The Teacher

by Gray, Meg

  Brayden was quieter this week too. He looked at his dad’s empty chair at every meal and Emma wished she could reassure him, but she didn’t know what to say. Luke wasn’t much help either. He’d gone as quiet as the rest of them. After breakfast one morning, Emma stopped him before he went out the door to the office.

  “Is everything okay with Marcus?” she’d asked.

  “Apparently not,” Luke had replied.

  “Do you know what’s going on with him? Have you talked to him?”

  Luke flashed a grin. “We only talk about work and as far as I can tell everything with the deal is going just fine. If it’s something other than that, I wouldn’t know. This family’s not too good at heart-to-hearts. We’re better at pretending nothing’s wrong. Don’t worry about it, though, whatever it is he’ll get over it. Marcus is the strong one, he’ll pull through.”

  Luke’s words weren’t reassuring. She would think of Marcus relaxed on the beach or holding her after the earthquake. He was a strong man, but even strong men could break and she wanted to help, but didn’t know how. Brayden was her first priority, she reminded herself, not Marcus and so she tried to push him out of her mind.

  Today, Emma and Brayden were silently riding home from therapy in the backseat of the car when Brayden turned to her.

  “Ms. Hewitt?”

  “Yes?”

  “Do I have a mom?”

  This was one of the last things she expected him to ask. “What makes you ask that?”

  “We were drawing pictures of our family today and when I shared mine Stephanie said I did it wrong, because it was just me and Dad. She said I forgot my mom, but I didn’t think I had one. She called me stupid and said everyone had a mommy.”

  “Oh,” Emma said instantly disliking this Stephanie-child. “What did Miss Linda say?”

  “She asked me where my mommy was and I said I didn’t know. Do you know where she is?”

  Emma pressed her lips together thinking of the best way to answer him, “I don’t sweetie, but this sounds like a good question for your father. Have you ever asked him about your mom?”

  He shook his head and looked out the window. Emma caught Guillermo’s eyes in the rearview mirror and knew he had overheard the whole conversation. He gently shook his head and took the exit off the interstate. Emma thought the subject dropped until Brayden looked up at her and asked, “Will you be my mother, Ms. Hewitt?”

  Emma’s heart broke into a million pieces. She reached an arm over and encircled Brayden’s shoulder. “I will always be your friend, Brayden. No matter what, I will always be here for you. You can count on that, okay?” He nodded and she squeezed his shoulder, knowing she had tied herself to this little boy forever.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Marcus drifted through the week, talking to clients, and barking orders to the associates. He was letting Vanessa go all over again. Submerged in his grief he felt his anger ebb and flow. He tried to let it go, he’d been angry long enough, in the end it was Vanessa who paid the ultimate price. He still had his life ahead of him and Brayden to think about, but it was hard to release the anger he’d been carrying around for so long.

  The weekend arrived. On Saturday morning, he went down to the kitchen and poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. Maricella busied herself with the tray of scones she’d pulled from the oven and avoided looking at him. He realized everyone in the house had been doing that, ignoring him, giving him space. He didn’t blame them. He had been alone with his grief all week, they had all noticed, even Brayden. Carrying his cup to the outdoor patio, he hopped up on the stone countertop and thought of his son.

  Brayden was quiet this week. He hadn’t awakened from any nightmares, but he was sleeping restlessly. Marcus had the bruises from his son’s violent kicks during the night to prove it. He needed to pull it together. He needed to release the hold Vanessa had taken on his life and start focusing on his son. Today was a good day to start

  “Hey, big brother.” Luke paused in the doorway holding his own cup of coffee. He’d had a haircut and Marcus was acutely reminded of his parents’ imminent return next week.

  “Hey,” Marcus replied.

  Luke shuffled over, his bare feet scraping against the stamped concrete, and handed his coffee cup to Marcus while he hoisted himself up on the counter too. Luke took his cup back from Marcus and they sat in silence drinking their coffee.

  “I went and saw her,” Marcus finally said.

