Four
FOUR
SOLEIL
I click on yet another picture, zooming in on a large, veiny hand that hangs on the shoulder of the man standing next to him. The him being Mr. Dare.
How is a man that hot, that delicious looking, a kindergarten teacher? My daughter's teacher, no less. He should be an underwear model or something. I almost tripped over my own feet when I walked into the class and saw him. Then to find out that he was the teacher just about knocked me on my ass.
Instead of working like I’m supposed to be doing, I’ve been scrolling the internet for pictures of Dahlia’s teacher. There are plenty of him and two other men, who are tagged as his brothers, from articles talking about their company. Their multi-million dollar company.
Maybe Mr. Lindsey was right. Why would a man with all that money and those looks be teaching kids?
I jump when my phone rings with an incoming FaceTime from Kyle. I chew my lip and think about not answering, but then think again because she’ll stomp her ass over to my house if I don’t answer. She’ll probably think I’m dead.
I touch the join button and take a deep breath.
“How was my girl this morning?” she asks without a hello.
“I’m good. A little sad but I–”
“Not you,” she interrupts. “Dolly?” Kyle has called Dahlia by that nickname almost from the moment she was born, and my little dove loves it.
With a sigh I tell her, “She was just fine. In fact, Dahlia was the one comforting me. I didn’t think it was going to be that difficult to leave her.” I feel that same emotion from earlier build in my throat and I swallow it down.
“Aw. I’m sure she’s fine, Sunny. No need to worry about our girl. She’s a tough cookie.” I hear the clicking of Kyle’s heels as she walks through what I’m assuming is her office.
“She’s already in love with her teacher. He seems very sweet so I’m sure she’ll be just fine.”
The echoing of her shoes stops and Kyle’s voice takes on a flirtatious tone. “ He , huh? What does Mr. Kindergarten teacher look like?”
Why did I mention that? “He’s, uh, he’s handsome. I guess.”
“What’s his name?”
I gulp and with a quiet voice tell her, “Malik Dare.”
“I’m sorry. Can you repeat that? I thought you said Malik Dare.”
“I did.” I just knew this hooker would know who he is.
She knows everyone in Cattywump Bay. Apparently I’m the one who has been living under a rock because the name Malik Dare has never come into a conversation. Mind you, I’ve only lived in Cattywump Bay for the last three months.
After Gene died, I needed to be away from all of the stares and whispers. It was all too overwhelming. My Mom and George weren’t very happy about Dahlia and me moving, but when they realized I was only one town over, they relaxed.
I needed a neighbor who wasn’t always asking me how I was going to support a child as a single parent. I wanted to walk into a store and not have people give me those sad looks like they pitied me. And I wanted to be anywhere Meredith was not. That snob wouldn’t dare live in a town called Cattywump Bay. It also helps that Kyle lives in Gulfport which is only thirty minutes away.
“Shut the fuck up right now. Dolly’s teacher is the delicious millionaire Malik Dare? The very single Malik Dare? The Malik Dare who rides a motorcycle and has the two yummiest brothers?”
“I’m assuming yes, although I don’t know him beyond being a teacher.”
“Who are you right now? How do you not know who Malik Dare is? You’d have to be Helen Keller to not know who he is and even then, I bet she’d smell that man candy from a mile away.”
“In case you forgot, I’ve only lived in Cattywump a short time and before that, I was married to a cheating bastard. Remember?” I close out of the window which is a menagerie of photos dedicated to the man in question, and pull up the calendar I’ve been working on for my client.
“Oh I remember. I wish I could forget. That…” she mumbles out a string of words I can’t quite make out, but I can fill in the blank. “Enough of that pendejo. Tell me more about Mr. Dare. I’d love to be his student. I bet he can teach me many things. Maybe he’d give me some extra credit. Get it.”
With a roll of my eyes I tell her, “Yeah, Ky. I get it. I always get it.”
My eyes scan the appointments that need to be set and meetings transcribed this week. I’m a virtual assistant for a handful of executives and I run their calendars and other admin stuff. It’s a great job because it allows me to work from home and be here for Dahlia, along with flexible hours. It was basically what I was doing at my old job except for the telecommute position, and I’m thankful that Kyle sent some people my way. Just another reason why I can’t live without this girl.
“We’ll have to press pause on this because I’m going into a deposition, and who knows how long this will take. Some days I really love my job, but most of the time I don't. I need a sugar daddy who wants to keep me tied to his bed and make me his sex toy. Sigh. That’d be the dream.”
“You have serious problems, you know that?” My smile grows as it usually does when we talk.
“I know. But it’s why you love me. Bye bestest. Talk later.”
“Bye bestest.” We blow kisses then hang up.
I continue adding memos to all of the calendars and color coordinate mine to help me keep track and make sense of everything when I get a notification from my inbox.
M. Dare
Hello Mrs. Brooks…
I blink, staring at the words for a few moments, debating on whether or not I should open it. I can’t imagine it’s anyone but Malik Dare, but I’m nervous and curious as to why he’s sending me a message so early in the school day.
I finally click accept, and there in my inbox is a unread message from the man I have been admiring all day.
