A Flower for Angela

by Sandra Leesmith

  Angela knew what that meant. "But why me? I've been here five years. Surely I'm high on the seniority list?"

  "True. Your name's just below the cutoff point. If enough people above you retire or resign, you’ll be okay."

  This couldn't be happening. Not after all these years! She didn't think she could stand to lose her job a second time. What would she say to her family? Her last layoff had been associated with a scandal, making it an emotional strain as well as a financial one. The R.I.F. would be determined by lack of seniority. But still, she'd have to ask for financial support from them until she landed another job. Who knew when or where that would be?

  "Is there anything I can do about this?"

  "Just wait. We aren't announcing the R.I.F. officially until we know for sure. No sense getting the parents in an uproar."

  Somehow, Angela couldn't work up any sympathy for the community. Not with her world falling around her. She'd just hurdled the attack by Ricardo over the whole language program, and now this. Angela pressed on her stomach, willing the jitters within it to settle down.

  "I'm notifying everyone here who's affected. We'll operate on the assumption you're going to be offered a contract for next year. But, just in case…"

  As the principal's voice droned on, Angela barely registered what she said. Agitated and anxious, she remained so for the rest of the day.

  She'd hoped that the hustle and bustle of her class might help take her mind off the R.I.F. or at least that the children would keep her too occupied to think about all the negative possibilities. To her dismay, being in the classroom had had the opposite effect. Two children had been injured on the playground and the accident upset the rest of them, turning the day into a disaster. She was relieved when the bell rang and her students finally went home.

  "What are you moping around about?" Maria, entering the room, startled her.

  Angela abruptly raised her head from her arms where she’d been resting it, sat up at her desk and peered at her friend.

  "Did the kids wear you out today or do you miss that gorgeous hunk of manhood?" Maria teased.

  Feeling defensive and definitely grumpy, Angela stood up. The silk folds of her purple dress slid into place around her slender figure.

  "Come on, I'll buy you a cola." Angela grabbed her purse and strode to the door. Maybe conversation with Maria would distract her. She didn't think she could cope with discussing the possible layoff. She needed time to sort her feelings.

  "You aren't getting away with this,” Maria informed Angela as they sat and stretched their legs out on the extra chairs of the empty teachers' lounge. "Something's got you down. You know talking helps."

  "I suppose you're right. Have you heard about the R.I.F.?"

  "At lunch. You aren't on the list, are you?"

  "You hit the nail on the head."

  Maria straightened, nearly sending her can of soda across the room. "You're kidding! But you've been in the district for…"

  "I know, I know. Five years. That fact has been repeating itself in my brain all day. I just can't believe this is happening to me."

  For several minutes they discussed the issue, but both knew talk was pointless. There was nothing anyone could do.

  "Have you told Ricardo?"

  "No. And I don't intend to."

  "He still has influence over the board. Maybe he can speak on your behalf."

  Angela rolled her eyes skyward. Hadn't her friend figured out that asking Ricardo for help was the last thing she'd do? "I can just see it. History repeating itself. All I need is for some teacher to accuse me of dating Ricardo to secure my position at school."

  Maria's brows rose.

  Angela cringed.

  "What happened this weekend that I don't know about?"

  Normally, Angela would've been more reticent, but she was really down today. Besides, Maria was her best friend. She'd find out sooner or later.

  "I love him."

  Now she had said the words, the stress of the day was banished from her mind and all she was left with was the sweet promise of love.

  Maria, too, forgot about the R.I.F. "That's wonderful! How does he feel? How can you be so sad?" A million questions popped out of Maria's mouth before Angela could answer a single one.

  Heaving a wistful sigh, Angela shushed her friend and told her what had happened, not the intimate details, but Maria wasn't dense. Angela could tell by her sly grin that her friend had filled in her own version of the facts.

  "If he cares for you, then you must know he's going to want to help you."

  Vigorously, Angela shook her head. "If he does, that will be the end for us. I can't risk a second scandal." The thought saddened her. She'd just found love. Would she lose it so soon?

