Picking Up The Pieces

by Brenda Adcock

  “Ohmygod, ohmygod!” she said. “You’re so damn skinny! Didn’t they feed you in that damn hospital? That uniform is practically hangin’ off your body.”

  “Nothing memorable,” Athon said with a laugh.

  When Bridget finally removed her hands, Athon leaned against the cane she held in her left hand. Bridget stared at it and then at Athon’s face. She turned to Lauren and frowned.

  “I told you she had an injury,” Lauren said. “The cane’s only until she’s back to normal again.”

  “Your furniture arrived yesterday. I’ll get it all settled for you.”

  “We’ll do it,” Athon said.

  “You need to rest, woman, and eat. I could shake you around like a used rubber,” Bridget huffed. “Right now let’s get some real food in you.”

  Lauren slipped Athon’s hand into hers and followed Bridget into the house. “At least let us set up the bedroom,” she said.

  “Just the bedroom,” Bridget said over her shoulder.

  After a more than filling lunch, Athon changed into baggy shorts, a white t-shirt, and sneakers. She paused when she returned to the dining room to kiss Lauren on the forehead.

  “I think I’m going to try and walk off some of those calories Bridget force-fed me,” she said.

  Lauren patted her lightly on the butt and smiled. “Leaving us on KP, huh?” she asked.

  “I was hoping you’d miss that,” Athon said, returning the smile.

  Bridget and Lauren watched as Athon made her way to the back door and down the steps.

  “How is she, really?” Bridget asked, her voice more subdued than usual.

  Lauren picked up her glass of iced tea and finished it off in two swallows. “She’s going to be fine,” she answered.

  “Do you know how she was injured?”

  Lauren shook her head. “I haven’t asked. I’m not sure I want to know.” She cleared her throat to stave off her emotions. “If she wants me to know, she’ll tell me when she’s ready.”

  Bridget placed her hand on Lauren’s forearm. “If either of you ever need anything all you have to do is call, day or night.” She patted the forearm and took a deep breath. “Now you go change out of those clothes into something more comfortable while I put this food away.”

  “I’ll help you first,” Lauren said as she stood up.

  “Nonsense. You look as uncomfortable as a whore in church,” Bridget blustered.

  Lauren laughed and wandered into the downstairs room that would be their bedroom. Their furniture was pushed haphazardly against the walls. Lauren squatted down and opened her suitcase, rummaging through it for something lightweight enough for the already hot Texas weather. She was grateful she had pulled a few summer things from the clothing they had packed away for winter and began stripping off the suit she’d worn on the plane. She pulled a chair away from the wall and placed her skirt and jacket over the back before stepping into a pair of khaki cargo shorts and tugging a t-shirt over her head. She dug a pair of sandals from along the side of her suitcase and wiggled her toes into them. She took a deep breath and ran a hand over the fabric of Athon’s uniform. Lauren loved her in it, but wouldn’t miss seeing it every day.

  Bridget was wiping down the kitchen counters when Lauren walked back into the room.

  “I’m going to check on Athon,” Lauren said. “Want to join me?”

  Bridget threw the sponge she was using into the sink and dried her hands. “You know where we’ll find her, of course,” Bridget said.

  “Pretty sure,” Lauren said with a nod as she stepped out the back door.

  “What are you planning to do now that you’re back home?” Bridget asked.

  “I’ve applied for a few positions with local school districts,” Lauren answered while they strolled across the property. “I miss my job in Germany and considering that I had to leave it so suddenly, I hope they don’t hold that against me.”

  Bridget stopped and her hand flew to her forehead. “Oh, shit! I almost forgot,” she said, digging in her pocket. “I guess you gave them my phone number or something.”

  “I listed you as a local reference on my resume,” Lauren said.

  Bridget pulled a piece of paper from her back pocket. “I wrote this down, but was so excited to see Athon again I forgot to give it to you sooner.”

  Lauren took the paper and read the information on it, which was only a name and a contact number. She re-folded it and placed in the pocket of her shorts. “I’ll call this afternoon,” she said. She glanced at Bridget. “Be patient with Athon,” she said. “Whatever happened to her over there affected her memory.”

