by Iris Abbott
“I’m glad you had a great first day,” Kyle said in relief. He’d been worried that his daughter wouldn’t adjust to a new school so easily. She’d been bitter about leaving her friends behind in their Atlanta suburb when they’d moved. Her quick adjustment would take some of the worry from his shoulders. This was a difficult takeover. And on top of everything else, the former owner was trying to stir up unrest between the employees. Sarah might get her wish to finish out the school year in Florida after all, because a labor problem would certainly slow down progress and extend their stay indefinitely.
“I’ve got to go back to Tallahassee,” he warned his daughter. “I have a meeting scheduled with all the department heads this evening. I need to get on top of a budding problem before it grows even worse. Do your homework and eat a light snack if you get hungry. I’ll bring takeout back with me for dinner around seven-thirty.” He gave her an apologetic look. “I know that’s late for dinner, but it’s the best I can do tonight. Things will be better once you start volleyball practice and we settle into a routine. I promise.”
Sarah waved at her dad as he drove around the cul-de-sac and disappeared out of the golf course community that housed their temporary home. Yep, she told herself as she closed and locked the front door behind her. It was going to be an interesting year indeed!
****
Caroline sat her laptop and school bag by the front door of her apartment. The first day of a new school year was behind her and it couldn’t have been more shocking in the things it revealed if it had tried. Caroline picked up the phone and dialed the phone number of her best friend Abigail Montgomery Blake. Sharing her burden with someone might help lessen the blow. She wanted to tell her about Kyle moving to town, and the mocking twist of fate that had put his daughter in her class. When it came down to it however she couldn’t make herself say the words out loud. In the end she decided to keep the news of his appearance to herself for a little while longer. She needed time to process the information and come to terms with the fact that Kyle was now back in her life, even if it was just as the parent of one of her students. Besides this was a conversation best handled in person preferably with a glass of wine to accompany it.
Four
Caroline checked her appearance in a mirror of the faculty bathroom. Her reddish brown hair with its natural copper highlights was arranged in an elegant French twist. Her modest knee length white and blue skirt was fresh from the dry cleaners and neatly pressed. Her cobalt blue silk blouse which emphasized the startling blue of her eyes was neatly tucked into the waist of her skirt. A clear coat of lip-gloss to help moisten her dry lips was in place. She was ready for one of the scariest nights of the year, Parent Night. First impressions were everything. This was her one night to turn on the charm and shine.
She checked her watch. The bell signifying the five-minute passing period before first period would ring anytime now. She left the bathroom and took the back hall to her classroom. The bell rang right after she entered her classroom. She rubbed her sweating palms down the sides of her skirt and went to the door to greet parents as they entered. Last year Parent Night had been a positive experience for Caroline. She enjoyed meeting the parents and explaining a little bit about her educational background as well as what she expected from her students.
Tonight however was different. She had been on pins and needles the past couple of days waiting for an irate phone call from Kyle demanding his daughter be transferred out of her class, or at the very least an email from the principal telling her that Sarah was being removed from her class. Neither the phone call nor the email had materialized. And Sarah hadn’t mentioned her father anymore since the first day of school three days before. Caroline had no way of knowing if he knew she was his daughter’s teacher and worse she didn’t know if he was going to be present for Parent Night. Her stomach clenched. Oh God, what if he didn’t know she lived here and created a scene in front of the other parents. It would be like her worst nightmare come to life. Well maybe not her worst nightmare, she’d already lived through that, but it would be close.
Caroline took a deep breath to calm down. At least Sarah was in her seventh period class. If she had to face Kyle it would be at the end of the night. If she needed to fall apart afterwards, she’d be free to go back to her apartment and do it there. The tardy bell rang and she turned her attention and a stilted smile to the parents of her first period students. “Welcome…,”
****
Kyle walked into the last class of the night. So far he was impressed with all he’d seen. This school was living up to the excellent reputation earned by the county. He glanced around the classroom. This was the biology class that Sarah had been so impressed with on the first day of school. His keen eyes landed on the woman in the front of the room who he imagined was the much admired Ms. Johnson. He couldn’t get a good look at the teacher. Her back was turned to him and she was taking to a well-dressed man in a suit and tie and the blond on his arm. He couldn’t see her face, but he couldn’t help but notice her nice figure. It was tall and curvy just the way he preferred his women. Stick thin models had never appealed to him. She laughed at something the man said to her before he and the blond found a seat at the front of the room.
Kyle stiffened and the bell like tinkle of her laughter seeped into his conscience and trickled down his spine. He was intimately familiar with that laugh. It had been four years, but he hadn’t forgotten the sound or the woman responsible for it. She turned her attention to the adults sitting in her classroom and he finally got a look at her face. It was like a punch in the gut.
The guy next to him noticed the strange look that passed over Kyle’s face. “You’re new around here so I’m going to give you some good advice. Don’t get too interested in that one. She’s nice to look at, but she’s untouchable. This is her second year at the school and every single male and then some have asked her out.”
