Page 54 of The Path to Loving Him
“You’re rambling, Gabby.”
“I know because I feel shitty, like really shitty, because he was upset about his assistant coach last night. I guess they’re making accommodations for me that I never asked for and that I don’t even know about, and he feels out of control and?—”
“Um, do you not remember how he didn’t even pay you the courtesy to show up to the interview? Or have you forgotten that?”
I pause because she’s right. I did forget about that.
Still . . .
“I know, but I still feel bad.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s . . . he’s a single dad in a way, and he seems out of his element. I don’t know, maybe because he was fucking his assistant coach last night, and he had no idea.”
“Yeah, that could be it. Maybe you should tell him, clear your conscience.”
“I feel like I need to, but I’m here at the school first because I want to talk to the principal and let him know that I don’t want any special concessions. I don’t want to step on toes. I’m just happy they hired me. I want to work hard and earn my position.”
“You know I love a go-getter, but . . . what kind of concessions because if we’re talking you get your own en suite bathroom, I think this is something we should negotiate.”
“It’s a public school, Bower, there are no such things as en suite bathrooms.”
“Uh, I bet they have them in a kindergarten classroom. Take one of those.”
“You want me to take a classroom from the kindergartners? What is wrong with you?”
“I’m power hungry,” she says. “I’m okay with flapping a dick around and demanding what we want.”
“First of all, we’re not flapping a dick around. Second, I won’t make any friends if I’m stealing classrooms from five-year-olds. I want to go undetected.”
“Suit yourself, but don’t come crying to me when the annoying, quirky, yet obtuse teacher, Miss Meghan, won’t let you pee in peace.”
“I’ll manage.” I get out of my car and lock up before I head toward the brick building.
I will say this, for being a public school, the grounds are very well maintained. And I know this school has been around for decades, given the architecture, but there isn’t any paint chipped, or a broken window, or a door hanging off a hinge. It’s pristine, well taken care of, without any vandalized spaces in sight.
“You know, I feel like you call me, but you never take my advice. What’s that about?”
“You give terrible advice, Bower.”
“Then why do you call me?”
“Honestly,” I say. “I’m questioning that this very minute.”
“Hurtful, Gabby. When you say things like that, it makes me not want to answer the phone when you call.”
“Please, you would never not answer. You thrive off the gossip.”
She sighs heavily. “You’re right. You feed me well with the drama. Let me know what happens with the principal and if he even offers you the kindergarten classroom. If he does, don’t turn it down right away. Let’s at least take a tour of it before we give him our decision.”
“You are deranged, but I love you.”
“I’ll love you more if you score us an en suite bathroom.”
“Us? You don’t even live here.”
“I might if your classroom has an en suite bathroom.”
