⌛⌛⌛
The Gloversville Beauty School hovers around as soon as I walk to my desk. No one speaks for a few moments, but Sandy breaks the silence.
“Are you okay?”
I put down my backpack and muster a smile. “I will be. Not today, but in time.” I swallow hard. “I know I left in a hurry last night. Will broke up with me.”
Within seconds I’m surrounded by hugs. Daniel talks first. “That stinks, Carla. I’m really sorry.”
When our eyes meet, I realize he’s genuine.
Claire holds on a little longer. “What can we do to help? Do you want us to talk to him?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think it would help. It’s hard but I need to trust God with this. I’ll be okay, really. My question is, how’s Ella?”
Mitzi sighs. “She’s really in pain today. Her mom’s with her. Ella will need surgery on her wrist.”
Ugh. That poor girl. “Is she changing her mind about her husband?”
Sandy chuckles. “No, and I don’t think anyone would let her.”
Rose pushes through the door holding a cardboard box. She rests it on the front table and dusts off her hands. “Okay, my friends, it’s a busy day. Before we enter the world of facials and makeup, let’s start with Ms. Traynor.”
We scurry to our seats. I’m probably more interested in this topic than any other she’ll mention today.
“I visited her this morning to bring her gifts on behalf of the school. She’s doing well despite the ordeal but she plans on withdrawing from the school.”
Claire gasps.
Rose coughs before continuing. “Ella needs surgery on her wrist and that prevents her from working the labs and with our clients. She wouldn’t be able to take the exam. There’s a lot for her to sort through within her family. They might move for a fresh start.”
Mitzi raises her hand as if we’re in elementary school. “What happens to her, though? Ella’s done all this work. She’s good.”
Our instructor nods. “Sadly, Ella becomes one of the statistics I mentioned when we started. Not everyone graduates. Let’s hope in her new transition she eventually finds her way back.”
I look at the raised eyes and open mouths. “Hey, guys. Let’s focus on the good news.”
Daniel leans back in his chair. “Okay, I’ll bite. What good news?”
“She’s safe.”
⌛⌛⌛
When I return to Betty’s, I’m depleted. Wayne has Noah and that helps. With school, sadness about Ella leaving school and Will out of my life, I’m too tired to drive back home. Besides, I have to share the breakup news with Betty.
Like nearly every evening, she has dinner prepared before I put my things down.
Betty places a dish in front of my table setting. “Carla, I’m so glad you’re here. You had a late night.”
“Yes. A lot was going on.” I scoop some salad into my bowl. “In fact, I have to talk to you.”
Betty tilts her head and stops spooning out the corn. “I hope it isn’t anything serious.”
As scary as my future feels, I could be charting a new life like Ella with the issues she’s dealing with. I place a piece of meatloaf on my dish and clear my throat. “Last night one of the students ended up in the hospital because of domestic abuse. She’s going to be okay, but while I was there, Will showed up and saw me hugging Wayne.” My voice catches as I remember the hurt look on Will’s face.
“Oh, Carla. I’m so sorry.”
“For Will it was the last straw. We broke up.”
Betty covers her mouth with her hand for a moment, shaking her head. “Dear, that’s terrible. How can I help?”
“I need to take care of Noah. Wayne has him tonight but the weather is better, there’s no reason I can’t commute to school from Speculator Falls. I think I need to make that change.”
Betty sighs. “You have to leave here, don’t you?”
I nod. “I’ve enjoyed living here. You have no idea what a blessing you are. I promise I’ll pay through the end of the semester.”
She waves her hand. “That’s the last thing I’m worried about. I’m going to miss you. You don’t know what a strong young woman you are.”
“Thank you. I don’t know about that, but this I do know. I’m finally learning how strong my God is.”
The good news is I don’t have a lot of studying nor a lot of packing to do. I finish both before dusk and am about to join Betty in the living room when the doorbell rings.
She hasn’t had a visitor that I remember, especially at night. “Do you want me to get it?”
