Love in the Clouds

by Sarah Hadley Brook

  Love in the Clouds

  By Sarah Hadley Brook

  Published by JMS Books LLC

  Visit jms-books.com for more information.

  Copyright 2018 Sarah Hadley Brook

  ISBN 9781634867405

  Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

  Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

  All rights reserved.

  WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

  No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

  This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Published in the United States of America.

  Dedicated to those who reach for the sky and soar.

  Love in the Clouds

  By Sarah Hadley Brook

  For once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth

  with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been,

  and there you will always long to return.

  —Leonardo da Vinci

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 1

  Rafael

  The clock over the door indicated he still had a few minutes to wrap up, but the glazed look in his students’ eyes confirmed he’d already lost them. He sighed, once again wishing the administration had held the assembly at the end of the day, rather than after lunch. Especially when there was only one period left. The kids never quite got back on track when that happened.

  “Okay, that’s enough for today. Remember your assignment is due next Tuesday and be ready for the final next Thursday. Talk amongst yourselves, but keep it down.”

  Amazing how quickly the fog seemed to lift from his students’ minds when given the opportunity to socialize. Anything but learning. He chuckled to himself. He’d been one of those teens.

  As a teacher, Rafael knew ninth grade was about much more than book-learning—it was a transition year. Fresh out of middle school, their world had opened up to endless possibilities and they were also learning how to navigate the social hurdles constantly popping up.

  Rafael understood that, and even with all the drama, he still loved teaching freshmen. Most of the time. Not to say he wasn’t internally cheering that school would be out in just over a week. He’d also chosen not to teach summer school, as he had for the last three years, and looked forward to the nice break.

  The bell shrilled through the speakers, and the kids were out of their seats and out the door in seconds.

  “Be safe,” he called.

  “Bye, Mr. Patino,” several of them said.

  Rafael smiled, eager to leave himself. For the first time in weeks, he was ahead in his planning, had no homework to grade, and anticipated a night in with his remote, a cold beer, and a pizza.

  His plans would have to wait, though, because he noticed Daisy Warner still in her seat, her petite shoulders hunched, her head down, looking as if she bore the weight of the world.

  “Daisy?” His voice rang loud in the nearly empty room. “What’s going on?”

  She shrugged, averting her eyes.

  The girl had been a source of worry for Rafael since the first day she’d arrived in his class. She rarely spoke, but her assignments were always flawless and turned in on time. The essay she’d written on the current political divide had blown him away, and he’d let her know it had been college-level material.

  But she was so frail, as if a strong wind would blow her over. While she’d never had bruises or broken bones, Rafael still worried she was being abused and had spoken with Rita, the school counselor assigned to her, about his concerns. Unfortunately, Daisy had never opened up to them, and her mother, the only parent listed on the enrollment forms, had never attended any meetings. The one time Rita had been able to get Daisy to let down her guard, the girl had sworn she wasn’t being abused.

  From her unkempt clothes, often the wrong size, and her ratty shoes, it was clear she was being neglected. Rafael understood being poor—he’d lived it as child—and wouldn’t hold that against anyone, but her clothes were always rumpled and dirty. At times it was clear she hadn’t showered, either, and he knew some of the kids made fun of her for that. He had strict “no bullying” rules, so it hadn’t been an issue for her in his class, but he knew the halls were a minefield for kids like Daisy.

  Apparently Social Service’s had been out to her home more than once, finding nothing that could be construed as abuse. According to Rita, the mother worked, there was food in the refrigerator, and the house was relatively clean.

  Rafael still couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t quite right, though. In his eyes, Daisy’s mother was doing the bare minimum required of a parent, possibly less. He knew from experience that was never enough.

  He settled into the desk next to hers. “Are you supposed to be catching the bus today?” He knew she sometimes stayed for math tutoring.

  She shook her head.

  “You want to tell me what’s going on? You can tell me anything, Daisy, I promise.”

  A sniffle escaped and she finally looked at him, her lashes wet with unshed tears. His heart panged in his chest and he tried to keep the worry from his face.

  “I broke my tablet.” She made her confession in a shaky whisper.

  Relief flooded through him. If that was all that was wrong, it was an easy fix. The school district provided students with a tablet during the school year—a great program, allowing a level playing field for all students.

  “Do you have it with you?”

  She pulled it from her threadbare backpack, the crack on the screen easily seen.

  “I dropped it, Mr. Patino. I’m so clumsy. My mom is going to be furious.”

  His heart fractured as he took it from her and offered a small smile. “You are not clumsy, Daisy. We all have accidents.”

  Her eyes widened. “But there’s a fee if it’s broken.”

  Other than the crack, the tablet looked to be in perfect shape. Much better than many others had fared in the hands of students. He’d seen several damaged beyond repair. “Does it still work?”

