by Sarah Biglow
“You’re going to stay there until I call you for dinner. No TV today.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair. Now go.”
Christian stormed out of the living room. Loud thumps punctuated his ascent on the stairs. Shannon patted Tanner’s back a few more times and sat down with him on the couch.
“I want to watch TV,” he said, whimpering.
“You can.”
She picked up the remote and flipped to cartoons. Within seconds, Tanner sat contentedly beside her. She picked up her puzzle from before and found it easier to concentrate this time. It was a nice distraction.
“Mom?” Meghan’s voice called from upstairs.
“In the living room.”
Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and she appeared, book still in her hands.
“Can I read with you?”
“Sure.” She looked at Tanner. “Can you make room for Meghan to sit down?”
Tanner scooted to his right, leaving enough room for his sister to join them.
“Is it a good book?” Shannon asked.
“Yes.”
“Is something wrong, baby girl?”
“Chris is throwing things.”
“He’s what?”
“I heard him. He told me to go away.”
Anger flushed her cheeks, and Shannon set her book down in her spot.
“Stay down here, please. Why don’t you read to your brother?”
Meghan’s voice got softer as Shannon climbed the stairs. She stopped at the top and listened. It was quiet for a moment and then something crashed. She walked the half a foot to the closed door and pushed it open. Christian sat in the middle of his room, toys strewn all over the floor, and video game cases lay cracked. He bore obvious signs of crying.
“Christian, stand up.”
“No.”
“Christian Patrick, stand up right now.”
He hiccupped and sniffled but got to his feet and turned to face her stern look of disapproval.
“Why are you throwing toys?”
“Because I’m mad.”
She bent down and picked up one of the cracked video game cases. “Was this cracked before?”
Christian shrugged.
“I want a straight answer.”
He looked away, “No.”
Shannon set the case down on the dresser and ran her hands through her hair. She could guess what was making him so upset. And a small part of her didn’t blame him.
“Sit down, and talk to me.”
She settled on the edge of his bed and waited for him to join her. He finally flopped down beside her, staring at his hands and saying nothing.
“Christian, tell me what’s bothering you.”
“I don’t want another brother or sister.”
“We don’t always get what we want.”
“They cry all the time, and they smell, and they’re a pain.”
“You’ve been a really good big brother with Meghan and Tanner.”
Christian rubbed at his nose.
“I know babies are a big change. We’re all going to have to make some sacrifices. And I think you’re old enough to understand that. Whether you like it or not, your brother and sister look up to you. Your dad and I need you to act like the almost ten-year-old you are. Can you do that?”
“I guess so.”
“Thank you.” She wrapped him in a hug. It always hurt to see her kids upset.
“Can I come downstairs now?” Christian asked softly, his head still buried against her shoulder.
“Clean up here first. Then you can come downstairs.”
“Yes, Mom.”
Shannon kissed the top of his head and stood up. He slid off the bed and started gathering up toys and games.
“I love you, Mom,” he said as she walked out of the room.
“I love you too, Chris.”
By the time Christian joined his siblings downstairs, Shannon stood in the kitchen heating up tea and preheating the oven. Chicken potpie sat on the counter ready to be cooked. The door opened to her right, and Mike entered the kitchen.
“How was the rest of your day?” she asked.
“Not bad. I have a court date next Monday for the Petersen case.”
“I thought you’d settled that case.”
“There are a few issues the other side decided they wanted to argue in front of a judge.”
“You’ll do great.”
“How was your afternoon?”
“I got a little work done. Not as much as I would have liked, though. Chris had a meltdown, but he’s doing fine now.”
“A meltdown?”
“Not looking forward to having another sibling.”
“Kids all react differently to the news.”
“I know. I just hate to see him so upset. He was throwing toys and video games upstairs.”
“He didn’t break anything, did he?”
“No.”
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No. He and I talked.”
“Maybe I should just so he knows we’re a united front.”
“Mike, he knows that. He just needs some time to adjust.”
Shannon stuck the chicken in the oven and walked away. She wasn’t in the mood to argue with him.
WITH THE KIDS IN BED, SHANNON SAT WITH MIKE IN THE living room. He flipped through the paper, and she waited in silence. It was almost a pleasant silence. In no time at all, they wouldn’t have these moments together.
“So, you wanted to talk about putting Tanner in daycare?” Mike asked as he set down the paper.
“I talked to Alana. She can take him when Christian and Meghan start school. It would only be a few hours. Just to get him used to being away from me.”
“Every day?”
“It gives me time to get work done while they’re at school.”
“How much is she charging?”
“Twenty-five dollars a day. Same as when Meghan went.”
“Do you think we can afford that with the baby?”
“It’s only a hundred dollars a week and only for the school year. I’m not due until April. And the kids will be almost done with school by then. I’m sure we’ll manage.”
“Well, Shan, I can’t exactly charge my clients more in case we have a tight month or two.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“Four hundred a month is a big expense.”
