Have you ever had your life just where you wanted it, only to have the bottom fall out around you? Well that's what happened to me. I had a job I loved, I was seeing someone who made me feel great about myself, I had a little apartment that fit me perfectly and I was happy. Apparently, somewhere in the big picture, that was not meant for me. I wish I could say that it happened slowly; that I was able to see it coming and be prepared but this pretty much hit me like a bullet train.
I was teaching 2nd grade in a small rural town in Oregon. It was home to a small college that actually doubled the population of the town when in session. Despite the college, the town was just what you would imagine a sleepy little town to be. The town was actually a dry town, which took care of the college students on the weekends. They would leave find somewhere to go to drink and party. We had one stoplight and had to go into the next town if you wanted a decent size grocery store. You could practically see the sidewalks roll up when the sun went down. It was quiet, polite and suited me just fine.
I had attended the college where I got my degree in education. I student taught at the only elementary school in town and when I graduated I took over for my Master Teacher who decided to retire and move to somewhere without so much rain.
I sublet a little garage apartment above someone's garage. It was small but it suited my needs just fine.
Recently I decided to try online dating. There weren't very many men in this town around my age. The college students rarely stayed after graduation and even if they did, where exactly was I supposed to meet anyone? I don't drink, even if there was somewhere in town where you could go do that. I was way to clumsy to even consider dancing anywhere except my apartment while I cleaned. A social butterfly I was not, my weekends usually consisted of cleaning, grading papers and reading a good book.
So one Saturday afternoon, after putting down a particularly romantic novel, I was feeling pretty lonely and decided to give online dating a try. After a few weeks, I hadn't meant anyone very promising, at least no one I was willing to meet in person, when I received a message from a man who said he lived in a nearby town. He attached a picture and I have to say I was immediately intrigued. He was 29, just a few years older than me; he was at least six feet taller, probably closer to 6'4. His blond hair was short and messy, his eyes were a deep blue and he had an incredible smile. He looked vaguely familiar to me, but I couldn't place it. He said his name was Thomas and he was a banker. In his free time, he played the drums, enjoyed the beach and cooking.
After a few emails, we decided to meet for coffee in a nearby city. We hit it off immediately. He was sweet and funny. We got along great. I suppose I should have realized something was wrong after a few months when I had never seen his house. He had been to my apartment several times, always coming after dark though. He also seemed uneasy whenever I talked about my school and my students. It was never anything obvious, just a look I saw on his face sometimes.
Everything went to hell in mid-November during parent conferences.
Thankfully, it was my last scheduled conference. If it hadn't been, well it could have been even worse.
I was waiting for my last set of parents, the parents of a little boy named Dominic. It was going to be an easy conference, Dominic was well behaved, intelligent and a joy to have in class.
I was waiting outside the door of my classroom when I saw Thomas striding across the parking lot. A huge smile broke across my face, he had never come to my school before, I didn't know he knew where it was. I raised my hand to wave, but he didn't return it. His face was set and he looked very uncomfortable.
As he approached me, I saw Dominic's mother also crossing the parking lot.
"I'm so glad you are here," I said to him as he came to stand in front of me, "I have one more conference, can you wait a few minutes?"
He didn't answer me.
Dominic's mother approached me now, "Ms. Swan, how are you?"
"I'm great," I replied.
"Ms. Swan, have you met Dominic's father, my husband Thomas?"
Dominic's father, her husband? Suddenly, the world began to sway around me. I swiftly forgot how to breathe. I forced myself to look at him. His eyes where staring at the ground and he was shifting uncomfortable on his feet.
Dominic's mother looked at me curiously, "Ms. Swan are you okay?"
"You're married?" I croaked out, "You are the father of one of my students?"
Dominic's mother looked very confused, "What's going on, do you two know each other?"
I laughed, I couldn't help it, I just laughed.
"You are cheating on your wife," I spat out.
"How did you know that? Did Dominic say something?" his mother asked looking horrified.
"You liar," I accused, "You lied to me."
"He lied to you? What the hell is going one?" Dominic's mother asked her voice getting louder.
By this time, the teachers on either side of my room had heard the commotion and come out of their rooms to see what was going on,
Suddenly, a light seemed to go off in Dominic's mother's mind.
"You are her," she screeched at me.
I finally realized she was standing there and turned to face her.
"You are the other woman, the woman who is wrecking my family!"
"I didn't know," I replied meekly, "he didn't tell me he was married."
She was furious, "you have been seeing my husband."
"I didn't know," I repeated, the tears threatening to fall.
"Bullshit," she screamed, "His picture was on Dominic's family tree, you had to know."
Suddenly the realization hit me, why he had looked familiar to me, why he always looked uncomfortable when I talked about my class, he had been in Dominic's family picture.
"I am so sorry," I stammered, "I swear I didn't recognize him."
"And you," she screeched finally turning to her husband, "Did you know you were dating our son's teacher?"
"Trudy," he started.
"Did you know?" she screamed.
"Not at first," came his reply.
"I think perhaps, we need to take this conversation somewhere else," a voice spoke.
I turned to see my principal looking at me grimly and my stomach dropped.
"You bastard," Trudy shrieked at her husband before turning on her heel and leaving.
"Thomas?" I said.
"Bella, I'm sorry I should have told you."
"Told me? Told me what? That you were married, that you were the father of one of my students, or that I was the other woman," I screamed, tears streaking down my face.
"Ms. Swan," a stern voice interrupted, "this is not the place."
I looked up at my principal and nodded, "I'm sorry Sir."
Thomas turned and hurried after his wife. I followed my principal into the office.
I spent the weekend crying. Mourning the loss of my relationship, my stupidity, my guilt.
Monday morning came no matter how much I prayed that it wouldn't.
I stood at my door, half-heartedly welcoming my students. I stared off at nothing, avoiding the stares of parents and co-workers. I could see them whispering and pointing. Needless to say Dominic was not in school that day.
The rest of the week went pretty much the same. I tried to half-heartedly to be cheerful for my students, but even their eyes were accusing.
Friday after school my principal called me into his office. He understood that the situation was not my fault, that I had been unaware of Thomas's true identity. However, the school board felt that my little situation was bringing undo scandal to the school and was asking for my immediate resignation.
"Bella, I am sorry," my principal started.
"I understand," I whispered, "I'll get my personal things out by the end of the day."
The drive home Friday was a blur; I left my boxes in the car, not able to carry them inside. I climbed to stairs to my apartment and noticed an envelope taped to the outside of my door. Pulling it off, I opened it and read the type in disbelief.
It was a notice of eviction; I was being kicked out of my apartment.
Turning around I walked to the main house and knocked on the door.
My landlady opened the door, "Hello Isabella," she greeted me tersely.
I held up the letter, "I wanted to ask you about this."
She sighed and indicated for me to come in.
I sat on a chair and waited.
"Have you ever seen a picture of my sister Margaret?"
I shook my head, "I don't think I have Mrs. Newton."
She handed me a framed picture. In the picture was Mrs. Newton, a woman I assumed was her sister Margaret, another woman, probably in her mid-50's and then I woman I recognized all to well.
"That is me, my sister Margaret, her daughter Elise and her granddaughter Trudy."
'Trudy is your great niece," I replied softly.
She nodded.
"I'll be out by the end of the weekend," I replied softly, handing her the picture and walking out the door.
That's how the house of cards that was my life not only fell, but went up in flames at the same time.