Cupid to the Rescue: A Tail-Wagging Valentine's Day Anthology

by Lisa Mondello

  But not from Brett.

  A car in the parking lot backfired, and Lea screamed. She bolted up and raced to the back of the room, practically dived under the desk with two screens around it. Noah said calmly, “Stay with the others, Maggie.” He meant Brett.

  As he headed toward Lea, he saw Rosie leap up and follow him. In the desk area, he allowed the dog to nose into the small space where the little girl crouched against the wall. Her head buried in her hands, she cowered and cried. He dropped to his knees as Rosie planted herself as close as she could get to Lea’s small body. Noah knew what was happening. Simply put, Lea’s father was an Afghanistan veteran with PTSD. Children of veterans reacted differently, but one symptom in their progeny was mimicking the behavior of the adult with the disorder.

  Lea cried. Rosie made whimpering sounds to soothe her. When she put her head up, Rosie licked her face. Eventually Lea relaxed. Then peered over her knees at Noah with wet brown eyes. “Daddy does this, too.”

  “I know, sweetheart. It’s okay.”

  He focused on her until she said, “I wanna get up.”

  Noah stood and gently pulled Rosie back by the collar. Lea climbed out of her protection box. “Do you want to come back to class or go to the nurse?”

  “Nurse.”

  Exhaustion after an attack was common.

  “Come with me.” He took her hand and walked out. He could hear the class outside the room. Maggie had gotten things under control with the seven others. They were sitting in a circle outside the door. He’d ask later what they did for the fifteen-minute episode.

  Noah said to them, “You all can go in now.”

  Rosie went with the kids, and Noah walked Lea down the hall and gave her over to Mary Baker. The nurse said, “We’ll be fine.”

  Noah felt the aftermath of the episode in his shoulders and legs. PTSD attacks were exhausting for everybody.

  He found Maggie and the kids at a big table off to the side of their room and crossed to them. “What do you have there?”

  “A puzzle.” This from Jordan, who didn’t take much interest in anything.

  “Did you get it from the closet?”

  “Ms. Marino brought it. See, Mr. Carson, it’s Pickles and Tater and Mizz Lovely Lettuce.”

  He looked at Maggie and smiled.

  Each child had gotten one piece and when the outside was complete, Maggie gave them another. She had this all planned. They finished the thing just as the supervisor came to take them to lunch.

  When he got his first glimpse of Maggie, she seemed composed. “I’m okay,” she said. “We did fine.”

  “Yes, you did. Where on earth did that come from?” He pointed to the puzzle. “It wasn’t in our plans.”

  “Dad and I found it over the weekend when we went to the main house to get a puzzle to do together. Calla apparently got it for Razim. I didn’t know that these were out yet.”

  “Thank you, Pickles.”

  “Yep, she saved the day again.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Suzy Peck was the next victim of her disorder. She floated in on a cloud the next morning. Maggie knew her bipolar ups and downs were being controlled by medication. But she was clearly manic today.

  She flitted to her seat and began talking to Truman, who was detached because of his depression, and stared at her blankly. Noah joined Maggie at the front of the room. “It’s Suzy today.”

  “I see. Can Rosie calm her?”

  “Let’s try. Bring Rosie to her.”

  Maggie nonchalantly signaled to Rosie and they walked to the side of the room. Maggie leaned against the shelving beneath the windows and Rosie moved closer to the girl.

  Suzy whirled around. “Get her off me. Get her off me.”

  Quietly, Maggie said, “She isn’t on you, honey.”

  Suzy pushed the dog away, jumped out of her seat and ran from the room.

  Maggie bounded after her with Rosie. The little girl was quick and way ahead of her. Rosie galloped toward Suzy, who turned into the gym. By the time Maggie got there, she saw Rosie, tail wagging, in front of a locker. She assumed Suzy had stuffed herself in there. “Honey, it’s me, Ms. Marino, can you come out?”

  Kicking against the locker.

