Page 12 of Education with Dad's Best Friend
Albert pauses, and I wait breathlessly for him to respond. I hope he’ll change his mind. “Another thing is I don’t feel comfortable being in your ex’s house, and it’s inconvenient here in my office,” he says.
My heart sinks.
“I see,” My dad says.
“But you know what?” Albert speaks again. “I can probably find a tutor for her. I have some teaching assistants that are quite good. If you want, I can ask them. You’ll have to pay them, though.”
My dad declines the offer right away. “Money isn’t the issue,” he says. “But I don’t want anyone else in the college to know about my history with the woman. That’s why. Besides, I can find tutors online. I don’t need your referral. But again, Albert, I want you to help Elsie because you’re an excellent teacher. You’re a two-time recipient of the Outstanding Professor Award at our college!”
I nearly gasp at the piece of information. Wow. I was right. Albert is an excellent teacher. My appreciation for him expands in my chest. The fact that the extraordinary man has just confessed he is attracted to me flatters me even more. I grin like a fool.
My dad speaks again after a moment’s silence. “You know what? I’ve got a solution. You can tutor her on FaceTime. That way, you don’t have to go to my ex’s house… Elsie has gotten a cell phone. I bought it for her eighteenth birthday. She doesn’t know how to use it yet, but I’ll teach her.”
Albert clears his throat. “That sounds like a good idea. I’ll give it a try.”
“Please help me out, buddy. And I promise I’ll help you get the job,” my dad says as he stands up. “Now, I’d better get going.”
“One more thing, John,” Albert says. “I think you should spend some time with Elsie. She misses you.”
I smile gratefully at the suggestion. I missed my dad.
But my dad pauses and sighs. “I would love to, but her mom is insufferable.”
“Maybe you can take Elsie out shopping or just lunch.”
“Yeah, I should do that. Thanks buddy.”
After he closes the door, Albert helps me out of the hiding place.
“I’m sorry, Elsie,” he says while smoothing my hair. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” I smile at him and circle my arms around his neck. “Thank you, Albert. I’m looking forward to our lessons online.”
He leans forward to stamp a kiss on my forehead. “You have to learn how to use your phone first.”
“I know how to,” I say. “I just don’t like to use it. It’s too annoying. I get calls and messages from people I don’t know all the time. That’s why I don’t turn it on.”
He chuckles. “I completely understand what you mean. But it’s handy to have it.” He takes out his cellphone. “Let me call you an Uber.”
“Okay,” I say, again feeling sad leaving him.
He takes a moment to find the taxi service number, and then he shoves the phone back into his pocket and curses. “I can’t let you get into a stranger’s car, Elsie. I’ll take you home myself.”
I grin and kiss him on the cheek.
Chapter 5
Albert
I’m having a glass of Johnnie Walker over a Panda to-go dinner. I was stressed over a disagreement with my colleagues at work as usual. It’s been a hectic week. Over our department meeting, the majority of the faculty members voted not to change the prerequisite requirements. Their reason is doing so would lower the standard of the elite school. Although I expected it, I still can’t help being depressed.
But on top of that, I missed Elsie like hell. I haven’t seen her since our meeting in my office last week. I had a tutoring session with her on Facetime, and it went well as far as math was concerned, but it killed me to see her and not touch her, even though I wasn’t supposed to, anyway.
Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing her on the phone. Our appointment time is from seven to nine, when she’ll be home alone. I finished dinner at six-thirty, and then I sit on my couch and wait for her to call.
When she doesn’t call at five past seven, I lose my patience and call her instead.
She takes a minute to answer it. “Hi, Albert! I’m sorry, I’ve just finished doing the dishes,” she says and then disappears from the screen.
