CHAPTER THREE
The Medical Office of Michael Burton, MD
Friday, April 2, 2004
7:00 AM
Mike was just hanging his jacket up in his office when he heard a knock on the front door. He looked at his watch and noted that it read seven o'clock on the dot. 'Well,' he thought, 'Dr. Smiley is punctual.'
As Mike walked to the front door he thought – again – about Dr. Robert Smiley's name. 'Smiley ... Smiley. Man that name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?.'
Mike opened the door and got his first look at Robert Smiley. Smiley was about Mike's height with medium length blond hair and gray eyes. He was clean shaven and had a pleasant face – but not what one would consider overly handsome. True to his name, he smiled when he extended his hand and asked, "Dr. Burton?"
"Dr. Smiley, I presume?" Mike joked as he shook Smiley's hand.
Smiley laughed at the doctor humor and nodded.
"Come on in," Mike said and waved Smiley inside.
Smiley walked in and looked around. But there wasn't anything surprising about the space – it was a typical medical office. Mike closed the door and turned back to Smiley.
"Why don't we have a seat in my office?" Mike said as he waved Smiley down the hallway and into a large office. Mike smiled in contentment when he passed that threshold, knowing that it was "his" office now ... and not Dr. Jerome's!
Mike sat behind the desk and Smiley took one of the two seats on the other side of the desk. Mike picked up a folder on the side of the desk and opened it. He flipped through a couple of pages and then looked up at Smiley.
"Well," Mike said, "I gotta tell you, you're credentials are impressive. Pre-med at Georgetown, medical degree from Columbia, medical rotations at some of the finest hospitals in the country."
Smiley waved off the compliment.
"Frankly," Mike continued, "I'm surprised someone with your background isn't running a practice on his own or heading up a major department at a hospital."
"To be equally frank," Smiley said, "I like being a general practitioner. I also like knowing that someone is there to help out with patients and to bounce ideas off of. I'm not sure any one person can hold the entire body of medical knowledge in their head."
"You've obviously never met Dr. Jerome, the former head of this practice," Mike said acerbically.
"Never met him," Smiley agreed, "but I have heard a lot about him. Always heard he was an excellent doctor."
Smiley took one look at Mike's face and quickly continued, "but I heard he could be ... prickly."
"I'm not sure how much 'ly' there was, but as for the rest..." Mike said with a snort.
"Anyway," Mike said with a shake of his head, "what I wanted to do was get a chance to meet you, talk things over, and suggest that you spend a day or two working with me. Give us a chance to size each other up and see how it would be working together."
"Sounds good to me," Smiley said with a smile.
Mike and Smiley spent the next half hour talking more about their medical backgrounds, their philosophies of medical practice, and their thoughts about the future of medicine.
At the end of the half hour, Mike was feeling very good about Robert Smiley, MD. Smiley seemed to share many of his own philosophies about patient care and medical practice. And Smiley certainly seemed to have a pleasant "bedside" manner.
"Well, Rob," Mike said as he stood up, "when do you think you could spend a day or so working here?"
"I'm free on Monday, actually," Smiley said.
Mike was momentarily taken aback at how soon Smiley could come in, but Smiley continued, "I'm on a little bit of a vacation right now, so it works out, huh?"
"Monday is fine," Mike said as they started walking out of the office. "Do you have a place you're staying in the area."
"Oh," Smiley said, "my parents live in Jaspertown. Mom's a doctor at Jaspertown Memorial Hospital and dad...? Dad's retired."
"What did your dad do?" Mike asked as they got to the front door and shook hands.
"Oh," Smiley replied. "He worked in television."
"Really?" Mike said.
"Yep," Smiley replied, "he's a great guy. Taught me a lot of what I use today. See you on Monday at nine, Mike. Have a good weekend."
"Yeah, you too," Mike said. "See you on Monday."
For once, Mike couldn't wait for Monday to come.
***
Stuckeyville High School
Friday, April 2, 2004
9:30 AM
Molly closed the file on her desk and looked at her watch.
'Oops!' she thought. 'It's 9:30 already! Get a move on girl!'
