Page 98 of Between the Lines

“So, it’s in the city. They put us up in a hotel. Sam, Drake, and I in a room together, and you’ll have your own…”

Aaron goes over the conference details, but I pay them no mind. The larger issue at hand is the fact that I was completely unaware. I sense foul play, and it heats me. I’m typically one to nod my head and submit in the workplace, but this was out of line. The minute Aaron exits my office, I follow suit. Don is seated behind his computer, finishing his breakfast when I walk in.

“Hey! ‘Mornin’, Nate. What can I do you for?”

“I’ll be frank, Don. What is this about a coaching conference, and why am I only being notified now by Aaron Russo?”

He balks for a moment, then huffs a throaty chuckle, and waves his hand in dismissal.

“Ah, all part of the job. They need an administrator present. I’m golfing in Florida this weekend and am taking off early on Friday, so I figured I’d let you get your feet wet with some of the shitty parts of the job.”

He laughs it off, like this is no big deal. I clench my fists at my sides.

“Were you planning on notifying me that I would be out of the building? Since you’re cutting out early on Friday, do we have a substitute administrator?”

“Nah, don’t worry about that,” he waves me off. “I’ll just have Joe Petersen be the admin on call. And Aaron told you, right? Nothing to worry about. Enjoy your two days off.”

Don wags his brows at me, smiles, and digs back into his McDonald’s breakfast sandwich. He completely missed the point. And for once in my life, I’m not going to stand for it.

“I have meetings planned on Thursday that cannot be rescheduled,” I say, as calmly as I can, though I note the low tone my words have taken on. “Aside from the work I’ll be missing, you should have informed me yourself. Checked my schedule, instead of pawning it off on me.”

A ripple of lightning courses through me. Is this what it felt like when Claire finally stood up to her parents?

Don scoffs. “Nate, it’s all part of the job. Listen, you get two days to sit in a hotel in Boston and eat on the district’s dime wherever the hell you want. Hell, I don’t even care if you take your laptop, sit in your room, and work from there instead of attending the sessions. I just need you to sign off that the guys did what they were supposed to. It’s part of the job. Don’t get your panties twisted.”

He echoes that sentiment to cap his defense, and now Idounderstand a fraction of what Claire has been going through.

“Regardless, it should have come from you. Not from AaronRusso. I have three disciplinary meetings with parents on Thursday that have already been rescheduled. You’ll need to take those on, if this is the case.”

Deep lines of aggravation settle on Don’s forehead, coloring with red. He mulls over the predicament he placed himself in for a few moments.

“I’ll take the conference Thursday then. You’ll head out after school, and stay for the Friday and Saturday sessions.”

It isn’t a question, but the compromise is a small victory.

I leave my boss’s office in a mixture of frustration and heavy heartedness. I’ll deal with the aggravation of being walked over another time. Right now, I can’t even fathom the thought of disappointing Claire.

I catch her during her planning period. I close the door behind me and get straight to the point, steamrolling the smile and bright eyes she dons at my presence.

“I have to reschedule our plans. Don signed me up to attend a conference with the coaching staff. I’m sorry.”

Her shoulders fall, and I immediately want to storm into my boss’s office and demand that he reschedules his golf trip, but Claire surprises me.

“That’s okay. What are you doing Saturday night?”

She pulls out her planner, flipping to the weekend spread.

“The girls wanted to get together anyway, since their guys will be gone too. I’ll just tell them that Friday works for me. I’m sorry Don pulled that on you. That’s unfair.”

I slide between Claire and the desk, perching on the edge of it beside her planner. She looks up at me, her hand sliding to my thigh before her gaze wanders to the door. When she sees that I shut it, her big doe eyes blink up at me.

“Hey, it’s okay. Not a big deal. Of course I’m sad that I won’t see you Friday, but plans change. We’ll just go with the flow.”

Her smile lights up my chest, dismissing all of thefrustration I’d carried in, melting it like ice cream on a summer sidewalk. I place my hand over the top of hers and squeeze.

“I hate the thought of disappointing you.”

Her head tilts, and where I once feared pity, I now only see deep care. It unsettles something in my chest.

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