Lindsay Peterson-Kinney sat down at her desk in exhaustion. She couldn't believe the difference the transition to high school from elementary made in how tired she was at the end of her day. It was barely 3:30 but unlike the finger painting and cutesy arts and crafts she prepared for her first through fifth graders in years past, her high school students were demanding. They were at different levels and each one needed individual attention on their projects. Add to that the afterschool clubs she sponsored and faculty meetings and it made for a very long day. Today was Tuesday, time for Art Club students to start trickling in to her classroom. She opened her email and shot a quick note to her husband Brian, reminding him to pick up their son Gus from after-school care. Gus had just started first grade and the pick-up routine was much more difficult now that he was no longer able to stay at daycare until Lindsay was off so Brian was picking him up and bringing him to Lindsay and then he would go back to work and she would take Gus home. It was quite the scheduling ordeal. The school year had just started and all-ready she was looking forward to Christmas break.
The kids at St. James Academy had impressed Lindsay thus far; most of the kids were from WASPy families much like her own. They all had involved parents and were all college-bound. Most headed to ivy leagues or schools where their grandfather's had buildings named after them; most of them legacies in one way or another. Some of the students had air of superiority about them, stuck up and privileged to the point of obnoxiousness. A few she found surprised her with their kind hearts and maturity particularly a gifted senior named Justin Taylor. Justin was the de-facto leader of art club, clearly not the most popular student, but the other artsy kids respected his talent and looked to him as a leader. Justin was so friendly to Lindsay when she started at St. James. Many of the other dedicated art students were cold and unwelcoming; it hadn't helped that she replaced a popular teacher who had left the school in a scandal. Mr. Snyder, the previous art teacher, had officially "resigned suddenly due to illness" but rumor had it he was actually fired when he was outed as a gay man on local television at last year's Pride parade and it was discovered by administration that he was HIV positive. Despite many students rallying for him, the administration and parents refused to budge and Mr. Snyder was swept under the proverbial rug.
Lindsay glanced at the clock and was surprised that Justin hadn't arrived yet; he was usually the first to show up and help get supplies ready. She assumed he was delayed by his very sweet and sassy girlfriend Daphne, or at least she assumed they were a couple since they seemed to always be together. Lindsay wasn't sure. Dating relationships today seem so different than when she and Brian were dating.
The students flooded in to the classroom and Lindsay quickly lost track of time as she helped several of them to prepare a piece for a scholarship competition offered by the archdiocese. Justin came in late, looking flustered. His disheveled appearance was a sharp contrast to his normal well groomed look. He immediately set up his easel and started mixing paint.
"Are you all right Justin?" Lindsay asked concerned for one of her favorite students.
Justin looked up just briefly and shook his head yes but the bluish-purple coloring forming under his eye was answering the question for him. Lindsay opted to wait to pursue the matter until the club was complete. She watched Justin paint furiously with his headphones on, blocking out the rest of the world. As the clock struck 4:45 and the students all began to pack up, Justin seemed undeterred. Lindsay watched him as he painted. The image started to form in front of her on the canvas. Lindsay wasn't sure what she was seeing, she blinked a few times and cleared her eyes. The room was empty except for Justin at his easel and Lindsay observing his work from a safe distance behind him. She gasped as she came to realize what she was looking at. It couldn't be, could it?
"Justin" Lindsay called out tapping his shoulder to get his attention over his music, "What are you working on?"
Justin looked up, annoyed at Lindsay's interruption but after realizing that Art Club was actually over and all the students had left, he felt bad "Oh Sorry Mrs. Peterson-Kinney. I was just really inspired I guess. I was working on my piece for the scholarship"
"Justin, that competition requires the submissions to be religious themed" Lindsay grabbed the flyer from the scholarship announcement and handed it to him as a reminder.
Justin took the paper and folded it up, sticking it in his pocket dismissively. "Yeah, I know! I just saw this man the other night. He reminded me, um, well, I guess inspired me." Justin laughed nervously before looking over his work and remarking to his favorite teacher, "I'm going to call it 'The face of God'"
A hearty chuckle came from behind them at the doorway of the classroom causing both to turn abruptly. Justin's mouth dropped open. There was the man; the man he saw last night. Last night he was wearing sweatshorts and a black tank-top leaving a spin class with another man. Justin saw him from the coffee shop across the street and just knew not only that he was gay but that he was the one. He was the one Justin had been waiting for. But today he was wearing a fitted suit, holding the hand of a small boy who looked exactly like him. Justin was confused and flustered and was praying that this man hadn't seen his painting.
"The Face of God?" the man smirked, his perfect hazel eyes dancing in child-like amusement, "I like it".
Justin stammered to come up with some plausible explanation as to how his deity from last night was now standing in his Art class but then it happened. He watched horrified as Mrs. Peterson-Kinney walked over to the man, kissed his cheek and kissed the cheek of the small boy and then the horrible words left her mouth, "Justin" she said a bit awkwardly, "I'd like to introduce you to my son Gus and my husband Brian Kinney"