  Bridget stepped out of the bright sun and into the shade of a nearby tree. “What else do you know, honey?”

  “She suffered a very severe concussion and they believe she also had a stroke while she was in the coma.” Lauren took a deep breath, not wanting to think about everything Athon had been subjected to during her capture. “Her feet were badly injured and she had bruises in places I didn’t know could be bruised. Her crew was killed and she was captured. It was four days before she was located and rescued.” Lauren shook her head and wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks. “She was shot twice, but fortunately they were both grazes. The doctors believe her brain was deprived of oxygen for a time, but not long enough to—to—”

  Bridget pulled Lauren into her arms and held her, rocking back and forth until Lauren indicated she was once again in control of her emotions.

  “I’m sorry,” Lauren said softly as she collected herself and wiped away her newest tears. “God! I promised myself I wouldn’t do this,” she exhaled.

  “You gotta let it out sooner or later, sweetie,” Bridget said. “She’s always been a tough nut. She’ll be okay.”

  “I hope you’re right, Bridget.”

  They found Athon resting in the shade of her old camper home. Lauren offered her a hand to stand once again, but Athon shook her head without meeting Lauren’s concerned eyes. Using whatever was available, Athon managed to stand and stabilize her body.

  “Feeling okay now?” Bridget asked.

  “Never better,” Athon answered, squinting into the afternoon sun and flashing a dazzling smile. She looked at Lauren. “I was thinking we could use one of the rooms as a workout room. Maybe get a treadmill and a few weights. Something we could both use. What do you think?”

  Lauren pursed her lips and nodded. She patted her stomach. “If we continue eating like we have today, we’ll both need it,” she said. “That reminds me. When we get back to the house I need to call the hospital and see if they’ve received your records yet so we can schedule your physical therapy appointments.”

  “Bridget can help me get the furniture in place while you do that,” Athon said.

  IT WAS A little before one the next afternoon when Lauren stepped out of her rental vehicle and adjusted her skirt and blouse before slipping into the pale yellow jacket that matched her skirt. She closed her eyes and took a calming breath. She stepped onto the sidewalk in front of Cisneros Middle School, gripping her briefcase in her right hand. Middle school would be something different for her, but she was confident she could handle the position she would be interviewing for. She had applied for a high school position, but when none were available she had been asked if she would consider a middle school administrative position. She needed and wanted to return to teaching. She and Athon could use the money to begin the next phase of their lives. Until after Athon’s official retirement, she would continue to draw her military pay. Due to her injuries she would continue on medical leave. She would receive a disability in addition to her retirement benefits, but the percentage had yet to be determined. A series of appointments for physical therapy had been scheduled as well as an appointment with a psychologist to assess the severity of her TBI and PTSD diagnoses from Walter Reed.

  Lauren found the front office of the middle school and opened the glass door.

  “May I help you?” a middle-aged woman at
the desk asked.

  “My name is Lauren Shelton. I have an appointment with Patrice Stanton.”

  “I’ll let her know you’re here Ms. Shelton. She’s in a meeting with our counselors and it’s run a little longer than expected.”

  “Thank you,” Lauren said with a smile. She located a chair and sat down, crossing her legs, while trying to think about answers to possible questions about her educational philosophy. There were always questions that had nothing to do with handling everyday problems.

  Fifteen minutes later a tall woman in a light gray tailored slack suit swept into the main office. Lauren couldn’t help but notice the thick, straight blue-black hair that fell down the woman’s back as she spoke to the secretary behind the desk. She turned toward Lauren and smiled. Perfect white teeth stood out against her deeply tanned skin, making her high cheek bones seem even higher. Her thin lips had just a touch of color. Lauren stood and took the large hand the woman offered in a warm greeting.

  “Ms. Shelton? Pat Stanton. I’m sorry to keep you waiting,” she said. She leaned forward slightly as she held Lauren’s hand and lowered her voice. “Scheduling can be a bitch,” she said with a light laugh. “You can leave your briefcase with Lucinda,” she added, motioning toward the woman behind the desk. “We can talk while I show you our school.”

