Chapter 4 #2
I sit on the balcony mulling over the distinct possibility that my sister and Marius ended up together at one point in high school.
It would explain her disgust whenever she hears his name.
They seem like an unlikely pairing, but at parties back in school, lots of people hooked up who nobody would have bet on even liking one another.
The idea of them getting together one night begs the question of why she dislikes him so much, though. Did he do something to upset her? Knowing his penchant for teasing others makes that absolutely possible, if not probable.
Then another idea creeps into my mind. Did she want their time together to last and all he wanted was one night? That would definitely explain her feelings toward him.
I’ll bring it up at dinner Friday night and get the answer from her once and for all. If she reacts badly to my even mentioning it, I’m going to assume she liked him and wanted more. If she doesn’t, then maybe it was something else. Whatever happened, I’m going to find out.
Ronan drapes his arm over my back, waking me up.
I roll over to check the time on my phone and see it’s almost six a.m. Immediately, my mind starts making plans since I can’t let him know I’m not going to work again.
On Thursday, he had meetings, so I didn’t have to worry about him finding out.
Then on Friday, he seemed to have nothing to do until the afternoon, so I had to go hang out at my sister’s apartment.
I knew I’d be fine there since she basically has so much to do with medical school that she only sleeps there.
I had two days off from lying to my work and to him, but now that it’s Monday again, I have to return to pretending I’m off to work in the city.
I’ll also have to deal with my lead teacher since one or two days can be explained away or even three, but today will be my fourth day away because of some sickness.
I suspect she’s going to tell me I need to get a doctor’s excuse, which I won’t be able to get since I’m not sick.
It’s just that I don’t want to go back to the city. Not yet, at least.
“Time to wake up?” Ronan asks sleepily.
I force myself to smile and look over at him. “Back to the salt mines. I better get this day going.”
He slides his hand down my body until it’s between my legs. I lean over and kiss him before twisting away from him. “Sorry, honey. I’ve got a ton of work to do before the kids get to the classroom, so I need to leave early today. Can I take a raincheck?”
Ronan opens his eyes and looks up at me already standing next to the bed. Hurt fills them, which tugs at my heart, but I silently promise to make it up to him once I’m back to being myself.
“Sure. You know, they’re lucky to have you as a teacher there, Kate. You go above and beyond for those kids.”
I feel my smile fall and force the corners of my mouth up again. “I’m just me. You know how it is. I better get moving. Go back to sleep. Take it easy, and I’ll see you after school. Remember, I’m meeting my sister tonight at the dress shop, so I won’t be home for dinner.”
“Oh, okay,” he says, disappointment filling his answer.
Leaning over the bed, I kiss him on the lips. “I’ll see you tonight after my time with Kelly. Love you.”
That makes him smile. “I love you too, Kate.”
Guilt fills me for lying to him for yet another day, but I don’t know if he’d understand why I’m not ready to go back into the city right now. Or worse, he’d insist on driving me himself every morning. I don’t need a safer drive. I just need a little break.
That’s all.
I hurry to get ready, hoping Ronan goes back to sleep so I don’t have to lie to his face anymore today. Thankfully, he doesn’t get out of bed, so he doesn’t notice that I barely slap some makeup on, something I’d never do if I was actually going to work.
It only takes me less than thirty minutes before I can leave.
I’ve mentally plotted out how I’ll get to my sister’s apartment, which is nearly two miles away.
It’s a gorgeous, sunny spring day, so I don’t mind walking.
I just need to make sure nobody sees me making my way there.
I’ll be traveling back roads and cutting through the woods halfway there.
It’s daytime, so I should be fine. I’ve walked through there many times before, and it’s as safe as walking around our neighborhood.
I see the little girl from last week as I hurry down the road. She waves to me from her bedroom, so I wave back and smile. It seems I’ve made a new friend. She looks to be in first or second grade, and I love teaching children that age.
My heart pinches with the knowledge that my students are likely wondering where I disappeared to because I haven’t seen them since early last week. To myself, I mumble, “Just a little more time, kids. I’ll be back soon.”
I smile as I add, “Treat the sub nicely. Don’t give them a hard time, please.”
Although the temperature may only be around fifty or fifty-five, the sun on my face as I walk toward my sister’s makes it feel much warmer. My bag containing my work shoes and an outfit I would wear to work weighs heavily on my shoulder, so I hike it up a little higher and keep moving.
The woods block out the sun while I walk under the tree canopy, but the coolness is refreshing.
A woman walking her dog comes toward me, and I give her a neighborly smile as I wonder if she lives in my building.
Her Irish Setter looks a bit big for an apartment, even one as big as the one Ronan and I share, so she probably doesn’t.
She and I say hi and exchange a few words about how nice the weather is for April and continue on our separate ways.
A few minutes later, I exit the woods, happy to be close to my sister’s.
When I finally get there, I’m thrilled to see her car is nowhere to be found.
My sister Kelly is nothing if not reliable.
I fish around in my purse for her apartment key and open the front door of her ground floor apartment in one of the nicer complexes in the area.
She says she decided to pay a little extra for a better place, but I suspect our parents are helping her now that she’s back in medical school.
My father’s so happy to have her possibly following in his footsteps and becoming a plastic surgeon that I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s footing the entire bill for it.
The thick scent of fresh brewed coffee fills my nose as I close the door, telling me my timing is perfect. She must have just left, so the coffee will still be hot.
I toss my bag onto her sofa and head into the kitchen to get the drink that will start my day. I had to skip it at home, but Kelly’s coffee pot is waiting for me. I pour myself a cup and search through her cabinets for sugar since she only drinks it black.
The first sip hits my tongue and then the caffeine hits my bloodstream a minute later.
My walk here woke me up, but nothing feels like the first cup of coffee in the morning.
I’m going to need what it offers since I have to call off work again today, but I’ll have to actually talk to Maria this time.
I take another drink of coffee and inhale a deep breath to prepare for lying to my boss.
I need to sound sick, so I cough a full times to make my voice sound bad.
Knowing I can’t put it off, I call her and hope I don’t seem like I’m lying to her.
I’d hate her to think that. She’s always been great to me.
I wouldn’t want her to believe I don’t respect her enough to tell her the truth.
“Maria, it’s Kate. I’m going to have to take off again. I’m just not feeling okay.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Kate. I hate that I have to say this, but your contract requires a doctor’s excuse after three consecutive days. I’ll need to see it when you come back. Will you be returning to school tomorrow?”
Although I should have anticipated that question, it catches me off guard. I stumble over my words, and finally say, “I’m not sure.”
That’s yet another lie because I know I won’t be going back to the city yet. Tomorrow is too soon.
“Okay. I hope you feel better,” she says, but I can tell she’s not as sympathetic as she was last week.
“Thanks.”
The call ends, leaving me wishing I could explain what’s really wrong with me. The problem is I don’t know.
I settle in with a fresh cup of coffee on my sister’s couch and start watching some talk show featuring a host I’ve never heard of.
Today’s topic seems to be how to cook using an air fryer.
I don’t own one, but I’ve heard great things about them and how easy they are to make healthy food, so I sit back and listen.
The show is so interesting that I don’t hear my sister walk in until she drops her backpack on the floor next to the sofa and says, “Well, well. What do we have here, Kate?”
While I shouldn’t be shocked, I am, spilling coffee all down the front of my shirt when I jump up from the couch. “What are you doing home?”
Her question was valid. Mine is just avoiding telling her the truth.