by JoAnn Carter
“Good idea,” Amanda agreed as she held her hand out.
Clasping her hand in a firm handshake, he said with laughing eyes, “Miss Manning?”
Tracy’s fun loving nature was contagious. She smiled and stood up, “Yes, can I help you?”
“Hello, I’m Tracy Atkins, your new assistant.”
“Mr. Atkins, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” They stood still, gazing into each other’s eyes for a moment before Amanda took her hand away and forced air into her lungs. Trying to maintain her professionalism, she added, “I’ve been looking forward to having an assistant.”
“Ah, but the pleasure is really all mine. And, please, call me Tracy.”
“Feel free to call me Amanda.”
“Amanda.” Tracy nodded as he said her name.
Why, oh why did her heart race like she’d just run a marathon? Taking a step back from the desk she said, “Right…Tracy, now that that’s settled, let’s say we get down to work. If nothing else, this should be a very interesting school year in more ways than one. I have a feeling you’re going to keep me on my toes.”
Carolyn came rushing in the door. “Amanda, you’ll never guess what…” She stopped short as she came face-to-face with Tracy. Her mouth hung open for a second before she snapped it shut. “Oh, maybe you would…” her voice trailed off.
Amanda could guess what Carolyn was about to say. “My assistant arrived?” For the first time Amanda could remember, Carolyn was tongue-tied. Amanda snickered to herself and then introduced them. “Tracy Atkins, please meet my very best friend, Carolyn Wick.”
Tracy held out his hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Carolyn took his outstretched hand. “Likewise.”
“Do you teach here as well?”
“Yes, I’m right next door. I teach second grade.” Continuing to pump his hand up and down, she said, “If you ever need anything, just let me know.”
“Thanks. I’ll remember that.”
Carolyn smiled up at him as the second hand ticked by on the clock for the span of several moments.
Tracy cleared his throat. “Um, could I possibly have my hand back?”
“Hum? Oh…I’m sorry.” Carolyn let go of his hand as if it were a hot potato. She turned to Amanda and asked, “How late are you working?”
“I was thinking of leaving about 2:30-ish. How about you?”
“I should be done by then, too. Would you like to go grab a snack with me after work?”
Amanda knew exactly what Carolyn was up to. She wanted to talk about the school’s newest employee. She hid a grin. “That would be fine.”
“Good. I’ll see you then.” Turning to Tracy before she left, she said, “Don’t let her work you too hard.”
****
Carolyn sat with her elbows propped up on the table listening to Amanda. Carolyn cut her off by asking, “Well, what did you do?”
“What did I do? I just stared at him for a while. He was supposed to be a she . I had no clue Tracy was a man.”
Carolyn bit her lip. “This could be pretty romantic, you know.”
Amanda blew the steam off her coffee, choosing to ignore Carolyn’s remark. “Then, as I tried to collect myself, I started asking him about his car. And by that point, I needed to apologize to him. First, I stare and then I don’t say anything at all, only to turn around and insinuate that he doesn’t know how to drive.”
“Hmm. Not a good move.”
“Whatever.” Amanda sighed. “We’re just going to do our best to work together for our students.”
“Well, gee, you don’t need to sound like a martyr or anything.”
Amanda laughed and let the subject drop. “How about you? How was your day?”
“Not nearly as exciting as yours!”
Teacher's Plans
Teacher's Plans
Chapter Three
September
The first day of school arrived and Amanda greeted Tracy in the teachers’ lounge. “So, think you’re ready?” Amanda asked.
“I sure am.” Pitching his coffee cup in the trash, he added, “I have to check on something real quick, though.” He flashed her one of his bright smiles and said, “I’ll meet you in the classroom.”
As he walked away, Carolyn turned to Amanda with a dreamy look in her eyes. “What I wouldn’t do to have him in my class every day.”
“Oh, come on,” Amanda laughed. “I thought we went over this all ready. I needed an assistant. As long as we can work well together, it doesn’t matter what his gender is.”
“Well, not only was the wish for a good assistant fulfilled in him, but maybe some other wishes, too.” She raised her eyebrows up and down. “You know, like a boyfriend?”
Amanda’s coffee managed to go down the wrong pipe at that suggestion. She coughed and sputtered before she finally managed, “Not again. Look, Carolyn, it’s not like that. We work together. That’s all.” A boyfriend, dating...that was the last thing she wanted to think about.
However, her mind seemed to have a will of its own. She recalled the one serious relationship she had in college. What a mess that turned into. Not to mention the fact she had grown up in a home, where her parents fought almost daily. She’ll never forget the day her mother said, “Marriage was made in heaven. The only problem is we live here on earth.” No, thank you. She learned the hard way that the Cinderella dream was only for fairytales. A bleak future stood before her, along with the reality that there would never be a Prince Charming for her. The only question is why did it bother her more now than ever? She shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. “It’s no good to fraternize with the help, you know. From the time we’ve had our first jobs, that’s been drilled into our heads.” Amanda shuddered at the thought. “And I’ve seen enough fall-out between co-workers to know better. Besides that, there’s sexual harassment policies in place to safe guard employees, especially since I’ll be his superior.”
