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She showered and dressed and shared kisses with all three of them at the door, wishing it wasn’t the end of the evening so much it hurt. They seemed to understand and didn’t bring up how much they’d miss her which somehow made it even harder because she could see it in their eyes. She knew her bears. This was hard on them, too.
Chapter Twenty
The week progressed slowly for Maizy. Tuesday night had been rough because she’d had a teacher’s meeting to attend and hadn’t been able to spend it with them. They’d made it clear she could come over any night she wanted to. She nearly gave in several times but she’d had things that needed to be done.
Lucy’s wedding was in three short weeks, and helping her with the tasks that needed to be accomplished was a good distraction for Maizy. But by the end of the week she ached with need any time she thought of her bears. Friday rolled around and promised to be the longest day yet as the hunger for their company increased.
Maizy was making the short walk back to her classroom after dropping her class off at physical education when Mrs. Dumphrey caught up with her in the hallway after dropping off her students as well.
“Miss Owen, may I have a word?”
Maizy cringed inwardly, but smiled. “Certainly.” She opened the door to her classroom and allowed Mrs. Dumphrey to enter first. Mrs. Dumphrey pulled the door closed behind her and said, “Miss Owen, I wanted to share my concern with you.”
“About?”
“The rather large tattooed man I saw you with at the grocery store last weekend.”
“Yes, ma’am?” Maizy replied, bracing herself.
“The impression you make as a shaper of young minds is very important to the image of the Divine Independent School District. That wasn’t the first time I’d seen you with him. I also saw you at O’Reilley’s with him and two of his friends before they drove off on those obnoxiously loud Harley motorcycles. I understand that your brother, Patrick, has involved himself in an illicit relationship with another man and woman. I hope that you’re not…choosing the wrong path for yourself, as well. I know your father would be mortified—”
“What my father thinks has no bearing on my social life, Mrs. Dumphrey. I’m thirty-three years old and I don’t need his approval.” She spoke her mind but was very careful with her tone.
“I suppose that’s true but to serve the community of Divine in the capacity you do, you absolutely do need the confidence of its citizens. I’m sorry to bring up your father. It’s just that I come from a different generation that cared what our elders thought of us.”
Maizy did the math on that one and nearly called bullshit because Mrs. Dumphrey would’ve been in her early twenties in the 1970s but decided that it might not be wise to poke this particular hornet’s nest.
“Mrs. Dumphrey, I appreciate your concern. Mr. Ketchum is a good man and I wouldn’t hurt him any more than I would my students or their parents. But I am entitled to privacy.” A wave of protective fury warred inside of her but she quelled it, knowing that it wouldn’t help to reveal her true feelings. The need for her bears, to feel their comforting arms around her, slammed into her so hard she felt breathless.
“As long as you’re not accused and found guilty of immoral or indecent conduct, Miss Owen. I hope that I’ve made my position clear on the matter.”
“Very clear, ma’am.”
“My daughter tells me that you made a big difference to my granddaughter when she was learning to read last year. You’re an able teacher and I think it would be a shame for you to throw that all away on a…questionable relationship.”
“I’ll take that under advisement, Mrs. Dumphrey, and I appreciate your concern. Mr. Ketchum is one of the kindest men I’ve ever known.” She wished she could voice a similar belief about Cody and Heath but didn’t dare feed Mrs. Dumphrey’s suspicion. “Appearances can be deceiving.”
The older woman raised an eyebrow and nodded her head. “As you say. Have a good afternoon.”
Maizy sat at her desk and looked down at her shaking hands.
It’s only going to get worse, and you know it, girl.
