Page 48 of Well Played

The rest of the interview becomes filler—questions to be edited within the broader narrative.

After the camera stops rolling and our microphones are removed, Benz offers us bottles of water.

“Do you think you did enough?” Benz asks. “To get your daughter and win back your girl?”

“I don’t know. I can say the words, but I can’t force her to watch them.”

“I’ll have the edited tape with your lawyers by tonight,” Danielle says. “If they can do a quick turnaround, you will be on all the breakfast news tomorrow.”

“I guess I better give my divorce lawyer a heads up.”

EVERYONE DESERVES TO BE HAPPY

Willow

I stand nervouslyoutside my principal’s office, tugging Bronx’s jacket around me. I don’t know if his ex-wife will see it as a red flag, but I don’t give a damn. After Bronx’s interview aired, I couldn’t sleep for thinking how to respond.

My job is safe. His job is safe.

He loves me.

I love him.

The only complication is how do we ensure Sloan doesn’t make him choose between Charlotte and me. If Sloan doesn’t support Bronx and I being together, it will make our road more difficult but no longer impossible. Sloan threatened my reputation, job, and relationship. I have one chance to defend all, and I’m taking it.

“Miss Caton, can you please come in.” My principal gives me a warm smile and shows me to the spare chair next to hers. In a semi-circle facing us are Bronx, Sloan and a man I assume is Charlotte’s bio-dad.

“What’s she doing here? I thought this was about Charlotte’s academic performance and issues in the playground.” Sloan’s nails dig into her legs and I don’t take any pleasure from her discomfort.

If I look at Bronx, I’ll fall apart and that won’t help anyone. Stealing myself, I address Sloan.

“May I call you Sloan?” I ask and she nods. “A week ago, I confessed to Mrs. Green that I had a relationship with a student’s father. I offered her my resignation, which she declined. I handed over my classroom notes for the year and asked her to review them for any sense of me having treated Charlotte differently since I started the relationship with Bronx.”

Before Sloan or her partner can speak, Mrs. Green takes over. “Miss Caton is one of our finest educators. She has a promising career in primary school teaching and my preference is for her to remain at this school. I have reviewed the class notes and conferred with other teachers who note the only difference in the way Miss Caton treats Charlotte is by allowing your daughter to treat her office as a safe space at lunchtime.”

“Why does Charlotte need a safe space?” Sloan’s partner asks. “We trust our daughter to your care.”

“Children can be cruel, and the complicated nature of her parentage has been used as a playground weapon,” Mrs. Green allows that to sink in.

I feel Bronx’s eyes on mine and I’m desperate to be in his lap, kissing him and planning our future, but I clutch my hands over each other. Patience … I need to be patient.

“Miss Caton has made it known to all her students that if they feel sad or uncomfortable in the playground, they can hang out with her in either her office or the classroom. I understand many students from all classes have taken up her offer, but none more so than Charlotte.”

“I didn’t know.” Sloan looks to Bronx. “I didn’t know. I knew she missed you, but I thought she’d get over it.”

“She’s still my daughter.” Bronx reaches out to his ex-wife and clasps her hand even as her partner moves his chair so he’s close enough to drape an arm around her shoulders. Is this the first step in Charlotte’s three parents bonding? “She’s still our daughter. If I can accept she has another father, can you please accept that Willow is in my life, and may become Charlotte’s step-mother?”

“Is it that serious between you?”

“That’s between me and Willow. All I’m asking is for you not to ruin a good teacher’s reputation because you hate me.”

“I don’t hate you. I just wanted what’s right for Charlotte.” Sloan looks at her partner and he nods, standing and pulling her into his arms. She turns to Mrs. Green. “I’m sorry for wasting your time. We have no issue with Miss Caton remaining as Charlotte’s teacher for the rest of the year.”

To my shock, she says to Bronx, “It will never feel normal to see you with another woman, but I’m not going to stop you from being in your daughter’s life. I heard what you said in the interview and will let my lawyer know I’m ready to sign.”

Mrs. Green leads them out of her office, and the door barely closes behind them when Bronx rips me out of my seat and into his arms, swinging me around the room. “I can’t believe you did that.” His words are muffled in between kisses and my hands trace his chest as if I’ve been missing it and him for years instead of days. “You offered your resignation?”

“You gave an interview that could have backfired.”

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