A Teacher In Love

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

             When I woke up I got Aurora her breakfast and got changed myself.  Jason had already gone to work so I had a few hours before I needed to leave the house.  I packed a bag of Aurora's things and another for myself.  Then I thought maybe it was wrong to just leave him.  I should be fair and give him a chance to explain but honestly, I don't want to hear it. 

            Where do I go?  I could go see my parents but they are on a vacation to Italy.  I have no friends or close relatives here.  Home is the last place I want to be but perhaps Barb can help.  That's it!  I'll go see Barb.  She can help me for the weekend.  But I won't tell her about what happened to make me leave.

            I put the bags in the car and set Aurora in her seat and drove to Barb's.

            "Lucy, dear what's happened?" Barb asked when she opened the door.

            "I'm so sorry Barb, I'm not sure where else to go."

            "Come in, come in.  I'm sure everything will be fine.  I'll make you some tea."  Barb's answer to a problem is to make tea; no matter what the problem is, tea is the answer.  I followed her to the kitchen and put Aurora in her highchair.  "Now dear, tell me the problem."

            "It's about Jason.  I don't want to really concern you I just didn't know where else to go."

            "It's okay if you don't want to tell me.  You can if you want but please don't feel like you must."

            "Thank you for understanding.  Do you mind if I just take a nap?  I'm really tired."

            "Of course not dear, you can use the guest bedroom upstairs."  I gave her a hug and walked up to the bedroom and fell asleep.

            It seems like I was only asleep for a few minutes when I heard a panicking Jason from the downstairs hallway.  When I looked at the clock it was 8 at night. 

            "Jason Mitchel Hobins!  What did you do to that poor girl?!" Barb yelled at him.

            "Mom have you gone crazy?  Wait, she's here?" Jason asked in a panic.

            "What did you do?"

            "Mom please, I don't know what I did or anything."  The sad part is that he doesn't even know what he did but in a way he does.

            "You better fix whatever it is that you have done.  I love that girl as if I gave birth to her.  I will go ask if she wants to speak to you."  I sat on the bed listening to what they were saying when Barb came in.  "Lucy, Jason is downstairs, do you want to talk to him?"

            "Can you give me a few minutes and I'll come down?"

            "Of course," she closed the door and walked downstairs.  Then I heard her say "fix it" to him.

            I cleaned up my hair from my nap and sat on the bed thinking of what to say to him.  After an hour I went downstairs to talk with him.  I found them all in the kitchen and went in. 

            "Thanks Barb for watching Aurora.  Can we use the living room?"  Barb nodded and gave Jason a deadly glare.  I kissed my daughter and followed Jason into the living room and closed the doors.

            "What did I do?" Jason asked stunned that he could actually do something.

            "You really don't know?  Think about it."  I sat down in one of the chairs across from him with my arms crossed.

            "Lucy, what did I do?  I don't have time for your games.  I have to go grade papers."

            "I'm sure you do."

            "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "I think you know damn well what that means.  Did you know that this entire week I was bringing you lunch on your lunch hour?  I walked right up to your classroom door.  What is wrong with me?"

            Jason looked at me with an unexplainable expression.  "No I didn't know.  There's nothing wrong with you.  What did you see?"

            "Everything."

            "Lucy I can't tell you how sorry I am.  I didn't mean to hurt you."

            "How long?"

            He paused and looked at the floor.  "Does it matter?"

            "That long.  Exactly how long?  I have a right to know."

            "Four months."

            "So..." I had to hold back my sobs, "so before I came back.  But you had my daughter.  I'm glad she makes you happy Jason."  I got up and headed for the door when Jason grabbed my arm.

            "What are you doing?  She doesn't make me happy.  You do.  You and Lucas and Aurora.  That's what makes me happy, the three of you."

            "We just aren't good enough for you.  I'm going to go get my daughter and we're going back to California.  I think it's the right thing to do for her sake.  I don't want anything from you just a divorce.  You can live your life however you want then."  I pulled away from him and walked into the kitchen.  "Thanks again Barb.  I'll call you soon."  I picked up Aurora and we went to the car and went to California.

            Jason never followed me and signed the divorce papers the next week.  Aurora and I moved into an apartment a few miles away from my parents and I got my old job back.  He never asked for custody of Aurora.  Once a month I take Aurora back to Michigan to spend time with her grandparents for a weekend and they fly out to visit us every now and then.  Barb and I talk nearly every day in some way.  Jason hasn't seen Aurora since we left.