Lessons From a Younger Lover (15 page)

Gwen pulled into Kristy's crowded parking lot. She knew she was going to need all the help she could get today, and decided that a large double-Dutch hot chocolate would be the perfect way to begin it.

Or close to perfect anyway. After lying next to Ransom the previous night, she knew that waking up in that same position would be the absolute crème de la crème. She was glad she'd talked with him about Adam too. He was very sensible about the whole thing, his ass-kicking comment not withstanding. But after listening to what had happened at school, he suggested she not make a big deal out of what Adam and Joanna had done.

“It's obvious that Adam wants you, and Joanna wants to
be
you,” he'd said while holding her. “Your best move will be to keep it chillin' like Bob Dylan, B-fly. Follow Joanna's changes to the letter and continue being the brilliant teacher you are. Act like what they did doesn't affect you at all. They won't know what to make of your actions and when they realize you're not going to be pulled into their antics, they'll leave you alone.”

His advice was so sensible Gwen felt as if Ransom, and not Adam, were the older brother. When Gwen called Chantay late the night before, she had agreed—both with staying calm where Joanna was concerned and with Ransom kicking Adam's behind. She'd also added that if Joanna kept tripping and needed to get jumped, she'd come down and help a sistah out.

Gwen eased into the aromatic coffee shop. There were several people in line, including a group of high school kids. Gwen tried to get Kristy's attention. When Kristy nodded a greeting, Gwen threw up two fingers. Kristy nodded and Gwen moved out of the line. While waiting for her order, she sent a text message to Ransom:

Within moments, her phone beeped with his reply.

Gwen smiled, and texted back.

Gwen heard Kristy call her name and motion her over. “What's up, Kristy?”

“You, girlfriend. Barely here a month and shaking things up in this town.”

“How's that?” Gwen's phone beeped. She looked down to read Ransom's message and didn't catch Kristy rolling her eyes.

“Carol was in here yesterday. Let's just say her conversation was about you and it was nothing nice.”

“Carol doesn't know me and she definitely doesn't know my business. So you might as well disregard whatever she said.”

“That may be true, but you might want to watch your back regardless. Some people think that girl has a screw loose.”

“Well, thanks for the info, Kristy. And for the chocolate.” Gwen took a five-dollar bill out of her wallet and laid it on the counter.

“Pick your money up, girlfriend. That ‘Monday morning mover' is on me.”

“You're the best, Kristy.” Gwen put the five dollars in the tip jar, winked at the cheerful coffee shop owner, and answered her phone.

“Good morning.”

“Hey, Butterfly.”

Gwen still melted when Ransom called her that. It felt especially good hearing it in light of what Kristy had told her. She relayed the conversation to Ransom.

“Carol doesn't have enough business of her own and is always trying to get into everybody else's. I need to talk with her about that.”

“Oh, Ransom, don't tell her I said anything.”

“I'm not talking about what she told Kristy. I'm talking about what Isis told me. She had quite the conversation with Carol on Monday, where Carol was asking about your being over to our house.”

“You mean Friday night? How could she know about that?”

“She may have been fishing for info, or she may have driven over here and seen your car.”

Gwen sighed. “Here we go.”

“Here goes what? That people know we're seeing each other? We're grown, baby. I don't care if the whole world knows I'm digging you.”

“I feel the same way.”

Ransom smiled broadly. “You do? And you're admitting it? We're making progress.”

“Your lessons are helping, a little,” Gwen begrudgingly admitted, her own smile widening. “It's just that…”

“Just that what?”

How can I tell him the way I feel? And how Mama used to warn me about being the loose girl on folks' loose lips and making the news.
Her mother's paranoia about the town knowing her business was part of what had kept Gwen a virgin until way after she'd left home. “I don't like the small town ‘he say she say' mess,” she offered finally. “I'm still married.”

“Okay, Gwen. But check this out. I'm flying to Chicago with you for the divorce and that night, after your divorce is finalized, we'll have lesson number three.”

Gwen bypassed the teachers' lounge and went straight to her classroom. She wasn't totally shocked to see Joanna inside, looking at the model city Gwen's class had built for their latest project. Gwen was angry, but was determined not to show it.

“Good morning, Joanna.” She walked to her desk, sat down, and began organizing her day.

Joanna was taken aback at the pleasant greeting. “I expected a phone call from you last night.”

“Did you?”

“Yes. I asked Adam if you could call me after you'd read the new schedule. I'm sure you heard me.”

“I'm sorry. I must have missed that. But I'm here now. What is it I can do for you?”

“Well I, I mean…” Joanna stammered and then sputtered into silence. Gwen's poise had obviously unnerved her.

