Page 8 of Chalk It Up

The rest of the day is a breeze and as much as I don’t want to admit it, my lunch was probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I’m not the best or worst cook, I’m healthy and get by, but my meals are always lacking…something. And whatever I'm lacking was definitely in my lunch from Addie. She had to have misspoke, right? “Daddy packed you a lunch!” How do I take that? Did he do it because he was rude to me and this is a peace offering? Is this how he makes a move, by working his way in with food? Those both seem very unlikely so I chalk it up to Addie’s doing and her seven year old translation of the event just didn’t compute properly.

There are ten minutes left until the bell rings and my class has quickly caught on to their routine, so they’re all packing up and cleaning their desks while I do the same. I’m definitely not leaving any time soon, but I love doing my afternoon prep work with a clear desk and clear mind. That is, until I see the folders of assessments for August to give to Addie’s doctor, and then my brain turns to goo again. I grab the folders and plastic bag of lunch contents to return, and head to my door so I can call the kids’ names as their parents pull up. One kid after another leaves, while everyone else quietly does a coloring page. I’m surprised Addie is still here, usually her nanny is first to show up.

Once all of my kids have been picked up except for Addie, who colors away, oblivious to the fact that the rest of the class is gone, I close the door and walk back to my desk. I’m about to grab my radio to let the office know I have a late pick up when someone knocks and lets themself in.

“Daddy!” Addie bounces out of her seat, almost knocking it over, and leaps into a jump hug that would take down a weaker man. August is certainly not a weaker man. Without being able to mentally prepare like I could with our conference, his presence demands attention from all of my nerves and I’m struck entirely speechless. It’s then that I realize I haven’t politely greeted him. He sets his daughter down while saying something that I can’t quite hear, and then heads over to my desk.

I feel like he’s walking in slow motion. My arms are heavy and my brain has disconnected. Do I say “hi”? Do I shake his hand? What do I usually do with my hands? He’s just a parent, why am I viscerally short-circuiting right now?

“Thank you for these.” He swipes the folders off the desk and I don’t even know how exactly he knows that those are for him. He has such confidence and authority. The panic and anxiety I usually feel takes a backseat to the safety August’s confidence gives me.It’s like his confidence creates room for me to feel soft, more relaxed.

“Mr. Von.” I state. That’s it. Just his name. Those are the only two words that my well-educated brain was able to work through my mouth. I am absolutely sweating, I know it. My palms are so gross right now.

“Yes, I am.” He retorts and I know I must look like a floundering fish. I don’t miss how that remark seemed to be slightly teasing, and the butterflies in my stomach take flight. Focus, Evie. Dial in.

“Sorry, hi,” I reach out to shake his hand which seems unnecessary at this point, but he takes it anyway. I’m suddenly hit with regret as I remember the state of my clammy palms. “Yes, these are your copies and the others are for her doctor. Oh! And umm, thank you for my lunch.” I say as I turn around to grab the bag of his things off of my desk and pass them to him. “It was delicious and kind, but you really didn’t have to. I usually pack my own.” I feel as if I sound ungrateful.

“Addie asked me to pack it.” He states matter-of-factly, and my stomach dips just a little. I’m illogically disappointed that it was Addie’s idea and not him wanting to, even though I was fairly certain that was what happened.

“Right, well. Thank you.” I turn to Addie who has returned to coloring, desperate for a reprieve from my thirty-second interaction with her dad. “Hey Addie, I’m sure your dad is ready to head home. Time to clean up and then you can show him what we worked on today.”

We wait in awkward silence, standing at a weird distance from each other while Addie finishes cleaning. I decide to start cleaning my desk, and after about a minute, Mrs. Johnston walks in. Seriously? I’ve reached my max of social interaction and I just want to go home to Maple and some hot cocoa. I’ve mastered keeping on my best face through all of this while also attempting to pack up my own things.

“Ms. Jake, I’m so glad I caught you before you left.” She says, eyeing August up and down. For whatever reason, my entire body burns with possessiveness and I’m seeing slight hues of red. Hmm, that was weird. “Mr. Von, it’s actually perfect you’re here too.” I snap immediately out of my haze of cleaning up and focus on what I’m sure I didn’t just hear. Why does she need both of us? Does she know he brought me lunch and I’m being fired for misconduct? That’s a little excessive. Every thought I’ve ever had about August flashes through my brain and I turn pink even though I know no one can read my mind. Suddenly it’s way too warm in here.

“I actually need some help from both of you for the Christmas program this December.” I’m relieved that’s it, until I realize what she’s said. The last thing I need is to have more reasons to be in the proximity of August Von.

“Sure. I’d love to help, Mrs. Johnston. What can I do for you?” I internally roll my eyes at the facade I’m putting on.

“I hope October isn’t too late to ask, but I’ll need you to head up most of the Christmas program, Ms. Jake. Directing, casting, organization, set, and costume design.” Okay, so I’m not helping with the Christmas program, I am the Christmas program. I can’t even fathom where August is going to fit in an elementary Christmas production.