Kyle shrugged as if it didn’t matter. No need to let onto a stranger or anyone else for that matter that the thought of Caroline and an active dating life gave him the chills. The man took Kyle’s silence as encouragement and continued with his version of the local gossip.
“Not that it did any of them any good mind you. They all struck out. She’s the original ice princess. But the kids love her and she is under the protection of the Montgomery family. The Montgomery family adopted her when she moved to town last year and since the oldest Montgomery daughter, the blond over there,” he nodded toward the couple who’d been talking to Caroline earlier, “is married to the school superintendent, Caroline Johnson isn’t going anywhere.”
Kyle was relieved when she started her presentation and the man next to him stopped talking. He watched her very closely while she went through her introduction and expectations for the coming school year. He didn’t recognize the brusque manner she presented to the parents. The prickly exterior she exhibited was so unlike the charming but shy woman she’d been in Georgia. It seemed there was a brittle shell wrapped around her and she was determined to keep everyone at a distance. She practically screamed look but don’t touch!
She was so unlike the sunny and cheerful Caroline he’d known before. He couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her. He would have preferred never to cross paths with her again. He should have been more sensitive about their breakup, listened to what she’d been trying so hard to say to him. He regretted their parting scene in his office. At the time the bitterness of his divorce had still been too close to the surface. He had felt as if the walls were closing in on him. It was a little late for regrets now. They were both living in this small northern Florida town and apparently she was going to be teaching his daughter. That meant she was going to be a part of his life again even if it was just on the fringes.
After the dismissal bell rang ending Parent Night, Caroline greeted the parents lining up to have a word with her. Since it was the last stop of the night many parents felt the need to linger and engage their child’s teacher in addi
tional conversation. Normally Caroline was fine with that. She was not usually in a hurry to get back to her apartment. There was nothing waiting for her there. Tonight though, she knew her smile was brittle, but it was all she could manage.
Even when she’d been deep in conversation with Mason and Abigail about the upcoming family picnic, she’d felt Kyle’s presence as soon as he’d walked into the classroom. She dreaded their first face-to-face contact. There was bound to be negative feelings and baggage on both sides. Things had gotten ugly there at the end, even though she acknowledged that Kyle didn’t know the half of it. And if she had her way he never would! She was relieved when he walked out of the classroom instead of joining the group of parents waiting to have a word with her. Under the circumstances the lack of a confrontation or ugly scene was the best she could have hoped for.
******
Kyle went straight to Sarah’s bedroom when he got home. He knocked on the closed door before entering. She was old enough now to be particular about her privacy. She was sitting at her desk working on homework. “I’m back from Parent Night,” he informed his daughter in a grim voice.
“Uh oh,” Sarah swallowed refusing to look up from her literature book. “I guess you met Ms. Johnson then,” she said in a resigned voice.
“Not exactly, no. We didn’t actually speak to each other, but I did recognize her. What I want to know is if you remember her.”
“Of course I knew who she was as soon as I walked into the classroom.”
Kyle nodded. He’d figured as much. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your science teacher? It would have been nice not to be blindsided tonight. I might have said or done something that would have been uncomfortable for both of us,” he stated in a weary voice.
“I’m sorry dad, but I really like Ms. Johnson and I like her class. I wasn’t taking any chances. I didn’t want you to freak out and remove me from her class just because the two of you used to date and things didn’t work out.” She gave him a very serious look. “I shouldn’t be a causality of your failed relationship.”
Kyle took a deep breath. He knew he spent more time at work then he should. Recently he’d been thinking about hiring a fourth VP and delegating even more responsibilities. After all in four short years, Sarah would be an adult and striking out on her own for college. “I would hope that you know me better than that, Sarah. I wouldn’t just yank you out of her class without a good reason. I don’t remember Caroline being the vindictive type. There’s no reason for me to have you removed from her class,” at least not yet, but he’d monitor the situation.
“And you breaking her heart wasn’t a good enough reason, I guess.” The statement was accompanied by the typical teen girl rolling of the eyes.
Kyle snapped to attention. “Did she tell you that,” he demanded. “Maybe I need to call your principal tomorrow and switch your classes after all.”
“Relax dad. She didn’t say a word about your relationship one way or the other except to confirm that you had dated each other and that she remembered meeting me. I think it was the split second look of utter devastation that crossed her face the instant she knew I was your daughter that clued me in to what must have happened.”
Kyle took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to discuss what had happened between him and Caroline or whose fault their breakup had been. “I just don’t want this to be awkward for you,” Kyle insisted. “Think of Ms. Johnson,” he insisted. “You being in her class might be an awkward reminder of things she’d rather forget.”
“Don’t worry dad. It’s not. We silently agreed not to discuss you. She doesn’t ask about you or my home life and I don’t volunteer any information. She treats me like the other students and she’s one of the best teachers at the school. I’m not missing out on the best class at school just because you used to date the teacher.”
