a slow ride through slush and ice, we arrive at Aileen’s building. The snowdrifts are so high that I have to make good on my promise to pick up Natalie—and Fluff—and carry them over the snow to the vestibule.
“Our hero,” she says.
“I specialize in damsels in distress.”
We go up a flight of stairs, and Natalie pushes the button for Aileen’s place. A buzzer sounds to admit us. Outside their apartment, Logan is waiting for us and lets out a happy squeal when he sees Natalie. She catches him up in a big hug.
“You’ve grown a foot since I saw you.”
“That’s not possible, Ms. Bryant.”
She keeps him in her arms as we enter the apartment. “You can call me Natalie now that I’m not your teacher anymore.”
“ Miss Natalie,” a weak voice from the sofa says.
With one glance, it’s obvious Aileen is in rough shape. Her face is ghostly white, and she doesn’t get up when we enter the living room, which looks as if a cyclone has gone through it.
“We’re a wreck,” she says.
“You’re not going to be my teacher anymore?” Logan asks mournfully. “They said you were coming back.”
I squeeze Nat’s shoulder as I help her out of her coat.
“Logan, honey,” Aileen says, “let Natalie take her coat off before you start asking questions.”
Natalie sits on the love seat and pats the cushion next to her, inviting Logan to join her. “So here’s the deal… You know that my husband, Flynn, is famous.”
“He’s in movies that Mom says I’m not old enough to see.”
“That’s right.”
“So he’s like SpongeBob, only for adults, right?”
Natalie fights a losing battle with laughter. “Exactly,” she says, glancing at me, the laughter making her eyes dance with joy. “Because I’m married to him now, there’s a lot of interest in both of us that would be a huge distraction for all my students.”
“What’s a distriction?”
“A distraction is when things happen that take our attention off our schoolwork.”
“Like video games?”
“That’s a great example.”
Watching her patience with the little boy, I can’t wait to see her with our kids. She’s going to be an amazing mother.
“I’m afraid of coming back and then having to leave again when the distractions prove to be too much. I’d never want to put you guys through that, so I’ve decided not to come back, as much as I’d love to. But, I’m going to give you all my address so we can write to each other, and I’ll Skype with you and your mom and Maddie. Okay?”
“I guess,” he says, though he’s clearly crushed. Who could blame him? I felt the same way when Natalie left me, and that was only for a day.
“I’m so sorry about all this, buddy.”
“I know.”
“Hey, Logan,” I say, anxious to end this conversation for Nat’s sake, “do you and Maddie want to go play in the snow?”
His eyes light up as his sister lets out a squeal. “Can we, Mom?”
“You don’t want to do that,” Aileen says.
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked. I’d love to take them to the park, if it’s all right with you.”
“Sure, they’d love that. They’ve been asking to go out all morning, and I just…” Her eyes fill. “I couldn’t.”
“No problem. I’ve gotcha covered. Why don’t you come, too, Nat, and we’ll let Aileen get some sleep?”
“I don’t have boots.”
“What size are you?” Aileen asks.
“Seven.”
“I’m a seven and a half. Use mine.”
“Okay, then, I’m in!”
While I help get the kids bundled up, Natalie walks Aileen to her bedroom and tucks her in for a nap. She comes out of Aileen’s room with tears in her eyes and the boots in hand. “Hard to see her this way,” she whispers.
“I know.” I kiss her forehead and let her pass me in the hallway. The kids’ rooms are cluttered with toys, the beds are unmade, and dirty clothes are on the floor. While the kids pull on their snow pants, I withdraw my phone from my pocket and fire off a
“Our hero,” she says.
“I specialize in damsels in distress.”
We go up a flight of stairs, and Natalie pushes the button for Aileen’s place. A buzzer sounds to admit us. Outside their apartment, Logan is waiting for us and lets out a happy squeal when he sees Natalie. She catches him up in a big hug.
“You’ve grown a foot since I saw you.”
“That’s not possible, Ms. Bryant.”
She keeps him in her arms as we enter the apartment. “You can call me Natalie now that I’m not your teacher anymore.”
“ Miss Natalie,” a weak voice from the sofa says.
With one glance, it’s obvious Aileen is in rough shape. Her face is ghostly white, and she doesn’t get up when we enter the living room, which looks as if a cyclone has gone through it.
“We’re a wreck,” she says.
“You’re not going to be my teacher anymore?” Logan asks mournfully. “They said you were coming back.”
I squeeze Nat’s shoulder as I help her out of her coat.
“Logan, honey,” Aileen says, “let Natalie take her coat off before you start asking questions.”
Natalie sits on the love seat and pats the cushion next to her, inviting Logan to join her. “So here’s the deal… You know that my husband, Flynn, is famous.”
“He’s in movies that Mom says I’m not old enough to see.”
“That’s right.”
“So he’s like SpongeBob, only for adults, right?”
Natalie fights a losing battle with laughter. “Exactly,” she says, glancing at me, the laughter making her eyes dance with joy. “Because I’m married to him now, there’s a lot of interest in both of us that would be a huge distraction for all my students.”
“What’s a distriction?”
“A distraction is when things happen that take our attention off our schoolwork.”
“Like video games?”
“That’s a great example.”
Watching her patience with the little boy, I can’t wait to see her with our kids. She’s going to be an amazing mother.
“I’m afraid of coming back and then having to leave again when the distractions prove to be too much. I’d never want to put you guys through that, so I’ve decided not to come back, as much as I’d love to. But, I’m going to give you all my address so we can write to each other, and I’ll Skype with you and your mom and Maddie. Okay?”
“I guess,” he says, though he’s clearly crushed. Who could blame him? I felt the same way when Natalie left me, and that was only for a day.
“I’m so sorry about all this, buddy.”
“I know.”
“Hey, Logan,” I say, anxious to end this conversation for Nat’s sake, “do you and Maddie want to go play in the snow?”
His eyes light up as his sister lets out a squeal. “Can we, Mom?”
“You don’t want to do that,” Aileen says.
“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked. I’d love to take them to the park, if it’s all right with you.”
“Sure, they’d love that. They’ve been asking to go out all morning, and I just…” Her eyes fill. “I couldn’t.”
“No problem. I’ve gotcha covered. Why don’t you come, too, Nat, and we’ll let Aileen get some sleep?”
“I don’t have boots.”
“What size are you?” Aileen asks.
“Seven.”
“I’m a seven and a half. Use mine.”
“Okay, then, I’m in!”
While I help get the kids bundled up, Natalie walks Aileen to her bedroom and tucks her in for a nap. She comes out of Aileen’s room with tears in her eyes and the boots in hand. “Hard to see her this way,” she whispers.
“I know.” I kiss her forehead and let her pass me in the hallway. The kids’ rooms are cluttered with toys, the beds are unmade, and dirty clothes are on the floor. While the kids pull on their snow pants, I withdraw my phone from my pocket and fire off a
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