Chapter twenty-nine
“Principal?” I knocked on the woman's door when the children were asleep and waited for her to raise her eyes to look at me.
“Come in.” He adjusted his glasses on his nose as he took a good look at me.
“Do you have a minute?”
“Go ahead.” He indicated the chair in front of him.
“I...” I swallowed, gathering my courage and searching for the best words to talk to her about without the subject ending up in my dismissal. As well as needing the money, I loved my job.
“What's wrong?” He squeezed his eyes shut.
“Before you heard about it from someone else, I thought I'd come here and let you know.”
“Is that something I should worry about? You've worked at this school for years, Helena, and the parents and students like you very much.”
“It's nothing to worry about, at least I don't think so. I just want you to be aware to avoid any misunderstandings.”
“So speak up.”
“Thomas Lennox and I are dating.”
“Thomas Lennox?” He jogged his memory. “The twins' father?”
I said yes.
“Since when?”
“It's quite recent.”
“Hmm...”
“I want you to know that this won't get in the way of my commitment to the school and all my students.”
“That's what I hope.”
I remained silent, and she stared at me for a few moments before continuing.
“All I ask is that you be very discreet. We deal with children, and I don't want any complaints from other parents.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Is that all?”
I shook my head yes.
“Thanks for your transparency; you can go now.”
“Not at all, ma'am.” I left her office feeling lighter.
I went back to my students and waited for them to wake up. Mary, Camile, and another student were the first. The second picked up a doll, and one of the twins came closer to talk to her classmate.
“Is Aunt Helena going to be my mommy?”
Mom?
That word echoed in a strange way inside me; at the same time that it made me happy, it caused a certain astonishment. I thought about intruding on the conversation, saying that it wasn't quite like that, but then I realized that it was better not to.
“Aunt Helena isn't your mother. Your mother rides.”
I swallowed. Camile didn't have to be so cruel, but she had lived with children long enough to know that they were sincere to the extreme.
“Aunt Helena flirting with Dad.” Mary puffed out her chest confidently.
“It's a lie.”
“It's not!”
“Aunt Helena!” Camile got up and ran over to me.
“Hi, darling.” I pretended I hadn't heard the conversation.
“Are you really going to be Mary's mother?”
“Her father and I are together, yes.” It was a way of answering without using the weight of the word mother.
I became even more afraid of the situation because I didn't want to hurt them.
“See.” Mary pouted at her colleague.
“Ah!” Camile scowled.
“What do you think about waking up the rest of the class for breakfast?” I changed the subject. “Who's hungry?”
“Me!” They both jumped.
“Let's go!” I made them accompany me.