Certainly Sensible (23 page)

Caroline read and reread Sharlene’s email. “Why me?” she moaned. She felt like crying. And yet she couldn’t bring herself to let Richard down, even for something as odious as his wedding to Ms. Wrong. She replied to Sharlene’s email.

I’ll only agree to help if Richard asks me to. What about the wedding planner? What’s wrong with her doing the work she’s being paid for?

Caroline hit send and then sat staring at the computer. Not only was she supposed to individually stamp each invitation and mail it—tonight—but now Sharlene expected her to help plan the rehearsal dinner. This was all too cruel. Caroline had almost made up her mind to fill in her response card with a zero—none attending. She shook her head in frustration, gathered her handbag and the box of invitations, and headed out the door.

****

“Allie? Is that you?” Susan called. She stepped to the front door just as Allie came waltzing into the living room, music satchel weighing heavily on her shoulder.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Allie had a wicked smile on her face, but all she did was wink at her mother and head down the hall to her bedroom.

Susan followed her. “Well?”

Allie pretended innocence. “Well, what?”

Susan was exasperated. This meeting at Bradley University today may have been the most important in Allie’s academic career. More important even than her audition for Bryce. “Don’t play games, Allison. Tell me what happened.”

Allie smiled and sat down on the edge of her bed, patting the corner for Susan to join her. “Okay, so I went to meet Brandon in his office, Thomas Hall, third floor. All the way up two flights of stairs, and boy was I sucking wind. Appendicitis is not for the faint of heart,” she said.

Susan tapped her foot impatiently. “Go on.”

“Brandon’s office is pretty impressive really. Old, distinguished. Not how I would have pictured him, in a century-old building at a school at least that old.”

“Allie…”

“Yeah, okay.” Allie grinned. “I was nervous. I had to go through both a musical audition and an interview with the Dean of the Music school. My audition for Bryce was nerve-racking, but this was worse. I guess I didn’t have as much at stake as I do now.”

“So how did it go?” Susan asked, trying in vain to calm her nerves and hope for the best.

Allie smiled. “Okay, I think. Well, better than okay. I outdid myself, and considering I’ve hardly had any time to practice in the last few weeks, that’s an accomplishment.”

It certainly is.
Susan and Allie hugged each other, laughing and crying all at once.

Chapter Twenty

Susan was in a deep sleep when the alarm went off. She blinked and stared at the clock, almost forgetting why she’d set it. Then suddenly she was wide awake.
My first day on the job!
She jumped out of bed as she shut off the radio, tossed on some khaki pants with a solid navy blue t-shirt she’d laid out the night before, and hoped she looked appropriate for this first day of new teacher orientation.

Mrs. Renfrow had emailed an agenda for the day and attached a list of items Susan would most likely need in order to set up her classroom. Susan had groaned at the unexpected expense, but printed out the list and went to a discount store to purchase the items.

“It’s too bad I have to use my limited funds to buy school supplies,” she confided to Megan as they stood in the long checkout line, “but I guess I’d better get used to it. I’ve heard teachers sometimes have to spend their own money to stock their classrooms.” She texted her bank for her balance, and then frowned when the reply came back.

Megan thumbed through a fashion magazine and tossed it in the shopping cart. “You mean you haven’t even gotten a paycheck yet, and you’re already in the hole?”

Susan calmly put the magazine back on the rack. “Unfortunately, my first paycheck won’t come for about three weeks, so we’re going to be on a tight budget until then.”

“Tight
er
you mean.”

Susan had bought the bare minimum and had to put it on her credit card instead of the bank debit card, but now as she glanced at the numerous plastic bags sitting on her bedroom floor, she wondered if she’d bought enough supplies. But until Megan’s child-support check came next week, this would have to do.

Susan adjusted the straps on her sandals and glanced at the clock again: six-thirty a.m. She was trying to estimate how much time she needed for driving since the school was only two miles away. She was nervous, could hardly sit or stand still, and food was the last thing on her mind, but she went to the kitchen anyway to try to drink some orange juice. Honey came bounding in from Megan’s room, so Susan reached down and patted her on the head.

“Hey, girl, you need out?” Honey wagged her tail, and Susan opened the backdoor to let the dog out into the yard.