  “Where?” Luke asked automatically knowing the “she” he was talking about.

  “At the cemetery.”

  “Is she…” Luke wavered.

  “Yep, she’s dead.” Marcus said it like it was everyday news.

  “Jesus,” Luke said. “I’m sorry. You doing okay with it?”

  Marcus smiled at the irony of the question. Anyone around him this week would know how he was doing with it. “Yeah, I’m getting there.”

  Silence swept over them again and finally Marcus cleared his throat.

  “So, how’s Brayden doing?” he asked his brother.

  “He’s been quiet,” Luke said. “And he asked Emma to be his mom.”

  Marcus’s head snapped up and he turned to his brother. “He did what? When was this?”

  Luke shrugged. “A couple of days ago, I guess.” He brought his cup to his mouth and took a drink.

  “What’d she say?” Marcus was almost afraid to ask.

  “She told him she would be his friend forever and ever or something like that.”

  “How come nobody told me about this?” Marcus was gruff, on the verge of anger, but then Luke shot him a sideways glance and Marcus knew he was the one asking the ironic question this time.

  “She’s great, isn’t she?” Marcus said not expecting an answer.

  “Who Emma?”

  Marcus nodded.

  “Yeah,” Luke said. “She’s pretty cool.”

  “So, are things heating up with the two of you?”

  “With me and Emma?” Luke asked and laughed. “No. She’s great, but far too serious for me. A little too much of the long-term type. But, it’s been cool to hang out with her.” Luke broke out in a wide grin as he raised his cup to his lips, “I bet she’d look good naked, though.” Luke cocked his head to one side before sipping his coffee again.

  Marcus’s thoughts immediately turned to finding Emma the morning of the earthquake.

  “She does,” he said without thinking and then startled realizing what he’d just said.

  “You’ve seen her naked?” Luke asked slowly, making sure he’d heard his brother correctly.

  Marcus just nodded.

  “You do know how to shock a guy, big brother. So, is there something going on with you and the… the nanny?” Luke was fully alert and awaiting his answer.

  “She’s not the nanny,” Marcus snapped. “She is Brayden’s teacher and no, there is nothing going on between us. It was an accident.”

  “What, you just accidentally were peeping through her window or something?”

  “No, it was the morning of the earthquake. She’d just gotten out of the shower or something and, well she didn’t have any clothes on when I went down to check on her. It was nothing, I barely even looked.”

  “Aaha, I knew something was going on with you two that morning. You should ask her out. It’d be good for you, bring her to Mom and Dad’s Welcome Home Party or something. C’mon, she’s perfect for you,” Luke prodded.

  “I’m not taking my son’s teacher out on a date,” Marcus said pointblank.

  “Why not, I am.” Luke was all smiles as he cocked his head again. “We’re going dancing tonight.”

  Marcus didn’t look at his brother and hopped to the ground.

  “Well, you two have fun then,” he said and hoped Luke couldn’t detect his envy.

  Chapter Thirty

  The sky was blue and cloudless, the kind of day Emma used to love to drive Old Bessy around the country roads near her family’s farm—windows d
own, the wind whipping through her hair.

  Emma cracked the backseat window, letting her fingers touch the cool morning air and tease her hair. She caught Guillermo watching her and was about to close the window when she saw his eyes crinkle with a smile. She watched the choppy waters of Lake Washington as the car zipped across the bridge toward the house on Mercer Island. She had hitched a ride into town with Guillermo. While he had the car serviced, she journeyed through the local farmers market.

  She unrolled the top of her paper bag and peeked at the peaches inside. They smelled divine, reminding her of Orchard Creek. The farmers market had been bursting with fresh produce this morning. She walked past each booth denying herself the pleasure of filling her arms with their bounty, but when she walked past the stand offering the latest harvest of peaches, she could no longer resist the temptation and bought five pounds.

  This past week had been difficult with Marcus so far out of reach and Brayden’s questions about his mother. She’d been looking for something to bring her comfort and these peaches would do nicely. And so would Seth.