Molly got up from the desk and headed for the door, stopping to grab her jacket. As she exited her office, she stopped to have a word with her secretary.
"Okay, Lori," Molly said, "I'm off to meet with the school board. I have my cell phone with me if there's an emergency."
"Got it, Molly," Lori replied as she looked up from typing at the computer.
"Don't forget," Molly said as she paused in the door to the hallway, "in the event of a fire..."
"...teachers and administrators first!" Lori finished the joke she shared with Molly with a smile.
Molly smiled back and waved as she headed down the hallway.
Molly was almost to the doors to the parking lot when she saw the door open up and a student step inside. Molly was in shadows because of the hallway lighting and the outside light streaming in the windows, so the student didn't see her...until she decided to step out of the shadows and into his path.
"Mr. Knoll ... so glad you could join us this morning at Stuckeyville High School!" Molly said with a stern cheerfulness.
Ryan Knoll flinched in surprise and shock. 'Of all the people to get busted by!' he thought.
"Um, hey, Ms. Hudson," Ryan said as he stalled for time, desperately trying to figure out a suitable excuse. "Sorry, I'm late, but I overslept this morning."
"Really?" Molly said as she tried to looked into Ryan's eyes, but he kept avoiding eye contact. Ryan felt like she was examining the inside of his skull and he swallowed convulsively.
"That's strange," Molly continued, "because I spoke to your father about 20 minutes ago and he said you had left the house on time this morning. So...you like, what, fell asleep on the front lawn or something?"
Ryan's jaw clenched when Molly mentioned talking to his father. 'Damn her!' he thought. Molly didn't fail to miss Ryan's reaction to her mention of his father, either.
"So, Ryan," Molly said sweetly, "would you like to try again or shall we just skip ahead to the part where you throw yourself on my tender mercies?"
Ryan glared at her for a second, then glanced at the floor and said, "Whatever...."
"Well, that was an intelligent response," Molly said. She looked at Ryan sternly for another moment, then her expression softened and she said, "Look, Ryan, I need you to tell me where you've been, okay?"
"Why should I?" Ryan answered with rising anger and voice. "Because you're the principal ... or because you're sleeping with my father!?"
Molly was taken aback with Ryan's outburst, but when she recovered the softened expression was gone.
Molly fired back, "Listen mister I'm asking the question because I AM principal of this high school and I just caught you sneaking in two hours late!" She paused, before continuing more quietly, "But, I am also asking because I do happen to be dating your father and I think he would be concerned about where you've been the last two hours. So, your choice. Answer my question or get detention."
"Guess it will be detention, then," Ryan said through clenched teeth as he gave another momentary glare to Molly. "Been there, done that."
"Well, then," Molly said with a sad expression, "detention it is."
"Are we done here?" Ryan asked in a sullen voice. He started to walk away.
"Not quite," Molly said.
Ryan turned around slowly, anger evident in his posture and expression.
'Good grief!' Molly thought. 'This kid is wound up!'
"I realize that your father is working this afternoon," Molly said, "and you think you might be able to hide this detention from him. But don't worry, I'll make sure he knows that you disappeared for two hours this morning."
Ryan snorted, gave a quick glance at Molly's face, and said contemptuously, "I'm not overly concerned. My father thinks that sending me to my room or grounding me is a punishment. I spend most of my time in my room anyway and I rarely go out!"
"Well," Molly said, "that's true. But *I* know better and I'll make sure your father gets the benefit of my advice."
Ryan flushed darkly. His eyes flashed as he almost growled at Molly, "You want to give me detention for coming to school two hours later, fine! But stay out of my life! I'm not your son!!"
"And I'm not your mother!" Molly snapped ... and instantly regretted it as Ryan's eyes widened in shock. For a second, Molly thought she saw tears welling up in his eyes, but he looked away again before she could be sure.
After an awkward moment, Ryan's shoulders slumped and he very quietly said, "No, you're not."
Molly took a step forward and said, "Look, Ryan, I..."
Ryan interrupted and said in a defeated voice, "Are we done now?"
"Yeah," Molly said after a pause. "Yeah, we're done. Go get to class."