  Pat held the door while Lauren gave her briefcase to the secretary. As they started down the hall, Pat said, “Aren’t these floors beautiful? Too bad they won’t look like this after one day of the thundering herd.”

  Lauren wasn’t sure what to say as they walked casually down the hallway. “I have the same problem at home,” she finally said. “Sometimes I don’t know why I bother.”

  Pat laughed. “Same here and I don’t even have kids at home. Anyway CMS has approximately six hundred students, depending on whether or not the boundary lines for our zone are changed. We aren’t expecting a change this year, thank God. Demographically, the student body is about sixty-five percent Hispanic. Do you speak Spanish?”

  “No.”

  “The district has a decent bilingual training program. I took it when I was hired and recommend it to all new teachers and administrators. Essential for keeping in contact with our parents and they seem to appreciate the effort.”

  “Do you offer any special programs here?”

  “We have the usual, special education and talented and gifted,” Pat said with a shrug. “The high school in this section of town has recently become an International Baccalaureate school. So this year we will become a feeder school for that program. It’s driving me crazy with scheduling.”

  “So you’ll have the Middle Years Programme?”

  Pat stopped. “You know about that?”

  “My last teaching position was with a Department of Defense school in Germany that offered the International Baccalaureate Programme. I’m vaguely familiar with MYP.”

  “You’re hired! I don’t even know what MYP stands for yet. It’s going to be a steep learning curve.”

  Lauren laughed. “It’s the Middle Years Programme and usually feeds students into IB. It doesn’t have a secret handshake or anything mysterious like that. Have your faculty members been trained?”

  “Even as we speak. Let me show you to your office,” Pat said as she started walking.

  “Wait. I thought you were only kidding.”

  “You don’t want this position? I know your background is at the high school level and that middle school is generally seen as a vast educational wasteland, but it plays an important role in preparing our kids for the future.”

  “You haven’t asked me a single question about my qualifications or educational philosophy.”

  “I assume personnel wouldn’t have sent you unless you were qualified and we all know that educational philosophy thing is total bullshit. This is a tough area, a poor area, and I need someone who is willing to take on that challenge. If you are that person, and I think you are, then I want you on my team at Cisneros. Our scores on the new state tests were acceptable, but I want them to be exceptional. Quite honestly, I don’t believe central administration thinks these kids can pull it off and I want to prove them wrong. This won’t be an easy gig because I can be very demanding, but I promise it won’t be boring.”

  Lauren liked the passion she heard from Pat Stanton. She stuck her hand out and said, “I accept.”

  Pat grinned. “I knew you would. Now let me show you your office. I should warn you in advance that it’s a bit of a mess. Nothing a little paint won’t take care of. I’ll notify personnel that the opening has been filled.”

  Pat showed Lauren where her office would be located. It basically was next door to Pat’s and there was a connecting door between them. Lauren looked at the institutional green walls and quickly came up with some ideas she thought would make it more welcoming to students and parents. Pat informed her that she would be receiving a phone call from the personnel office within a day or two. Once Lauren signed her contract, Pat would see that she received keys to the building and her school identification.

  Although she didn’t like the length of the drive from the middle school to Duvalle, Lauren couldn’t wait to get home and tell Athon the news. She almost ran into the house. She quickly looked through the front rooms before finding her lover in the new workout room, putting together an exercise machine. Lauren flew across the room and wrapped her arms around Athon, so excited she managed to lift her a few inches off the floor. She set her down and pulled her into a passionate, hungry kiss.

  Athon chuckled as she broke the kiss. “You must have had a very good day,” she said.

  “You’re looking at the new assistant principal of Cisneros Middle School. Well, I will be as soon as personnel calls and officially offers it to me.”

  “I’m proud of you, honey,” Athon said and turned back to the machine.

  Lauren watched the muscles in Athon’s arms and down her back flex as she tightened a nut holding a bolt in place. It had been six long, frustrating months since she’d felt Athon’s hands stroke her body intimately. She stepped closer to Athon and ran her hands up her arms and back down as she kissed her shoulder.

