Devine

48

I'm looking over their essays now. It's like three, I forgot I had to do it. My door opened. "Mom?"

"Hi Demi. Why are you awake?"

"Cause you're awake."

"Oh." She sat down. "I feel like we don't talk a lot mom."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're always doing some kind of work so you're in here so I don't see you.."

"I'm so sorry. Dallas says I work I lot but I don't pay attention. I'm sorry baby."

"It's okay. I like spending time with you. Me and Faith both."

"Okay. I'm sorry I work so much. I'm glad you tell me. I'll start making a schedule. So if I don't have to stay after school I'll come home early and maybe I'll pick you guys up. But I'll see."

"Okay."

"Tomorrow, we can have a girls day if you want. Just me, you, Faith and Paris. Do you want Paris to come?"

"She can come."

"Okay good. You go to bed now."

"Okay." She hugged me. "I love you sweetie."

"I love you too mom." She ran out. I'm still not use to my baby being so grown. Sixth grade is too grown.
~~~~~~~~
"Babe."

"Hm?"

"Lee called talking about some essays or something I don't know."

"Oh the essays. He was supposed to come pick them up and give me the test."

"He knows where we live?"

"No. I could go to him. We can meet somewhere."

"No, you stay in bed. Where's the essays?"

"In my office. There's two."

"Okay."

"Thanks for doing it, I'm so tired."

"Mh. You woke up last night to grade them didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Don't do that to yourself."

"His kids needed it. I had already made a plan."

"Devine, I'll tell him you're calling out Monday and Tuesday."

"What?"

"You're staying home Monday and Tuesday. I'm worried about your health. Not enough sleep, you're tired, your feet are sore,I know you love it baby but sometimes there's a limit. You work more than me and I'm a principal. I know you changed the school but shouldn't you just stop for a second and relax?"

"I guess."

"Alright." He kissed my forehead. "I don't mean to be hard on you."

"I know." He got out of bed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Dallas pov
I'm meeting him at the Walmart down the street. Well it's farther away but anyway. I'm waiting on him. Feels like I'm bout to deal drugs or something. His car pulled up beside me. He got out of his car. "Good morning."

"Hey. Here's the essays and she needed the tests back or something."

"She was letting them finish before she wanted to look over it."

"Oh okay. By the way. I think Devine is a little overworked, you mind if she takes Monday and Tuesday off?"

"I don't mind. She does work a lot. So you still want the party on Friday or?"

"Yeah. That's the best time. I don't want to wait any longer."

"Okay. Oh, Monday I forgot, there's people, like principals and teachers maybe coming to look around the school. I don't know if she wouldn't want to be there for that since she designed it."

"I'll see. I'll ask her. How long will it take?"

"Like a hour. She can stay home but if you want I'll call when they're there and she can leave when they're done."

"Okay. Then yeah, she can go if she wants."

"Okay. That's all bye. Oh wait. I forgot. Did she tell you about the new opening at our school?"

"What's the opening?"

"English teacher. We might try to get her to do both. She said she'll think about it. Devine's an amazing teacher. I'll pay her more."

"Money's not a problem for us. I don't know if that's good for her. She'll be under too much stress. I'll have to talk to her about that too."
~~~~~~~~~~
The day with the girls went really well. We shoped, went to the nail salon, the hair salon, we got food. It was really fun. I love how well it went. Now we're home. I'm so tired but I have to grade the tests for Lee's kids. Maybe I'll do them later, I'll wake up.
~~~~~~~
I just got out of the shower. I get in bed with Dallas. "Babe are you actually planning on becoming a teacher?"

"I don't know. I love to teach."

"Yeah but, I just feel like you're adding more stress to your life. The after school things, your 'assignments'. It's too much."

"What would I do if I didn't have any assignments?"

"I'm just saying you have too many."

"Oh."

"And this testing thing you're doing for Lee's kids? It's not your job and it's not what you're supposed to be doing. You're not even getting paid. You know that right?"

"I don't like the way you're acting Dallas. You know I finally get better and I start doing more things at work to make me who I am right now and you have a problem with that?"

"I'm just telling you that you're doing too much at work which has nothing to do with your counselor job."

"That doesn't mean I shouldn't do it."

"That's exactly what it means. Do you think I-."

"I don't give a fuck what you do Dallas!" I get out of bed and put my slippers on and left the room. I can't believe him. He's supposed to be happy for me, I didn't change for nothing. I went outside and sat by the pool. I'm nicer and, I don't yell anymore, I'm definitely a new person. He doesn't understand how much I love my job because he doesn't love his. I know he doesn't. That's why he never wants to be there and it's bad that I like to spend time working and helping kids with tests? That's how our school got better.  The old me would've argued with him, threatened to leave, probably would've left actually and came back when I felt like it but I'm just gonna calm myself and sleep on the couch. I might just grade those tests. "Devine. I'm sorry." I didn't say anything. "I really am." He sat beside me. "Do whatever you want, I won't stop you, just know when to take a break. It'll help you I promise. I'm not trying to hurt you or anything. I just don't want you overworked and stressed but it seems like you got it under control and I'll leave it that way. Okay?"

"Okay. I'm sorry for yelling."

"It's okay. Let's go inside it's cold out here."