  He was driving up to Seattle tonight and they made plans to have lunch together tomorrow. She was looking forward to it, way more than dancing tonight with Luke. Club dancing wasn’t her thing, but at least it was something to do, right?

  Emma was still trying to convince herself that going to a club with Luke was better than sitting in front of the TV alone when she disappeared into her room after dinner. She showered and dressed in the eggplant sheath dress Stacy insisted she bring.

  “I’m not packing that,” she’d told Stacy when she pulled it from her closet.

  “Of course you are,” she said, throwing it on the bed.

  “Where am I going to wear that? To the park with Brayden?”

  “You never know who you might meet up there. You have nights and weekends off, don’t you? Or maybe you could just wear it around the house when Mr. Hot-Lawyer Dad is there?” Stacy fell onto the bed striking a ridiculous Victoria Secret model pose.

  “Yeah right,” Emma said, picking the dress up and taking it back to the closet.

  Stacy jumped up behind her and grabbed it out of her hands folding it carefully. “Come on, just throw it in. It’ll take up all of two square inches. If you wear it, then you can thank me, if you don’t then it will hang in a closet up there instead of down here.” Stacy set the dress inside the suitcase smoothing out the wrinkles before pulling the zipper closed.

  Emma meant to take it out before leaving the next morning, but forgot and now she was silently thanking Stacy for throwing it in. Otherwise, she would be combing her closet for something to wear. Rubbing in the last of her creamy coconut lotion, she walked up the stairs. She waited for Luke in the foyer, but when he didn’t appear she walked around the rest of the floor looking for him. There were no signs of him. Upstairs she thought she heard him holler and started up.

  At the top of the steps through the open doorway of the game room, she saw Luke sitting on the floor leaning against the couch with a game controller in his hand. Brayden was right next to him. They were playing a video game together.

  “Wow, you look nice,” he said when she walked in. “Doesn’t she look nice Marcus?”

  Marcus sat at the end of the couch, his ankles crossed and an open file on his lap. He had looked up as soon as she walked in too and his eyes hadn’t left her yet. “Yes. You look very nice Ms. Hewitt,” he said and finally turned back to his work.

  Luke was engrossed in his game again and Emma grew uncomfortable as she waited for him. “Are you, um…Are you ready to go?”

  There was a break in the game and he looked at her. “No, I, uh,” he coughed into his fist. “I’m not feeling too good tonight. I think I’d better stay in.” The game began again and pulled his attention away from her.

  Emma felt deflated. Luke didn’t look very sick, he seemed just fine at dinner and now, playing a video game with Brayden, he seemed to have plenty of energy. Suddenly, Emma felt about two inches tall, he was rejecting her, he didn’t want to go dancing with her and now here she stood all dressed up, being dumped publicly.

  “Okay,” she said turning away slowly.

  “Marcus will take you,” Luke said, still watching the screen and punching buttons on the controller with his thumbs.

  Emma turned back around and saw Marcus glare at the back of his brother’s head. His mouth was pressed into a straight line. Great, Emma thought, neither one of them wants to spend time with me. How humiliating.

  “No,” she said. “He obviously has work to do. I’ll just go back to my room. It’s…it’s fine.”

  “Give me five minutes,” Marcus said, closing the file and getting to his feet. He didn’t look happy, but she wasn’t about to make a scene. He walked past her and reached his bedroom door at the end of the hall. Luke and Brayden were still glued to their game.

  “I’ll just wait downstairs,” she said to no one in particular and turned toward the stairs missing the fist bump exchanged between Luke and Brayden.

  * * *

  Marcus punched his arms through the sleeves of his black silk shirt. He twisted the buttons through the holes with force, all the while cursing his brother. His thoughtless, reckless brother was bowing out of a date with Emma after she’d gotten all dressed and looked exquisite. Her hair pulled up like that showed off her long swan-like neck and her beautiful amber eyes sparkled against the deep purple of her dress. She had looked so disappointed when Luke literally coughed up his lame excuse about being sick.