“I read your plan,” Gwen continued. “I thought certain components you added, the inclusion of news in age-appropriate translation for instance, were quite good. I should have the one-month overview for my new lesson plans to you by Monday, as Adam requested.”

Joanna's chagrin showed up on her face in a bright shade of red. Whatever comeback she'd come up with was interrupted by Gwen's rambunctious student, Patrick, and his mother, Ashley.

“Oh, Gwen, I'm glad you're here,” Ashley said, trying to catch her breath. “I have a doctor's appointment before I go to work and hope you don't mind if I drop Patrick off a little early.”

“Not at all, Ashley. Hope your appointment is nothing serious.”

“I hope so too.” Ashley looked as if she wanted to say something else to Gwen, but glancing at Joanna, she simply said, “Thanks. Bye.”

“Guess what I've got, Miss Gwen!” Patrick reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a balled up handkerchief. “A grasshopper!” He ceremoniously unfolded the handkerchief to reveal what was technically called a katydid.

Joanna huffed, rolled her eyes, and stomped out.

“My goodness!” Gwen said to her student, thankful for the timely yet gross interruption. “I sure hope the poor thing wasn't alive when you put it in your pocket!”

Patrick scrunched up his nose. “Of course not, Miss Gwen. I killed it first!”

 

Mere seconds after her last student left, Gwen received her second uninvited guest of the day. Adam closed her door after walking in.

“We need to talk.”

Gwen surreptitiously took a deep breath before responding cheerfully. “About what, Adam?”

“About your reputation, and how sleeping around might not look good for the new first-grade teacher.”

Gwen continued to erase the day's lessons from the board. “You know how it is in a small town, Adam. You can't believe everything you hear.”

“So you and Ransom aren't hanging out?”

Gwen turned around and crossed her arms. “Who told you this, Carol?”

“Don't matter how I heard it, word got around.”

“Well, whoever is spreading this word around should try and get their story straight.”

“You weren't over to Ransom's house Friday night? After hours?”

“Adam, I think we've had this conversation before. What I do with my time after hours should be of no concern to either you or the faculty at Sienna. However, let me correct the rumor, for the record. Yes, I was at Ransom's house Friday night. And if whoever brought you this news had bothered to either knock on the door or watch me leave, they would know that I did not spend the night there.”

“So you're the fuck 'em and leave 'em type, huh?”

Gwen turned back to the board. “This conversation is over.”

“You need to watch yourself, Gwen. The parents in this town are very particular about who teaches their children.”

Gwen turned back to face him. “And probably who runs the school as well, I'd imagine.”

Adam narrowed his eyes. “Oh, you don't even want to go there.”

“Don't start nothing, won't be nothing.”

“Does your husband know about these extracurricular activities you're involved in before the ink is even dry on your divorce decree?”

“No,” Ransom said from the back of the room. He hadn't made a sound as he'd opened the door and stepped inside. “And you, big brother, have made your last veiled threat to Gwen.”

“You have about two seconds to get off the premises before I call security,” Adam said to Ransom.

Ransom ignored Adam. “Are you ready to go, Gwen?”

“Did you hear what I just said?” Adam raised his voice and took a step toward Ransom.

“If you're tired of standing upright, just keep coming toward me.” Ransom's voice was low, soft, deadly.

“And what if I don't?” Adam asked the question, but stopped walking.

Ransom's smile was menacing. “Gwen's doing her job, and minding her business. Back off her.”

Adam took another step toward Ransom. “And just who is going to make me?”

“I am.” Ransom grabbed Adam's forearm and swung his leg just below Adam's shins. Adam was on the ground before he knew what hit him. He landed on his stomach, knocking the wind out of himself.

“Oh, that's your ass, punk,” he said between gasps. “I'm going to have you arrested for assault!”

“Who assaulted anybody? Gwen, did you see anything?”

“No, Ransom. All I saw was you two talking. Now let's go.”

Ransom closed Gwen's car door after she got in. He walked over to his Jeep, which was parked next to her Toyota, and got in. He phoned her as soon as they pulled out of the school parking lot.

“I don't know if that was the smartest thing we just did,” Gwen said. “I really don't need Adam as an enemy right now.”

“Adam was already your enemy. Don't worry about him though. Most of the time he's full of hot air.”

“What if now isn't one of those times?”

“He doesn't want to mess with me. I don't make idle threats.”

“And I don't want you two brothers fighting over me—although it was quite chivalrous, you coming to my defense back there. Thank you.”

Gwen's praise settled around Ransom like a velvet cloak. “Your place or mine?”

