Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
ADAM
Iset the snow shovel in Mom’s garage along the wall with random tools and food storage and stomped the snow off my boots.
The last meeting with Faith about the fundraiser had been super awkward. She avoided being near me or even looking at me. My life was simpler before I started hanging out with Faith. Not happier, but definitely simpler. I pulled off my gloves and rubbed my forehead.
I walked up the steps into Mom’s house then removed my boots.
Was it because she thought there was something going on with Jessica?
I wasn’t sure what to do there. Was it possible to be friends without hurting Jessica?
It was obvious she still wanted to be more.
At the music performance, twice she shifted closer, and put her hand in obvious hand-holding range.
Or was it because we needed to back off and just be friends because of the whole parent/ teacher thing? That was what Faith said last time she stepped back.
Whatever the reason was, my heart wasn’t listening very well.
I slid out of my winter coat and hung it up on the hooks near the back door.
But if Faith’s blush and eyes were to be believed, she wasn’t listening to those reasons very well either.
The draw I felt to be near her was magnetic, and it was obvious she felt it too.
“Mom, I finished the sidewalk, but it’s still slick, so make sure you’re careful.
” I’d noticed her sidewalk needed to be shoveled as I was dropping Danny off before the staff party.
She’d slipped and fallen last winter, and her wrist still bothered her sometimes.
I was worried she might get hurt and no one would be here to help.
“Don’t forget, I am the one who taught you how to shovel.” She placed her hands on her rounded hips and scolded me like I was back in junior high. “I hit a random patch of ice. Even sports stars like you can fall sometimes.” Her lips pinched into a scowl.
I held my hands up in defeat. I wanted her to slow down and take it easy, but I also knew better than to tell her what to do. “Where’s Danny?”
“He put on snow clothes and went to make another snowman.” She gestured to the sliding glass door that led to the backyard.
I nodded. That had to be his sixth snowman this week.
“So, what’s this about Danny’s teacher?” Mom raised an eyebrow.
I stutter stepped. “What do you mean?”
She raised her brows. “Please. I’m your mother.” She grinned. “I see all, remember? Just like those frogs that you thought you could keep under the bathroom sink.”
I went into the kitchen, ignoring her piercing gaze and questions. I picked up a cookie from the counter and popped it into my mouth. The good thing about it being burnt and dry was it took longer to chew.
“Now, don’t you avoid me.” Mom followed me to the kitchen and loosened her apron strings from behind her.
I reached for a glass, filled it with water, and cleared my throat.
“It’s nothing, Mom.” I took a big drink. “I’m just helping in Danny’s class for the business fundraiser.”
“Oh, yeah…nothing.” She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Getting Christmas trees, texting, and oh, I don’t know…sitting together at the Christmas performance, staring at each other.” She shrugged. “Doesn’t sound like nothing.”
What? “How did you…” My forehead creased, and I tried to remember the performance. I looked at the ceiling and sighed. I’d totally forgotten that Mom had agreed last minute to come. I was so wrapped up in trying to get Danny to even go.
“Mom, why didn’t you come say hi if you were at the performance?” I scowled at her. Of course, Mom came to watch Danny sing, and then she slipped out unnoticed when she thought I might be having a romantic moment.
She waved me off. “Oh, you seemed a little distracted, and I didn’t want to be a bother.” She nodded over to the worn kitchen table, and I followed her and sat.
“You’re not a bother.” I shook my head. “But, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill either.”
“Oh, I’m not. I’m just stating what’s plain as day. I saw how you looked at her, and you were smiling.” Her shoulders softened. “I haven’t seen you smile at a woman like that since you moved back.”
I rested my head in my hands. “Don’t meddle.”
“I’m not. Just asking you how you feel about her.”
I leaned back in my chair. “I don’t know how I feel.
” I rubbed my hand down my face. “On one hand, I have enough drama without adding a woman into the mix. I don’t want to confuse Danny or hurt him more.
” I looked out the window to see him rolling a ball around in the snow.
“Plus, I’m not sure I could ever trust another woman with my heart or with Danny. ”
It was a hopeless cause.
“And if that wasn’t enough, she is Danny’s teacher. This town has enough gossip about my failed marriage. Can you imagine if I started dating his teacher?”
Did I want to be more than friends with Faith? Did she want to be more than friends with me? Her words sometimes said no, but the chemistry between us said something different.
Mom waited patiently. “And…” She motioned for me to continue.
“And what?” I held out my hands and shook my head.
“Well, I’m assuming those are the cons, right? What are the pros?” Mom repeated the gesture.
I grabbed the salt shaker off the table. “Fine.” I sighed in defeat. “Faith is kind, humble, and so patient with Danny…and with me. She has shown she is everything Cassie isn’t.” I raised my right shoulder. “And I can’t stop thinking about her.”
Mom reached across the table and put her hand on top of mine.
“Mom, it’s nothing serious. Don’t go planning things that won’t happen.”
Mom lifted her eyebrows. “Oh, I’m not. Relationships are tricky. Sprinkle in kids and work drama and it probably feels impossible.”
I nodded but eyed her skeptically. There was no way she was leaving things like that.
“But…”
Yep, I knew it.
She shrugged. “Impossible happens far more often than the word suggests.” She tapped the table. “If you actually try for it.”
I rolled my eyes. I had better change the subject before Mom launched into either a Bible lesson or wedding plans. I tapped my head. “Have you ever heard the word neurodivergent?”
Mom tipped her chin to the side. “Neuro what?”
I looked to the ceiling trying to remember it all. “Faith was talking to me about it the other day regarding Danny.”
Mom’s lips pulled down in a frown. “What does that mean?”
I could see the fight enter her eyes. Like mother, like son, I guess.