  She led Rosie ten feet away and told her to stay, then returned to the locker. “Rosie was trying to help. But she’s away from you now. Please come out.”

  More kicking.

  She saw the locker room door open and Jill Danner walk in. She held up her phone. Noah texted her. She eased onto the bench where Maggie sat. “Suzy, it’s me, your friend, Ms. Danner.” No response. “Would you like to come talk to me?”

  No kicks.

  They waited five more minutes. Then Jill took out a key and opened the locker.

  Inside was a bleak-faced little girl. Her eyes bulged and she said, “I—I—”

  “You don’t have to explain, Suzy. Come with me now.”

  Eventually, Suzy eased out and stopped in front of Maggie. “Tell Rosie I’m sorry.”

  “I will.”

  Wound up now, Maggie made her way to the classroom. She walked in and Noah looked over. “We’re drawing our feelings. You can sit with Rosie in her corner and decompress for a bit.”

  By noon, the kids had finished their work and went out the door with an aide. Noah collected the papers from the desks and spread them on a table.

  Oh, dear Lord.

  Lines that slashed across the paper.

  Color mixed up with thick strokes.

  Some words: I hate it! No! Shit, shit, shit.

  “Well,” he said calmly. “Looks like we won’t be putting these on the bulletin board.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  “Hey, hi. Unbelievable place.” Tim smiled at Maggie from the stoop of the guest house.

  “Hi. Yeah, it is. Come on in while I get my coat.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Dressed in a heavy cable-knit sweater and matching down vest, Tim stepped inside. “A guest house. Isn’t this sweet? I’m assuming all this belongs to the princess.”

  She shrugged into her down coat, lavender this time, which her mother had purchased for her. “Yeah, I’m lucky to be living here.”

  “I think you deserve to be, at least today.”

  “I do? Why?”

  “You had a rough morning. Yesterday, there was Lea’s outburst. We don’t usually have two meltdowns in one class so close together.”

  “Yeah, I was pretty shaken.”

  Maggie locked up, they left then slid into Tim’s SUV. “Noah told you about yesterday and this morning?”

  “Yeah. We had a grade-level meeting with the principal and counselor about them.”

  “I wonder if I’m causing more trouble than helping.” She’d had the worry since this morning. And because he’d ignored her, Noah and she hadn’t had time to discuss it. “Hell no. Brett’s doing better and the others have been fine. You had an unlucky experience, is all.” Reaching over, he squeezed her arm.

  They drove to a restaurant nearby, found a table in the back and ordered cocktails. “You’re not second guessing yourself, are you? You seem so confident.”

  “I am confident in Rosie and me. You just never know if we’re the right fit.”

  “I think you’d be the right fit anywhere.”

  “Thank you, Tim.” His kind words soothed her. Noah hadn’t even tried to contact her.

  They talked about Stepping Stones and its philosophy. About Noah, and what a good teacher he was. About Tim’s own ups and downs. He continued, “Once, I had a class that I couldn’t make much headway with. We tried everything. Talking to the parents. Figuring different activities. Nothing worked.”

  “What happened?”

  “We plodded through the ten months. Some of the parents took their kids out of the school for the following year. I had the others, and they were better, more mature. Or maybe it’s because two kids left.”

  “I’m sorry, but I admire you for getting through all that.
”

  “Sometimes, that’s all you can do with Special Needs students. Exhaust every avenue you can, then do your best.”

  When they got back to her place, Tim gave her a peck on the cheek and left. Maggie went into her house feeling better about her presence in the school.

  But the next morning, she woke up mad.

  At Noah. She’d checked her phone before bed and he never called to commiserate about the day.

  Damn him. Grumbling to Rosie, she took the dog on a quick walk, dressed, ate, then walked into the class in the same mood. She couldn’t shake it.

  “Hey, hi,” he said, smiling. “How are you after yesterday morning?”

  That made her angrier. “Fine. Tim Kane cheered me up about it last night.”

  “What?”

  “Tim called, came over to see how I was.” She folded her arms across her chest. “Even Jill Danner texted me.”

