Page 40 of Hearts & Embers

"And I'll check in during lunch."

"Elyssa."

"What?"

"I love you."

Her expression softened immediately.

"I love you too."

"That's why I'm allowed to be bossy."

We hugged each other tight but the moment lasted only a few seconds before she cleared her throat and reached for her bag.

When she finally left, the apartment felt quieter than it had in weeks. Oliver went with her, leaving behind only a few stray golden hairs and the strange absence of his enthusiastic supervision. I moved through the space slowly, putting away a few items she’d missed and adjusting to the reality of being alone again. I had wanted this independence back, yet I couldn't deny that her presence had made the difficult parts easier.

Monday morning arrived with a combination of anticipation and nerves. Elyssa appeared exactly when promised, carrying coffee and enough reminders to fill an instruction manual.

The drive to school felt familiar, although returning after weeks away made everything seem slightly different. By the time we pulled into the staff parking lot, I had already been reminded three separate times not to overdo things.

"You know I'm capable of sitting down."

"Your history suggests otherwise."

"My history is being unfairly interpreted."

Elyssa parked the car and switched off the engine.

"Your history has being accurately documented."

I laughed despite myself and gathered my things. Together we headed toward the building along with dozens of other staff and students arriving for the start of the day. Several people noticed me almost immediately.

"Miss Brown!"

A group of students waved enthusiastically from across the courtyard while another called out a greeting before hurrying toward homeroom.

Inside the building, the reactions continued. Colleagues stopped to welcome me back, ask how I was feeling, and offer assistance I had no intention of accepting unless absolutely necessary.

"It's good to see you."

"It's good to be back."

One of the administrative staff looked at my boot and shook her head.

"I didn't expect to see you back this soon."

"I wasn't sure I'd be back this soon either."

The comment generated several similar responses as we continued toward the staff area. More than one teacher expressed surprise that only three weeks had passed since the accident, while others immediately reminded me not to overdo things. By the time

By the time Elyssa disappeared toward her own classroom, I had accepted that the adults in my life were only marginally less intrusive than my students were about to be.

My classroom had been rearranged exactly as promised. My desk sat where I could see the room clearly without needing to move often, and a spare chair had been placed near the front for moments when I wanted to teach closer to the board. A stack of papers waited beside my laptop, along with a card signed by several staff members.

The first group of students arrived noisily but the noise stopped when they saw me. Then the questions began.

"Miss Brown, are you actually back to stay?"