Chapter 32
Beau
I flipped through the channels of the television station, scowling at the television. I glanced at the clock, feeling moody. I hadn’t been out of the house throughout the Easter break. Just sitting here inside the apartment feeling sorry for myself. Even returning to France was beginning to sound good. Why was I still here anyway? The school didn’t want me here. The students didn’t want me here. I no longer knew what Gordon wanted with me, and given his kids’ attitude, what he wanted was of little importance anyway. The only thing left was for me to get an eviction notice.
I wasn’t used to this pity party but had no idea how to come out of my funk. I so badly wanted to take up my phone and call Gordon, if even to listen to his voicemail, but I couldn’t risk him picking up. I’d crack if he answered the phone. I wouldn’t be able to contain how much I missed him and wanted him. Better to leave well enough alone.
This evening was the third practice I would be missing with my group of teens at the community center. Everything had been running smoothly. Next month we would have given the community the show of their lifetime. The kids had been looking forward to it too, but I doubted anyone showed up for rehearsals given the reaction of their parents which was about to cost me my job.
My phone rang, and I ignored it. Until it rang twice more, and I decided maybe it was important. I was surprised to find the call was from the manager of the community center. I had been expecting this for some time now. Some of the sponsors of the play had already called me directly to pull out of supporting us. Without them, we would never be able to get everything together we needed to set up stage and costumes.
“Mr. Sawyer,” I answered the phone. “How may I help you?”
“Beau, where are you?” he asked. “The kids say you’ve not been to rehearsals over the last days.”
“What?” I sat up on the sofa. “The kids are there?”
“Of course they are here. Why wouldn’t they be?”
“But-but the parents. The video…” I trailed off. He must be one of the few people who had not yet seen the video.
“What about the video? Listen, no one has been interested in building up this community center until you came along. These kids have been looking for something to be a part of, and you started this. I don’t give a damn if you're ET. You’re going to finish what you started. Are you getting here or not?”
My heart lurched with the first twinge of life in days. “Yes, sir. I’ll be there.”
“Good. I have faith in what you’re trying to do in this town, Beau. You are exactly what we've needed here in Lacovia.”
After the call ended, I sat dazed for about five minutes before running to the bathroom to take my first shower of the day. My hair was a mess, and I needed to shave but had no time to stop to do that. I couldn’t believe the kids had still shown up for practice. I doubted all would be there, but we could always amend parts of the play to suit with those we had.
The drive to the community center was the longest I’d had since I started going there. I impatiently thought if I took too long to get there, the kids would leave. I was still in awe that they had shown up the days when I hadn’t been there.
I was even more overwhelmed when I entered the auditorium and noted almost the full complement of students were present. There was silence upon my entry, but one student stood and cheered. One by one the others followed. I was all ready to cry at their support but blinked the tears away. I noted one very distinct individual who was missing. Charlie. Three others were not present as well.
“Thank you so much, guys,” I told them. “And sorry for not being here the last two rehearsals. I wasn’t sure you’d turn up.”
"Why wouldn't we, Mr. Moreau?" Katie asked. "Everybody's freaking out about nothing. I think the adults are the ones blowing things out of proportion."
I smiled at her observation but did not agree or contradict her. I got right into the rehearsal session to do damage control. Thankfully, two of the individuals who had dropped out of the play were stagehands rather than the actors. It was hands down the best practice we’d ever had. As though they had something to prove, the kids put out their best, minimizing errors they usually made. I didn’t have to correct that much stage directions nor to remind anyone not to turn their backs to the audience.
At some point during the rehearsals, I sensed when someone entered. I glanced behind me, smiling as I told them to take five before we would do the final re-run. Charlie stood inside the entrance, her hands clutched before her. Her eyes skittered over the room before landing on me. I was so overjoyed to see her but refrained from showing it. I had no idea why she was here yet. Neither would I take it for granted she had forgiven me. I knew she’d had a crush on me, and I wondered how much of her reaction had to do with that as well.
In the end, I decided not to do anything. She took a seat at the back to watch instead of joining the cast. I turned back to the group and spoke to one of the guys playing one of the children at the orphanage. While rehearsing, they had come up with ideas that I allowed them to incorporate in the play.
We completed the final run of rehearsals, and everyone was just so full of energy and life. Nobody grumbled, but they were in good spirits as they filed out of the community center one by one to go home. I noticed Charlie did not leave with them. She remained at the back, slumped in the chair, huddling away from the other kids in a defensive manner. I was considering whether to ignore her or approach her when she decided for me.
“Mr. Moreau?” she called softly and finally rose from the seat.
I turned to watch her approach me. “Yes, Charlie?” It didn’t escape me that she had moved from being Charlotte to Charlie to me. This was no longer just professional. It was as personal as it could get when I was so madly in love with her father.
“Mr. Moreau, I owe you an apology for the way I acted when you saw me at the school,” she told me, clinging to the loop in her jeans. “I hope it's not too late to answer your question.”
“No, Charlie. You don’t have to.” But the gesture melted my heart. What was it about the Mattis clan that I'd allowed them to wedge their way into my heart?
She nodded, staring me right in the eyes this time. “Yes, I do,” she answered. “Let me explain. I was mad when I found out about you and my father.” Her cheeks turned red, and her voice changed, lowered. “I was confused about it all because my father and mother were married. So, this was a shock.”
“I understand that.” I didn't really. I didn't think I could ever understand what went through the mind of a teenager who discovered their father was gay the way she and Ollie had.
“I was also upset because you were the teacher who helped me to be more assertive,” she continued. “A year ago, I would have never been able to make this apology. I do believe you’re an awesome teacher and we will be the ones to lose should you leave us.” She glanced away from me now.
“Thanks, Charlie.” I wasn't done with tears as I'd thought, but I held it in since I didn't want to embarrass her. I felt a huge load rolling off me and never realized how much I wanted the approval of Gordon's kids. If only we could find Ollie.
“There’s just one question, if I may be allowed to ask you.”
“Go ahead.” I would have allowed her to ask me mostly anything.
“Do you love my father?”
“Excuse me?” I exclaimed because this wasn’t a question I was prepared for.
“Do you love him?” she repeated. “I haven’t acted much like a daughter recently, but I love my dad. I don’t think he was very happy with my mom, and he’s such an awesome dad. I think he deserves love the second time around. It’s such a pity that doing it twice still doesn’t make it easy.”
Bowled over at the maturity of this child, it took me a while to reply. I hoped Gordon knew the gem he had in his daughter. Suddenly I wanted to be there to watch her as she grew up.
“I understand if you think it's none of my business,” she said when I took too long to answer. “I treated my dad horribly, and that was wrong. We are still trying to heal, and Ollie is missing. Still, I'd like to know.”
“It's well within your rights to ask,” I told her. “And yes, I love and care for your father very much. But any other question about our relationship, it might be best to talk to him about it. It’s not my place to comment. I hope you understand that. Your father will talk to you if you are receptive, Charlie.”
“I will,” she affirmed then dragged in a deep breath that hitched a little. “I just had to know that question though before,” she paused and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Before I told you that you have my permission to date my dad.”
If Gordon and I decided to date, there was nothing she or anyone else could do about it. As smart as she was, she had to know that. Still, her willingness to let me know she approved of our relationship was damn near the sweetest gift anyone could have offered me. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I did neither but responded to her in the same way she had approached me. Looking her squarely in the eyes, I gave her a respectful nod.
“Thank you.”