Chapter Seven

The week started just like any other week. Alex and Katie went to work, met with friends, and had dinner together. It was a routine week. Until Friday, the day of the field trip. Katie was a nervous wreck. She kept checking and rechecking everything.

Alex watched as she recounted the number of students in her class for the sixth time before he stepped in.

"Katie, will you quit before you drive yourself mental? They're all here," he said.

"Miss Calloway, the bus is here!"

Katie turned tortured eyes to Alex before she took a deep breath. "Okay class. Line up."

In their excitement, they did what they were told. They managed to get out of the school and onto the bus without Katie having a melt down. On the way to the zoo, they sung camp songs at full volume, much to the chagrin of the bus driver. When they were all assembled at the front gates, Katie had them get into their groups.

"Alright, kids! Get into your groups please."

Before he knew it, Alex had a group of six kids in his care. He loved kids so he didn't mind. It was an added bonus that they all thought he was the coolest.

Katie went to talk to the person in charge of field trips. The meeting only took a few moments and then they were through. They saw the lions, tigers, and bears and many other animals. The kids had a blast and Katie was there to capture it on her camera. She even managed to get one of Alex making faces at the white alligators with his group.

For lunch, they ate at the outside café so the kids could play on the jungle gym. The chaperones settled their groups and sat down at a table to talk.

"This was a great day for a field trip, Miss Calloway," one mother said.

"I agree," another said.

"Thanks. I wanted to come right before school ended but it was a gamble. It can get really hot during the middle of May," Katie said.

"Which kid is yours, Alex?" Marlene, Charlie's mom, asked.

"I don't have any children," he said, knowing full well that she knew that already because he had told her, right before they got onto the bus.

"So why are you here?" she asked, trying to be inquisitive and failing.

"I'm doing a friend a favor," he said, trying hard to not roll his eyes and glare at the woman.

Just then, Abigail, one of the children in Alex's group cried out. He stood up and walked over to where the girl was sprawled on the ground.

"What happened?" he asked bending down.

"I fell off the monkey bars and scraped my knee," she said trying to keep the tears from falling.

"Let me see," he said, gently removing her hand to look at the scrape, which wasn't bad. "Can you walk over to the table or do you need help?" he asked.

"I can walk."

"Come on," he said giving the girl his hand.

Abigail placed her hand in his and he helped her to walk to the table where Katie had pulled out a box of plasters and peroxide.

"Now this won't hurt okay?"

Abigail nodded as she watched Alex pour a little peroxide on her scrape. She giggled.

"It tickles," she said.

Alex smiled as he wiped it away.

"Now, we have Dora the Explorer and Barbie. Which one do you want?"

"Barbie," she said, shyly.

"There," he said a second later. "All done."

She hopped down, but before she left, she blushed as she gave him a quick hug.

Katie walked up to him and whispered, "You have a way with ladies of all ages."

He looked up and winked. "You know it."

Katie walked away laughing.

They returned to the school before dismissal. The kids were thrilled. All during the ride back, they argued over which group leader was the best and which animal was the coolest. Before they were dismissed, they begged Alex to tell them a story since he had such great ones. When they were finally dismissed, Abigail stayed behind.

"Are you okay, Abby?" he asked.

She nodded her head as she slowly made her way over to where he was sitting.

"Here," she said before running out of the classroom.

Looking down, he saw that she had drew him a picture where he was a superhero saving the world. Smiling, he folded the picture and put it in his pocket as he helped Katie clear out the room, thinking, If she only knew.

888

School ended a week later. When Alex got off early, he went over to the school to help Katie. The worst part of being a teacher was putting up and taking down all of the decorations. Mostly, it was Alex putting up and taking down decorations while she directed him from the ground.

By the time May was completely over, Jack looked like she was about to pop. Shane had become a nervous wreck. He checked and rechecked the car to make sure that anything Jack may need when she went into labor was already packed and ready to go. Jack, being the emotional one, fussed at him for being so twitchy, but deep inside, she was happy he cared so much.

When June rolled around, Katie was used to being home alone for most of the day while Alex was at work. During her alone time, she brainstormed what she could do differently when school started back in August while she cleaned the house for fun.

On one such June day, she was outside washing her dark blue VW Jetta when her solitude was interrupted.

"Excuse me," someone said behind her.

Katie turned off the water and wiped her wet hands on a towel as she turned around to face the newcomer.

"Yes?" she asked, squinting behind her sunglasses.

"I'm looking for the Rider house," the woman said.

Katie raised an eyebrow. The woman in question was a little bit taller than she was, standing at 5'6. She had a pale complexion with a hint of a tan, dark hair, and blue eyes. For some reason, Katie thought she looked familiar but she knew she had never seen this woman before.

"This is the Rider house," Katie said.

"Oh." The woman looked taken aback by something. "Um, is Alex home?"

"He's out at the moment. Who did you say you were again?"

"Sabina. Sabina Pleasure."


Did you see that coming? What can she want I wonder? Hmmm. What do you think so far? Too much fluff? Some less fluffy things are up on the agenda. Until then... -RC