The Teacher

by Gray, Meg

  Taking a deep breath, she started to speak, “We don’t take naps in kindergarten.”

  Her eyes locked onto Uncle Bill’s and she saw him cock an eyebrow, amused.

  “There really isn’t time in the day for it,” she continued and Uncle Bill inclined his head, deepening the smirk on his round face. She was going to have to give him something more than that if she was going to compete with his perception of her. “I teach reading, writing and math. We spend a lot of time interacting, doing science projects, building experiments, and developing lifelong skills.”

  “Like cutting paper with scissors and singing the ABCs. Of course, Emma dear, we all know what you do. We’ve been to kindergarten. It’s just no wonder our teachers are so complacent these days, teaching the same lessons, day after day. It must get nauseatingly boring for you all. That’s why I’ve been talking to our legislators about more teacher incentives. Wouldn’t you agree Emma that teachers would perform better if they were rewarded for achievements?” Bill looked so smug and pleased with himself.

  “I cannot speak for other teachers, Mr. Lewis, but my motivation comes from seeing the spark in a child’s eye when he learns something new or suddenly discovers he can read or gives me a picture drawn and scribed from his heart. That reward has more value to me than any number printed on a check.”

  “You are very noble. But when your clients expect more from you than a gold star for tying their shoes, then maybe you would feel differently.” Bill sat back in his chair, probably assuming he’d ended his argument, but Emma wasn’t about to let him have the last word.

  “My clients, Mr. Lewis, demand and deserve the best of me whether I get a bonus added to my paycheck or suffer a pay cut in the middle of the year. The children in my class will grow up to be the next CEO, stockholder or international celebrity that your firm will represent.”

  The table was silent, all eyes on her and suddenly she felt the need to escape.

  “Please excuse me,” she said, getting up from table. Stepping outside of the dining room—a safe distance from anyone’s view—Emma paused raising her hand that held her clutch to her forehead.

  She couldn’t believe what just happened. She couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth. Not only had she embarrassed herself, but probably Marcus too. Why had she let Bill get to her?

  Now this whole night was ruined. She was surprised they hadn’t laughed her out of the room.

  That’s what they were probably doing now, though, Bill and his shiny red nose. The mark of loser, Marcus had called it. He wasn’t the loser, she was. At least, they made her feel like she was. They all worked with millionaire clients, drove luxury cars and lived in perfect, gigantic houses. How did she ever think she could fit into Marcus’s life as anything other than Brayden’s teacher?

  Especially now, leaving him in there to suffer the embarrassment of her outburst alone. She should have bitten her tongue, for his sake, but it was too late, she’d just confirmed his mother’s appraisal of her—unfit for a man like Marcus.

  She stepped back toward the dining room listening for their hysterical laughter, but there was none. Maybe it was safe for her to return. Maybe her outburst hadn’t made as much of an impression as she’d thought. Then Mrs. Lewis’s voice piped up.

  “Well, Marcus,” she huffed. “It’s a good thing you and Brayden are moving back here. You won’t find any ill-mannered flighty teachers like that at St. Mary’s.”

  Emma froze—not because of the insult, she’d expected that—she was shocked that Marcus and Brayden were moving back to Seattle. When did this happen? Why hadn’t he told her? Why had…

  Her clutch vibrated. Emma nearly jumped out of her skin from the sudden shaking. She pulled out her phone.

  “Hello,” she answered in a hushed tone, slinking away from the dining room.

  “Emma, it’s Finn. Thank God I got a hold of you. Something’s happened.”

  “What is it?”

  “It’s Audrey, she’s been in an accident.”

  “Oh God, Finn. Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know yet. Emma…”

  “Yeah?”

  “I think she’d been drinking.”

  * * *

  “She didn’t make a very compelling argument, did she?” Uncle Bill belted out and chuckled at the scene he’d created, while the other guests laughed politely.

  Marcus had had enough.

  “Yes she did,” he said, throwing his napkin down on the table.

