Page 101 of One More Chapter

Nathan and Ant discuss the logistics of getting Caden Davis signed up for the behavior program, and my heart swells. Heis so,sogood in this role. I don’t know how he could have convinced himself otherwise.

As I’m leaving Nathan’s office, with a reminder to myself to go a little easier on Caden, I hear Ant’s, “Wait up!” and I stop in the hallway outside the office. He exhales into a smile, leaning up against the wall and staring at me like it’s the most relaxed he’s been all day.

“Nice work in there, boss.”

“Thanks,” I smile, rolling my eyes to ward off the way that silly little nickname makes me feel. “All part of the job, right?”

He nods, and I can see his heart in his eyes. The passion he has for this job is more than enough to make him the best for it.

“You okay?” I ask. “You said this dad gave you problems last year…”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.” His voice softens, like people don’t usually check in on him, and I make note to ask him how he is more often. “Are you?”

I nod. “It comes with the territory.”

Territory I feel myself slipping further and further away from every day.

“Good stuff,” he nods. “I have some work to do by the house today, but I’ll be back for dinner. I was thinking we could order in tonight?”

“Oh. Yeah, I’m cool with that. Text me your order.”

I’m the one with the soft surprise in my voice now. Ant standing up for me and checking in is one thing, but to tell me where he’s going to be, and make plans for later? That’s starting to sound a lot like foundation hardening beneath my feet. My heart tells me to tread carefully, but my head tells me I can trust it.

“I’ve gotta run. See you at home?”

He asks like a dog eager to see its owner. Like he genuinely just can’t wait to see me when he gets home. Suddenly, myearlier visions of dropping to my knees for him as soon as he walks in the kitchen are replaced by take-out on the couch, telling him all about my day, and then listening to every little detail about his. I want to know about his work in the administration end of the school, and how the house is coming along. I want to know everything about him, from his highs to his lows. I want to let the ground keep hardening beneath us.

Most of all, I want more of that soft smile that he only lets out when I’m around.

thirty-eight

anthony

“Gentlemen,I’m really impressed with what I’m seeing here. Everyone in the district office is as well. Given the unfortunate circumstances with which your year started, this school is still making leaps and bounds. I’ve had several parents reach out to commend you for your leadership, and for how you’ve integrated the outside students and welcomed them into their home for the year.”

The superintendent, Mark Bishop, scheduled a meeting with Nathan and me to discuss how the merger has been, and I can finally tell the bullets that I’ve been sweating all morning in anticipation to chill out. He has had nothing but praises to sing.

“Thank you,” Nate says with a curt nod.

“We’re very intrigued to hear more about your behavior management system.”

“That is Anthony’s doing. I’ll let him take the reins.”

Mark turns to me, and I fold my hands between my spread knees beneath the conference table to quell the shaking. This is what I’ve avoided my entire life—putting something important in my hands and being expected to carry it out well. With my coworkers’ support, I’ve started believing in myself a little more, started putting a stop to the excuses and digging myself out ofold habits. And of course, Penelope’s words have been the candle on that birthday cake. I have let her,It’s how you get back up again that determines if you’re meant to do great things. And I think you are, become my mantra since the night I held her in my arms and started feeling our patchwork of holes stitch themselves back together again.

Clearing my throat, I open my work laptop and flip it to face the superintendent. I take the next several minutes to lay the groundwork—teachers tracking behavior incidents in our online framework helps myself, Lucy, and Nate to see who the frequent fliers are. Lucy is able to pull students who have several incidents and for a counselor check-in, making a plan afterward. Several of our students are currently enrolled in a mentorship program. This is all something Lucy and Nate started last year, but where I come in is the “roided version” of the program—the one I built back in college and rounded out at my first school.

Students and their mentors work through restorative justice as part of their consequence—doing something that matches their behavior, instead of just sitting in the office for a half hour staring at the wall and calling it a day. After their consequence, they and their mentor will work toward a goal, based on improving their unwanted behavior.

I am sweating down my butt crack by the time I’m finished with my spiel.

“I like it a lot,” Mark says, his smile tight, but his eyes shining with enthusiasm. “Let’s go ahead and start pushing this out school-wide. I know Nathan had mentioned how only a fraction of willing teachers are piloting the system, but I’d like the school itself to be our pilot. If it continues to be successful, we’ll have to sit you down this summer to start pushing this out to the entire district.”

Fireworks combust inside my chest. I have to tamp down my smile before I risk looking like an over-excited golden retriever.

“Anthony, if we do slot Nate into the principal role, it’d be in your best interest to apply for the open assistant position permanently. We’d be lucky to keep you here.”

The fireworks turn into a finale behind my ribs, and I wonder if my eyes are lighting up like the Fourth of July. I offer him a shortThanks, and Mark shakes both of our hands and exits. We follow him out of the conference room and head into Nate’s office. As soon as the door is shut, I can be my full, jittery self in front of Nate.

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