When The Stars Align

Chapter 84

My mornings were a routine. Waking up really early, help the kids getting ready, prepare Sarah's lunch, take her to school and then, finally at nine o' clock I'd start my own classes. That morning wasn't different. Usually, James would be up to take Sarah there, but since he was into his own private world that we wouldn't do so. Even at the intervals of tour he stopped doing it. So I took Sarah to school and at nine I began teaching my students. Friday's were the day where I had less classes. I still stayed at college though because there, I could work better. At home there was always something to distract me.

"Miss Roberts..." I called a student that was looking outside. "Do you mind paying attention?" I asked her as she looked at me a bit dazed. I crossed my arms around my chest looking at her puzzled face while the class giggled low.

"I'm sorry.." She stuttered a bit.

"What's so interesting outside?" I asked her.

"Your husband is outside professor. I mean....not interesting, it's just that..." I walked up to the window to find James leaning against his car. Black jeans, white shirt, biker boots and leather jacket. I got distracted a bit myself, being warned by the giggling that maybe I was taking too long, I turned around to face my happy students and smiled at them.

"Back to our subject, so as I was saying...parents get to divide custody when divorce is a mutual agreement." I continued explaining while I walked back and forward, always contemplating the clock in front of me, counting every second for the class to be over. James being there was a good sign, I could hope. So, when my class was over, I went to my office first, to lock it and leave some books and then I almost ran outside. I didn't run, but I walked really fast.

As James saw me coming out of the main door he stood and when my eyes hit him, my steps became slower. I stopped in front of him holding my books in front of me, and I wasn't too sure of what to say, neither did he because we stared at each other for quite some time.

"Hey..." I finally said.

"I know today you don't have any more classes, so I was wondering if maybe you would like to go for a coffee?" He said.

"We need to talk." I said and James nodded, with his gaze on the ground and his hands shoved one the pockets of his jeans.

"Let's go in my car, then I'll bring you back." He suggested. I accepted his offer. Though I didn't have more classes and I could pick up Tyler immediately, I needed to talk to him quietly and Tyler would never let me do that, so my son stayed a bit longer at daycare and my car stayed at the university. James took me to a café near the beach. We sat at its balcony having the noise of the waves crashing on the sand and the seagulls flying around it as soundtrack.

"So..." James said playing with his cup of coffee.

"So..." I said looking at him. I had so many things to tell him and suddenly I didn't know where to start.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." He said in a whisper.

"You're hurting me, our kids and most of all you're hurting yourself." I said. "James...please, talk to me! Why can't you talk to me." I told him.

"I don't have anything to say!" He defended himself.

"Ok.." I said looking away, not believing the resistance he could offer. "I know you're aching because you lost your father. I know this must be really hard for you, because yet, you lost another person in your life." I said.

"Oh please..." He shook his head taking the cup to his lips, and even if he eyes were flooded in tears ready to fall, he held it inside and denied it. "My father has nothing to do with it. We weren't even close. He died; I am sorry for that but..." He shrugged. "It's not that...." He looked back at me again.