Chapter 16
BELLA
I’m locked in and laser-focused on my lesson plans when an unexpected visitor interrupts me the next day.
“We need to talk,” Amber’s nasal voice calls out from the door of my classroom. I make a sweeping gesture with my hand to invite her in.
“Is this about the workshop? We have inventory almost sorted and we were under budget.”
She saunters into the room, holding something in her hand. “Do you know what this is?”
“Sorry, I have a lot of work to do and a short planning period, so can you just tell me so I can help with whatever it is?” I try to sound sweet, but this woman is grating on my nerves.
“Something in the paper caught my eye last weekend.” She unfolds the clipping in her hands, holding up the ad that Raven ran for me.
“You do forget that Chuck works down at the Chestnut Mountain Newspaper, and he showed me your little ad. It’s so trashy that you think selling used goods is acceptable.” She tsks me, like I’m a dog who disappointed her by peeing on her rug.
“Not everything is used, and everything we’ve received so far is in good shape. I assure you it’s not going to be a tacky garage sale with random used goods and neon stickers.” Why am I defending myself to this woman?
Amber places a hand on her hip. “I knew you’d mess this up. You ruin everything you touch, just like your marriage.”
I swallow down the anger rising in my throat and tack on a fake smile as I stand from my desk and walk over to her.
“I know you aren’t coming into my classroom to tell me how to do things.
You needed help with the workshop; I’m helping with it.
You don’t get a say in how Hardy and I run things.
And as far as my marriage goes, it takes two people to mess that up and it was long over before your husband started running his mouth.
And I might have been the best he’s ever had, but his performance was honestly forgettable.
So, unless you’re here for pointers about how to please him in the bedroom, I suggest you leave so I can get back to lesson planning. ”
She huffs several times, looking stunned that I would speak to her like that. Honestly, I’m stunned too as I hide my shaking hands behind my back. Normally, I’d take her vitriol and let it roll off me, but she made it personal, and I couldn’t bite my tongue anymore.
“This isn’t over,” she spits.
“This isn’t over,” I mimic. “Seriously, Amber, do you hear yourself? This is for the kids. This isn’t some movie where you’re the hero trying to expose some evil plot I’m masterminding. You’re being a dick.”
Her mouth drops open, and she turns and stomps off, her heels clicking extra loud as she goes.
“Umm, what was that about?” Lucy says, popping her head into my room.
“How long were you standing there?”
“Long enough to hear you call Amber a dick.” She walks over to my desk and sits in one of the chairs.
“Are your kids at recess right now?”
“Yup, inside recess in the gym. Too cold for outdoor recess. So, I’ve got about ten minutes for you to fill me in, then I need to make copies before they come back.”
“She saw the ad Raven ran about the donations. I totally forgot Chuck works at the paper.”
Lucy winces. “Shoot, we shoulda planned that better. Is that why she’s mad?”
“Yup. Oh, and she said I’m to blame for my divorce, and that’s how she knows I’m going to mess this up too.”
She shoots up from her chair, looking toward the door. “She did not.”
I tug her back into her chair. “Don’t worry, I gave it right back to her. But that’s why we have to make this the best workshop ever.”
“Need me to rally the girls?”
“I could use your help to get everything set up once Hardy’s done building the scenery. He said he could get some of the guys at the station to help too.”
“So, hot firefighters will be there? Say less.”
“It’ll be tedious, but we need to lay all the donations out and sort them by price. There might be some painting too, I dunno. I’ll have to check to see how far Hardy gets this weekend.”
“Will they be shirtless? In their gear?” She stares off as if trying to picture Hardy’s crew half naked.
“Focus, Lucy. There’s a lot left to do.”
“So how are things going with your firefighter?”
“He’s not mine, not really.”
“But you want him to be?”
“Yes, I want him to be, but he’s working through a lot. One minute he’s hot for me, and the next minute it’s like he’s reminded of all his responsibilities and he’s pushing me away again.”