Ryan turned around and strode away, his whole body quivering with spent adrenaline ... and a heart wrenching sadness. He wouldn't ... couldn't tell Ms. Hudson where he'd been! He knew she would understand ... she always understood. But he just couldn't bring himself to tell her! It was between him and...
Ryan cut the thought off with a mental wince. His father might have forgotten, but he had not. Today was his mother's birthday and Ryan had spent the last two hours in the cemetery.
Molly watched him walk away in disbelief. She couldn't believe how badly that conversation had gone. She shook herself and started to walk away herself. As she opened the door to the parking lot, she gave one last glance at Ryan's departing back and sighed.
***
Stuckeyville High School
Friday, April 2, 2004
11:45 AM
Ed walked into Stuckeyville High School and started down one of the hallways – it was obviously in between classes. He passed a few students, who recognized him as the owner of StuckeyBowl as well as Ms. Vessey's boyfriend. As Ed strode down the hallway, he looked resolute.
He noted that things looked different as he walked down the hall this time. He remembered how big the high school had seemed when he first started there so many years ago ('TOO many!' he thought with a sigh). But as his years at Stuckeyville High had continued, the place seemed to become a second home, a comfortable escape from his parents – what teenager didn't want to escape from their parents? When he had returned to Stuckeyville in pursuit of Carol, the high school had changed. It had seemed...smaller. Maybe more worn down too. 'Kind of like how I felt at the time, I guess,' Ed thought.
But now ... now the place seemed to glow again. Maybe it was just that he was in such a good mood. Maybe it was that he was about to ask the love of his life to marry him...
'This is it. No fancy build-ups, this time,' he thought. 'I'm just going to pop the question.'
'And no damn cell phone to interrupt us this time!' Ed thought with satisfaction as he recalled his cell phone tucked into the glove compartment of the Explorer.
Ed turned a corner into the hallway towards Carol's classroom. Students passed on both sides of him, almost parting before him. He stopped outside of Carol's classroom and looked in.
'There she is,' Ed thought softly. Even his thoughts of her were like a gentle caress.
Ed stood there and just ... watched. A couple of girls giggled when they saw him just looking into the classroom at Carol, who happened to be sideways to the door and bent over her desk reading some papers.
Ed thought back again to his high school years and the longing glances he had stolen of one Carol Vessey. The prettiest girl in school. The girl who had stolen his heart. The girl who had turned him into a gibbering idiot at the mere thought of speaking with her.
Once again, Ed felt his breath escape him as he looked at her. He wanted to remember this moment for years to come. Carol was in a pale-yellow, form fitting dress that came to just above her knees. She had on a pair of matching pumps and her hair – which she had let grow out in the last year – was pulled back by a hair clip; a few wisps of hair had escaped and now framed her delicate, elfin face.
Ed cleared his throat and Carol looked up startled. Her surprise turned to pleasure when she saw Ed and she smiled that smile that only he seemed to be able to draw from her.
"Hey," Ed said as he walked into the classroom.
"Hey, yourself," Carol said as she walked over to meet Ed halfway. She stood up on her tip-toes for a moment to kiss and hug him warmly.
Ed didn't know it, but he had just made her day. Even though she and Ed were living together, she hadn't really seen him since Wednesday night. When Ed had gotten home Wednesday night from defusing Phil's screw-up with the leagues it was very late. He had gotten up extra early on Thursday to start work on the research for Mayor Kendricks and had worked late into the night. He had gotten up early again that morning and went back to work.
And Carol had had a lousy morning. First, she almost set the house on fire when the toaster got stuck and burnt the bread to a crisp. When she went to get it out, she somehow (she still didn't know how) blew a fuse and had to fumble around in the basement in the dark (because the basement was on the same breaker, the flashlight batteries had died and there were no replacements) to reset the breaker. She had barked her shins three times on various boxes and junk before finding the breaker box. Then her car didn't want to start and she finally called Molly to catch a ride. And, of course, her students were being particularly dense today.
So, Carol was very happy to see him. Ed was little surprised at the passion with which Carol hugged and kissed him, but he certainly let himself enjoy it.
"So," Ed said, "what do you have planned for lunch?"
