Page 3 of An Unexpected Turn
I didn’t argue before I followed, locking the door behind me and heading across the street with Keith. I had a little more than an hour to stew over my own high school kid and how I couldn’t be the next one to fail him.
TWO
PEYTON
“When is the new place ready?”
I cradled my phone in the crook of my neck as I got ready for school. Speakerphone would have been easier, but as big as my uncle’s house was, the walls were thin, and I didn’t have time to search for my earbuds. Not that my best friend and I were talking about anything secret, but I never knew what would come out of Claudia’s mouth.
“In a few weeks, I hope.” I fell back on the couch and swept my gaze around the basement. It would be nice to have my own kitchen again. Although, staying here wasn’t the worst thing in the world. They used to rent this as a separate studio apartment, but my uncle had since turned it into his sanctuary. The pullout leather couch was a surprising dream to sleep on and I had my own full bathroom, but I was itching to move in to my condo. Camping out here when they already had young kids of their own to take care of didn’t feel like the fresh start I’d wanted.
And it felt ridiculous to counsel high school kids when I was living like one.
“I’ll be up there to help as soon as it is.”
“That’s not necessary, Claud,” I protested, even though I missed her. Kelly Lakes was only three hours away from the boroughs, but far enough to get a little homesick from the culture shock.
“I miss you, and you need help. I’ve seen you try to put furniture together.”
“I can’t fight you on that one.” We shared a chuckle. “The furniture is being delivered and assembled, but you can help me unpack if you’d like. My uncle already said he’d help me get settled in.”
“I wish I had an Uncle Keith to give me a place to stay and help me move in to a new one.”
“He is pretty great. It’s helped.”
“I still can’t believe you moved all the way up there.”
“It’s mid-state. I’m a little more than three hours away from the city.”
“But you lived in Brooklyn for your entire life.” I cringed at her deep sigh, knowing what would come next. “You didn’t have to leave your job just because—”
“Yes, I did. They didn’t ask me to, but no one put up a big fight when I resigned.”
I loved being a guidance counselor, and I’d loved my school. One stupid lapse of judgment didn’t cost me my job, but I’d lost most of my credibility. My bad decision was shared by the two of us, but I’d borne the brunt of it. Each day, I’d come home wanting to collapse in frustrated tears, but I wouldn’t let myself cry. I didn’t deserve how I was treated, but I couldn’t change it.
When I’d found a high school guidance counselor position open in Kelly Lakes, it seemed like the perfect solution. Whenever I’d visit my uncle and his family, it always seemed like such a quaint but friendly town. The quiet used to bother me in the past, but now I welcomed a break from the chaos I’d left back in Brooklyn.
When I was offered the job, I accepted right away and put it all in motion before I changed my mind.
“I hate what happened to you.”
“Bad choices sometimes lead to bad consequences, but I’m fine now. Really.” I hoped the chirp in my voice would ease her worries, even if she didn’t totally believe me. “The different scenery is good for me. Small towns are very soothing.”
I was almost done with my first week at school, and I already loved it. There were a lot of differences from my old school in Brooklyn. The building was much bigger and was surrounded by lush grass and rolling hills, compared to the concrete I was used to. Sports were a much bigger deal here than back in the city, with the flyers plastered along every wall already with different team tryouts over the next few weeks.
One huge and welcomed difference was getting used to the absence of eyes on my back or whispers whenever I approached. I was the new counselor with a clean slate, and the relief from all the old pressure already made my job easier.
“Well, you know what happens when a city girl moves up to a small town for a new job, right?”
“What? I’ll meet the local veterinarian who’s trying to save his family’s farm and fall madly in love? I didn’t movethatfar upstate, Claud.”
“You never know. If you meet someone hot, faint. It seems to help move things along.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
A laugh slipped out. No hot veterinarians for me. If I wanted good romance, I had the new Melanie Moreland book downloaded on my Kindle for later.
“I better get ready for school.”