“Hi, Mom. Want some coffee?” Caroline stretched and stumbled into the kitchen as she headed straight for the cabinet to retrieve a mug. “I made extra last night when I set the timer.”

“It smells heavenly, Car, but I think I’m nervous enough as it is. Besides, Mrs. Renfrow said there was a continental breakfast this morning.”

“Nervous, huh?” Caroline stifled a grin as she absent-mindedly fingered the
Meadows Advertising
logo on the coffee mug.

Susan got up and opened the fridge, forgot what she wanted, closed it, and then opened it again when she remembered the juice. “Yes, a little. I’ll be even more nervous next week when the kids come back to school.”

“You’ll do fine.” Caroline poured herself a steaming mug of coffee and stirred in some sweetener.

Susan poked her pencil at the newspaper crossword, but couldn’t concentrate on it. Finally she tossed the pencil aside and said, “You’re up early, Caroline.”

Caroline blew on her coffee and took a sip. “I’m going to work early this morning so I can take a long lunch. I’ve got a couple of appointments to look at apartments today. Hopefully I’ll be out of your hair in the next two weeks.”

Susan closed up her paper in surprise. “You’re not in my hair, Car. Not at all. And I don’t know what I would have done without you while Allie was in the hospital.”

“That’s what families do, Mom. No matter where I live, I’ll always be around if you need me.” Caroline gave her mom a quick hug, and then topped off her coffee mug so it was brimming full. “You have a nice first day at work, and I’ll talk to you this evening.” Caroline headed toward the bathroom, balancing the hot coffee gingerly.

Susan put her empty juice glass in the sink, opened the backdoor to let Honey in, and went to her room to gather her supplies. It seemed like such a normal day for everyone else.
So why is my stomach doing gymnastics?

****

Okay, it only takes seven minutes to get here
. Susan couldn’t decide whether to sit in the parking lot and listen to the radio for fifteen more minutes, or just go ahead into the building early. Just as she was turning off the ignition, her cell phone rang. She answered without glancing at the caller ID.

“Good morning, Teach!” a cheerful voice said.

Susan laughed. “Good morning, Patrick.”

“I’m just calling to wish you luck on your first day, even though I know you don’t need it. Are you nervous?”

“A little. Well, all right, a lot! This school is so big, and I don’t know my way around, and I don’t know any of the other teachers.”

“Everyone feels that way the first day on a new job. How about I meet you for coffee this afternoon and you can tell me how well it went?”

“I’d like that.” Susan smiled at his encouragement. She got out of the car, gathered her belongings and her courage, and headed for the school building.

****

Caroline heard her phone ping with a text, but she was driving and couldn’t look at it. She pulled up in front of the apartment complex where she was scheduled to tour an available unit and surveyed the building. It was a small complex, probably less than one hundred apartments, but the grounds were well-maintained with flower beds attractively arranged around the perimeter, and trees neatly trimmed. The building itself was all brick with a wood roof, probably built in the 1980s. She glanced at the dashboard clock and knew she’d be late for her appointment if she didn’t get out of the car right then, but she wanted to check her text first. It was from Megan.

—
Car, Sharlene wants me to meet her at the mall for a dress fitting for that stupid bridesmaid dress. Can you come get me?—

Caroline rolled her eyes. She replied
—Ask Allie
.
—

Megan typed back
—She’s going to Brandon’s and she’s being a b…about Honey.—

Caroline narrowed her eyes. She’d have to speak to her sister about her cyber language.
Honey? What’s up?

Megan sent a frowny face and said
—Honey chewed up one of Allie’s sandals.—

Caroline made a mental note to explain to Megan, again, that Honey was her responsibility and that she’d have to keep the dog out of Allie’s belongings.
—I’m looking at apartments and then back to work. Call Sharlene?
—

A minute or so elapsed, and then Megan replied
—I’ll get Allie to take me. NOT Sharlene.—

Caroline smiled, stashed her phone in her pocket, and went inside the apartment’s leasing office.

****

Susan and Patrick met at Peterson’s Coffee Emporium. Since it was an easy one-block walk from Rosslyn High School, she didn’t even bother moving her car from the school’s faculty parking lot. Patrick gave Susan a quick kiss on the forehead as they walked in the door together.