"Well," Carol said, "I thought I'd let a tall, dark, handsome man buy me lunch."
"Really?" Ed said smugly.
"Yep," Carol replied. Then she grinned and continued, "but he just called to say he can't make it, so I guess you can buy me lunch."
"Hah," Ed said with a grin, "just for that I think you'll be buying me lunch."
"You're on," Carol said with another smile that, if tapped, would have kept Stuckeyville in electricity for a year.
Carol grabbed a sweater and started to head out of the classroom. Ed took a breath and reached into his pocket and said, "Carol?"
Carol stopped, turned around and looked at Ed curiously.
"Yes, Ed," she asked.
Ed pulled his hand out of his pocket and opened his mouth, prepared – again – to drop to his right knee.
"Ms. Vessey, please report to the principal's office," Molly's voice said over the public address system. "Ms. Vessey, please report to the principal's office."
Ed's mouth closed with a sigh. He said, "Guess you better go, huh? Wouldn't do to keep Principal Hudson waiting."
"Um, yeah," Carol said. "Can we take a rain check?"
"Absolutely," Ed said and walked over to kiss her.
"Okay, then," Carol said with a smile, oblivious to what had just been interrupted. "I'll see you later. I love you."
"Love you, too," Ed said as Carol spun on one heel and left the classroom.
She was gone in an instant and all Ed was left with was an afterimage of her on his retina, her perfume lingering in the air ... and the engagement ring in his hand.
Ed looked at the ring in his palm and then at the blackboard. As students continued to file past on their way to their next class, a few happened to glance into Ms. Vessey's classroom and see a tall, dark-haired man quietly pounding his head against the blackboard in frustration.
***
Stuckeyville High School
Friday, April 2, 2004
12:00 AM
Carol knocked on the doorframe into Molly's office, just as she had countless times since Molly had become Principal.
Molly looked up and said, "Carol, hey! Come on in."
Carol walked in and was surprised when Molly walked over and closed the door. Carol's eyes narrowed as Molly walked back over and sat down.
"Sit down, Carol," Molly said neutrally.
"Okay," Carol said, her instincts on the defensive.
"Hope you weren't busy," Molly said conversationally.
"Um, actually," Carol said, "Ed and I were just about to head out and get some lunch when you paged me."
"Oops, sorry," Molly said. "This could have waited."
"WHAT could have waited?" Carol said with intense interest.
"I had my meeting with the school board this morning," Molly said, then trailed off.
"AND?" Carol asked.
"And they want me to coordinate a school assembly for next Thursday," Molly said.
"A school assembly?" Carol repeated quizzically. "What for?"
"Well," Molly said slowly, "that's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"Molly," Carol said forcefully, "you're dancing around some issue like Ed and I used to dance around our feelings for one another."
"Funny you should bring you and Ed up," Molly said, "since this does have something to do with you and Ed and your past. Well, sort of."
"Molly!" Carol said, unable to restrain herself. "What is going on?"
"The assembly is for Nick Stanton!" Molly blurted out.
"WHAT?!" Carol exclaimed and stood up.
"Its about Nick's new book," Molly said as she stood up herself. "The book is dedicated to Stuckeyville and City Council. So somehow or other, City Council has invited Nick to Stuckeyville to receive some award – the key to the city of something. Not sure on that part. But anyway, the school board decided to get in on the act and has arranged for Nick to make a speech during his trip."
Molly looked over at Carol, who kind of stood there looking dumbstruck. After a moment, Carol composed herself.
"And ... and why," Carol said very carefully, "would you think I needed to be told in person ... and with the door closed?"
"I think your reaction to my news was reason enough," Molly said simply. "Besides, I saw your reaction to that woman reading Nick's book the other day and you yourself told me it bothered you that Nick was married with kids. What was I supposed to think?"
"Okay," Carol said after a moment, "you may have a point. But now that I know I'm fine with it. So Nick is coming back to Stuckeyville. Why should that be a problem."
"I don't know that it should," Molly said, "but I wanted you to hear it from me first."
Carol looked at her friend for a moment, then smiled slightly and said, "Thanks, Molls."
Molly returned the smile in relief.