  She nodded, sniffling.

  He rose and made his way to his desk, grabbed a couple of tissues, and brought them to her. As she dabbed at her eyes, he made a decision.

  “Daisy, I appreciate you bringing this to me. I’m going to take care of it, okay? See me tomorrow morning before classes begin, and hopefully I’ll have a replacement for you.”

  “But what about the fee?” She chewed her lip and watched him warily.

  “Let me see what I can do, okay? You’ve taken great care of this a
nd the school year is almost over. I can’t imagine they’re going to make a fuss over it.”

  She looked surprised, and he smiled when he saw the hope in her eyes. She thanked him as she hurried off.

  He hurried to clean up his desk, eager to talk to the principal and find out his options with the tablet. Perhaps he shouldn’t have promised to handle it, but seeing the fear on her face when she mentioned telling her mother had triggered something inside. He understood that fear. Just as he’d grown up poor, he’d also been raised by a mom who instilled fear and guilt in him rather than love and acceptance.

  He stepped out of his classroom into the nearly empty hallway, blue metal lockers lining the walls. His footsteps echoed around him and the strange scents of chemicals from the science lab at the end of the corridor lingered in the air.

  As he headed toward the stairs, he heard his name, and smiled when he saw Caleb Dodson.

  “Hey, why aren’t you already on the field?”

  As the assistant baseball coach at Rain Valley High School for the past couple of years, Caleb had whipped the team into shape. Rafael assumed the man would take over next year when the current coach retired, but as far as Rafael knew, nothing had been decided.

  Caleb grinned and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m just heading that way. Wanted to know if you heard anything yet.”

  Rafael raised an eyebrow as they fell into step together. “About?”

  “I thought today was the day for Dustin.”

  The words surprised Rafael. “It is. But I didn’t realize he’d told anyone.”

  “You think Dustin kept it a secret?” Caleb laughed. “Seriously?”

  Rafael smiled at that. “But he’d said something about not wanting to jinx himself when I asked if he’d mentioned it. Must have changed his mind.” Rafael had thought it silly to keep it secret anyway. His best friend, Dustin, had been working on getting his pilot’s license for quite a while, and it was finally time for his solo flight.

  “So today, right?” Caleb prodded.

  “Yes. Could even be in the air as we speak.” His phone buzzed. He plucked it out of his pocket, grinning as he read the text. “Speak of the devil.”

  OMG. Passed!

  He tilted the phone so Caleb could read it.

  “Awesome!”

  Rafael had a thought as they started down the stairs. “How about tomorrow night we have a surprise party for him at Jack’s? I mean, we’re already heading over there, why not just up the celebration?”

  “I love it! I’ll double-check with Lucas, but as far as I know, we’re still going.” He shook his head and smiled. “You are the best boyfriend,” he teased.

  Rafael’s eyes widened and his heartbeat thumped hard in his chest. “Where did that come from? You know Dustin and I aren’t dating.”

  Caleb rolled his eyes and slapped him on the back. “You guys talk—what?—five times a day? You spend nearly every evening together. You two might not realize it, but trust me, everyone else is pretty sure you’re dating.”

  Rafael’s heart raced as the implication hit him. He had tried to hide his feelings for so long. “What do you mean ‘everyone’?”

  “Me, Lucas, some of the guys. Oh, calm down. I’m just giving you a hard time, Rafael. Sort of. I mean, have you and Dustin even thought about it? Your lives are so…enmeshed.”

  Blood rushed from Rafael’s face as he shook his head.

  “Shit. Did I get a little too close to home? Do you…I mean, are you in…?” Caleb waved his hand. “Hey, man. I was just talking. It’s none of my business.”

  Rafael cleared his throat and pushed away any worry, then returned to the matter at hand. “So, you guys are in for tomorrow night?” His voice came out a little rough.

  Caleb nodded. “We’ll be there.”

  “Great. I’ll call Jack and see if we can set something up. I’ll text you details,” he added as they arrived at the first floor, less excited about the party than moments ago.

  Caleb took off toward the field as Rafael texted congratulations to Dustin before heading into the front office to find out what he needed to do about the tablet. A quick check with Brandy told him he needed to see the technology department, not the principal as he’d thought, so he made his way down the hall to a small room near one of the exits.

  He knocked on the open door and peeked inside, then stepped inside the empty room. He’d been to this room only a few times over the years, usually to get an extra power cord for his laptop if he’d left his at home. Several rows of gray metal shelving filled with cords, monitors, computers and miscellaneous items crowded the small room. He took a seat near the window, assuming that since he’d found the door open, someone would be returning.

  His phone buzzed again. He slipped it from his pocket, breaking into a smile when he saw Dustin’s name.