“I could take on more work.”
“Don’t put too much strain on yourself.”
“Of course.”
In the back of her mind, Shannon wondered whether he would take on more clients, too. She doubted it. They fell silent for a while as the clock chimed on the mantle. Shannon toyed with the edge of her bookmark and finally broke the silence.
“I found a prenatal yoga class online. It’s downtown, not far from Chinatown.”
“Yoga?”
“Yeah. When I went in for my exam, the nurse mentioned that she did it when she was pregnant with her daughter and it was great. It helped during labor. She always felt refreshed, and it eased some of the discomforts of pregnancy. I remember someone mentioning it when I was pregnant with Tanner, but I just never found time.”
“How often does this class meet?”
“Once a week. It’s late morning to early afternoon while the kids are at school and Tanner is at day care. I did my homework, Mike. I can fit it into my schedule.”
“I don’t doubt you’ve got it all figured out Shannon. If you think it’s best for the baby, then go for it.”
Shannon could hear the hesitation in his voice.
“What’s wrong? Are you worried about money?”
“No. I just don’t want you to stress yourself out running all over town dropping the kids off, picking them up.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek.
She forced a smile and patted his knee. She knew he was worried about money. They didn’t live beyond their means, but with another mouth to fee
d in the coming months, it would be a lot tighter.
“Go have fun with yoga. I wouldn’t object to a little extra flexibility.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and she swatted him on the arm with her book.
“Stop that.”
He laid his hand on her stomach and leaned in close. “The baby can’t hear us.”
“The other kids might,” she said and playfully swatted him away. Despite the early hour, exhaustion wrapped itself around her, and with a parting kiss, she headed for bed.
6
September 2nd
Lisbeth wrangled two shrieking toddlers who were chasing each other through the rows of tiny plastic chairs. “James! Margaret! That’s enough!”
Immediately, the pair stopped moving and gawked at their teacher. She approached, hands on her hips and shook her head.
“You know there’s no running in the classroom.”
James began to pout, and in short order, Margaret joined him. Lisbeth continued to give them her version of “the evil eye,” but their quivering lips and watery expressions were no match for her. After corralling fifteen preschoolers all morning, she was ready to go home and relax. She knew it was a luxury to be paid full salary for half days of work. It was the one reason she’d agreed to work for a private school. She’d only been at work for two weeks, but the kids were wearing her out.
“He chased me first,” Margaret finally said.
Lisbeth bent down to their eye level. “I know. Next time, you tell him to stop, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Come on. Let’s get you ready for your Mom.”
Taking them by their hands, she led them to the rack of coats. James slipped into a sweatshirt, and Margaret put on her jacket. The rest of the class had already been picked up by their parents or departed on the few school buses that serviced the school for morning and afternoon classes. Lisbeth handed each child a packet of papers and a picture.
“Can you give these to your Mom?” she asked as they took their bundles.
“Yes,” they replied in unison.
Two minutes later, a woman with dyed red hair walked in, car keys swinging from a clip on her purse.
“Mama,” James squealed.
He took off at a wild sprint and wrapped his arms around her stomach.
“Hi, baby.”
“Mama, look what I made,” Margaret added, waving her picture at her mother.
“I see. It’s beautiful, Mags.”
Stepping around her children, their mother asked, “How were they today?”
“They were fine. Everyone was a little rowdy today. But it’s to be expected.”
“And they’re getting along with the other kids?”
“They do spend a lot of time amongst themselves during play time, but they’re starting to make other friends. I wouldn’t worry about them, Mrs. Johnson.”
“All right. Thank you. Jimmy, Mags, come on. It’s time for some lunch.” Mrs. Johnson led the twins out of the room.
Lisbeth watched them leave and heaved a huge sigh. She’d forgotten how tiring kindergarteners were. And how messy. Systematically, she moved through the room, righting and stacking chairs along the way. She wiped down the tables and did her best to pick up the bits of paper that had fallen on the carpet. She was so busy cleaning up, she didn’t hear the knock on the door.
“Lisbeth? Are you in here?”
Lisbeth popped up from behind a cabinet. “Ellen. Hi. Yeah, I’m here.” She got to her feet.
Ellen White, the afternoon kindergarten teacher, leaned in the doorway. “A bunch of us are having lunch in the cafeteria if you want to join us.”
“Lunch, sure. Let me just finish up in here. I’ll meet you there in five.”
“See you there.”
After another cursory glance, she grabbed her purse and wound her way through the halls to the cafeteria. She spotted Ellen with a group of teachers she recognized. They wouldn’t have long to eat. They moved en masse to the lunch line, and Lisbeth slipped in front of Ellen.
“How are your kids this year?” Ellen asked.
“Good. A little rowdy this week.”
“You have the Johnson twins, right?” Mark, one of the second grade teachers, asked from down the line.