  "I think you should talk this over with him. You should clarify your position for yourself as well as for your job."

  "You're right," Angela conceded reluctantly. Her friend's logic did make sense. "I'll think about it."

  "Open the path of communication. You might be surprised. I see the way he looks at you. Maybe he'll ask you to marry him and you won't need the job."

  "Maria!" she protested, but the idea had appeal. "You're jumping the gun. Besides, I still want to teach after I marry, no matter what."

  Angela stretched. She felt drained and stiff. Memories of Ricardo's magic fingers easing her tension initiated ripples of longing within her.

  A rustling noise from the next room alerted Angela. She looked at Maria. "What was that?"

  "Sounded like someone in the workroom." Maria rose and headed toward the connecting door.

  "Maria. What if someone overheard what I said?"

  "There's no one here." Maria stepped into the workroom and peered down the corridor that led to the offices. "And I don't see anyone in the hall."

  "Thank goodness! I must have heard the air conditioner kicking in." Angela breathed a sigh of relief. "We'd better get back to our classrooms and finish our work."

  "Why don't you go home early today? You look beat."

  "Good idea," Angela agreed. "Would you lock up my room for me?"

  "Sure thing, mi amiga. Get some rest."

  "TAKE A LOOK AT THESE, Ken." Ricardo handed his cameraman the transcripts from Friday's session with Angela and the professors. "When you match them with the videos we've been watching, they bring the process into focus."

  Ken perused the pages while Ricardo continued to view the monitor.

  Angela's beauty reached out to him. Her voice made him want to touch her, again and soon. He recalled the silky feel of her hair, the feminine fragrance of her that so excited his senses and the satin texture of her skin.

  “Sorry, what's that you said?" He ignored Ken's knowing smirk.

  "I can see what you mean." Ken tapped the stack of papers he grasped. "Her methods make sense when combined with a voice-over explanation of the theory."

  "She'll be happy to hear that," Ricardo commented. She'll probably enjoy making me eat my words, too. He grinned, remembering Angela’s last form of revenge.

  "What are you going to do with this stuff?" Ken looked up, not bothering to disguise his amusement.

  Ricardo cursed the close relationship that gave his cameraman too much insight into his thoughts. Most people were unable to penetrate the wall that protected his sensitive side. But Ken could. And now, Angela could, too. The knowledge made him uneasy.

  "I'm going to make it into a presentation of the whole language theory. It'll be a good tool for Angela and the university staff to use in their presentations."

  "That's going to take some time. Can't imagine why you'd bother."

  "Cut me some slack." Ricardo groaned as he put his materials away. He glanced at his watch—it was close to three o'clock. Good. Maybe he'd surprise Angela and pick her up from school. It had been less than twenty-four hours since he'd been with her, but he wanted to see her again—now.

  "I'm taking off," he told Ken. "Cover for me if something comes up."

&n
bsp; "Tell Angela ‘hi’ for me."

  Just wait, he warned his friend in silence. The day will come when you’ll make an ass of yourself over a woman. And then you’ll definitely know how much love can threaten your peace of mind.

  Love. Where had that come from? Ricardo swerved the Ferrari into the left lane and made a U-turn. Maybe he should go home and let things cool between him and Angela. But he hadn't gone more than a block toward his house when he remembered the way her lips made his blood sing. He slammed on the brakes and pulled into a parking lot. He swore, thankful that no other cars were around to interfere with his erratic driving.

  He calmed down, pulled back out and headed toward the school and Angela. At the corner, he stopped to buy a bouquet of flowers from a street vendor.

  Expecting to have to wait an hour, he was astonished to see Angela standing at the bus stop. His brakes squealed in protest as he slammed on them and swerved to stop at her side.

  "Fastest bus in town," he called out to her after giving her one of his best wolf whistles.

  A smile tugged at her lips and the dullness dimming her eyes began to fade away.