Hello Mrs. Brooks -
I just want to give you a little update and let you know that Dahlia is doing great. She has become quite the helper and is a very intelligent young lady. Hopefully this gives you some peace of mind. Have a great rest of your day.
~Malik
I read the note over and over, if for no other reason than to try and imagine what his voice would sound like. The timber that greeted me this morning sends chills down my spine and sends a signal straight to the place between my legs that has been so neglected over the last year. Aside from the occasional zinger with the toy Kyle bought me, I’ve been on a pretty steady drought in my sex life.
I chew on my lip, wondering if I should respond or not, but I think it would be quite rude to not at least acknowledge his message. I type out a quick response and hit send.
Thank you for the update, Mr. Dare. Please feel free to contact me via my phone should you require anything.
~Soleil Brooks 993-9770
I watch the message go from sending to sent and panic just a little. I quickly exit out and focus back on the work that I have neglected all morning. My eyes scan the notebook that I’ve scribbled in when another ding draws my attention away.
My hands shake as I click to open it and smile at what it says.
Mrs. Brooks…I thought I told you to please call me Malik. Only my students call me Mr. Dare.
My fingers move on their own volition.
Mr. Dare…I will address you as Malik if you promise not to call me Mrs. anymore.
Ms. Brooks?
He replies back instantly, the email thread growing longer.
How about first names? Thank you for reaching out, Malik.
You’re welcome, Soleil.
I decide to end it there, not wanting to appear as if I’m waiting for his next word, and get back to working like I should have been doing all morning instead of drooling over Dahlia’s teacher. I focus and let work consume me until my alarm buzzes, letting me know it’s time to go pick up my mini me from school.
I park and walk through the main doors of the school, following the rest of the kindergarten parents who speed through the doors, all of them probably curious about their kid first day.
My fingers twist nervously in front of me as other parents talk to one another. Many of them appear to be friends, or at least friendly, with one another. Meanwhile, I’m the loner with my back plastered to the wall. I don’t know a soul in this town aside from the cashier I’ve gotten acquainted with from the grocery store. My neighbors seem younger than me and don’t have any kids, so there are no kids for play dates on my street.
It was one thing that had me so nervous for Dahlia. We’ve spent weekends in either Gulfport at the beach with Kyle, or back home with Mom and George over the summer, when I should have been taking her to local parks and libraries to try and make friends.
A soft bell rings and the kids begin to cheer on the other side of the door. I see Malik’s back as it blocks the small window into the classroom, and I hear him mumbling to the kids, probably giving them instructions.
The knob turns slowly and the door begins to open. I see the smiling faces of the kids that stand patiently in line and search for Dahlia. I spot her bopping up and down in the middle, her pigtails swinging and her smile wide.
Parents smile and wave to their kids and begin to move closer. The first kid sees his mom and takes a step, then pauses when he remembers something. He turns towards Malik and they do a series of claps and slaps as if it’s a secret handshake before he runs off.
The next kid in line does the same, a handshake unique to them, and it continues. When it’s Dahlia’s turn, I watch with rapt attention. She presses her palms together as if in prayer and Malik does the same. They smile at each other and pat the back of their hands against the other and do a series of hand slaps and claps, laughing all the while and ending with a double high-five. Dahlia giggles and wraps her arms around his neck.
He gently pats her back and she tells him, “Thanks for the best first day, Mr. Dare. I’ll ask Mommy to pack an extra brownie tomorrow so you’re not jealous when I eat mine.”
He clenches his jaw to keep from cracking up and waves back at Dahlia. She skips over to me and leaps into my arms.
“Hi my little dove. I missed you.” I squeeze her tight to me and close my eyes, inhaling her usual sweet scent now mixed with the smell of crayons and glue.
“I missed you too, Mommy. But I also had the most best day, so I guess I’ll come back tomorrow.” She slips her little hand in mine and looks up at me. “Oh. And Mr. Dare said my brownie looked yummy so I told him I’d bring one special for him. I think he was jealous so I don’t want him to feel bad.”
I smile, her heart always so big and always so thoughtful, and look up to see Malik staring right at me. Our eyes meet and suddenly my stomach goes topsy turvy with nerves. He has a smile on his face, but his stare is intense and sends a bolt of electricity up my spine. He watches me for a moment longer before another student steals his attention. When the spell he has over me is finally broken, I lead Dahlia out into the parking lot where our car waits for us.
More parents and kids file out of the school from the various kindergarten classes, and I buckle Dahlia into her carseat. Cars make their way to the exit and I slip inside the driver's seat. But before I can drive off, I look back at the doors to the school. I search for faces that may be staring back as the feeling of someone watching us comes over me.
“How about some ice cream for my favorite girl?” I ask Dahlia, looking at her through the rearview mirror.
“Yeah!” She cheers, throwing up both arms with her hands in little fists. “Mint chocolate chip. Mint chocolate chip.”
She sings and I smile, and we both laugh all the way to the ice cream parlor as she tells me about her day. Every time she mentions Mr. Dare, all I see is that smoldering look in his eyes as I walked away.
I better stop at the drugstore on the way home and load up on batteries. I have a feeling my little B.O.B. is going to be going through quite a few.