Carolyn’s face lit up. “So you mean he’s fair game? After all, I’m not out to harass the man. I’d just like to show him a little of my interest.”
Amanda sighed as she walked to the door. She called over her shoulder, “If it doesn’t bother your conscience, go for it.”
****
Tracy stood at the door waiting for their morning students as they came in from the buses. He couldn’t take his eyes off Amanda. Tall and willowy, from the tips of her brown loafers to the sharp creases in her ironed cotton blouse, she was the epitome of a professional schoolteacher. Soft blond tendrils framed her beautiful face. Her hazel eyes held a sparkle in their depths, showing her students that she cared for them. Tracy sighed as he remembered the crush he’d had on his first grade teacher. His heart went out to each and every boy she had in her class for there was no doubt about it, she would be a heart breaker.
The first busload of students arrived and he leaned up against the door jam while Amanda received several hugs from excited children wanting to tell her about their summer vacations. One boy dressed in new red shirt, dark jeans, and spotless white sneakers, was especially rambunctious and loud, jumping from one foot to the other.
Amanda smiled at him lovingly and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I am looking forward to hearing all about your summer, Sam, but before you tell me, I’d like all of you to draw a picture about your vacation so you can share it with the whole class in a little while.”
She pointed to a table piled with crayons and a variety of colored papers. “Everything you’ll need is right there. Why don’t you get started while we wait for the rest of the class to arrive?”
The students’ attention was momentarily focused on the drawings. Tracy smiled and stood closer to her and whispered, “Looks like they’re going to keep us busy. They seem to have a lot of energy.”
Amanda glanced over at the group and chuckled, “You haven’t seen anything yet. Wait till you meet the afternoon session.” Tracy pulled at the front of his collar and grimaced.
“O
h, it’s not that bad.” Amanda continued. “Actually, we have a great group of kids. I love every one of them, but it’s not always the easiest job in the world. Then again, as I learned this summer, I wouldn’t want to trade it for another.”
Tracy’s brow wrinkled in puzzlement. What did she mean? He would have asked, but before he had the chance, the bell rang.
Amanda clapped her hands five times and the children repeated the sound pattern. She gave a big smile to the class. “Great. I see my returning students haven’t forgotten everything from last year.” The students laughed.
“And for those of you who are new to the school this year, when I need your attention, I’ll clap my hands in a pattern and you try to clap it back to me. That way I know you’re listening and ready for directions. Now, let’s go have a seat on the floor by the easel.” Amanda motioned for Tracy to join her.
Funny, his throat felt dry. Why would he be nervous? It’s just a group of kids after all. Or was it his desire to make a good impression not only on the students, but on their teacher as well? He swallowed his apprehensions and tried to smile as Amanda said, “This is Mr. Atkins. He will be one of your teachers this year.”
Allie’s hand shot up.
“Yes, Allie?”
“Why won’t you be our teacher again, Miss Manning?”
“Oh, I’m not leaving.” Amanda quickly reassured her. “We’re going to work together.”
Allie glanced at Tracy and then sat on the floor next to Michael. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide like saucers and she blurted out, “You’re married?”
Tracy tried hard to follow the little girl’s logic, but it was clearly a case of feminine thinking.
Amanda coughed to cover up her chuckle. Tracy noticed she didn’t dare look his way. “No, Allie, we are not married. In fact, we just met each other last week.”
“Oh.” She said, looking slightly displeased.
Amanda was about ready to turn things over to Tracy when Allie asked, “Are you going to get married then?”
Tracy admired the way Amanda maintained a neutral expression. “Allie, we have no plans to get married. We’re both your teachers this year.”
Allie puffed out her cheeks in disappointment.
Amanda took a deep breath and turned to Tracy. “Mr. Atkins, before we begin our morning greeting, I was wondering if you could tell the students a little bit about yourself?”
“I’d be happy too.” Tracy took a seat on the floor next to Abigail, who had Down Syndrome. He felt especially tall sitting next to the small girl dressed in pink from her hair ribbons to her lace-trimmed socks. “Let’s see. As you already heard, my name is Mr. Atkins. I am six feet and two inches tall. I have a dog named Pepper that loves to play fetch. My favorite color is orange and um…I like to eat at any fast food place.”
The students cheered. “But most importantly, I’m glad I could be here today and meet you.” Tracy glanced at Amanda.
Amanda took that as her cue to speak. “For our greeting today, let’s give our neighbor a high-five. Remember to look at the person you are speaking to.” Demonstrating, she turned to her right and said, “Good morning, Michael.”
Their hands connected mid-air as he replied, “Good morning, Miss Manning.”
