Page 38 of Home Field Advantage
The bell signaling the end of the day rings over the school’s loudspeakers, and the kids all hustle to grab their things and filter out the door. Nervous energy courses through my body as I know my meeting with Sage’s parents is in a few minutes.
I pull out a fresh piece of paper from my notepad and make a list of things to discuss with her parents for the meeting.
1. Classroom schedule
2. Special schedule for the week
3. What we’re currently covering in class
4. Ask about murder
“I’m going to bring the kids outside to meet their parents and then take Sage to the library while you have your meeting,” Rachel says.
I nod, still looking down at my list.
“Are you nervous, Poppy?” She laughs lightly.
I nod again, this time repeatedly.
Walking over to me, she places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “I know we don’t do this often, as we don’t get a lot of new students, but you’re an amazing teacher. The kids love you. The parents will love you, too.”
I still can’t find the right words to respond because she wasn’t in the classroom when the murder comment was made. It seems irrational to think that her father might come here and try something, but I don’t know what to expect. After just two days with Sage, I still barely know her.
“I saw her dad yesterday when he picked her up.” A devilish grin spreads across her face as she fans herself. “He’s hotter than sin, Poppy. Whew.”
My eyes widen. “He’s what?”
“I know we shouldn’t say things about our students’ parents, but it should seriously be illegal how good-looking he was.” She shakes her head. “I’m going to hell for this. I’m sure of it.”
I can’t pinpoint whythisis easing some of my tension, but Rachel has a personality that can do that. I’m so lucky to have an aide and friend in my classroom like her. She doesn’t know what I struggle with internally, but she’s the calm to the storm in my brain most of the day.
Laughing, I shake my head. “You probably are for talking about amarriedman like that.”
“I’ll take it to the grave with me,” she says. “Oh, and did you hear the rumor around the school this afternoon about someone stepping up to coach the kids for a baseball team. They’re going to fix up the barnyard.”
“I know they didn’t have a coach, but didn’t know someone finally stepped up.”
“Yeah, this guy is apparently feeling some type of way over the fact that the kids don’t have a team here in town.”
My mind immediately goes to Dallas. He’s a former head coach of a major league team. It has to be him wanting to start things up here for the kids. The idea of seeing him around schooland with the kids makes me feel uneasy, but also warms my heart that he wants to do that for them. After our night out, the way he watched me on my back deck, and the conversation with the girls, I’m beginning to feel my heart flutter more and more when he comes to mind.
“Anyway, let me get out of here with the kids. I’ll take Sage to the library for a bit until the end of your meeting. I’ll see you when I get back,” Rachel says before following the students to meet their parents for end of the day pickup.
As I inhale and exhale, I push Dallas out of my head and move around the room to push in all the desk chairs and tidy up the drawing station. My students are generally good about putting away their supplies, but our methods differ. While they tend to toss everything into a bin, I have to come back and organize the crayons neatly.
A light knock on the door has my head snapping that way.
“Is this Miss Barlow’s classroom?” a woman asks, not fully stepping into the room.
“It is,” I say, standing straight, brushing my hands down my shirt to ensure it looks okay. “You must be Sage’s mom.”
“I am.” She offers me a friendly smile, stepping into the room. Sage most definitely gets her beauty from her mom because she’s beautiful. “You can call me April.”
“You can call me Poppy,” I say, extending my hand in greeting. “The secretary told me both parents would be here today. Is it just you?”
She rolls her eyes. “He’s here, but in true fashion, he forgot to finish filling out a form for Sage, so he had to stop in the office.”
“Perfect.” I chuckle, grabbing the papers I had prepared for the meeting and making my way to the table where the kids usually color. It’s a smaller table, as it’s designed for kids, but it’s the one I use during parent-teacher conferences. “We can sit here and wait for him to finish up.”