  "What are you doing here?"

  "Hop in and we'll go cruising." His heart raced when she climbed in beside him. "Why're you leaving early? Are you ill?"

  "No." She shook her head, but he couldn't see her expression. Something was definitely bothering her. He would find out later when she wasn't so touchy.

  Meanwhile, the sleek lines of her long legs invited his touch. He reached out to trace the silky length of one nylon-clad limb. She showed little reaction.

  She was obviously in a bad mood today. Maybe he'd done something to upset her. The thought worried him more than he wanted to admit, but he shrugged it aside and decided to flatter her out of her grumpiness. Reaching behind her, he pulled out the bouquet of flowers. "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady."

  Her eyes brightened for a moment, then dulled again. "I appreciate them, but it's no use. It's been a rotten day."

  "Work?"

  She nodded, unaware that her grip on the flowers crumpled the fragile buds.

  Ricardo grimaced. At least this time he wasn't the cause of her bad mood. What she needed was some good news and some T.L.C.

  "The results of the tapes look good," he told her. "I wanted to tell you about that. Shall we go for a drink and dinner?"

  His words had the desired effect. He congratulated himself for the new alertness in her posture.

  In the glass elevator that took them to the top of the Hyatt, he informed her of his findings. After the waiter seated them at a window table in the revolving dining room, he realized that her mood had lightened. He smiled in victory.

  "I knew you would see how valuable this method is to the children." She beamed as she sipped on her glass of champagne.

  "Here's to one of the best teachers I know," he toasted with a gentle clink of their goblets.

  Watching her over the rim of his glass, he admired her attractive poise. The sunshine filtering through the tinted windows made her skin look translucent. The expression on her face reflected dreamy contentment. Yet, he knew what earthy passion lurked under that surface sweetness.

  He grasped the slender fingers of her hand and began to caress them. "You are a special teacher, don't you know that? You provide an atmosphere in which the children can explore and succeed."

  He watched the glow in her eyes, brought on by his praise, and continued in hopes of deepening it. "I saw in the tapes how social interaction helped the children learn so much more. It isn't just your approach." He caressed the palm of her hand with his thumb. "It's your cariño, your love for humanity."

  And love for him? he wondered. The word didn't alarm him anymore. He was sure of one thing: he needed Angela. And if that constituted love, then he wouldn't run from it. A strong urge to explore the depth of their relationship took control.

  "Come to Sedona with me? We'll spend next weekend in luxury."

  She stiffened and the joy fled from her eyes. "We can't do that."

  Puzzled, Ricardo searched her features for a clue to her sudden wariness and withdrawal. Perhaps the rapid spiral of their emotional involvement alarmed her as much as it did him. He remembered his promise to go slow.

  "Just think about it." He eased the pressure, wondering why she was so hesitant.

  "It isn't that I don't want to. I can't. I'll be in Tucson."

  Ricardo stilled. He willed himself to remain calm. "Why are you going to Tucson?"

  "Dr. Wheeler and I are presenting the whole language theory at the State Bilingual Conference. We have presentations all day Thursday and again on Friday morning."

  The relief he felt annoyed him.

  "We were planning to come home late Friday night. The conference is over at noon, but we figured we'd want to visit with some of our friends."

  "Is Dr. Wheeler driving or are you?"

  "You know me and driving."

  "Do you think she would mind driving home alone?"

  Angela frowned and he went on to explain, "I have to go to Nogales this week. Looks like they've busted a drug ring and my editor wants me to do a follow-up."

  "You won't be at the board meeting tomorrow?"

  "I’ll be there. I don't leave until Wednesday, and I should be done in time to pick you up Friday at noon. We could leave from Tucson and head north."

  "Sounds like a good idea. I'll pack a few extra things for Sedona and bring them with me.”

  "It's a date. And just in time. Here comes our dinner."

  Their meal progressed peaceably enough, but Ricardo sensed that Angela was holding something back. Her reserve was nothing he could put his finger on, but her conversation was laced with an element of caution.