The class was finishing their morning greeting when the principal came in with one of their new students. He was a small boy, wearing a shabby old shirt frayed at the elbows, with one button missing and worn faded blue jeans with a hole in the knee. Tracy jumped to his feet to meet them at the door as the principal said, “This is a new student for your class. His name is Joey Gilmore.”
Tracy took the papers the principal handed him, and tucked them under his arm. He made eye contact with Joey for a quick second before Joey fixed his gaze on the carpet. Tracy knelt down in front of the boy who looked to be about eight or nine. “Hi Joey. I’m glad you’re here.”
Amanda joined them and addressed the principal. “Thank you for bringing him to our class. Joey, my name is Miss Manning. And this…” pointing to Tracy, “is Mr. Atkins. Why don’t you come over and join our circle? We’re just getting started.” Her bright smile went unnoticed; Joey wouldn’t look up from the floor.
Tracy’s heart went out to him as he remembered what it felt like to be a new student. He handed Joey’s paperwork to Amanda and then stood up. “I bet Miss Manning has a lot of fun things planned for today. Come on. Let’s join them.” Tracy took Joey’s hand and led him over to one of the colored floor mats.
****
The school day held nothing on Superman. It flew by. Amanda tidied her desk and asked, “So, what did you think about your first day?”
Tracy ran his hands through his hair. “I’m wiped!” Amanda couldn’t help but grin as he continued, “But it was great. Some of these kids are real cards.”
“Yup.” She agreed as she straightened up the mats.
Tracy began helping with clean-up. “I liked the way you’re able to hold the students’ attention. I think I’m going to learn a lot from you.”
Amanda brushed the compliment away like a pesky fly. “Just as I am sure I’ll learn a thing or two from you.” She began to write the morning message on the flip chart for the following day.
Tracy watched her for a minute and then asked, “Earlier, you said something about what you learned this summer…”
“Hmm?” Amanda stopped writing, “Oh, it’s a bit of a long story.”
Tracy said softly, “I’m in no hurry.”
Amanda teasingly grimaced. “Oh no, I’ve known you for less than two weeks, but I think I’ve got another Carolyn on my hands.”
“Well, since you did say she is your best friend,” Tracy shrugged his shoulder, “That can’t be all bad.”
Amanda put her hands on her hips. “All right…all right. I can see you’re not going to let this drop.”
“Nope.”
Amanda told Tracy about her doubts concerning teaching this year and the struggle she had. She concluded with, “Carolyn’s pretty amazing. If it weren’t for her, I don’t think I’d be here now.”
“I’m glad she was able to convince you to stay. For the sake of the students, if nothing else.”
“You know what?” Amanda tipped her head to the side. “I am, too. I’m sure there are other teachers who could do just as well with these students, but I’d miss them something fierce.” As a side thought, she added, “It also helps to have you here.”
“I’m not sure I’d agree anyone could do what you’ve done. You have a special rapport with these kids and to them; you’re a one-of-a-kind.” He kept the conversation light by adding, “Not only that, but then,” he gave her a cheeky smile, “we may never have met.”
Amanda rolled her eyes to downplay how much his compliments meant to her. What would happen if he really knew how much she appreciated his confidence in her? She wasn’t willing to take the risk to find out. “Hey, I thought you told me when we first met that you don’t flirt.”
Tracy looked surprised for a moment. “You’re right.” Then he laughed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”
****
Three days into school, Amanda looked at the small group gathered in a corner of her room for reading. She watched Tracy sit down and gently begin talking. Joey, still painfully shy, sat forlornly looking at his tattered sneakers.
Sighing she prayed, Lord, Tracy and I have both been trying to include Joey with the class, but it’s all to no avail. Father, if this goes on much longer, it will affect his learning for the rest of the year. I pray that You would give me the wisdom I need. Amanda tried to remember what she had read in his Individual Educational Plan they received from his former school. Only one thing stood out clearly in her mind. He had been diagnosed with a social/emotional disorder. She continued to pray, Every time I try to talk to him he looks as if he’d like the floor to swallow him up. The last thing I want to do is make him more uncomfortable than he already is.
“Miss Manning, can I go
to the bathroom?” Amanda’s attention was drawn to Gregory as he stood in front of her, jumping from one foot to the other.
“May I,” she gently reminded him. “And yes, you may, Gregory. Please go quickly though. The bell is going to ring in a few seconds.”
As Gregory walked away, her thoughts drifted back to Joey. Amanda made a mental note to talk with Tracy about him after school. Perhaps together they could think of some goals that would help Joey before they met with the Child Study Team.
Ding. The class bell rang, loud and clear, signaling the end of morning session.
“Okay, class, that’s it for this morning.” She gave her students a bright smile. “Please put your things into your cubbies and then line up.” The room became chaotic as the children emptied their seats. Joey was the last one to line up. Again.