The Medical Office of Michael Burton, MD
Friday, April 2, 2004
7:00 AM
Mike was just hanging his jacket up in his office when he heard a knock on the front door. He looked at his watch and noted that it read seven o'clock on the dot. 'Well,' he thought, 'Dr. Smiley is punctual.'
As Mike walked to the front door he thought – again – about Dr. Robert Smiley's name. 'Smiley ... Smiley. Man that name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before?.'
Mike opened the door and got his first look at Robert Smiley. Smiley was about Mike's height with medium length blond hair and gray eyes. He was clean shaven and had a pleasant face – but not what one would consider overly handsome. True to his name, he smiled when he extended his hand and asked, "Dr. Burton?"
"Dr. Smiley, I presume?" Mike joked as he shook Smiley's hand.
Smiley laughed at the doctor humor and nodded.
"Come on in," Mike said and waved Smiley inside.
Smiley walked in and looked around. But there wasn't anything surprising about the space – it was a typical medical office. Mike closed the door and turned back to Smiley.
"Why don't we have a seat in my office?" Mike said as he waved Smiley down the hallway and into a large office. Mike smiled in contentment when he passed that threshold, knowing that it was "his" office now ... and not Dr. Jerome's!
Mike sat behind the desk and Smiley took one of the two seats on the other side of the desk. Mike picked up a folder on the side of the desk and opened it. He flipped through a couple of pages and then looked up at Smiley.
"Well," Mike said, "I gotta tell you, you're credentials are impressive. Pre-med at Georgetown, medical degree from Columbia, medical rotations at some of the finest hospitals in the country."
Smiley waved off the compliment.
"Frankly," Mike continued, "I'm surprised someone with your background isn't running a practice on his own or heading up a major department at a hospital."
"To be equally frank," Smiley said, "I like being a general practitioner. I also like knowing that someone is there to help out with patients and to bounce ideas off of. I'm not sure any one person can hold the entire body of medical knowledge in their head."
"You've obviously never met Dr. Jerome, the former head of this practice," Mike said acerbically.
"Never met him," Smiley agreed, "but I have heard a lot about him. Always heard he was an excellent doctor."
Smiley took one look at Mike's face and quickly continued, "but I heard he could be ... prickly."
"I'm not sure how much 'ly' there was, but as for the rest..." Mike said with a snort.
"Anyway," Mike said with a shake of his head, "what I wanted to do was get a chance to meet you, talk things over, and suggest that you spend a day or two working with me. Give us a chance to size each other up and see how it would be working together."
"Sounds good to me," Smiley said with a smile.
Mike and Smiley spent the next half hour talking more about their medical backgrounds, their philosophies of medical practice, and their thoughts about the future of medicine.
At the end of the half hour, Mike was feeling very good about Robert Smiley, MD. Smiley seemed to share many of his own philosophies about patient care and medical practice. And Smiley certainly seemed to have a pleasant "bedside" manner.
"Well, Rob," Mike said as he stood up, "when do you think you could spend a day or so working here?"
"I'm free on Monday, actually," Smiley said.
Mike was momentarily taken aback at how soon Smiley could come in, but Smiley continued, "I'm on a little bit of a vacation right now, so it works out, huh?"
"Monday is fine," Mike said as they started walking out of the office. "Do you have a place you're staying in the area."
"Oh," Smiley said, "my parents live in Jaspertown. Mom's a doctor at Jaspertown Memorial Hospital and dad...? Dad's retired."
"What did your dad do?" Mike asked as they got to the front door and shook hands.
"Oh," Smiley replied. "He worked in television."
"Really?" Mike said.
"Yep," Smiley replied, "he's a great guy. Taught me a lot of what I use today. See you on Monday at nine, Mike. Have a good weekend."
"Yeah, you too," Mike said. "See you on Monday."
For once, Mike couldn't wait for Monday to come.
***
Stuckeyville High School
Friday, April 2, 2004
9:30 AM
Molly closed the file on her desk and looked at her watch.
'Oops!' she thought. 'It's 9:30 already! Get a move on girl!'
