissa and I are planning to do there.”
“There must be something I can do as Maid of Honor,” said Misty.
“Just having you there with me is all I need. As soon as people start to arrive, we’ll disappear into the house to change. Whitney will help gather the people into a circle. Nick and Emmett will leave the house first, then us. We’ll appear from the back of the house and walk into the middle of the group for the ceremony. We have a guitar player and a justice of the peace lined up.”
“So, everyone will be standing?” Misty asked.
“That’s the only way we could manage it,” said Crystal, “though we’ll have a chair available for GG and any others that might need it. We thought about having a sit-down dinner, but then it quickly became something neither Emmett nor I wanted. But we will have a tent for the buffet in case of inclement weather. We envision this as a loving ceremony with friends we care about.”
“What about the food? Last night, I guessed Melissa was helping with that,” said Misty.
“Melissa, Nettie, and Jason are preparing the food, which I know will be delicious. We’ll have a keg of beer, wine, and soft drinks available along, with the usual cold water.”
“What about the honeymoon?” asked Misty, excited for her sister.
“That’s a surprise. All Emmett has told me was to pack lightly and bring an appetite.” Crystal’s voice rose with excitement. “We leave the morning after the ceremony.”
“It all sounds wonderful,” gushed Misty. “When you return, I’ll do something special for you.”
