Chapter 10
MOLLY
I'm back home, from Venice.
Back in my lumpy, saggy little bed. Memories of Venice flash through my brain--of the palace and the ball and the dancing.
And Enzo.
The knight at the ball.
What a perfectly fitting name for a perfectly beautiful evening. I met Luca Valizar, too. I can’t wait to tell Miss T.
I sigh, giving my body a lazy stretch, lifting my arms up in the air, and letting out a loud exhale.
Miss T. arranged for me to have Monday off.
This means my children will have a substitute teacher, only for today.
She’s always thinking of me. Always doing what’s best for me.
I hope I pass my probation and Oakleigh takes me on.
This feels like my place, and I don’t ever want to leave. I hope Miss T liked the little video clips I sent her.
I should make the most of my rest day. I'll take it easy today and unpack and maybe get a few groceries in.
What time is it anyway? I reach for my cell phone and jolt up in bed.
Oh my days!
It's late afternoon. Just after half past two.
Half past two!
The children would be getting ready for story time now. I flop back against the headboard, not feeling my usual perky self. My body is exhausted from travel and I am jet lagged.
I should take it easy.
I peer at my phone again, because it's odd that Miss T hasn't replied to my email. That's not like her. I hope she's okay. I hope she recovered from that horrible cold she had.
I know why she hasn't replied. My phone is still on airplane mode. I take it out of airplane mode and decide to get out of bed and do something today, even if it’s just lazing around.
After brushing my teeth I water my plants, apologizing for neglecting them for a few days. Then I make a cup of coffee and sink into my cosy little couch and look around my tiny apartment. I wrap my hands around my chipped coffee mug.
It's good to be back. As different and as exciting as Venice was, I’m happy to be home again.
My furniture doesn’t match. The red and green cushions clash with my tattered brown couch.
Books are strewn everywhere, and the children’s Christmas cards are still strung across one wall more than two months later.
I smile. Soon they’ll be replaced by bright and colorful Easter cards.
I can’t wait to go back to school tomorrow.
Then I remember something I need to take in with me.
I go into my kitchen where I've left a small paper bag of the souvenirs I bought in Venice.
Three fridge magnets. One for Miss T, one for Kiki and one for me.
They're watercolor images of Venice—bridges and gondolas, with a blue Grand Canal and a lilac sky. I thought they were really pretty.
I pick one up and stick it to my fridge, only to have memories of my weekend come flooding back.
The ball.
Dancing.
The masked knight.
It was magical, all of it, and it still doesn't feel real.
More like a dream I'm only just waking from.
***
Miss T. pops her head into the classroom in the middle of our painting lesson.
She pauses in the doorway longer than usual. She smiles, and I smile back, excited to see her.
“Miss Dean, when you get a minute, could you come and see me please?”
“Of course, Miss Turlington.” I must remember to give her the fridge magnet.
The children become boisterous again. I'd started telling them about my trip to Venice, leaving out details about my masked friend.
“Why did you go to Fenice?” George asks.
“It’s Venice, George. I went to a ball.”
“Like Cinderella?” Sabrina squeals. She loves story time, and I can see the cogs in her brain spinning.
“Yes, like Cinderella.”
Thirty pairs of small, inquisitive eyes are on me. They're wearing their painting aprons, but no one is painting. Some are holding brushes, some examining the small jars of water for washing brushes. Some are sitting on the edge of their seats and waiting for me to say more.
“Did you lose a glass slipper, Miss?” Alvah asks.
I laugh out loud, before clapping my hands together.
“Now, now. We're supposed to be painting, but let me tell you something. The best part of being there was seeing a different part of the world, trying new food, and meeting people I might have never met otherwise.”
I have their rapt attention. I point to the photos I've blue-tacked to the blackboard.
“I walked along the cobbled streets and small bridges, and saw the Grand Canal. These people are gondoliers with their gondolas.”
Someone asks, “Did you meet Prince Charming?”
“Not every fairy tale needs a prince,” I tell them.
The children giggle.
I didn't meet a prince, but I met a wonderful man I'd like to call my friend. Meeting Enzo was a highlight and I have a feeling that my evening wouldn’t have been as memorable without him.
Venice was unforgettable. The chance of a lifetime.
And now I can't think of it without thinking of the masked knight. The memory of it will forever be linked to him. We didn't exchange any details, and now I’ll never see him again. And that makes me sad.
I scan around the room. “For now, I would like you to draw whatever comes to your mind when you look at these.” I point back to the pictures on the blackboard.
“I'm going to put you in my picture, Miss. I'm going to make you a princess,” Sabrina announces.
“I'm going to draw a mouse,” Alvah hollers.
“What about a pumpkin?” someone cries, and they all burst out laughing.
“Children,” I put on my most serious face. They immediately quieten. “We don't have much time before recess. I would like you to finish your paintings before then.”
They get to it straight away. I love these children. I laugh and joke with them, but when I'm serious, they know it. The rest of the lesson proceeds as planned and at recess, I go to see Miss T.
“Miss T!” I cry. “Are you feeling better now?” I examine her face as I sit down on the chair across from her.
“What exactly did you get up to in Italy?” she asks.
“I had the most wonderful time, Miss Turlington! I almost wish you'd gone.”
“Almost?”
“It was unforgettable, and I'm so glad I went instead. I’m sorry you missed it.”
“I’m happy to hear that you had a good time.”
“Oh!” I sit forward in my chair and hand her the fridge magnet. “I got this for you. I hope you like it.”
She examines it carefully, a smile spreading across her face. “You didn’t have to, Molly, but thank you. It’s very kind of you.”
“You’re welcome. It’s just a fridge magnet. Oh! I met Luca Valizar!”
“You did?”
“He was … a bit frightening at first, and then … he was very kind. He knew about me, that you’d sent me in your place.”
Miss T nods. “I let him know that I wasn’t able to come.”
“I didn’t see his face because he was wearing a mask, but he seemed nice.”
“I called you in here to discuss something else, Molly. I have a project for you. I think you’d provide some interesting ideas for it.”
“A project? What sort of project?”
Something may be happening involving Luca Valizar and the school. I don't know the details yet, but if it goes ahead, I'd like you to be involved.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. I need a teacher's practical perspective.”
“Miss Turlington ...” I'm a little taken aback. First Venice and now this. “Won't the other teachers mind?”
“The other teachers don't volunteer for after-school or weekend activities. You never miss the opportunity. Besides, with you being the newest to join, albeit in a probationary capacity for now, I do believe you'll have a fresh eye for things.”
“Why, thank you, Miss Turlington. It sounds like another adventure.”
“I thought you might say that.”
“Did you like the video clips I sent you?”
“Video clips?”
“I wanted you to experience the evening like I did, so I sent you clips of the palace and the guests and the food.”
“I haven’t received anything.”
The bell rings, announcing the end of recess.
I stand up. “That’s odd. I’m sure I did, because I wanted to share some of the evening with you.”
“That’s very kind of you, Molly, but I haven’t received anything.”
When I return to my desk I look through my phone and realize what I’ve done.
I’ve sent them to Kiki instead.