  He continued to dress with haste, tugging on his pants and shoes. Dancing, he thought. The last time he went dancing was back in college and even then, he hadn’t liked it very much. If he had planned a date with Emma he’d be taking her to one of the five star restaurants in the city, where they could talk over a candle-light dinner for two and drink champagne, not go into a place with hundreds of other sweat drenched, drunk people.

  Stopping at the top of the stairs, he turned to look at his brother. “You owe me,” he said, pointing a finger at him.

  “Yeah, or maybe you’ll owe me,” Luke smiled.

  Whatever that means, Marcus thought.

  He looked at Brayden. “Be good for your Uncle Luke. Maybe you can teach him a thing or two about manners while I’m gone.” Brayden looked from his father to his uncle obviously confused. “And don’t stay up too late, okay?”

  “Okay,” Brayden replied and Marcus jogged down the stairs. Emma waited for him in the dim light of the foyer.

  “Ready to go?” he asked and she nodded.

  They parked downtown and walked to a nearby dance club. The line was long, already wrapping around the corner and Marcus and Emma stepped into the queue. They were surrounded by the heavy excitement of young college kids. Marcus tried not to notice that some of them were almost half his age. When had he become so old? Some of the kids couldn’t be more than eighteen years old and he wondered how many of them were holding fake ids. He noticed Emma scanning the crowd too.

  “So,” he said. “Do you go out dancing much in Portland?”

  “No,” she replied. “Not really. I’ve gone to a couple of clubs with friends, but it’s not really my thing.”

  “It’s not mine either,” he said and tilted his head sideways toward her. “So, what are we doing here?”

  She smiled and shrugged.

  “Would you be disappointed if we went somewhere else?”

  “Not at all,” she said, looking as relieved as he felt and followed him out of line.

  It felt like they were swimming upstream against the crowds of people walking down the sidewalk toward the action. Marcus reached for Emma’s hand and she took it so they wouldn’t get separated in the mob. At the next crosswalk, they dashed across the street and down to the waterfront.

  They walked across the wood decking and Marcus dropped Emma’s hand as he leaned over the curved railing, looking out over the dark waters. As soon as he let go of her hand he wanted to reac
h for it again, to feel the warmth of her skin. Emma turned around and leaned with her back against the railing. The nighttime breeze gently blew the loose tendrils of hair around her face.

  “The city lights are beautiful,” she said.

  “They sure are,” he agreed and turned around to look at the lights with her. The sound of the water below slapping against the pilings filled the silence that followed between them. Couples passed by holding hands and smiling at one another.

  Marcus looked down and shuffled his feet. “I owe you an apology for this past week. I understand Brayden was asking questions about his mother and I’m sorry to have put you in that position.”

  “There’s nothing to apologize to me for,” Emma said. “Brayden’s the one who needed to talk to you.” Her voice was small and calm. Marcus looked away from her.

  “I’ve been busy,” he said, snapping his head back in her direction and stating his defense. “The earthquake put us behind and I’m trying to wrap up this deal for my dad. It’s my job.”

  “I understand,” Emma said.

  Marcus took a deep breath. “I know I need to talk to him, but I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to hurt him.”

  “Not talking about it hurts too.”

  “You’re right. It’s just so complicated. I guess I don’t know what to say.”

  “Keep it simple and keep it honest. Brayden is way too smart for you to…” Marcus looked at her. She’d just called Brayden smart, no one had ever called him that.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “Listen to me giving out unsolicited advice. You’re his father and I’m sure the two of you will figure it out.”

  “No, I appreciate your advice. You’re right the complications with his mother revolve around me, not him. He deserves to know the truth, even if it won’t be easy.” Marcus clasped his hands together thinking about how long he’d put this conversation off with Brayden.

  “Sometimes the right thing to do isn’t always the easy thing,” Emma said with a shrug. “But don’t worry about it too much, he adores you.”