  “I-I didn’t think you’d want me to contact you.”

  “I did. A friend checking up on a friend.”

  He stood and moved closer. Rosie, feeling the tension, sidled in between them. “I’m sorry I didn’t, then. My bad.”

  “Your bad! Oh, okay, Noah, your bad.” She walked to the corner and sat down with Rosie to settle her in for the day. She could feel Noah behind her, but he didn’t say anything.

  The morning was uneventful and when the kids left, Maggie said, “I need to get right out of here. I have an appointment to get my car fixed.”

  “Do you need a ride or anything?”

  “No, Noah,” she said gathering her things. “But if I do, I’ll call Tim.”

  Unbecoming of her, she knew and, worse, she stalked out of the room, and slammed the door. By the time she got home, she was ashamed of her behavior.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Noah sat at the desk open-mouthed. Damn it, he had no idea he’d done something so wrong. Now, in retrospect, he saw he should have called her. But he was protecting himself. He didn’t want to see her melt down, too. But apparently, she breezed out on a date last night and got what she needed from his friend.

  Hungry, he stormed out of the room, too. In the teacher’s café, Tim motioned him over. “Hey, buddy.”

  Noah stood by the table. “Can I talk to you alone?”

  “Sure.” They went into the hall.

  “Why the hell did you ask Maggie for a date last night?”

  Tim eased back on his heels and jammed his hands in his pockets. “It wasn’t the first time I asked. But after school, I called to check on her and she seemed fine, so we went out to eat.”

  “Thanks a lot.”

  “What are you talking about, Noah?”

  “Nothing.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Tim, I shouldn’t have barked at you.”

  “Okay. Tell me why you did.”

  “I—I—”

  Tim’s eyes widened. “You’re into her? Hell, is she into you?”

  “She was. But we decided not to see each other anymore. For reasons I won’t discuss.”

  “So, what’s the problem then?”

  “Good question.” No longer hungry, and feeling a little sick to his stomach, he walked down the hall.

  After school, he went to the gym and tortured himself on the machines. He got home around five and found a package on the stoop. Huh. It was addressed to Huxley. Who was still in the cage and yipped to be let out. Instead, Noah tore open the box.

  Inside he found the tiniest pair of fur lined boots he’d ever seen.

  No card, no indication of who sent it but he knew.

  His little feet are fragile.

  Feeling even worse, he got Huxley, who let him slip on a heavier sweater and the boots. Outside, he put the dog down in the snow. And watched as Huxley happily pranced around, finding a place to pee, nosing into the snow before him.

  Hell, that made him feel worse about neglecting Maggie.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Maggie’s phone chimed. Picking it up from the table by the chair where she was reading, she read the text.

  I’m so sorry. Forgive me?

  I do, Noah.

  The boots are adorable. Huxley actually played in the snow.

  I’m glad.

  Nothing more from him.

  I miss you, Noah.

  God, I miss you, too. A pause. Can I come over now, Maggie?

  She typed a simple Yes.

  Rosie nuzzled her. “I want him here, Rosie.”

  She didn’t change from the baby pink sweat suit she’d put on with thick socks and slippers. She left her hair messy. And when the bell rang, her heart leapt. She rushed to the door and flung it open.

  Noah stood there for a few seconds, then set Huxley inside the house and opened his arms. She threw herself into them.

  Angling them inside while still embracing, he kicked the door closed. He lowered his head, and brushed his lips over hers. “Where’s the bedroom?” he asked.

  “Let’s settle the dogs first.”

  After that, Maggie led him by the hand toward her bedroom. She blanked her mind of all the reasons not to do this as she shut the door, then turned.

  Slowly, she kicked off her slippers and lifted her sweat shirt, to reveal her bare torso. He sucked in a breath. “You are so beautiful.”

  She smiled. Then she lowered her pants. She wore no underwear.

  “I have to touch you.”

  “Take off your clothes, first.”

