Page 88 of Rebound With Me
Nina
And before I know it,it’s the first day of school. I’ve got my classroom all decorated, I’ve got myHello, I’m Miss Parksname tag on, my name on the chalkboard, my lesson plans for the first week are fully-detailed, my teaching supplies are organized, my classroom rules are ready to be explained in a clear and fun manner. I haven’t said a real swear-word out loud in two weeks, and I haven’t cried in five days.
Beside every thought I have about vowels and fractions and the pros and cons of hand sanitizer are two thoughts about Vince, but they’re just there keeping me company, they don’t send me into a tizzy. See, I use words like “tizzy”. I’m officially a dorky first grade teacher again.
I’ve seen Russell in passing twice. He seems okay, although if he weren’t okay he wouldn’t show it. We had a quick conversation about telling our co-workers that we’re no longer a couple, but only if they ask, we aren’t going to make a big announcement or anything. He didn’t say anything about whether he’s still with Sadie or not, and he didn’t ask me about Vince. I really think that on that front, for Russell and I, we’ll be fine.
I still haven’t heard from Vince, or reached out to him. I plan to, next weekend, once the first week of school is behind me.
I’m standing at the door to my classroom, waiting to greet my new students, when I look across the hall and see Tyler’s mom pass by the entrance from the big yard, looking around. My kids haven’t started to arrive yet, so I hurry over to the doors.
“Eve?”
“Oh thank God.” She approaches. “I was hoping I’d catch you.”
“Hi. Everything okay?”
“Oh yes, just dropped Tyler off.”
“Oh good, whose class is he in?”
“Mrs. Yee.”
“Oh that’s great, she’s wonderful.”
“Yeah, she seems cool.”
We stare at each other for a second.
“So you all had a good summer?” I ask.
“Yes, very good…You?”
I smile, and feel my eyes getting watery,clammit. “It was the best.” I place a fingertip in the corners of each eye to stop the flow. “How is he?”
She lets out a long exhale through her mouth and puts her hands on her hips. “He’s…okay? Kind of. I mean, it was rough for a few days there, I was really worried about him. He wasn’t sleeping and I guess he was drinking a couple nights in a row, but…he’s been seeing his therapist three times a week, and I think…I mean. It’s not my place, but…”
“Yeah, I know.”
“But I think you guys should talk.”
“Oh.”
“Like, soon.”
“Oh. Okay.”
A horde of parents and five and six year-olds suddenly crowds in towards us, and Eve and I get separated. I hear her say “bye” and I have so many questions, but no time to think about anything other than getting backpacks into cubby holes and kids into their desks.
By 3:20, when my classroom is miraculously emptied and quiet, I start to tidy up and reorganize and pack up my things, and acknowledge the butterflies in my stomach and the re-emerging tingle in my lady parts in anticipation of talking to Vince, like soon.
There are no messages from him on my phone.
I reply to Marnie’s text:Staff room before home? Afdsoiui
With:Heading home! Talk later.
When I’m three blocks towards home, composing a speech in my head, I hear a motorcycle engine approaching behind me and stop in my tracks.
