Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 137(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
I turn off the water and open the shower curtain. As I wrap myself in a towel, the smell of brewing coffee wafts under the bathroom door. He’s awake.
When I come out of this bathroom he’s going to see me for the first time since making love to me. Why does that make me uncomfortable? Do I think he’s going to lose interest in me now? No, he won’t do that. I’m just not used to being cared for. My parents gave me everything a child could ever want except for a feeling of relevancy. We didn’t have a strong emotional connection, and I wasn’t sure I mattered to them. I felt like if I had just up and disappeared, they wouldn’t miss me.
When we had our blowout and I moved away, they pretty much proved me right. That’s what this is, I think. Thanks to them, I worry that nobody will ever need me.
I run the gamut of emotions while dressing and fixing my hair, then take a deep breath and step out into the hall. I hear Torin in the kitchen and follow the sound of the clanking coffee mugs and his low-tone humming.
“Good morning, baby girl. You look nice,” he says and kisses me on the forehead.
“Thank you. I didn’t know if I should wake you or not.”
“What kind of man would I be if I didn’t get up to see you off?”
“The sleepy kind?” I grin.
“No, the inconsiderate kind.”
“Will you be here when I come home or…”
He stops what he’s doing and looks at me. “I have to run into the city today. I’ll be back tonight, but it’s going to be late.”
My heart drops and all of the insecurity bubbles back up to the surface. He sees the defeat on my face and takes me in his arms. “I know the timing might seem strange to you, but I promise this is just about work. Last night was amazing, and I plan on having many more nights like that with you. I’m not distancing myself from you or pulling away. I just need to take care of some business.”
“You promise?”
“I do. In fact, I was planning to bring you back a gift from the city.”
“Will you come back here tonight?”
“It’s probably going to be very late. Are you sure you want me to?”
“Yes. Come back tonight. I don’t care what time it is.”
“Alright. I’ll be here. I promise.”
I drop Torin off at Marta’s house then head off to school. I wonder if I sounded desperate when I asked him to come back tonight, but I couldn’t help myself. This is all so new to me. I think this is what falling in love feels like.
When I arrive at school, I find a man seated in a black car in my parking spot. I consider asking him to move, but I’m already running a little late. Sometimes parents park in the teacher slots by mistake so I don’t think too much about it and pull my car into one of the visitor spaces.
As I walk toward the school, I can feel his eyes on me. I want to turn around to see if he’s gotten out of his car to follow me, but I’m frightened by what I might see. I pick up the pace and hurry inside.
Once I make it into the building, I turn and look out the tall, glass windows. There’s no man out there, just children coming off buses. I tell myself that I’m just being paranoid, but my heart is still racing in my chest. Maybe being back in the classroom with my kids will calm me down.
The day passes very uneventfully, and I forget all about the man in the car. When class is dismissed, Marta stops by my room.
“Torin didn’t come home last night. Was he with you?” she asks.
“Yes, he was.” I feel like a little kid waiting for a scolding.
“Good. Do you know if he’s coming home tonight? I just want to know if I should cook for him.”
“He said he had to go into the city for work and won’t be back until very late.”
“Some vacation, huh?” She shakes her head. “He’s too absorbed in his work. Maybe being with you will open his eyes so he can see that there’s more to life than his career.”
I wonder if she has any idea what he does for a living, but I don’t dare ask.
“How are the sets coming along for the Christmas program?” she asks me.
“They’re not. Torin and I dropped off the lumber, but with school being closed, no one has had a chance to do anything with it.”
“We’re running short on time. I wonder if you would mind plotting everything out this afternoon so the kids in the art department can get started on them tomorrow.”