  He was naked in seconds and pressed up against her, holding her in a tight embrace. Then he led her to the bed.

  They lay down facing each other on one pillow. His knuckles brush her cheek, then her chest, then her breasts. He stopped there and kneaded her. Maggie closed her eyes and savored the sensation. Arousal tingled through her whole body. Her hands roamed his back, his tight butt, where his muscles clenched. He moved his hand to below her waist and cupped her. She moaned.

  Noah, didn’t think he’d ever heard anything as beautiful as Maggie’s moans. His own came when she pushed him back and her hands explored his body. He felt her touch shoot sparks to his groin, which she eventually got to. He bucked in her hand.

  “I won’t last,” he said.

  “I’m ready.”

  Still facing each other, he prodded her, eased inside. She clenched around him. He heard her hiss.

  “Hurt?”

  “It’s been a long time. And only one other guy.”

  He gentled his movements until he felt her body relax. Then he increased the pressure.

  Maggie was with him now, and she felt only acute sensations taking over her entire being. She let her mind drown in the love he showed her, until he began to quicken the motions. On one thrust, they went over at the same moment, gently again, like a waterfall.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  They lay together on the bed until Noah said, “Do we need to talk about this?”

  She kissed his breastbone. “Only about where we go from here. But if I had my way, I’d do this all over again, right now.”

  “Sweetheart, even at thirty, I do need time to…rebound.”

  “All right. Let’s stay close.”

  He kissed the top of her head where it lay on his chest. The lemony scent of her shampoo teasing his nostrils. “That hurt some?”

  “A little bit.”

  “Only one other guy?”

  “Eventually he became my best friend in college and grad school. He married my roommate.”

  “That’s quite a story.”

  “He’s a wonderful guy.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “And you don’t have to tell me how many women you’ve made love with since…”

  “Since Laura. You can say her name out loud. We’ve got to say what happened to me out loud. His hand drifted down to above her hip. Where the scars were.

  She stilled. Then, “You didn’t get over your fears in a couple weeks, Noah.”

  “I had my eyes opened.”

  “To what?”

  “How it’d be
to live without you.”

  “Much as I want you in my life, we would have gotten over each other.”

  “I don’t want to get over you, Maggie. I don’t want you to date anyone else and I sure as hell don’t want to be with another woman.”

  “The thought of being with another man now makes me queasy.”

  They both sighed.

  “Do you think we can just see where this goes now?”

  “I know I want to. And I can do it.”

  “So can I.”

  They lay there in silence, dozed a bit spoon-fashioned, then he whispered in her ear, “Hmm, rebound in progress.”

  She laughed. “I can tell.”

  Then she eased up and straddled him.

  Teacher’s Pet: Chapter 7

  Maggie heard the alarm buzzing, but in stereo, coming from both sides of the bed. For a minute, she buried her head in the pillow then became conscious and sat up abruptly. Glancing over, she glimpsed Noah on the other side of the mattress. “Noah, wake up. We overslept.”

  He came awake fast. “Hell.”

  “Our phones are chiming. What do we say?”

  “Um…that we overslept.”

  “Both of us?”

  “I know. Very weak. We’ll deal with that later.” He picked up his phone and left the room, naked and beautiful. But she had no time to luxuriate in that. She answered her call. “Maggie Marino.”

  “Maggie, Jack Cramer here. Where are you?”

  “I overslept. I’m so sorry, I’ll be right there.”

  “Hurry, but don’t kill yourself. We have full-time, qualified subs in the building for times like these.”

  “Thank you, Jack.”

  Noah came back in. “I’ve got to go home to change.”

  “All right. See you at school.”

  He came over and gave her a searing kiss. “Last night was the best. We’ll talk later.”

  Maggie got up, let Rosie out the back on a leash and showered quickly. Rosie came in, she ate as Maggie dressed, and grabbed some toast. She was on her way in half an hour.

  Jack was waiting by the door. His face was impassive. “Good morning.” He bent over to pet Rosie. “Noah isn’t here yet either.”