“Thanks, Carla. Probably a salesperson. They should keep better hours.” She’s focused on her television crime show.
I peek through the hole and realize the visitor is someone I know.
Daniel.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Daniel grins as I swing the door open. “Hey. I was in the neighborhood?”
I gesture him inside. “You don’t sound so sure. Everything okay?”
He takes a few steps inside. “I’m sorry to bother you. I guess I needed to process some things and you’re good at that.”
Daniel must be ill. He’s never been so complimentary. “Okay, well come in. I can’t remember if you’ve met Betty Cross yet. Betty, Daniel from school, is here. We’re going to talk for a bit. Daniel, Betty.”
He walks over to her before she can rise from her chair. “Hi, Miss Betty. I didn’t mean to barge in so late.”
“No problem, Daniel. It’s good to have activity around here.”
I look to the dining room table. “Did you want to talk in there?”
He nods and follows me. “Something happened tonight and I needed to bounce it off someone. You had something similar happen from what you shared, so here I am.”
We take a seat across from each other. “Okay. Let’s hear it.”
“Carla, my dad called and asked to meet with me. He said he watched me last night with the whole Ella thing and thought I did a fantastic job handling myself. Dad said I had strong leadership skills and a friendly personality with the public.”
Competitive Daniel in the classroom has his issues. But Dr. Garret’s right. Daniel’s done a wonderful job working with Claire and being supportive for Ella. He’s even been compassionate toward me and my breakup with Will.
“It had to mean a lot to hear that from your Dad.”
He nods. “That’s not it, though. He offered to purchase or build me a salon once I receive my license.”
Now I get why Daniel’s here talking to me. It’s a Howard Wheaton kind of gesture. “That’s incredible! You must be so excited.”
Daniel’s face reads more like a man assigned to diffuse a bomb. “Shocked is more like it. Dad and I haven’t seen eye to eye on much of anything. He told me that in a weird way, he sees the correlation between him practicing medicine and me working in cosmetology.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. What’s similar between them? I guess some of our clients will feel like their appointment is life or death.”
Laughter fills the room. “More like serving the community. Showing empathy. I was so insecure when school started, but I really believe in what I’m doing. To hear Dad agree, it’s amazing.”
I reach over and touch his forearm. “I’m glad, Daniel. As someone who didn’t receive encouragement from my parents, it’s a gift.”
Daniel reaches into his pocket and pulls out a white cloth. “I doodled on a napkin. What Rose said in class makes sense.” He pushes the napkin toward me. It looks like a salon sketch. “I know I want a salon in Lake George and to reach out and have year-round clients in Bolton Landing. Someplace that takes care of clients from head to toe.”
I rotate the napkin and study his drawing. A full-service salon with a manicure/pedicure station. Waxing. Facials. Make-up area. A color lab of sorts where stylists could mix color, keeping files on client colors for reference. A welcome center with coffee and light refreshments. Situated on a walkway
that faces the water with shops nearby.
“Daniel. This is amazing. A lot of work, but with the right people in place, you could be the talk of the Adirondacks. I’d certainly travel for that kind of pampering.”
His eyes widen. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Lake George has a higher income bracket than most places around here. A lot of Albany folks are in the area for the summer. The other seasons might take some creative publicity, but you’ve got what it takes. Women love to feel special. You’d have everything under one roof.”
He nods. “Great. I was hoping it made sense. So, what do you think about possibly being part of the team?
My laugh starts as a giggle but soon turns into a full-body cackle. When I glance at him, his expression is stoic. “Wait. You’re serious?”
“Why not? We argued all year, but we’re both good at what we do. That’s what I want.”
I start waving my hands. “No, not me. We’d hurt each other competing, first of all. It would also mean moving. I can’t do that to Noah. The plan God has for me is to go back to Speculator Falls.”
Daniel bites his lip for a moment and looks to his sketch. “You sure? There’s a chair that could easily have your name on it.”
