Page 30 of Undone

“I don’t know, Dotty… What would I even do there?”

“Funny you mention it,” Dotty said, a hint of excitement in her tone. “One of the teachers just retired, and they need someone to replace her in the fall.”

I took a deep breath, letting the possibilities run through my mind. Maybe it was time to try something different.

“You know what? I’ll apply.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah. I will.”

Dotty squealed, and the sound of her excitement made me smile despite everything. “Oh, shut up,” I muttered, though I couldn’t hide the laugh that followed.

“I would have convinced Mrs. Williams to retire six months ago, if I knew that’s all it’d take to get you to move here,” she joked.

“Sometimes I forget how much I miss you, and then you always seem to remind me.” The words echoed in the bare room as I watched the way my rings twisted around my fingers. “I’m… just feeling heavy today. I think a change of pace might be what I need.”

Dotty continued to be my rock, showing her support in a million ways. After catching up for a while, we ended the call, and I let out a sigh, still processing everything.

Just as I started to gather my thoughts, my mother’s name flashed on the screen. I froze, staring at it for a moment, suddenly aware of the conversation I’d been avoiding. My chest tightened at the thought of explaining everything, knowing how she’d react.

With a sigh, I answered, setting the phone on speaker as I reached for the faded decorations on the bulletin board. I hesitated, pulling down a tacked-up flyer from last year’s school play.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey, sweetheart!” Her voice was bright. “How are you doing?” she asked.

“Um… Is Dad there?” I asked, moving over toward my desk and staring at the blank whiteboard. Somehow, its emptiness made the moment feel even heavier.

“Yeah, I’m here,” my dad said, his deep voice steady as always. “What’s going on, kiddo?”

What’s going on?

Oh, just my life in shambles—a murderous ex on the loose and now the added joy of telling the woman who’d been less than thrilled about my decision to teach that my career derailed, and I’d lost my job.

My mom was vocal about her doubts when I chose this path.

You’re so smart, Noah. Don’t you want to aim higher?she’d said when I told her I wanted to change my major to education. It wasn’t out of malice, but her disappointment lingered in the air like a specter. Even after years of proving myself, I still was trying to convince her I’d made the right choice.

I took a breath, forcing myself to push past the knot forming in my stomach. I swallowed, gripping the edge of the desk.

“Actually, there’s something I need to tell you guys,” I said, hearing the shakiness in my voice. I cleared my throat, glancing at the mess of boxes scattered across the room. “I was… let go.”

“What? You lost your job?” Her voice rose in surprise, but there was no immediate anger, only disbelief. “I mean… I always worried teaching might not be the best idea, but I didn’t think it would end like this. What happened?”

“Budget cuts,” I defended, rubbing my forehead, trying to stave off the headache that had been building over the last week. “The school had to make tough decisions, and I guess being a younger teacher means I’m first on the chopping block.”

“That’s absurd,” my dad cut in. “You’ve worked your butt off.”

“I know, but it’s not personal. It’s just how things work,” I said, even though it felt deeply personal.

I hadn’t realized how much I’d tied my identity to this job, the kids, the classroom. The loss was harsh. There was a brief silence before my mom spoke again.

“So… what are your next steps?” she asked. I let out a sigh, staring out the window at the empty playground, overwhelmed by being asked this twice in one day. “I could talk to my colleagues and try to get you into law school. It’s never too late.” Her voice carried the same matter-of-fact tone I’d heard so many times before.

“I don’t know yet, but I’m not changing careers.”

“You know,” my dad chimed in after a moment, “you could always come back home for a while. Be with family.”

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