“Yeah, Of course I can. I’ll get to work on it tonight.” I feign enthusiasm. There I go sacrificing my relaxing evening. She doesn’t respond to me, so I take that as an invitation to continue with my packing and help Addie pick up, since she seems to have become lost in her coloring again. While cleaning up, I keep one ear locked on the conversation.

“And Mr. Von, I’m wondering if you and your company could donate materials and possibly help work on building the set for the program?” She’s a maneuvering genius. Brilliant person to ask. Community royalty, tax write-offs before the end of the year, keeping themselves in front of the public. Smart power play.

“I don’t see that being a problem, but I’ll check with my team tomorrow and see how much we can sacrifice labor and material wise. We’re happy to help give back to the community in any way we can.” He shakes her hand, effectively ending the conversation. I really need to learn that skill.

With Addie and myself all ready to go, and August and Mrs. Johnston’s conversation over, we all get to leave at the same time and in the same direction. I loathe this departure dance so much, it’s painfully awkward. We finally break apart, Mrs. Johnston to her office while I head to my car and August and Addie to theirs.

“Bye Ms. Jake! I hope you loved your lunch!” Addie shouts, waving and skipping along to keep up with her dad’s effortlessly monstrous strides.

“Thank you, Addie! Have a good night.” No remark on the lunch might seem rude, but I don’t want to encourage more mouthwatering lunches in the future. I’m also way too apprehensive that Mrs. Johnston heard and will draw the wrong conclusion. Poor Maple is going to get an earful of my day when I get home.

chapter 6

August

I dropped Addie off at Ms. Wilma’s early this morning to get a headstart on some work and pick up a certain annoyance’s coffee. Not just because I owe it to him, but because I’m going to kiss up a little for the extra work we’re all going to have to do to help with this school production. Keeping a good name in the community through volunteering is not my most favorite thing, but everything is more palatable when I know I’m ultimately doing it for Addie’s benefit. It does mean I’ll have to be around Ms. Jake a lot more than I prefer, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

I set Reid’s coffee on his desk since it’s too early for anyone else to be here, and get to checking on my equipment for the day. I’m going to have to do some extra mapping and droning to make sure we have enough supplies for the Christmas program set. There’s no way Von Logging is doing anything halfway. So if Mrs. Johnston, who can’t keep her married eyes to herself, wants a Christmas set then that’s what she’s going to get.

I typically ignore it when women in this town gawk at me. Half of them are married and the other half would never be good enough for Addie, but I swear Evangeline reacted when Mrs. Johnston did her not-so-subtle perusal of me. That may have brought out a little caveman in me. I’ve never been one to need affirmation, but the sense of possessiveness that came off Evangeline at that moment moved something long dormant inside me. It’s been so long since I’ve been desired that I convinced myself I didn’t want it. But even Evangeline’s slight reaction made me entertain the concept of something more with someone. Namely her.

“Aww boss man, did you go out of your way to make sure my coffee was extra hot so it was still good by the time I got here? Are you secretly a little softy?” Reid chides as he barges into my office and makes himself comfortable in the chair across from my desk. I wish I could put a lock on that door. I’ll never tell Reid how much of a softy I genuinely can be, especially toward a friend like him. It’s not that I don’t know how to express my emotions, it’s just that being vulnerable feels like too much right now, and I’m certain Reid knows I care about him anyway. He’s a hard person to not be friends with. Reid is a sincerely good guy through and through. He’s loyal, kind, and genuinely cares deeply for the people in his life. He is one of those guys that you’d be lucky to have in your orbit.

“I sure didn’t.” I clip back “And you’re welcome to knock the next time you come in. But as luck would have it, I actually needed to meet with you this morning anyway.” I fill him in on our involvement in building the set for Addie’s school. We discuss the financials of it as well as the tax benefits, and the need to get Ash’s lazy self to do some PR for us. Not that Ash’s part is very necessary, seeing as dogs outnumber people in this little lake town. News will travel quickly of our benevolent volunteer effort, but it’s nice to remind him every once in a while that he does have a job. Don’t get me wrong, I know this is good for business but it’s not our main focus. I know I’ll be able to spend even more time working on something Addie will remember, and that means more to me than anything this can do for our company. Her mom may be abhorrent, but I’ll make sure Addie always knows I want to do stuff for and with her, and give her all the memories her mother would never bother with. But here, in this meeting, it has to be no feelings and all finances.

A knock sounds as Reid and I wrap up and Alana sweeps into the room. Alana was born for a corporate position. It’s amazing she even enjoys living in our small town rather than some big city. I declined the CEO position because truthfully, I don’t care for the corporate work, but she’s a natural. Alana commands respect and attention in every room she enters. I don’t show difference to a lot of people, but I love Alana, and deeply respect her and everything she does for our company.