“Oh, that one is definitely hot for you.” She looks at her watch. “Shoot, I gotta scoot before the second-graders return. Text me the details, and I’ll gather the girls.”
Several hours later, after a finger-painting incident, a meltdown over a Capri-Sun straw, and way too many runny noses walking around my room looking for tissues, my room is empty and I’m ready to head home. A familiar face appears in the window of my door, and I motion for Hardy to come in.
“Hey, I’m gonna be up here building for a bit. I wasn’t sure if you were planning anything off my Santa student list tonight, but I should probably knock some of this out.”
“Is Avery with the sitter?”
“She is.”
“Tell Maggie she has the night off. I’m going to take her Christmas shopping.”
“You don’t have to do that,” he says, rubbing his neck.
“I know, but I want to. Besides, you’re not my only Santa student. She wants to make Christmas special for you too.”
His responding smile fills me with warmth. He walks over and hands me a wad of cash from his wallet. “Here, so she can get what she wants. But no pets. And please keep the glitter to a minimum.”
“No pets. But no promises on the glitter.”
——————
A few hours later, we’ve filled up on greasy diner food and milkshakes and have stopped at three local shops.
Avery’s shopping list isn’t long, just Hardy, a few friends, and her favorite teacher.
Isaac has been a huge help, guiding her toward items for me and watching her when I was told to leave the store so they could shop.
When they walk out of Bookish Wonderland, Avery is grinning ear to ear while Isaac shakes his head as he hands me back my change from the cash I gave him.
“Alright, who’s left on your list?” I ask as Avery taps a finger to her chin.
“Ummm…Daddy, and my friend Penny,” she says.
“I thought you got some stuff for your dad?” Isaac asks.
“For his stocking. I have to get his tree gift,” she explains like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Well, Santa’s Workshop is almost here, and you can probably get the remaining items there,” I assure her.
“Oh yeah!” Avery says.
“What about you?” I look at Isaac.
“I’m good. Hardy and I are working on something for you.”
“That’s not ominous sounding.” My heart skips a beat at the thought of the two of them, each with very different skill sets, working together to make me something. I wish Isaac’s dad would spend this kind of quality time with him.
“You’ll like it,” Isaac assures me.
We pile in the car and head to my house to have a wrapping party. I’m not sure what time Hardy’s going to be done, so we wrap all of his gifts first and set them aside as we finish wrapping the rest.
There are scraps of paper, pieces of ribbon, and glitter all over my kitchen, yet I couldn’t be happier.
Avery is having the best time, and even Isaac has stuck around helping her wrap while trying to avoid her every time she threatens to cover him in glitter.
I think this is the longest I’ve seen him not be on his computer in months.
He’s always been good with my students, but he seems to really get along with Avery.
We’re almost finished wrapping when Hardy shows up.
“Sorry it took me so long,” he says as he walks in the kitchen.
“There’s nothing to apologize for. We got a lot accomplished. How’d it go at the school?” I ask, getting up from the table to stand next to him.
“Good. I think everything is nearly built. It’s not to code or anything, so we’ll have to make sure people don’t lean on it, but it’ll be a good backdrop to set the mood. Now we just need to paint it.”
“I might have some helpers for that.” I wink. “What are you doing tomorrow? We still have a couple items to check off that list I texted you,” I say, dropping my voice on the last part, curious to see if I’m going to get hot or cold Hardy.
The tips of his ears pinken. “I’ll see if Maggie can hang out with Avery tomorrow afternoon.”
“Can I give her the present we got her?” Avery asks excitedly.
I chuckle. “She’s so excited about everything she picked out. Good luck getting her to save all her gifts till Christmas.”
“Let’s try to wait closer to Christmas, baby girl,” Hardy says, walking over to her and leaning down to kiss her head. When he pulls back, he swipes at his lips like he has a hair stuck to them. Then he blows air through his lips, making a horse sound.
“You okay over there?”
“Glitter,” he mutters.