Page 109 of Napkins and Other Distractions
“My name is Brodie, and I love Mr. Lester.”
And now the tears fall, and it’s Gillian’s turn to wipe my face.
“He lets me go with Theo the custodian when I earn points with Mr. Soleskin. They’re boyfriends.” Small laughter erupts from the audience. “And he lets me eat lunch in his office when the lunchroom is too loud, which is almost every day. Kids are noisy. And he gives the best hugs. That’s all. I’m done.”
More chuckles from the crowd, and again, someone adjusts the stand. Florence, back at the mic, says, “Thank you, Ms. Parrish. Brodie. You just heard how Mr. Lester makes the people at Lear feel. That doesn’t change where we are with the implementation. We’ve lost time and money. But there’s a famous quote by Maya Angelou which I’d like to paraphrase for you. ‘The people we meet on our journey through life may forget what we say, and they may forget what we do. But they will always remember how we make them feel.’ Kent Lester makes people hopeful. Proud. Courageous. Loved.”
Gillian’s arm wraps around my shoulders, and she leans her head on me.
“Therefore, we’ll move forward with the Hopscotch implementation. We’ll look at the new data. Figure out ways we might tweak instruction. And Kent will lead the charge because he knows, as do I, that what matters most is how the children at Lear feel. About school. About each other. About themselves. With Mr. Lester at the helm, they’re excited to learn. They feel safe to do so because he’s created a rich, loving environment. Mr. Lester will be at next month’s board meeting to report on Hopscotch. Thank you.”
The room applauds, and Gillian wraps her other arm around my neck, hugging me.
“I love you, Dad.”
We embrace as the sound of clapping fills the cafégymatorium. Applause for Brodie. Ruth. Dr. Cutler. And me.
“Kent? Are you still there? Did you hear all that?” Vincent asks, his voice louder than before. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re needed here.”
“Thank you,” I say, taking him off speakerphone. “For going to the meeting. For calling.”
“You’ve given me so much. Taught me how to love. Be loved. I had to do something. Coming here felt daunting, but I chose growth over security.”
“Stay right there.” Urgency rushes over me. I’m already up, my keys jangling in my fingers. “I’m on my way.”
There’s no parking when I arrive at the school, so I pull into the drop-off loop. A definite no-no, but I’m not planning on staying long. Park, run in, grab my sweet guy, and head out. Just as I remove the keys from the ignition, there’s a gentle tapping. I lower the passenger window to Vincent’s handsome face, wearing a giant grin.
“Can I get a lift?”
It’s warm for March. I roll down all the windows, press play on the stereo, turn the volume up as loud as possible, and hop out and rush over to him.
The magical twinkling synths of “Everywhere” join the stars rising to dot the sky, and when Christine McVie’s voice, layered with harmonies, joins the music, I gather Vincent up in my arms and kiss his neck. As my beard contacts his skin, he instinctively leans in for a kiss. Our mouths meet, and standing in front of Lear Elementary, with Fleetwood Mac blaring, kissing the man I love, my heart fills with so much joy my body almost levitates.
“Can I have this dance?”
“Kent … ” Vincent juts his chin out. “I don’t dance.”
“Even with me?” My lips kiss his chin, and his beautiful smile appears, cracking my soul wide open. The soft flutter of his eyelashes accompanies a gentle nod, and holding him this way, under the stars, I long to stay this close to Vincent Manda forever.
My hands migrate to his waist, and we sway gently to the music. As my head bops to the beat, I examine him. His face. His eyes. Those eyelashes. “How did I get so lucky?”
“You deserve a little luck, Mr. Lester.” I tip my forehead on his, close my eyes, and take him in. His smell. His warmth. His energy. All of him.
“You know, this isn’t fromRumours,” Vincent says, his eyelashes brushing my cheek.
“I know. But I figured you might allow it. This once.”
“For you. This one time.”
He kisses me again—deeper this time. I’m grateful for the mint I popped on my way over, and the glittery ethereal sounds return. When the voices begin emulating a synthesizer, or maybe the synthesizer copies the voices, Vincent grabs my waist, pulls me close, and pauses the kiss. “You’re the perfect distraction, Mr. Lester.”
“Happy to help.” My body vibrates with love for this glorious man as we sway and share a tender kiss under the moonlit sky.
THE END
Epilogue – Six Months Later
Vincent