  “Honestly, Marcus,” his mother chided. “Can’t we forget all of this unpleasantness and get on with our evening.” Turning back to her guests, she smiled. “Maricella has the most decadent chocolate torte with a raspberry drizzle prepared for dessert tonight.” She clapped her hands together and smiled trying to change the mood in the room.

  “Honestly Mother,” Marcus replied. “No. We can’t just forget this. You’ve been rude to Emma since you arrived home. She has made an incredible difference in my life and Brayden’s. And since we’re on the subject of your grandson I thought you should know that I’ll be attending therapy with him this week.” A look of horror flashed in his mother’s eyes as he publicly aired this information. “That’s right. Brayden’s been in counseling since April. He’s being treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. And in case you all haven’t heard,” he paused, scanning their faces. “Vanessa is dead. She suffered a heart attack from an overdose of drugs a few weeks ago. The police found her in an abandoned house and she’s buried at the cemetery next to the church. In case any of you wanted to pay your respects or offer condolences to the Grimes.” He looked right at his mother when he said this and she looked shamefully away. “And Dad, I honestly have no desire to return to Seattle. Portland is my home and its Brayden’s home. So, you can drop any other schemes to get me here. I’m happy where I am. And as for Ms. Hewitt she makes a far bigger difference in this world than any of you.”

  He pushed back in his chair, grating the wood legs across the floor and rose, leaving the company behind. He wanted to find Emma, to whisk her away from here and tell her how important she was to him and how much he loved and admired her. These were things he’d given up on ever finding, but with her all things seemed possible. First, he had to check on Brayden.

  Upstairs Brayden was asleep on the couch with the babysitter, Melony, who sat at the end by his feet. Marcus scooped his son up and carried him to the bedroom, covering him with a blanket.

  “I’m going to head out for a few more hours, can you stay?” he asked Melony and she nodded.

  “Thanks,” he said, reaching for his wallet and pulling out a couple of fresh bills. Melony took them and stuffed them into her pocket. Turning on his heel, Marcus trotted down the stairs in search of Emma.

  He knocked gently on her half-opened bedroom door. There was no answer, but he could hear movement inside. He pushed the door and saw her carelessly tossing clothes into a suitcase on the bed. Her back was to him.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” he asked gently, not wanting to startle her.

  She turned and he saw her puffy red-rimmed eyes. “I have to go,” she said in an almost whisper and pushed past him, disappearing into the master bathroom.

  “You don’t have to leave. I’m sorry about my Uncle Bill. He was way out of line up there. Please don’t go, not like this,” he pleaded with her as she returned with an armful of clothes.

  “I have to,” she said, not turning around to look at him. She threw her clothes like fastballs into the suitcase.

  He reached for her elbow, stopping her and she turned to face him, “Emma please.”

  “No, I have to go.” Her face crumpled and tears began to fall. “I have to go home,” she choked on the words. “It’s my sister. She’s been in an accident and I have to go. She’s in the hospital.”

  He pulled her close and stroked her hair. “I’m so sorry. How can I help? What can I do?”

  “Nothing,” she said into his shirt and then pulled back. �
��I have to finish packing.” She turned back to the suitcases.

  “Don’t worry about it. Take what you need and I’ll have Maricella pack up the rest for you and ship it out first thing Monday morning.”

  Emma nodded and zipped up the smaller of the two suitcases.

  “Have you checked with the airport, do you want me to call and check on a flight for you?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “I already did, the last flight out is in less than an hour and it’s booked.”

  “Then, I’ll drive you. Let me get my car and I can have you there in a few hours.” He turned and was about to run out the door.

  “You can’t just leave. What about your mother’s dinner party and Brayden? You can’t just leave Brayden. Oh God,” she gasped. “Neither can I. I don’t want to upset him by disappearing like this.” Her eyes were wide and Marcus felt his heart swell with love for her again, thinking of his son in her time of crisis. That’s what he loved about her, the way she thought about other people. He stepped in and took her hands.

  “Don’t worry about Brayden, he’ll be fine. Now, let me drive you.”