  “I want you, baby,” she breathed close to Athon’s ear and pressed against her back as her hands slipped under Athon’s t-shirt and over her abdomen. “I hunger for your touch. I need to feel you.”

  Athon’s chin fell to her chest. “Lauren, I—I—”

  Lauren made Athon turn to face her. “I love you, Athon Dailey.” She rested her head against Athon’s chest before looking up at her. She stepped closer and began kissing her neck, pausing to kiss and suck the pulse point on the side of her neck. She heard the hitch in Athon’s breathing and ran her fingers over her nipples, feeling them harden. “I want you,” she whispered again. She pinched Athon's nipple and grinned when she grunted. “Take me, baby. I’m yours...forever and always.”

  Lauren sucked in a breath when Athon’s mouth covered hers with a demanding kiss. Athon’s hand slid over Lauren’s hip and onto her upper thigh, pushing her skirt up as her hand drew Lauren’s leg up and slipped her fingertips beneath Lauren’s underwear. Athon pulled her lips away and lifted Lauren to lower her onto the new foam-covered floor. She knelt beside her and yanked Lauren’s blouse open. She slid her hands beneath her and unclasped the lacy white bra. She pulled Lauren up to slide the blouse and bra from the treasures they covered. She leaned down and filled her mouth with soft skin while drawing her tongue over a rock hard dark nipple. She straddled Lauren and lifted her upper body off the floor to suck at the tender flesh. Lauren’s hands found their way into Athon’s hair and held her to her breast.

  “Oh God, yes!” Lauren panted. She sat up farther and forced Athon back, reversing their positions on the floor.

  Lauren’s full breasts hovered tantalizingly over Athon’s mouth as she reached down to hook her thumbs in the elastic of Lauren's panties and pulled them down over her full hips. Athon raised her head far enough to take a breast into
her mouth once again and held Lauren tightly against her as she flipped her onto her back. Her hand drifted along the toned abdomen until it slipped easily into hot, slick wetness. Athon settled over Lauren on her elbow and kissed her as her fingers fell into the smooth, soft entrance to heaven. Moving her mouth to Lauren’s neck and shoulders, Athon rocked their bodies together as she drove into Lauren. With each rise of Lauren’s hips to meet her hand Athon increased the pressure of her thumb against her clitoris until Lauren grabbed her head and pressed it onto her breast as she cried out Athon’s name.

  Lauren didn’t know how many times Athon had taken her over the edge, but her voice was hoarse from crying out her pleasure. “Athon, baby,” she managed to gasp. “I can’t...again. Need to rest.”

  Athon gazed down and laid her head on Lauren’s heaving chest. Lauren ran her fingers through the blonde sweat-soaked hair and took deep breaths. She gasped as Athon withdrew her fingers slowly, ending with them lazily drifting over Lauren’s swollen clit one finger at a time, eliciting more small gasps. Athon lifted her head and pulled her body up to find Lauren’s lips.

  “Did I please you?” Athon asked.

  Lauren grabbed Athon’s head as they kissed. “You have always pleased me, love.” She wrapped her arms around Athon’s body and held her. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  When Lauren finally released her, Athon rocked back onto her knees and stood, offering Lauren her hand. “Sorry about your blouse,” she said.

  “I needed to change anyway,” Lauren said with a husky laugh. She looked at Athon. “Tonight you’re mine.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Duvalle, Texas June 2010

  TWO WEEKS PASSED and Athon seemed to be happy and settling into the house in Duvalle. Lauren signed a contract and was occupied taking classes in Spanish and what seemed like an unending number of training classes to prepare her for her new job. She had established a good working relationship with Pat and already been introduced to over half the faculty. Lauren began to feel like she was neglecting Athon, especially when she came home in the afternoons and found notes and lists stuck on the refrigerator and bathroom cabinet. Athon was still having difficulty with her memory and used the notes to remind her of appointments, when to take her medication, or where things were located around the house.