Molly got up from the desk and headed for the door, stopping to grab her jacket. As she exited her office, she stopped to have a word with her secretary.
"Okay, Lori," Molly said, "I'm off to meet with the school board. I have my cell phone with me if there's an emergency."
"Got it, Molly," Lori replied as she looked up from typing at the computer.
"Don't forget," Molly said as she paused in the door to the hallway, "in the event of a fire..."
"...teachers and administrators first!" Lori finished the joke she shared with Molly with a smile.
Molly smiled back and waved as she headed down the hallway.
Molly was almost to the doors to the parking lot when she saw the door open up and a student step inside. Molly was in shadows because of the hallway lighting and the outside light streaming in the windows, so the student didn't see her...until she decided to step out of the shadows and into his path.
"Mr. Knoll ... so glad you could join us this morning at Stuckeyville High School!" Molly said with a stern cheerfulness.
Ryan Knoll flinched in surprise and shock. 'Of all the people to get busted by!' he thought.
"Um, hey, Ms. Hudson," Ryan said as he stalled for time, desperately trying to figure out a suitable excuse. "Sorry, I'm late, but I overslept this morning."
"Really?" Molly said as she tried to looked into Ryan's eyes, but he kept avoiding eye contact. Ryan felt like she was examining the inside of his skull and he swallowed convulsively.
"That's strange," Molly continued, "because I spoke to your father about 20 minutes ago and he said you had left the house on time this morning. So...you like, what, fell asleep on the front lawn or something?"
Ryan's jaw clenched when Molly mentioned talking to his father. 'Damn her!' he thought. Molly didn't fail to miss Ryan's reaction to her mention of his father, either.
"So, Ryan," Molly said sweetly, "would you like to try again or shall we just skip ahead to the part where you throw yourself on my tender mercies?"
Ryan glared at her for a second, then glanced at the floor and said, "Whatever...."
"Well, that was an intelligent response," Molly said. She looked at Ryan sternly for another moment, then her expression softened and she said, "Look, Ryan, I need you to tell me where you've been, okay?"
"Why should I?" Ryan answered with rising anger and voice. "Because you're the principal ... or because you're sleeping with my father!?"
Molly was taken aback with Ryan's outburst, but when she recovered the softened expression was gone.
Molly fired back, "Listen mister I'm asking the question because I AM principal of this high school and I just caught you sneaking in two hours late!" She paused, before continuing more quietly, "But, I am also asking because I do happen to be dating your father and I think he would be concerned about where you've been the last two hours. So, your choice. Answer my question or get detention."
"Guess it will be detention, then," Ryan said through clenched teeth as he gave another momentary glare to Molly. "Been there, done that."
"Well, then," Molly said with a sad expression, "detention it is."
"Are we done here?" Ryan asked in a sullen voice. He started to walk away.
"Not quite," Molly said.
Ryan turned around slowly, anger evident in his posture and expression.
'Good grief!' Molly thought. 'This kid is wound up!'
"I realize that your father is working this afternoon," Molly said, "and you think you might be able to hide this detention from him. But don't worry, I'll make sure he knows that you disappeared for two hours this morning."
Ryan snorted, gave a quick glance at Molly's face, and said contemptuously, "I'm not overly concerned. My father thinks that sending me to my room or grounding me is a punishment. I spend most of my time in my room anyway and I rarely go out!"
"Well," Molly said, "that's true. But *I* know better and I'll make sure your father gets the benefit of my advice."
Ryan flushed darkly. His eyes flashed as he almost growled at Molly, "You want to give me detention for coming to school two hours later, fine! But stay out of my life! I'm not your son!!"
"And I'm not your mother!" Molly snapped ... and instantly regretted it as Ryan's eyes widened in shock. For a second, Molly thought she saw tears welling up in his eyes, but he looked away again before she could be sure.
After an awkward moment, Ryan's shoulders slumped and he very quietly said, "No, you're not."
Molly took a step forward and said, "Look, Ryan, I..."
Ryan interrupted and said in a defeated voice, "Are we done now?"
"Yeah," Molly said after a pause. "Yeah, we're done. Go get to class."
