Playing with feelings

25

It was nearly lunch time on a Tuesday morning and Daveed was just about to wind down his lesson.

"One more speed round before we break for lunch?" he asked the class, always wanting to make them feel like they had input in what they did.

The class replied back in an unanimous "Yes" and Daveed began shuffling the multiplication flash cards that were in his hand. They had been doing a game of sorts where he would hold up and read the card and they would shout out the answer as fast as they could.

"7 times 3?" he started off the game.
"21"
"5 times 4?"
"20"
"9 times 3?"
"27"
"2 times 12"
"24"

They continued on until they made it through the short stack of cards. It was a quick round, but it was good as it told Daveed that they were really getting their multiplication tables down. He set the cards back in the drawer and then walked back to the front of the room. "Alright, y'all are free to go," he said as he motioned them to the door, sending them away to the cafeteria.

He was on his way back to his desk to start his break when his eyes caught those of a student that remained in their seat. "Gracie," he stopped in his tracks, "You don't want to go to lunch with your friends?"

The little girl who had always reminded him a lot of Amber shook her head. "Can I eat lunch with you, Mr. Diggs?"

Daveed smiled softly and walked towards her desk. He took a seat in the adjacent one so that he could get down to her level. "I would if I could, but the lunch teachers are going to wonder where you are. Why don't you want to go to the cafeteria?"

"I don't have lunch money," Gracie sighed as her shoulders slumped.

Daveed reached out to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Oh Gracie," he sighed along with her before standing up. "Come over here," he motioned her toward his desk.

He had always been one to think of his school kids as his own, and when they experienced heartache, so did he. He couldn't imagine letting one of them go hungry which drove him to digging into his work bag to pull out his wallet. Once it was out, he pulled out a $20 bill to hand to her.

"But this is too much," Gracie looked down at the money.

"You can use it for the rest of the week too," he responded. Lunches were only a couple of dollars so he hoped this would cover her for at least a little bit. "Ready to walk down now?"

Gracie nodded and Daveed grabbed her hand to walk her down to the cafeteria. He was greeted by two of the lunch teachers who stood outside the door. "Got one more straggler," he said with a grin, choosing not to air out the real reason Gracie had stayed behind.

"I was just about to call you on the walkie-talkie," Mrs. Maxwell smiled back at him, "Hi Gracie, come on in."

Inside she went and it was now Daveed's turn to head back to his classroom. He went into the now empty room and plopped down at his desk, swiveling in the chair a couple times to relax himself. It had already been a busy week even though it was only Tuesday. This would be a much deserved break.

It was a break that didn't last long, however. Just after he grabbed his lunch from his bag, his ringing cell phone stole his attention. He flipped the phone over and let out a sigh of relief when he saw the ID.

"Hey Emmy!" he exclaimed with a smile, "Wasn't expecting a call from you this morning."

"Hey Daveed," she said, much less cheerfully than him, "Is this a good time?"

On her side of the line, she had been pacing around her home all day, biting her nails, and waiting for when she could call him. She thought it'd be easier to deliver the news if she couldn't see his face, hence why at pickup the day before, she had just played it like nothing had changed in her life.