I straighten. “I am. But you know, Claire’s rocking the facials and make up. Why not ask her? You two seem to have a connection, anyway.”
If he notices my grin, he doesn’t say anything. “It crossed my mind. We haven’t said anything, but we’re kind of dating. I like her. A lot.”
He seems clueless that his news would surprise no one at school.
“Good for you. Actually, you could bring on Mitzi and Sandy, too. They have been strong all year long. Sandy does the best waxing I’ve ever seen.”
Now it’s Daniel’s turn to laugh. “Because she enjoys inflicting pain.”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, stop. She’s got an edge to her but she can reach a clientele you, Claire, Mitzi, and I never can. Once you get to know her you realize she’s a softie.”
“True. I know I have time before I can make it all happen, but I had to tell someone who understands. I feel so unworthy. I mean, this is a huge gesture.”
Boy do I relate. “It is. Honestly, I blew it in a lot of ways because I felt so overwhelmed with the gift I was given. Instead of feeling unworthy, make a go of this. Give it everything you’ve got. You have what it takes.”
Daniel stands and stretches. “It’s going to be hard to focus on school work when I just want to get started.”
I rise and walk toward the door. “As much as I’d love that so I can be number one cosmetologist, you need the license to realize the dream. We’re getting there. You’ll do fine.”
“Thanks, Carla. Would you want to join me for lunch sometime when I ask Mitzi and Sandy to join me?”
I notice Claire’s name isn’t mentioned.
“Sure. Won’t you invite Claire, too?”
He walks out and shrugs. “Of course. But, you know, I thought I’d ask her about her role in this privately.”
If I can’t have a happy ending, I’m thrilled Daniel seems to be on his way to one.
⌛⌛⌛
After Daniel leaves, I say goodnight to Betty and prepare for bed. I remember my phone battery is low so I walk out to the kitchen in my sweats in search of my purse. Once I find it, I retrieve my cell and head back to my room to plug it in and let it charge. There’s a blinking light so I turn the screen on to see what the notification is.
A text.
Wayne.
Carla, call me when you get this. Noah’s in trouble.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Not even a tanker of coffee from those big mugs at the gas station helps me feel awake as I make my way back to Speculator Falls in the early morning. Betty didn’t want me to travel late at night, upset, when nothing could really be resolved until morning. As wise as her advice was, I didn’t sleep. Wayne’s conversation kept replaying through my mind.
“Carla, I’m sorry to bother you but I figured you’d want to know.”
“Is Noah okay? Did he get hurt? Was there another explosion?”
There’s a small laugh on the other side of the phone. “Well, not like the last time. He’s suspended.”
If I didn’t know Wayne’s voice so well, I would have been certain that he had the wrong number.
“Suspended? Noah?”
“He hit a kid. Anyway, Will’s name was on the file, you know, because of you being gone, so the school called him first. He called me.”
This gets better and better.
“Okay. So what do we do?”
“The principal wants us there at nine in the morning to discuss everything.”
I rake my hand through my limp hair. “Alright. I packed up anyway, so I’ll load the truck and head home. I’ll meet you both at the school at nine.”
Before I reach the school, I stop at home to unload the truck. As I walk through the kitchen and put my few boxes on the table, it feels empty without Will. The living room and the video games he played with Noah. The kitchen and how he’d help me cut vegetables for salad. The garage and the sign he made for my future salon. So many memories. But there’s no time to grieve. I have a son suspended from school.
⌛⌛⌛
Wayne and Noah are already in the reception area when I arrive. I take a deep breath as I walk over.
My voice is flat and unemotional. “I’d like to know what happened.”
Wayne leans forward. “He was in lunch when…”
I hold up my hand. “No. I want to hear it from Noah.”
My son keeps his gaze on the floor. “Dad’s right. I was at lunch. Todd was bothering Brittany. She asked him to stop. He didn’t. I asked him to stop. He didn’t. I told him to stop. He didn’t. He pushed me, and Brittany was close enough that she fell. And I slugged him and gave him a black eye.”