  Finally, when the coffee was served, he decided to find out. "What happened today? You seem upset?"

  She frowned.

  He wanted to erase the lines with his fingers. "Is it something I can help you with?"

  She shook her head and looked at her watch. "No. And I don't want to talk about it now. It'll spoil my lovely evening."

  "I'm here for you. You can talk to me."

  He could see the indecision in her expression, making him more curious than ever to know what was wrong.

  "Don't you have to get back to the station? You're on the air tonight, aren't you?"

  "Yes, but I could come over afterward."

  She put her hand over his. It was clammy and damp. "That'll make it too late. I have to get up early for school. We'll talk this weekend when I have time."

  He gently squeezed her fingers. "Promise?"

  She nodded. "I'll tell you all about it then."

  Behind them, the setting sun glowed orange against the sky. Time for him to take Angela home. He wanted to stay with her, but he knew she was right. They both had work tomorrow. Four days, and they would be in the resort town of Sedona with nothing to do but explore each other.

  THE NIGHT OF THE BOARD meeting, the members streamed into the conference room. With mixed emotions, Angela watched each prominent figure enter.

  "Don't be so nervous," Maria chided her. "You said it wasn't set yet. Maybe they won't decide on a R.I.F."

  "It's not that. It's Ricardo. He's coming tonight."

  "So? I'd think that would take your mind off the R.I.F."

  "It's because of the R.I.F. that I'm nervous about seeing him."

  Maria frowned in puzzlement, so Angela explained, "He wants me to go to Sedona with him this weekend. I've decided to tell him I can't go."

  "What has that got to do with the R.I.F.?"

  "Everything. Because of his influence with the board, I've decided to break things off between us. My past—it could be the kind of thing that would make them decide not to rehire me."

  "Ridiculous! Besides, the R.I.F. is seniority-based only."

  "You're sure?"

  Maria nodded. "Don't ruin a good thing. And you can't knock a trip to Sedona. Go with him and have a ball. Your
job would be worth it."

  "Maria," Angela admonished her. Her friend’s ideas were too close to hers. What if she lost her job? A lump formed in her throat. It would devastate her, but she would survive. "I'm not going to Sedona," she swore with more conviction than she felt.

  A sudden hush fell over the room as Ricardo arrived, and Angela's heart pounded at the sight of him. She couldn't deny the effect of his physical appeal.

  Shoulders thrown back and head held high, he gave off the vibe that his strength could overwhelm, and Angela knew it to be true. If he walked over to her this minute and said, “Let's forget the board meeting and go to my house," she would leave the room on the spot. She realized then that she could forget any noble idea of breaking off their relationship.

  The members filed past her row of chairs and Angela held her breath. Ricardo came toward her and stopped. She clenched her fists to keep from reaching out and touching him. He gave her a cordial smile before sitting down in a seat across the table. No one in the crowded room would guess that they were dating. She appreciated Ricardo's consideration, but wondered how long she could keep up such a façade.

  The board meeting proceeded, but Angela barely heard a word that was uttered.

  She tried to focus on the board members, on the superintendent, on Maria. But Ricardo drew her thoughts again and again. Her skin tingled and shivers raced along her spine.

  Instead of school business, her mind was filled with memories of their moments together. Were those moments more important than her job? Yes. She loved Ricardo de la Cruz.

  After two hours, the board called a recess. Angela and Maria left the room, lining up for coffee in the lobby. Angela waited as Ricardo worked his way to her side.

  Before he could join them, Maria stiffened beside her. Angela looked over at her to see what was wrong. Cathy was standing next to Maria, who greeted her coolly.

  "Nice to see you, Cathy. Did Lupe come with you?"

  "No. She had other plans."

  Lupe and Cathy rarely came to board meetings, so why was Cathy at this one?

  "You still going to Tucson?" Cathy asked.

  "We're leaving Wednesday after school."

  "So the kids will have a substitute teacher for two days?"