  “No, it’s okay. I called Seth. He’s on his way over. He should be here any minute.” She glanced at the clock next to her bed. Marcus couldn’t help but feel deterred that she’d called her roommate for help before asking him. He wanted to be the one comforting her and holding her hand tonight, the thought of someone else in that place made him feel crazy inside. There was so much he wanted to say to her. He wanted her to know how she’d changed his life. He couldn’t let her go without telling her something.

  He looked into her eyes and then pulled her close pressing his lips to hers. Her lips were parted and he felt her give into him. It was the deepest most meaningful and hungry kiss he’d ever experienced. When Emma stepped back, she was breathless and her eyes searched his.

  Neither one of them heard Luke enter the room.

  “Emma there’s someone here to see you,” he said from the doorway.

  “I have to go,” she whispered and grabbed her suitcase.

  Marcus stood motionless, pressing his lips together. He couldn’t turn around. He couldn’t watch her leave.

  “I’m taking Kimmy home,” Luke said, keys jingling in his hand. “Do you want to ride along and get a beer?”

  “Yeah, I think I do.”

  Chapter Thirty-four

  The three-hour drive down I-5 from Seattle to Portland was quiet. The dark night stretched out in front of them, only the glow of the lights from the eighteen-wheelers kept them company. Seth drove with one hand on the wheel and the other clasped over her hand. Emma wiped the tears that relentlessly escaped with a tissue. They didn’t talk. Emma was wrapped in concern for her sister and haunted by the kiss that left her breathless.

  “I’ll drop you at the front,” Seth said as they neared the hospital. “I’ll park and then come find you.”

  “You don’t have to. Go home. I’ll call you in the morning,” Emma told him.

  “Absolutely not.” He stopped at the front door. “I’m here for you kiddo.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. She smiled. Seth, what was she going to do without him? Who’s shoulder would she cry on or lean on when she needed help? Her envy of Kelly seeped in again as she stepped from the car.

  The midnight air was cool as she walked under the bright light of the hospital’s entrance and into the serene setting of the main floor. She walked past a pool of water with a cascading waterfall and stepped into a waiting elevator. At the third floor, she got off and walked the length of the hall, passing three waiting areas before finding Finn.

  Her brother-in-law was slouched in a waiting room chair. His chin hung down to his chest, his dark curls tumbled forward. Emma thought he might be sleeping and sat down quietly in the turquoise and mauve upholstered chair. His head shot up and she saw that he hadn’t been sleeping, but crying. He wiped at the tears and drew in a breath. He looked broken.

  “How is she?” Emma asked.

  “The doc says she’s fine. Her shoulder was dislocated from the seatbelt and they fixed it, but no major injuries. Just a lot of bumps and bruises, I guess.” He folded his arms over his chest, “Thank God.” (Tank gawd.)

  “Do you know how much she had to drink?” Emma’s voice quivered, she still couldn’t imagine Audrey getting behind the wheel of her car intoxicated.

  He shook his head. “The police were here. There was alcohol in her system, but it was below the legal limit. She’ll still be charged with reckless driving.”

  Even though this was good news, Emma was still shocked. How could this happen to Audrey? Her perfect and flawless sister.

  “Did she tell you what happened?”

  He shook his head again, inhaling. Using the back of his hand, he wiped at his nose. “Nah, she won’t see me.” He dropped his gaze to his lap. “She told the nurses not to let me back there. Oh Emma, this is my fault. We were having such a row. I yelled at her and then she just took off.” He leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on the knees of his worn jeans. Emma could see his body shake as he dropped more tears.

  “Hey,” Emma said, trying to console him. “She’s going to be okay.”

  “I know,” he said, sitting straighter. “I know, but I could’ve lost her today. I can’t bear to think how this could’ve turned out differently. She’s my life, ya know. She’s my everything and I could’ve lost her.”

  Emma wrapped her arms around Finn and they held each other. “Do you think she’ll see me?”