Any pit I had in my stomach from losing Will and knowing Noah was suspended is now the size of the Grand Canyon. Thirteen and suspended. Because of a girl.
“Okay. Wayne, what did the principal say?”
He rolls his eyes. “That the school has a zero tolerance policy for violence, blah, blah, blah.”
I tilt my head and examine Wayne’s expression. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Why are you saying blah?”
Wayne stands and moves closer while I take a step back. “Carla, he protected the girl and shut down a bully. Way I see it, he’s a hero.”
My mouth forms a circle as words fail me for a few moments.
“He hit someone.”
Noah shakes his head. “I know, I know. I messed up. I don’t want to talk about it, though. Let me deal with the punishment.”
I don’t even notice I’m pacing. “We have to talk about it. That’s the purpose of this meeting.” I narrow my eyes and direct them at Wayne. “And it’s important we be on the same page. Hero is not a word I think anyone else is going to throw around in the principal’s office.”
Before he can reply, footsteps enter the reception area.
“Good morning. Can I help you, sir?” The receptionist asks.
“Actually, the people I want to see are over there.”
I gasp as soon as I hear the voice and turn. “Will?”
There’s still no plaid shirts or orange hunting hats. He’s wearing jeans that look new and a white shirt that accents his biceps. It’s so tempting to stare.
Wayne’s sigh is a tad louder than it needs to be.
Noah springs out of his chair. “Will! What are you doing here?”
Will saunters over and stands next to Noah. “The school called me first. I wanted to make sure Wayne got my message. I was afraid maybe no one would come to the meeting. So, I decided to make sure.”
There, in the middle of the school office lobby, I realize I’m madly in love with Will. Not just because he’s fun to be with and is good with Noah. He’s the most caring man I’ve ever known.
Wayne shrugs. “Yep, got the message. We�
��re all set here.”
I was less nervous dealing with a bear call as sheriff. “Will, thank you. It’s above and beyond and Noah and I really appreciate it.”
The principal’s door opens and a short man with a wide tie and a bad comb-over stands at the threshold. “Noah Rowling?”
Noah pauses before moving toward the door. “Thanks, Will. Pray for me.”
Will smiles and pats him on the shoulder as Noah walks past. “I promise.”
Wayne turns and follows Noah without speaking. My legs feel like cement blocks. Is it because I dread this meeting or I don’t want to leave Will?
“Thank you again, Will.”
He nods and turns to the exit. “Noah’s a good kid, Carla.”
My heart races faster than horses out of the gate at the Kentucky Derby. “Thank you. I’m afraid. I don’t want him to repeat my mistakes.”
“You’re an excellent mom. I’m praying. Bye, Carla.”
When he leaves, I’m pretty sure a piece of me goes with him.
⌛⌛⌛
When the door closes, it sounds like the clang of the jail cell. The man thrusts out his hand. “Lloyd Drivnell, acting principal. I’ve been here since Mrs. Miller retired.”
Wayne returns the handshake first. “Wayne Peterson.”
I look the administrator in the eye. “Carla Rowling, Noah’s mom.”
The man nods and gestures for us to take the trio of seats across from the desk. “There was some confusion when we tried to contact you.” He looks to Wayne. “Mr. Peterson, you weren’t listed as a contact at all.” Then he glances toward me. “And Ms. Rowling, the first contact wasn’t you. It was Will Marshall, the man who delivers our food supplies.”
Noah keeps his focus on the floor. I’d like to do the same.
I clear my throat. “Yes. I’ve been away during the week for cosmetology school. Will is a trusted friend who agreed to be his caregiver. However, with the weather improving, I’m able to commute now, so I’m the first contact. I forgot to make the change with the office.” Because it just happened.
“I see. Well, perhaps that explains some of this trouble.” Mr. Drivnell pushes up on the bridge of his glasses with his pointer finger.
Entangled: Surrendering the Past (Surrendering Time Book 2) Page 16