  Dustin: Can you believe I’m a pilot? Celebrate tonight?

  Rafael didn’t even have to think about it.

  Rafael: Of course. Plans?

  Dustin: Since I’ve got to finish an order tomorrow, how about pizza and some beer?

  He laughed at that. Great minds think alike.

  Rafael: My place? My treat.

  Dustin: Thanks! 6?

  Rafael: Yes.

  Rafael slid the phone into his pocket. He’d known Dustin wouldn’t want anything big since they both had to work tomorrow, so pizza and beer at home would be perfect. Although, Dustin worked from home and set his own hours, he was diligent about finishing things on time. Tonight they would keep it low-key.

  Besides, they would celebrate the next night. Most Fridays, their group of friends met at Jack’s Bar. They’d been doing it for several years—a Friday night tradition.

  Rafael needed to make sure Jack could reserve an area for a private party. He’d also need to contact everyone, figuring a group text would be best.

  He really was so proud of Dustin. His best friend had always wanted to be a pilot, announcing it the first day they’d met at college nearly a decade ago. And he’d done it! When Dustin had told him he was finally taking lessons at Rain Valley Airport, Rafael had been thrilled for him. As Dustin had worked toward his dream, the guy had been so happy, he was nearly walking on air.

  Martha Milgrim strode into the room, wearing her sensible shoes, brown polyester pants, and matching cardigan. She looked and dressed older than her fifty years, but she was also one of the nicest people Rafael had ever met.

  “Hey, there, Rafael. What’re you doing down here?” She also sounded like she’d smoked a pack of cigarettes every day of those fifty years.

  He rose and clasped her hand. “Hi, Martha. When did you move from the library to this department?”

  She sighed as he gestured for her to take the seat he’d just vacated.

  “Oh, I couldn’t move fast enough for Lydia,” she told him, rolling her eyes. Lydia was the school librarian and a lot to handle.

  “So they shoved you down here?” he asked, appalled.

  She laughed. “‘Shoved’ is a little strong, but yeah, I ended up here. It’s been a couple of weeks now. Surprised you hadn’t heard.”

  He was fairly certain the woman couldn’t program an alarm clock, but sure…put her in technology. He doubted she even had a cell phone.

  “Well, I need to talk to you about a student’s tablet.” He handed over the item. “What do we need to do to replace it?”

  She ran her hand over the crack. “Been seeing a lot of this. Normal procedure is, the student turns it in, the parent pays the fifty-dollar fine, and then I can get the replacement.” She met his gaze, one eyebrow raised. “But I’m thinking you’re wanting to handle this differently?”

  “I was hoping we could do this without the parent finding out.”

  Martha pursed her lips as she considered him.

  “It’s Daisy Warner’s.”

  Her face softened. “Oh, that sweet girl. I worry about her.”

  “Me, too. She’s scared to tell her mother.”<
br />
  Martha clucked her tongue. “I’m not surprised. I’ve met that woman and she is a mean drunk.”

  “A drunk? You’ve met her?”

  “I used to work a second job at the small grocers on Bell Road. Daisy’s mom showed up at all hours of the night to purchase cheap vodka. She has a mouth on her, that one. Plenty times I had to call police because I wasn’t about to sell to her. Not when she’d pulled up in a car drunk.” She shook her head. “Didn’t know she was Daisy’s mom until I saw her pick up Daisy from school one afternoon last fall.”

  So, the mother was a drunk. Rafael made a mental note to have Rita talk with Martha.

  “So, yeah, you can understand why I want to take care of this. Would it be possible for me to pay the fine? Keep Daisy’s name off the books?”

  She waved her hand. “Honey, no worries. I’ve got a few new ones and I’ll just switch out the information. You can pick it up first thing in the morning.”

  “That’s wonderful. Thanks, Martha.”

  They chatted a few more minutes before he took off and headed home, stopping at the local pizza place and picking up a large ready-to-bake supreme.

  When he arrived home, he stored the pizza in his nearly empty fridge and decided to do some cleaning before hopping into the shower. He felt jittery and couldn’t figure out why. Dusting and vacuuming kept his mind busy as he ignored the alarm bells ringing in the recesses of his mind. He also called Jack, who promised to save the space in the back for them, then he sent a text to his friends about tomorrow night. Jack had also mentioned how he would take care of the cake, reminding Rafael his sister had a bakery on Main Street.

  Just as he finished showering, his doorbell rang. A quick glance at his phone told him he was way behind schedule, so he threw a towel around his waist and hurried to the door.

  Dustin stood leaning against the wooden column on the front stoop, a grin spreading across his face. His dark blond hair was parted to the side in a perfect sweep, and matching stubble covered his jawline. His blue-green eyes flashed as he took in Rafael’s state of undress.