mr. hemmings // l.h.

49 • luke

I got settled into my apartment, grinning like an idiot.
I could not stop thinking about her.

I sank into my couch. I felt so happy.

She loved me. She loved me!
And I knew I loved her, too. I hadn't felt that way in a long time.

My phone began to ring. I looked down, seeing it was Madeline herself. As if she could read my mind.

I grinned, and answered it. "Miss me already?"

"You have to come over right now." She said.
There was no warmth in her voice. No playful tone.

"Uh," I stuttered, "really? Won't your mom be home soon?"

"She's already home." She said.

I didn't say anything, not quite understanding.

"Luke." She sighed. "She knows everything. You have to come meet her. Right now."

Suddenly, I was back in my car once again.
As a 22 year old history teacher, nothing will make you want to shit in your pants quite like the freshly turned 18 year old girl that you are in love with and have also been fucking, who by the way, oh yeah! - is your student, telling you that her mother knows about everything you've been doing with and to her.

Yep. That will do it.

What was I going to say?
Hi, ma'am, I know that this is illegal and immoral and that it probably shatters your heart into a million pieces but I hope that somehow you're okay with it and I can be in the family Christmas card.
No. That is not at all how that works.

I was on the edge of my seat as I drove.

I pulled back into the driveway, and saw the front door fling open. Luckily, it was only Madeline.

I hung my head as I approached her.

"Nice hickey." She whispered, hitting my arm.

I cringed, "Shit."

Madeline led me inside, to the kitchen table. Her mother sat there waiting for me.

It felt like the end of the video game where your character finally meets with that big, final boss. Except the scary boss was probably the same tiny height as Madeline and looked exactly like her, just as an adult.
This was it. This was the boss level. And she was going to beat my ass.

"Mr. Hemmings." She said.

Oh, god. Why did she have to do that.

I gulped, "Hi, Ms. Miller."

"Oh, don't do all of that now." She waved him off. "Call me Deb. I guess, I can call you Luke, too."

I started to relax a little. She seemed motherly, and concerned, but not angry.

"Okay, Deb." I said. "Thank you."

She motioned for me to sit across from her, beside Madeline. "Do you drink coffee, Luke? I have some on the stove."

"I'll get it!" Madeline jumped, begging to be excluded from the situation.
Fuck, Mads!
I gave her a panicked look to which she thoroughly ignored. Thanks, honey.

I looked back at her mother. She was grinning, pleased with herself. She knew I was squirming in my seat.

"So, let's discuss this." She said.

I nodded.
Madeline came back with a mug of coffee for each of us, and sat back down beside me to my relief.

"How did all of this begin?" Deb asked.