“What’ll you have, ma’am?” Patrick asked in his best Texas drawl.

Susan loved that they were from roughly the same part of the country, giving them all the more in common. “The usual, sir,” Susan drawled back with a wink. But then more seriously she added, “But I’d prefer my latte frozen today. It’s really hot outside.”

“One frozen mocha latte coming up.” Patrick winked back as he went to place their orders.

Susan watched him walk up to the counter and marveled at how she’d gotten so lucky. She now had the exciting teaching job she had waited her whole adult life for, three wonderful and talented daughters, and three years after an ugly divorce, a nice man who wanted to be with her.

“So tell me how your first day went.” Patrick set their frosted cups on the table and held Susan’s chair for her. “Better or worse than expected?”

“Much better.” Susan was charmed with his chivalry. “After I got over being nervous, my only problem was getting lost in the halls, which I did several times. I very nearly missed a meeting because I couldn’t find the room.”

He squeezed her hand and smiled. “One thing at a time. You’re going to be a great teacher.”

Susan felt completely safe and happy for the first time in years. They chatted, sipped their lattes, and enjoyed each other’s company, but eventually they had to part.

“I don’t want to let you go,” Patrick said as he walked her out into the late afternoon heat.

Susan felt the same, but she had so many demands on her time. “Thanks again for meeting me, Patrick, for bolstering my spirits…”

He gave her a sweet kiss. “Go home and take care of your girls. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Susan arrived home both tired and exhilarated, and went straight to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and stared into it. “What’s for dinner?” she asked herself as she perused its contents.

“Mom!” Allie called as she came in the front door. “You home?”

“In here,” Susan called back. She decided the heat called for a cold dinner. Caesar salad would be perfect. She pulled some leftover grilled chicken out of the fridge, grabbed some lettuce and grated cheese,

Allie bounced into the kitchen, grinning.

“I thought you were at Brandon’s,” Susan said, “practicing.” She pulled some croutons out of the pantry, got a large salad bowl out of the cabinet, and set all her ingredients next to it.

“She was.”

Susan flipped around to see Brandon standing behind Allie, also grinning and exchanging glances with Allie. “What’s up, you two?”

Brandon smiled adoringly at Allie and took her hand. “I spoke to my friend in the Admissions Office at Bradley this morning.”

Susan held her breath, eager to hear the results of Allie’s audition. But the two of them just stood there grinning at one another. She tapped her foot impatiently. “And?”

Allie threw her arms around her mother. “And… I’m in!”

“You’re
in
?” Susan wasn’t sure she heard right. “You mean…?”

“It means,” Brandon told her, “that Allie really impressed both the Dean and the music committee.”

“I’ve been accepted for the fall semester, and they awarded me the full ride scholarship!” Allie said. “Can you believe it, Mom? I’m in the Music School at Bradley University!”

“As soon as you go over to Admissions and sign the paperwork,” Brandon reminded her, squeezing her hand.

Susan felt light as a feather. Her daughter had been accepted to a prestigious private university, with a music school that rivaled Bryce, and all with no added expense that Daniel could balk at. Susan pulled Allie in for another hug. “I’m so proud of you.”

Allie stepped back from her mom and turned to Brandon, giving him a big hug, too. They stood in a silent embrace for a moment, Susan watching with a critical eye. “I can’t thank you enough,” Allie said.

“I’ll consider myself thanked when I hear you play a solo in Central Hall.”

“Can I talk you into staying for dinner?” Susan asked him. “It’s the least I can do.

Allie shook her head. “No, thanks, Mom, we’re on our way out. I lost track of time practicing at Brandon’s and skipped lunch, so we’re headed out for a sandwich now.” Hand in hand, Allie and Brandon walked to the front door.

Susan almost called out for Brandon to take care of Allie, but she stopped. Of course he would. Allie was safe with Brandon.

****

Caroline fairly danced into the house, a folder full of papers under her arm. “Mom!” she shouted gleefully. No answer. She went through the house, eventually locating Susan and Megan in the backyard playing with Honey on what had turned out to be an unusually warm late-summer evening.