“Really, Ransom, maybe we'd better rethink getting together, just until after the divorce is final.”

“I need to go get Isis at Carol's. You know that Burger King just off the Lancaster exit? Meet me there in thirty minutes.”

 

Adam paced his office, contemplating what to do. He was so angry he couldn't see straight. Calling the police was out. After all, what could he tell them? That his little brother knocked him on his butt and then walked out the door with the woman he wanted? He didn't think that would do much for the “Playa' A. J.” reputation. Besides, it would just be his word against both Gwen and Ransom. He didn't doubt for a minute that Gwen would side with Ransom, and lie if it would keep his younger brother out of trouble.

Adam picked up a piece of paper, balled it up, and threw it against the wall. Then he picked up another, and another. He wanted to crumple his brother in like fashion, and throw Gwen up against the wall of his bedroom. Her choosing Ransom over him had deflated an already deteriorating ego, and Adam wasn't about to let her get away with making a fool of him.

“I'm going to show that bitch what happens when you mess with The Johnson,” he growled as he walked behind his desk and sat down. He reached for the phone with a sneer on his face. “Chicago,” he said to the automated system. When it asked what listing, he spoke slowly, clearly: “Joseph Smith.”

 

Carol smiled when she saw Ransom through her peephole. “Hey, handsome,” she said when she opened the door.

“Where's Isis?”

“Playing with Kari in her bedroom. Come on in.”

“Just tell her I'm out here.”

“You're going to wait outside…in the hall?”

“That's right.”

“Okay, Ransom, what's wrong?”

“You trying to get in my business, that's what.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know what I'm talking about, Carol. Asking Isis about Gwen being at my house. I don't appreciate your pumping my daughter for information that doesn't concern you.”

“I didn't pump Isis for information.”

“You didn't ask Isis about Gwen being at my house Friday?”

“No,” Carol lied.

“Well, that's what she told me, and I believe my daughter. Now go get her.”

Carol didn't move, but yelled from the doorway, “Isis!”

Isis came running out of Kari's room, saw the scowl on Ransom's face, and stopped short. “What's the matter, Daddy?”

“Nothing, Princess. Get your backpack. We're leaving.”

“Can I stay for dinner? Carol's making tacos.”

“No. Get your backpack.”

“Look, I don't appreciate your coming over here with an attitude,” Carol said. “You're not paying me to pick up your daughter and bring her here after school. I do it as a favor, because she and Kari are friends, and I thought you and I were friends as well. But maybe you should get your new
girlfriend
to be your taxi. See how long Gwen lasts trying to do what I've done for the past two years.”

“I never asked for your help with Isis. All of this was your idea. But now that I see it's a problem for you, I'll be glad to make other arrangements. From this moment right here, you no longer have to worry about picking Isis up, either before or after school. Isis, let's go!”

Isis looked at Carol with sad eyes as she walked around her to take Ransom's hand.

“Send me an e-mail of what you think I owe you,” Ransom said. He turned to walk away without another word.

“Ransom, wait!” Carol's anger quickly turned to regret as she watched her chances at becoming Ransom's woman fade with every step he took away from her apartment. “Ransom, I didn't mean it!”

Ransom picked up Isis and, bypassing the elevator, quickly disappeared down the steps.

Carol slammed the door, leaned against it, and burst out crying.

 

“Miss Gwen!” Isis waved frantically as Ransom parked his Jeep next to Gwen's Toyota.

“Hope you haven't been waiting long,” he said.

“I just got here. Hello, Isis.”

They walked inside the restaurant, placed their orders, and waited for the food.

“Are you okay?”

“I just had it out with Carol.”

“Uh-oh.”

“It was long overdue, actually. I knew she'd been…” Ransom looked down and saw Isis's big brown eyes looking directly at his mouth. “Let's get our food, and then we'll talk.”

“Who's going to take me to school?” Isis repeated the question she'd asked on the drive to Burger King.

“I told you that I was.”

“But what about after school? And when you go out of town? I like staying at Carol's house, Daddy. Kari's my friend!” Isis's eyes grew bright as tears threatened.

“Do you want a chocolate shake or not?” Ransom offered a threat of his own.

Isis sniffled as she nodded her head yes.

“Well, quit that crying then. You'll still see Kari at school. And you've got other friends.”

“But Kari's my best friend!”

Ransom and Gwen looked at each other. Ransom sighed. Gwen offered a sympathetic smile.

Isis thought for a moment and then nudged Gwen. “Miss Gwen, will you be my new babysitter?”

Without looking at Ransom, Gwen answered. “I'll help in whatever way I can.”