“It’s not bad. It’s like football versus basketball.”
Her eyebrows pinched. “What are you talking about?” I guess the description worked better when Faith said it.
I had spent the last several days googling everything I could find on the autism and ADHD spectrums. I could see resemblances to Danny, but some things felt far off. I set the salt shaker back in the middle of the table.
“I don’t know.” I wasn’t ready for this conversation. I stood, causing the chair to scrape against the linoleum. “I’m going to go help Danny finish the snowman and then get dressed for the staff party.” I pushed my chair in. “Thanks again for watching Danny tonight.”
“Of course, I love his company.” Danny and I were both lucky to have Mom. “Since it’s Christmas break, let’s plan on him spending the night. In case you end up with later plans than you think.” She failed to hide her smile.
I grabbed my gloves and raised my eyebrows. “I appreciate the offer, but I will be back right after the party.”
Mom shrugged. “Up to you, but no rush. I’m not going anywhere.”
I stepped into the teachers’ lounge with my “ugly” sweater and my package of Oreos. I had left the plate of burnt cookies from Mom in the car. I would need to dispose of the evidence later. My eyes searched the room for Faith.
Her blond hair was curled softly around her face. She had on a knee-length blue skirt, and a sweater covered in tinsel. She was beautiful, all of her.
Her blue eyes met mine. What would it be like to date Faith? To hold her in my arms or run my fingers through her hair. My stomach tightened.
I set the Oreos by a glass plate with gingerbread cookies and intricate snowflake patterns out of frosting. I bet I knew who made those.
Faith waited over on the right, standing off a bit by herself. I started her way when Jessica waved her hands, catching my attention, and began hustling over to me. I stopped mid-step, unsure what to do.
I really wanted to go over to Faith, but I also didn’t want to make Jessica upset.
And if I caused a scene, Faith wouldn’t like the attention or confrontation.
Every time a confrontation happened around her, she seemed to make herself smaller or she left.
I noticed it with the school meeting and Ms. Sparks, I noticed it when I went too fast on the four wheeler, and with Jessica at the music program.
“Hey, Coach.” A firm hand slapped my back, making the choice for me. “Heck of a game against the Panthers the other day.” Craig, my old basketball coach and the current middle school science teacher, grinned. “I thought we had lost for sure, but that Jacob kid. He is something else, isn’t he?”
I chuckled. “Yeah. He is a great kid. On and off the court.”
“Reminds me of a high school basketball star I used to coach.” He bumped my shoulder.
I laughed softly. “He’s way better than I ever was.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Craig shook his head and looked up at the ceiling.
“I remember you scoring so much in that championship game your senior year. It completely turned everything around, and your three-point shot.” He made an OK sign with his hands.
“If I remember right, you got another scholarship offer on that game alone.”
I nodded. True, but it was a community college, and even at a full ride, Cassie helped me decide we could do better at a more expensive, prestigious college.
A throat cleared loudly near the door, and I turned to see Ms. Sparks demanding attention with her stern gaze. “Thanks everyone, for coming. I’m sure Dotty will be here any minute.” Her forehead wrinkled and she checked her watch.
“I still don’t know why Helen didn’t just become the principal instead of her niece.
She runs everything anyway,” Craig whispered with a mischievous grin.
“I told her when the position opened, she should take it. I think she refused on the principle that she doesn’t want to be told what to do. ” He stared at Helen.
“Something you want to share with the class, Craig?” Helen called him out.
He winked. “No, Ma’am.”
“That’s what I thought.” It looked like behind that stern mouth, she might hide a smile.
Huh. Craig and Helen Sparks. Weird.
Dotty came rushing up the stairs in a bright sweater covered in tinsel and flashing lights and with a cardboard box in her arms. We were about the same age, but she was much further in her career than I was, not that I wanted to do anything with administration.
Ms. Sparks sighed. “About time, Dotty.”
Dotty turned as red as the tinsel wrapped around her shoulders. Ms. Sparks turned to command the crowd.
“Now let’s start the cookie exchange and—”
“I, um, actually planned something different.” Dotty avoided Ms. Sparks’s eyes.
Ms. Sparks cleared throat. “You what?”
Dotty straightened her shoulders. “Okay, everyone, I took a mystery item from each teacher’s room and attached a number.”
Gasps scattered around the room.
Her eyes widened in shock. “Nothing bad, I promise. You’ll see.
Here.” She nodded her head toward the table.
“I’ll put the items on the table. Everyone, take a paper and try to assign each numbered item to its owner.
” She rushed to the table and laid out the items and stood to the side.
“Let’s see how well everyone knows each other. ”
Everyone glanced at the table, but no one moved.
“We don’t do games,” Ms. Sparks whispered angrily toward Dotty.
It’s true, we never had games in the past, and this group of people didn’t take change easily.
Dotty tugged on her sweater.
I didn’t want to play a stupid get-to-know-you game, but I couldn’t let the woman just stand there.
I nodded at Craig and turned to set down my cup.
When I turned back around, Faith was already halfway across the room.
All eyes followed her, and her cheeks flushed pink with the attention, but she held her head high.
Looks like my charity wasn’t fast enough to beat Faith’s.
Faith grabbed Dotty’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
“What a fun idea!” She reached over and picked up a paper and pencil. “I’m sure all of us know less about each other than we think.”
I knew very little about Faith, and I was definitely ready to learn more.
Dotty put her hands up and clapped. “Oh, I forgot, the person who gets all the answers the fastest wins a prize.”
That seemed to break the trance everyone was in, and the rest of the staff rushed to the table, grabbing papers and pencils. All except Ms. Sparks, who had her arms folded across her chest and her lips in a scowl.