Ryan turned around and strode away, his whole body quivering with spent adrenaline ... and a heart wrenching sadness. He wouldn't ... couldn't tell Ms. Hudson where he'd been! He knew she would understand ... she always understood. But he just couldn't bring himself to tell her! It was between him and...
Ryan cut the thought off with a mental wince. His father might have forgotten, but he had not. Today was his mother's birthday and Ryan had spent the last two hours in the cemetery.
Molly watched him walk away in disbelief. She couldn't believe how badly that conversation had gone. She shook herself and started to walk away herself. As she opened the door to the parking lot, she gave one last glance at Ryan's departing back and sighed.
***
Stuckeyville High School
Friday, April 2, 2004
11:45 AM
Ed walked into Stuckeyville High School and started down one of the hallways – it was obviously in between classes. He passed a few students, who recognized him as the owner of StuckeyBowl as well as Ms. Vessey's boyfriend. As Ed strode down the hallway, he looked resolute.
He noted that things looked different as he walked down the hall this time. He remembered how big the high school had seemed when he first started there so many years ago ('TOO many!' he thought with a sigh). But as his years at Stuckeyville High had continued, the place seemed to become a second home, a comfortable escape from his parents – what teenager didn't want to escape from their parents? When he had returned to Stuckeyville in pursuit of Carol, the high school had changed. It had seemed...smaller. Maybe more worn down too. 'Kind of like how I felt at the time, I guess,' Ed thought.
But now ... now the place seemed to glow again. Maybe it was just that he was in such a good mood. Maybe it was that he was about to ask the love of his life to marry him...
'This is it. No fancy build-ups, this time,' he thought. 'I'm just going to pop the question.'
'And no damn cell phone to interrupt us this time!' Ed thought with satisfaction as he recalled his cell phone tucked into the glove compartment of the Explorer.
Ed turned a corner into the hallway towards Carol's classroom. Students passed on both sides of him, almost parting before him. He stopped outside of Carol's classroom and looked in.
'There she is,' Ed thought softly. Even his thoughts of her were like a gentle caress.
Ed stood there and just ... watched. A couple of girls giggled when they saw him just looking into the classroom at Carol, who happened to be sideways to the door and bent over her desk reading some papers.
Ed thought back again to his high school years and the longing glances he had stolen of one Carol Vessey. The prettiest girl in school. The girl who had stolen his heart. The girl who had turned him into a gibbering idiot at the mere thought of speaking with her.
Once again, Ed felt his breath escape him as he looked at her. He wanted to remember this moment for years to come. Carol was in a pale-yellow, form fitting dress that came to just above her knees. She had on a pair of matching pumps and her hair – which she had let grow out in the last year – was pulled back by a hair clip; a few wisps of hair had escaped and now framed her delicate, elfin face.
Ed cleared his throat and Carol looked up startled. Her surprise turned to pleasure when she saw Ed and she smiled that smile that only he seemed to be able to draw from her.
"Hey," Ed said as he walked into the classroom.
"Hey, yourself," Carol said as she walked over to meet Ed halfway. She stood up on her tip-toes for a moment to kiss and hug him warmly.
Ed didn't know it, but he had just made her day. Even though she and Ed were living together, she hadn't really seen him since Wednesday night. When Ed had gotten home Wednesday night from defusing Phil's screw-up with the leagues it was very late. He had gotten up extra early on Thursday to start work on the research for Mayor Kendricks and had worked late into the night. He had gotten up early again that morning and went back to work.
And Carol had had a lousy morning. First, she almost set the house on fire when the toaster got stuck and burnt the bread to a crisp. When she went to get it out, she somehow (she still didn't know how) blew a fuse and had to fumble around in the basement in the dark (because the basement was on the same breaker, the flashlight batteries had died and there were no replacements) to reset the breaker. She had barked her shins three times on various boxes and junk before finding the breaker box. Then her car didn't want to start and she finally called Molly to catch a ride. And, of course, her students were being particularly dense today.
So, Carol was very happy to see him. Ed was little surprised at the passion with which Carol hugged and kissed him, but he certainly let himself enjoy it.
"So," Ed said, "what do you have planned for lunch?"
