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A knock on my door had me shoving my phone away. Luckily, it was just Caleb, the teacher from across the hall, in the skinny window and not one of the sisters.
I quickly scanned the room and headed for the door.
“Ohhh.” Came from the back of the room as Laurie, Olivia, and Jemma noticed who it was.
I shot a look over my shoulder and the girls laughed and went back to their conversation.
“Hi, Caleb. What’s up?”
“Just checking in. I was in the boys room and noticed a little…waterfall.”
I blew out a breath. “Thanks for letting me know. Had a little GoGurt malfunction.”
“Happens all the time.” He leaned into the jamb and I had to take a step back. “Ready for tonight?”
I gave him a small smile. “As I’ll ever be.”
“Just remember the parents are usually freaking out before they come in. Massage the moms.”
I arched a brow. I just bet he massaged a few of the mothers. “Thanks for the tip.”
“I just like to be helpful.”
With getting women out of their panties. “I really appreciate it. First parent-teacher conference in a new school.” I stifled the urge to babble and engage with him. I was naturally friendly, but giving this guy an inch meant entering Flirt City, and I was trying desperately not to get on the Caleb Harem radar. I didn’t need any trouble with the principal, nor was I interested.
He rubbed a hand over his biceps. “We should go out after. Trade horror stories and meltdowns.”
My stomach twisted. I had to physically swallow down a wash of acid. “I think by the end of it, I’ll be ready for my couch and some wine and that’s about it.”
“I’m happy to help out there.”
I just bet he was. “Thanks for letting me know about the bathrooms.”
“Right.” Caleb grinned and winked. “Anytime.”
I moved to close the door and the acid bubbled up again. And it so wasn’t going down. This time, it wasn’t because of unwanted attention. “Caleb, can you…” I pushed past him into the hall and pointed toward the door to my classroom, then made a dash for the ladies’ room.
“Oh, crap.”
I heard Caleb’s voice and I so wished it was crap. Other end, alas.
I barely made it down the hall to the bathroom, and into the stall before I heaved over the bowl. The entire room fuzzed and I tried not to think too closely about being face to face with a public toilet—ugh—which only made me toss my cookies all the more.
Thankfully, I was blessedly alone in the bathroom. It was bad enough to be in this state, let alone for someone else to hear it. The wash of sweat on my neck faded and the room evened out.
I sagged against the cool metal wall of the stall. I so didn’t need to get this stupid stomach flu the kids were passing around. Sage’s baby shower was this weekend.
After staggering to my feet, I made a bee-line for the sink. I rinsed my mouth and washed up, then ran the cool water over my wrists until I stopped shaking. I flattened my hand over my middle, wondering if that was the last of it.
I really didn’t want to have to call down to the office for someone to cover for me. And I had half a dozen parents coming to see me tonight.
That was just lovely. Luckily, I kept a travel toothbrush and toothpaste in my huge bag. Being a teacher, I’d learned to be prepared for anything. I only had twenty-three little humans to take care of. No big thing.
I headed back down the hall. Caleb was passing back and forth between my classroom and his own. He spotted me and frowned. “You okay?”
“No amount of Purell was going to stop me from getting the stupid stomach thing going around evidently.”
“Nope. Not when they are always putting their grubby little hands on you.”
