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“Got a minute?”
She looked at the hall clock over her shoulder before answering.
“I guess so. What’s up, Adam?”
“I thought we could have lunch with my family after mass today,” he said.
“I’m not sure lunch is doable today. I’ve got a lot to do before the weekend.”
“If we can spend the meal with them today, they won’t be so upset about Easter. My grandmother asked especially for you.”
“Genevieve never seemed that concerned about me before,” Ashlie said. “What’s the sudden interest.”
“Why do I feel like I’m begging?”
She shook her head. “I really don’t want to do this now.”
He reached for her hand and pulled her out of view of the library door, the librarian taking an interest in their chat.
“Ashlie, what’s going on? Spit it out.”
“Oh, Adam, spend Easter with your family. Terry and I are going to get back together. He’s been after me to make a choice.”
Stunned, Adam didn’t reply right away. She’d been busy a lot lately, unavailable and even breaking dates. The ex might have been the reason.
“I’m confused, Ashlie,” Adam asked, looking around to make sure they weren’t observed. “Do you want to reconcile, too?”
“I’m so sorry! Yes, I still love him. I love you, too, but I can see having a family with him and I can’t really see that with you.”
“Probably because I’m a high school teacher and he’s a doctor,” Adam said, snickering, thinking of Terry Marco, a short, unattractive guy from Chicago who had started a plastic surgery practice in Saint John’s Parish. Besides being loaded, he drove a fancy car unless the chauffeur drove, had a mansion of a house, and had done plastic surgery on Ashlie. Gratis.
“No, money has nothing to do with it, Adam. Trust me.”
“I did trust you. You know what? Let’s move on. I’m fine, so long, thank you for your honesty.”
“Adam, don’t walk away,” she cried, getting the attention of the librarian, who finally stuck her head out the door and shushed them.
He let her have the last word. As expected, the librarian called the principal and later that morning before dismissal for Good Friday services, Adam received the dreaded call to come down to Sister Gertrude’s office.
“Adam, what is this gossip I’m hearing? You and Ashlie had a public spat?”
“She broke up with me outside of the library. It might have gotten a little loud.”
“I’m sorry to hear you broke up. I liked you two together. This is why we have an unwritten no fraternization policy at Saint Anthony’s. You know how upset the children are going to be when they hear the news? They were just as invested in your relationship as we were. I mean the other teachers.”
She winked at him and nodded to the door. “If she approaches you again, take it outside.”
“Yes, Sister.”
Getting through the rest of the semester that spring, knowing Ashlie still taught on the other side of the building, was difficult for Adam. After the breakup, he avoided the cafeteria or the teachers’ lounge again. Sitting under a tree in the yard, he ate the sandwich his grandmother had swiped from the deli at the grocery store and brought to him every morning since the school was right down the street from the store. A thermos of coffee leaned against the tree, and he twisted open the top to pour it into the plastic cup.
“I guess you’re hiding?” Ralph Emery, the algebra teacher, sat down next to Adam and opened a paper sack that held a Tupperware container of salad. He held it up for Adam’s appraisal. “My wife has me on a diet.”
Adam laughed out loud at the crack. “Yeah, I’m trying for out of sight, out of mind.”
“You’re smart. Everyone’s pissed off at her.”
“Aw, that’s unnecessary. She still loved the guy when we hooked up. He’d messed around behind her back, and she probably used me on the rebound and didn’t know it. You can pass that around if you think it will help.”