“Fair enough,” Kyle agreed. This move had been stressful enough for Sarah. She missed out on a lot because of the hectic work schedule he clung to. He wouldn’t take this away from her too. “I trust both you and Caroline, umm Ms. Johnson to keep things on a professional footing.” It was all he could do. “Well, good night then.” He bent down and kissed the top of his daughters head. “I’ll see you in the morning and don’t stay up too late even if you are working on homework.”
Sarah sent her father an affronted look. “I’m almost done here. I got a lot of my homework done while you were at Parent Night.” Then she arched her brow and glared at her father. “Of the two of us, I’m not the one that burns the candle at both ends. Good night dad.”
Five
Caroline was feeling much better and a lot less stressed when she arrived at Abigail and Mason’s house. They were the hosts this year for the Montgomery end of summer barbeque. The entire Montgomery family would be present and she was included as part of the family. That was a good thing because Caroline desperately needed to talk to the sisters about Kyle’s sudden reentrance into her life. Well not that he was really back in her life, but they were connected as long as his daughter remained her student. At least she knew he couldn’t make trouble for her professionally. She did her job and she did it well. Being best friends with the school superintendent’s beloved wife didn’t hurt anything either.
She’d kept a low profile this week. She had preferred her own company to sort through her jumbled feelings. Normally she and Abigail would have talked on the phone several times in a week even if it was just to say hello. She really had been accepted and adopted into the folds of the Montgomery family. Discussing Kyle however was something she wanted to do in person not over the phone. Thank goodness the barbeque had been scheduled for this weekend. Now she could have her face-to-face time with the sisters. They would listen and offer her support and well-meaning advice that she could accept or ignore with no worries or hard feelings.
Caroline was greeted at the door by Abigail’s husband Mason. She followed him into the kitchen and found a place for her pound cake on the table. She found a large spoon to mix the glazed icing which she quickly poured over the cake. Then she artfully arranged the slices of fresh gingered peaches around the base of the cake. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Abigail enter the room.
Abigail hugged her best friend. “I’m glad you’re early. It gives us time to catch up. You’ve been awfully quiet since the new school year started,” Abigail accused. “No one is giving you a hard time are they? If there’s anything I need Mason to check into just let me know,” Abigail offered.
Caroline made a lame attempt at a smile. She knew it was time to come clean with Abigail. She took a deep breath and prepared herself for confession. “I’m being haunted by a ghost from the past, that’s all. It wouldn’t really be work related except as it turns out his daughter is in one of my classes.”
“I hope it’s not Sarah Wakefield,” Abigail half joked. Because Jay invited her to the barbeque, so I called and extended an invitation to her father Kyle….” Abigail trailed off and her eyes widened until the green of her irises seemed to be taking over her entire face.
“Kyle Wakefield is your Kyle isn’t he?” She demanded with hands on her hips and a narrow stare focused on Caroline.
Caroline couldn’t believe her bad luck. Now her inner sanctum of the Montgomery family was being invaded by Kyle too. First work and now family! Was there any part of her life she could keep uncontaminated by his sudden appearance back into her life? “He’s not my anything, at least he hasn’t been for over four years now,” Caroline bitterly reminded her friend.
“Oh no,” Abigail groaned. “I didn’t make the connection. He accepted my invitation. He’s going to be here Caroline.”
Caroline shrugged her shoulders as if it didn’t matter, but she had a feeling she wasn’t fooling her best friend. “It’s not your fault. I should have mentioned it to you sooner, but this wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have over the phone or within earshot of a room full of parents.”
Abigail nodded her agreement. “He does kno
w you’re living here and that you’re his daughter’s teacher right,” Abigail asked.
“He knows. He saw me on Parent Night.”
“Really,” the excitement in Abigail’s voice was evident. “Anything you need to tell me about that?” Abigail insisted.
Caroline thought for a minute and then gave her friend the first genuine smile of the afternoon. “Oh yeah, he’s still a jerk! Don’t get any ideas about matchmaking. It would take a lot to help me forget the pain he put me through. I’m not likely to want a repeat. I’ve never considered myself a glutton for punishment.”
“Have I ever mentioned how much alike you and Annabel are?”
Caroline burst out laughing. There were much worse people in this world to be compared to than Annabel Montgomery Chambers. Unlike Annabel and Jonathan however she didn’t think there was a happily-ever-after waiting for her and Kyle. “Several times,” Caroline reminded her friend. “I mean it Abigail. You’re the closest thing to a sister I’ve got, but please just stay out of it,” Caroline begged. “Trust me when I say no good would come out of you being a matchmaker, at least where Kyle and I are concerned.”
“All right,” Abigail agreed.
“Good! I’ve really had enough dumped on me lately. I can’t take anymore surprises.” The doorbell rang and several voices filled the foyer of Mason and Abigail’s magnificent house.
“It sounds like everybody’s arrived at the same time. Isn’t that the way it always is when one’s hosting a get together. I guess we’ll let this conversation drop for now, but I expect to see you outside mingling with everyone else and not hiding in the kitchen. Mason and I have a big announcement to make and you won’t want to miss it!”
Caroline wanted to question her friend further. It was nice to have something to concentrate on other than Kyle Wakefield.
