Lessons Learned

Chapter 2

'Oh wow he really is famous' I think to myself as I see my laptop blow up. Damn, look at his tattoo sleeve. Mmm so delicious. No look for bad stuff, Bri! I scroll down the news articles. "Gilbert-Kramer Wedding Called Off". Wedding? What did he do, cheat on her? That is so fucking typical. "Just sixty days before the big day, the country music singing couple decided to call off their wedding. Hmm, why is it that Jana Kramer was spotted just two weeks later with another gentleman that wasn't Brantley Gilbert?" After I read that part I become even more curious. Was she the one that cheated on him? I'm starting to feel bad about searching through his life. If there's something I want to know about him, I should wait for him to confide in me.

I close the lid of my laptop and go get changed into sweatpants and a racer back tank. I put my glasses on and get ready to grade some papers and write some lesson plans. I'm in the middle of planning out these last three days before Thanksgiving break, when I hear my doorbell ring. Who could that be? I wasn't expecting anyone for the rest of the day. I look at the clock and realize that I've been working for hours. It's now 6pm and my stomach is growling.

I peek out my window and I see Brantley holding a brown paper bag. Oh great. Now I have to spend more time with him. Why is he doing this to me? I sigh before unlock my door and opening it. "Hey darlin'. Thought ya might be hungry for some dinner. Nikki told me ya get so into yer work dat ya forget to eat sometimes. She also said ya like pit bulls so I brought my two babies. Dis is Sylo and dis is Alley," he introduces me. "Thank you, BG. That was really sweet of you to bring dinner. Come on in. Hi there Sylo and Alley. You're so cute," I say to them in a baby talk. "Ya look gorgeous by the way," he tells me. "Really, BG? I'm a mess. I have no make up on, I'm wearing my glasses and I'm in baggy clothes," I say to him with a sigh. "Exactly. Ya look real. I don't like none of those fake barbie types. Ya look naturally beautiful. Don't need no make up, girl," he tells me intensely. "Okay. I believe you," I say with a shy smile.

I was going to get plates, but BG told me not to be fancy, so we began eating out of the containers with our forks. "So, Bri, what made ya wanna become a teacher?" he asks me before taking a sip of his water. "Well I've always loved kids and their innocence. I never have a boring day in first grade, that's for sure," I say with a laugh. "But when I was in kindergarten, I had a really mean teacher. She used to yell at me all the time. I never wanted to go to school. I used to cry almost every day. I was a sensitive kid and it only got worse when my mom left us," I finish quietly as I look down at my food.

"I'm sorry. That must've been hard. How old were ya?" he asks softly. "Eight. My older sister, Stacey was twelve. She was my best friend. It really hurt me and I still miss her sometimes even though I should hate her for leaving me. Stacey is more bitter and angry than anything. She refuses to even mention her," I whisper as I stare off into space. "I'm sorry darlin'," BG whispers huskily before putting his arm around me and pulling me into his side for a hug.

"Thanks," I whisper before pulling away from him. "So, anyway that kindergarten teacher inspired me to right all of her wrongs. I wanted to be the teacher that she never was. I was determined for my students to want to come to school. I wanted them to be able to come to me if there was a problem. And they do love coming into my class every day and they come to me with any and all problems they have. I love my job more than anything. Well, besides my family," I tell him with a laugh. "I feel the same, darlin'. My family is always mah number one, my career second. My godson and goddaughter are the greatest gifts in mah life," he tells me proudly with a smile. "That's really sweet, BG. How old are they?" I ask him interested. He unlocks his phone and shows me pictures of them. "TJ is three and Cam is six. They're growin' too fast. I want 'em to stay small," he tells me with a laugh.