by Peggy Dulle
“Very well and actually she’s still with Greg and Ida.”
“Greg and Ida?”
“They’re the people who adopted her.”
“The lawyer?”
“Yeah. He worked on the five adoptions for Beverly and Carl. Afterwards he knew something was wrong, so he and his wife went into the restaurant business.”
“And the money he received from the CLOWNS?”
“He put it in a trust fund for Jessie. He said that he couldn’t bring himself to touch the money because he knew it came from some illegal source.”
“Why didn’t he go to the police?”
“Him and his wife loved Jessie and they were afraid if they did they’d loose their daughter.”
“So now what?”
“They sold their restaurant in Santa Dominga and opened one up in Gainsville.”
“Wow.” It was the only thing I could think to say. It was an incredible story with an amazing ending.
We spent Sunday going through the little quaint shops in town. I didn’t buy anything but it was nice to hold Tom’s hand and just walk. Sunday night I was sorry to go home.
When we got back from our trip, Tom helped me bring in my bags. It was time to say goodbye and I didn’t want him to go.
He reached up and stroked my face. “I’m going to miss waking up with you in my arms.”
“Me, too.”
“So then who’s coming, me or you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Next weekend. Am I coming to you or are you coming up north?”
“I’ll come up. Are you staying at your house or still at the motel?”
“I’m at home.”
“We should see if Shelby and Duke are going to get along.”
“Yeah, we better. If they don’t, we’re going to have to call this whole thing off.”
I reached behind his neck and pulled him close – his lips touched mine. When we stopped kissing, I winked at him. “Even if they don’t get along, they’ll learn.”
I watched as he drove away. I was certainly going to miss that man.
The next few months went by very quickly. My computer always brought up the correct date and the district technicians took all the credit for it. I didn’t care. I was too busy teaching, putting on my end of the year play, and doing report cards.
Tom and I alternated weekends with each other. We missed a few but it seems our relationship was getting stronger and stronger. We haven’t used the ‘L word’ with each other, yet, but I think we will soon. Our dogs didn’t get along at first. Duke was used to being in charge, like any cop, and Shelby was too free spirited for him. But with time and a lot of doggie treats, they finally learned to tolerate each other and even might become friends.
Today is finally the last day of school. I’ve hugged the last child as he exited the room, collected my things, got my classroom prepared for the summer and am sending a last email to Julie. She’s getting ready for another cruise, this time to Alaska.
I stood up to turn the computer off and that’s when I noticed it. It hadn’t happened in so long, I wasn’t looking for it anymore. The date was wrong. It said, “December 20, 2004.” That was only six months ago. I sat back down and started researching the date. A small plane crashed in Washington, a bank robber in New Jersey took an elderly couple hostage, a fire killed a family of four in Nevada, and then I saw it.
“Kindergarten teacher found stabbed to death in hotel room.”
It didn’t get more personal than that. I wondered what the weather was like in Oregon.