"Well," Carol said, "I thought I'd let a tall, dark, handsome man buy me lunch."
"Really?" Ed said smugly.
"Yep," Carol replied. Then she grinned and continued, "but he just called to say he can't make it, so I guess you can buy me lunch."
"Hah," Ed said with a grin, "just for that I think you'll be buying me lunch."
"You're on," Carol said with another smile that, if tapped, would have kept Stuckeyville in electricity for a year.
Carol grabbed a sweater and started to head out of the classroom. Ed took a breath and reached into his pocket and said, "Carol?"
Carol stopped, turned around and looked at Ed curiously.
"Yes, Ed," she asked.
Ed pulled his hand out of his pocket and opened his mouth, prepared – again – to drop to his right knee.
"Ms. Vessey, please report to the principal's office," Molly's voice said over the public address system. "Ms. Vessey, please report to the principal's office."
Ed's mouth closed with a sigh. He said, "Guess you better go, huh? Wouldn't do to keep Principal Hudson waiting."
"Um, yeah," Carol said. "Can we take a rain check?"
"Absolutely," Ed said and walked over to kiss her.
"Okay, then," Carol said with a smile, oblivious to what had just been interrupted. "I'll see you later. I love you."
"Love you, too," Ed said as Carol spun on one heel and left the classroom.
She was gone in an instant and all Ed was left with was an afterimage of her on his retina, her perfume lingering in the air ... and the engagement ring in his hand.
Ed looked at the ring in his palm and then at the blackboard. As students continued to file past on their way to their next class, a few happened to glance into Ms. Vessey's classroom and see a tall, dark-haired man quietly pounding his head against the blackboard in frustration.
***
Stuckeyville High School
Friday, April 2, 2004
12:00 AM
Carol knocked on the doorframe into Molly's office, just as she had countless times since Molly had become Principal.
Molly looked up and said, "Carol, hey! Come on in."
Carol walked in and was surprised when Molly walked over and closed the door. Carol's eyes narrowed as Molly walked back over and sat down.
"Sit down, Carol," Molly said neutrally.
"Okay," Carol said, her instincts on the defensive.
"Hope you weren't busy," Molly said conversationally.
"Um, actually," Carol said, "Ed and I were just about to head out and get some lunch when you paged me."
"Oops, sorry," Molly said. "This could have waited."
"WHAT could have waited?" Carol said with intense interest.
"I had my meeting with the school board this morning," Molly said, then trailed off.
"AND?" Carol asked.
"And they want me to coordinate a school assembly for next Thursday," Molly said.
"A school assembly?" Carol repeated quizzically. "What for?"
"Well," Molly said slowly, "that's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"Molly," Carol said forcefully, "you're dancing around some issue like Ed and I used to dance around our feelings for one another."
"Funny you should bring you and Ed up," Molly said, "since this does have something to do with you and Ed and your past. Well, sort of."
"Molly!" Carol said, unable to restrain herself. "What is going on?"
"The assembly is for Nick Stanton!" Molly blurted out.
"WHAT?!" Carol exclaimed and stood up.
"Its about Nick's new book," Molly said as she stood up herself. "The book is dedicated to Stuckeyville and City Council. So somehow or other, City Council has invited Nick to Stuckeyville to receive some award – the key to the city of something. Not sure on that part. But anyway, the school board decided to get in on the act and has arranged for Nick to make a speech during his trip."
Molly looked over at Carol, who kind of stood there looking dumbstruck. After a moment, Carol composed herself.
"And ... and why," Carol said very carefully, "would you think I needed to be told in person ... and with the door closed?"
"I think your reaction to my news was reason enough," Molly said simply. "Besides, I saw your reaction to that woman reading Nick's book the other day and you yourself told me it bothered you that Nick was married with kids. What was I supposed to think?"
"Okay," Carol said after a moment, "you may have a point. But now that I know I'm fine with it. So Nick is coming back to Stuckeyville. Why should that be a problem."
"I don't know that it should," Molly said, "but I wanted you to hear it from me first."
Carol looked at her friend for a moment, then smiled slightly and said, "Thanks, Molls."
Molly returned the smile in relief.