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She stops and looks at me. “To be honest, I don’t know how much more I can take.”
“I know,” I say wrapping her in a hug.
“Why does it have to be this way? And if I quit, Lord only knows what the heck I’ll do.” Her voice shakes. “And I’m a single mom, so I don’t have a choice.”
I squeeze her tightly. “I’m so sorry.” When I pull away, our eyes meet. The white around her eyes reddens and tears fill the corners. “Look, take it one day at a time. Something I’m learning is that if teaching isn’t for me—although I don’t think it’s great for most nowadays—it’s okay to try another career.”
“Yeah, but I’m sure that’s easier said than done. Especially with how much of my life I’ve already dedicated to teaching.” Her voice shakes.
“Oh absolutely. That’s why I decided to give it another shot down here. Which, I’ll admit that a change of scenery has done me a world of good. So maybe you go to Cherry Blossom Elementary or try out middle school. No matter what you choose, just try to remember it’s okay to change your mind.”
Boy, do I wish I took my own advice. How do I always know what to say to others but can’t figure out how to do things myself?
“Thank you, Autumn. I needed to hear that,” she says.
A man’s voice cuts in. “Hey, you two. Am I interrupting something?”
I breathe in a sigh of relief at Zayn’s touch of my shoulder. I turn around and smile.
“Oh, we’re just venting about this lovely job,” Sam explains.
He nods. “Yeah, you guys have it rough and with such little pay. It sucks, I’m sorry.” He shrugs. “You could always apply at the fire station.”
Sam and I laugh.
“Well, I know one thing’s for sure. I’d much rather rescue a cat from a tree than feel like I’m herding cats and being attacked by panther parents for eight hours a day,” I joke.
“Girl, preach,” Sam says.
“I take it last night with conferences was a bit rough?” Zayn asks as his eyes shift back and forth between us.
“Don’t even ask,” she says.
“I’ll fill you in another time. It’s finally Friday! Let’s go out and celebrate,” I say.
“That’s why I’m here.” Zayn winks at me.
Sam parts her lips. “On that note, I’ll leave you two to it.” She looks to me. “Thank you again for listening.”
“Anytime,” I say and wave as she heads down the hall.
I turn to Zayn. “Want to walk with me to my classroom so I can grab my stuff and we can grab a bite to eat?”
“Lead the way,” he says.
When I open the door, I remember what a giant mess the kids left this afternoon. We got so busy with a project that the bell rang before we could clean it up. I walk over to my desk and grab my bag and phone before taking a final look around the room. I exhale loudly.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Let’s go. This place is a disaster, but I need to quit sweating the small stuff. The kids will help on Monday,” I say, trying to convince myself more than anyone.
“Yeah, it’s been a long week for you. You deserve to not have to clean up after a bunch of children right now.”
I nod and close the door behind me.He’s right. I’m so tired and this is a future-Autumn problem.
When we reach the parking lot, I decide to ask the question that’s been pestering me since last night. “Hey, how come you didn’t tell me you helped Summer before she passed?”
His jaw drops open. “Oh, well, I figured it was the least I could do after what I put you through years ago. Summer was a great gal, and I knew your parents would appreciate the help.”