  “I hope so,” Finn replied. “She’s in room three, twenty-five. Tell her I love her.”

  “Of course,” Emma said, standing and smoothing the skirt of her dress. She walked down the hall and stopped at her sister’s door. Through the small rectangle window, she could see a nurse writing on a clipboard. The nurse turned and pulled the door open. She looked at Emma and then back at Audrey, who had turned to face the dark window.

  “I’m her sister,” Emma whispered and the nurse let her pass.

  Audrey turned when she heard footsteps, but didn’t look at her. Her sister’s hair pooled on the paper pillowcase of the hospital bed, a patch of gauze covered her forehead, and an IV tube was stuck in her arm. Her other arm was fastened in a sling and her face was puffy and bruised.

  “What are you doing here?” Audrey asked, her voice dry and hoarse.

  “I couldn’t wait to get my new cashmere scarf,” Emma said, trying to be lighthearted, but it didn’t work. Audrey said nothing. Emma stepped closer to the side of the bed. “You know I saw this hunk of an Irishman out in the waiting room. He asked me to find him a hot date for tonight. You in?”

  Audrey closed her eyes. “Don’t Emma.”

  “Don’t what?” she asked, gripping the cold metal railing of the bed.

  “Don’t let him in here.”

  “Why won’t you see him, Aud? He’s beside himself out there, blaming himself and aching to see you.”

  “I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t let him see me like this. He doesn’t deserve this, any of this.”

  “Any of what Audrey? What’s really going on? You haven’t been yourself for months now. What’s up with the drinking?” Emma walked around to the other side of the bed and pulled up a chair.

  “It just got too hard,” Audrey’s voice shook in a whisper.

  “What was hard?”

  “Being at home all day with the girls. Being alone, feeling tired and empty. I started drinking just to get through the day. I never have more than one drink while I’m alone with the girls, but without it I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t stand being home all day with them. I’m an awful mother. I’m an awful wife. They deserve better than this.”

  Tears fell from Audrey’s eyes. Emma reached for her sister’s hand. “Audrey if you were that miserable why didn’t you just go back to work?”

  Her sister turned her head on her pillow. “I couldn’t. I didn’t quit Emma, I was laid off. M
y position was eliminated while I was on maternity leave. The job market is so competitive now I couldn’t find another firm to take me. We thought we could make it work, at least for a while, but each month we came up short.

  “I worked my ass off in school to become an accountant and to be able to afford our house and cars and send our girls to private school. I was used to going shopping and buying whatever I wanted. I couldn’t stand it that it was slipping away from me, so I started having a glass of wine at lunch and dinner just to take the edge off the reality. We’re going to file for bankruptcy. We’re going to lose the house.”

  “Hey,” Emma said, reaching for Audrey’s hand. Her sister squeezed her eyes shut, but that didn’t stop the fresh stream of tears.

  “Finn is going to hate me for all of this. He left the finances to me, being the accountant and all, he trusted me. I knew we couldn’t pay our bills and I still went out shopping. That’s what we were fighting about today. I’d gone shopping and he found the credit card bills and the foreclosure notice on the house. I’ve ruined everything. We’ve lost everything.”

  Emma squeezed her sister’s hand.

  “No, you haven’t.” Emma stood next to her sister. “You have everything. A devoted, loving and committed husband waiting out there, who gave up his family and his country to be with you. And you two have the most amazing little girls that admire their mother. You, Audrey, have more love surrounding you than most people can ever imagine. You are their world and don’t forget that.”

  Emma reached down for her sister and they hugged each other tight. “You are so lucky,” she whispered into Audrey’s ear.

  “I know,” she whispered back. They both pulled away, wiping at their tears and Emma plucked two tissues from the box beside the bed handing one to Audrey.

  “What’s with the dress? You didn’t put that on just to come see me, did you?” Audrey asked when her eyes were dry.

  “I was at a dinner party when Finn called,” Emma said, sitting back down in the chair and dropping her hands on her lap.

  “I’m sorry if you left early on my account,” Audrey said weakly.