Page 107 of Teacher of the Year

“Well, we know one thing. Mrs. Chapman isn’t nearly as handsome as your kindergarten teacher,” Olan says, winking at me.

“Daddy!”

“Well, he’s not wrong,” I say and lean over Illona to give him a quick kiss.

“No kissing before breakfast!”

“Sorry, princess.”

I catch Olan’s eye. “And are you ready for your first day?” I ask him.

“Ready as I’ll ever be. I feel good about this.”

Over the summer, with some encouragement, Olan applied for and secured a job as a senior engineer at a local aerospace company. GreenSpace hopes to change rocket technology by utilizing greener, earth-friendly fuels, and Olan couldn’t be more jazzed about it. The best part? He’s working part-time, so most days, we’re all able to head to and from work together. Seeing him ease into the professional world in a healthy, balanced way brings me joy. He’s taking care of himself, and I know that bodes well for us.

I glance at my watch, and a slight panic takes over.

“Um, we have got to get going. Now.”

“I’m almost finished. Just one more twist, add a tie, and voilà!”

“How do I look?” Illona asks me, not quite trusting her dad to assess his own work.

“Gorgeous. Stunning. Lovely. Shall I go on?”

“You’re so silly,” Illona replies. She pulls me down. Our faces grow closer until she gives me a peck right on my lips, and I swear, receiving affection from her transforms me. I love my students, truly, and I think most of them love me, but this is different. This feels more grounded, more special. I never understood how magical familial love from a child could feel. Olan and I haven’t talked about making anything official yet, but we’re so clearly a family. It’s only a matter of time.

“All right, you two, let’s clean this mess up and get going,” Olan says, handing us each a brown bag. Breakfast and lunch for me and a snack and lunch for Illona.

Illona and I throw our backpacks on, and Olan grabs his new gray canvas briefcase. It’s a gift from me for his new job, and it’s classy and gorgeous just like him.

We rush out of the house, Illona skipping ahead of us, and Olan takes my hand and begins a gentle jog to keep up with her, tugging me along.

“Come on, lazy bones. We’re going to miss the ferry!”

When Olan told me he was buying a house on Peaks, I was surprised. And worried. I assumed I’d see him less because even though the ferry only takes a short twenty-five minutes, a whole expanse of ocean lies between Portland and the island.

“Marvin, you really are hard-headed sometimes. I’m buying this home on the island for us. I want you to live with Illona and me there.”

“Oh. You do?” was my brilliant reply.

We reach the dock, and there’s no line. The ferry already swells with morning commuters. We dash on with only a few moments to spare before the loud horn announces our departure.

“Can I?” Illona asks, pointing up the stairs.

“Yes, but be careful. We’ll be right behind you,” Olan says.

She darts up the stairs to watch the island disappear as we sail away. Where she gets all her energy eludes me, but I wish I could bottle it up for those Monday mornings when I’m dragging.

The ferry rumbles to life, and Olan pulls me down from the first step. He’s found a spot right under the stairs and gently pushes me against the cold metal wall of the boat. Without speaking, his lips are on mine, and with the throngs of people on the boat, I’m certain someone might notice us, but I really don’t care. His searing kiss, delivered as if his life depends on it, makes my blood roar. I wrap my arms around his back, pull him close, and moan a little into him because this gorgeous man has changed my life.

“Let’s go,” I say.

“One more.”

And he kisses me again, gently this time. What I call his “I love you” kiss. He takes my hand, our fingers entwined as we climb the stairs to the upper deck. We find Illona near the front, and she leaps into my arms for a better view. Her legs wrap around my waist, the strong ocean breeze doing its best to blow our hair like everyone else’s, but failing miserably against the tightness of our curls. I squeeze Illona for both warmth and affection as Olan gathers the two of us up in his arms. I lean into him. He’s strong and steady, and we head toward the mainland for our collective first days. Together. As family.

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