“Yeah. James and Margaret are definitely a handful,” Lisbeth said and leaned around Ellen to grab a Caesar salad. She also grabbed a bowl of clam chowder.
“I think I had a cousin of theirs last year,” Ellen said.
They moved through the rest of the line, and Lisbeth snagged a bottle of water from the cooler by the cashier. Five minutes later, they took over a table in the back of the cafeteria, and Lisbeth found herself seated next to a guy she didn’t recognize.
“You’re one of the new first grade teachers, right?” she asked.
“Yes. Jack.”
“Lisbeth. Nice to meet you.”
They shook hands.
“So, what do you think of our school so far?” she asked.
“Good. The kids seem really eager to learn. I spent the last few years teaching fourth graders in public school. A lot more attitude.”
“I’m not surprised.” Lisbeth drizzled a quarter of the dressing packet over her salad.
“Little bland, isn’t it?” Jack teased.
“I’m trying to eat healthy.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing, you look great.”
Lisbeth nearly choked on a bite of salad as he leaned in closer.
“You okay?”
She swallowed. “Yes. It’s just…I’m married.”
Jack’s cheeks flushed a vibrant shade of red. “I…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s all right. You’re not the first guy to do it.”
“I hope your husband isn’t the jealous type.”
“You’re very lucky because she’s not.”
His cheeks burned brighter. “I really am sorry. I’ll just stop talking now.”
Lisbeth gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’s really all right. I’m used it.”
“But I shouldn’t even be hitting on you. We’re colleagues.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t,” she whispered.
“So you teach kindergarten?” he asked.
“Yep. Well the morning class. I’m surprised you didn’t hear us this morning. We were doing animal sounds with vowels.”
“I think my classroom is down the opposite hallway. But I’m sure it was very informative.”
Lisbeth swallowed a spoonful of her chowder and let it fill her up. She loved chowder. She had to thank Candace for that. She’d never had chowder before they met. The conversations soon died down as everyone focused on wolfing down lunch before heading back to teaching. Lisbeth picked at her salad and downed the bottle of water during the remainder of the meal.
“That must be some salty salad,” Jack said.
“Trying to stay hydrated. Doctor’s orders.”
“Hey, could I maybe walk you out to your car? As an apology for…ya know?”
“You don’t think you’ll be late for your afternoon session?”
“No. They have gym right now, so they’ll be straggling.”
Lisbeth bid farewell to the other staff at the table, and she and Jack headed for the front of the school. She checked out, and Jack assured the secretary on duty he’d be right back.
“So how long have you taught kindergarten?” They crossed the front of the property to the teachers’ lot.
“I was lucky enough to get hired right out of school. So I guess it’s going on six years now. How about you?”
“About seven. I taught fourth for three years. Then I did a stint in fifth, and now I’m in first.”
“They bounced you all around.”
“Such is the existence of an elementary school teacher.”
“Exactly.”
“So, do you have kids?” Jack asked.
Lisbeth could tell he immediately regretted the question.
“God, I’m such an idiot
today. Don’t answer that.”
“Give me about eight months, and I will.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thanks. We’ve been trying for a long time. We’ve had some less than stellar results in the past. We just got lucky that this last round worked.”
“I bet you’ll be a great mom.”
“Well, thank you.”
“My sister just had a baby in June.”
“That’s great.”
“A little boy.”
“I’m just trying to do everything my doctor says. I don’t want anything to go wrong.”
She looked away and wiped at her nose. She couldn’t tell him about the last the time. If she thought about it too long, she’d break down, and he’d be late for class.
“Yeah. I mean…you’ll do great.”
“You think your sister has any suggestions?”
“I know she did like mommy yoga or something. She said it was a lot of fun.”
“Yoga, huh?”
“She said it was great. Made some friends, too.”
“I’ll have to check that out. Thanks.”
He smiled and shoved his hands in his back pockets. Lisbeth fished her keys from her purse and turned to face him as they reached her car.
“Well, here we are.”
“Nice car. Oh…I’m not usually this stupid around women.”
“Cut yourself some slack. You’ll find the right one.”
She waved goodbye and climbed into the driver seat. Glimpsing the bike rack in the rearview mirror, she smiled and wondered how long she’d be able to ride before she got too big and heavy. Her thoughts momentarily filled with images of herself blown up like a balloon, trying to ride a bike. Time to go home and relax.
Dinner was a quiet affair that night. Pasta and buttered Italian bread by candlelight. Lisbeth stared at Candace as the flame cast a warm glow on her face.
“You’re quiet tonight,” Candace said.
“Just had a long day.”
“Kids tire you out?”
“Not as much as lunch.”
“You do something special?”
Lisbeth smiled a little. “Not really. A few of us had lunch in the cafeteria. One of the new first grade teachers came on to me.”
“Oh no.”
“He felt really bad about it. And he’s now possibly a little scared of you.”
“You’re a horrible tease. You probably made him scared of women all together.”
