Page 21 of Somebody To Love

“Not a problem. I’m delighted to help.” I looked around, relieved that Mr. Handsome had gone away. “And now I need your help. Can you point me to the teacher’s lounge?”

“Right behind you.”

I turned around and saw the huge sign on the door that said Teacher’s Lounge. If I were a superhero, I would be Captain-Miss-The-Obvious.

I found the refrigerator, stuffed my popsicles inside the freezer, and then made my way back to Great Room B with Meredith.

She quickly filled me in on the monologue that she had done for World Theatre Day. I didn’t even know what World Theatre Day was. Had that been a thing when I was a kid? When I was a kid there was just Christmas Day or Independence Day, now there was Grilled Cheese Day and National Dog Day? I couldn’t keep up. It made me feel old.

As I stood chatting with Meredith, other kids began to appear. Mrs. Schultz called out to me. “Can you go man the dessert station with Ty?”

Ty? Who was Ty? I hoped Ty wasn’t that mean mom who had looked at me as if she had wanted to punch me because I’d had the nerve to say “all natural” around her. I groaned inwardly when I turned to look for the dessert table and saw Mr. Handsome standing there. He gave me a small wave and a knowing smile. He was so cocky. God, he got on my nerves.

“Should I go get the popsicles? They might be at least a little frozen by now?”

“Um, I don’t think so,” Mrs. Schultz cut in quickly. “We’ll just use them next time. Thanks a million. Go help Ty now. Thanks.”

She gave me a little shove and I instantly bristled. Gosh, private school moms were aggressive.

Reluctantly I made my way over to Ty and sat down stiffly beside him behind the dessert table that was covered in fruit. There wasn’t any ice cream, I noted, feeling a little put out.

I sat there and crossed my arms over my chest. Ty didn’t comment. At least he was smart enough to know when to be quiet, I thought to myself.

I was very aware of him as he sat there next to me. I nervously patted at my hair and hoped that I wasn’t stress sweating. I inconspicuously tried to sniff at my underarms.

“You don’t smell.”

“What?” I said trying to stop from turning red in embarrassment.

“I smelled you earlier and you smell nice.”

“Stop smelling me,” I said unsure of what to say. Stop smelling me? God, where was my brain?

He looked at me strangely and then said, “Whatever you say.”

We sat there in awkward silence for a full minute before I gave in. I just couldn’t do silence. I was a chatterbox.

“So, does your kid go here?” I was forcing myself to be nice. After all, I couldn’t just sit here for an hour and not talk to the guy, right?

“God, no. I don’t have any kids.”

“You say that as if kids are gross or something.”

“Well, they are.”

“Let me guess. Unreformed bachelor?” My tone was accusatory even though I had been guilty of pretty much saying the same thing about kids only minutes ago while talking to Meredith.

“What makes you think I’m not married?” He sounded scandalized which made me snort with laughter.

“Guys who dress like you normally like to play the field.”

“Dress like me? What do you mean? Do you always just jump to conclusions and stereotype people based on how they dress?”

“Well,” I challenged him, “Tell me I’m wrong.”

He shrugged. “I’m not married.”

“Ha,” I said loudly, feeling vindicated. I felt like I’d won. The other moms shot me a look and I sheepishly avoided their eyes. Kids were now gathering around our station. Most of them went away disappointed that there wasn’t any cake or brownies. Yum, brownies.