White As A Lie

2: January 8th, 2020

I sat down at my computer and officially put Steven Welling back into welding. It was the beginning of second semester, so lots of kids were coming in and asking to change their schedule.

I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. It was currently 6:36, Nicole was still at her meeting. An email popped up on my computer, so I opened it.

Nolan McCain,

You have been nominated for Teacher of the Year by your co-workers and the students of your school. We hope you will accept this nomination by coming to the meeting being held on February 21st.

James Quentin

I frowned in confusion. I wasn't technically a teacher, but that evidently didn't matter. My frown turned to a smile. "Wow," I said to myself. "Teacher of the Year..."

Just then I heard Nicole pull up in the driveway. I jumped out of the desk chair and ran to the door. "I have great news!" I said, hoping she'd say she did too.

She didn't.

"I don't." She snapped. "Mr. Johnston not only gave the promotion to Morgan, but he also gave Stuart Miley a promotion, too. It seems like everyone is advancing, and I'm just being left in the dust!" She slammed her purse down on the table, then sighed. "I'm sorry, you had news?"

I stared at her for a moment. I figured if I told her, I'd be the next thing slammed down on that table. "Uh...I heard...my brother was coming to town for the holidays next month..."

Nicole frowned. "Your brother is coming into town for Valentine's Day?"

My God, I'm such a bad liar. I nodded and shrugged. "Yeah. He's coming to give us chocolate."

Nicole didn't stop frowning. "He can't just send that in the mail?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "No, he's not coming. I only said that because..." I trailed off.

"What?" She asked, getting curious.

"I was nominated for Teacher of the Year." It almost came out like a question.

"Nolan! That's great! Why didn't you just say so?" She gave me a hug.

"I didn't want to upset you."

Nicole smiled, and tucked some of her hair behind her ear like she did when she was nervous. "Oh, I'm fine. I wouldn't take it out on you."

I chuckled and kissed her. "Richard Johnston is the biggest idiot on the planet for not giving you that promotion."

She laughed lightly. "Thank you." She walked back to our bedroom, and I sat back down at my computer. "It's just that I'm the one he always comes to when he has a problem he can't solve on his own. He trusts me, and knows I can handle the job by myself...yet he keeps picking Morgan over me." Nicole said from down the hall.

"Well, honey, maybe he doesn't want you to leave. Being editor-in-chief means you'll have a lot of individuality. He wants you nearby precisely for those reasons you said." I said as I typed on my computer.

"So he doesn't want me to have a career? Is that what you're saying?" She reappeared at my side with a stern face.

I stopped typing and frowned. Was that what I said...? "Uh, I-"

"That's what it sounds like, and you know what? I think you're right." She was getting worked up. I could tell because she began pacing and shaking her hands like they were wet but there were no towels to dry them.

If there's anything you should know about Nicole Shaw-McCain, it's that when she gets worked up, you better hope it's not because of you. You'd want to stay as far away as humanly possible.

I couldn't tell if she was worked up because of Johnston or me.

"I think he just doesn't want the responsibility-" I tried.

"No, he doesn't want me to be successful, does he? Why? Because he's too lazy to make decisions on his own? He needs me to hold his hand."

"Well-"

"What a bastard. I ought to tell him what I think of that!" She grabbed her phone and started dialing.

"Wait! Nicole, think this through. He could get mad and fire you. This is your dream job." I pleaded with her.

She stopped dialing, but her face didn't change. "Yeah, but I'm in a dead end."

I nodded. "I get it, and you should speak your mind. But...do it in such a manner that's confident and respectful...yeah?"

If there's anything you should know about me, I hate confrontation. I was always bullied as a kid, but I never told anyone because then the bully would find out and bully me more.

Nicole nodded and took a deep breath, her face softening. "You're right. Whew! You always know how to reel me in." She kissed my cheek.

I smiled and watched her go back to our room again. "You just gotta do what I never could and stick up for yourself. I think most bosses like that. At least, a few in movies and TV shows do." I chuckled a little.

"Great. Movies and TV shows have guided me so far." I could hear that she was smiling. "I'll tell him first thing tomorrow."

***
Later that evening, I was wrapping up my work on the computer when I noticed it was already 9:57. Not really late, but the next day was a Thursday, aka, school day. I needed to be nicely rested in order to do this all over again.

I closed my computer and walked back to our bedroom, Nicole already asleep. I smiled and kissed her cheek. She stirred awake. "I didn't mean to wake you." I whispered.

She smiled and said, "It's fine. Now I get to say goodnight to you."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, babe." She kissed me and rolled back the other way.

As I lay there, staring at the dark ceiling above, I could never have imagined that would be the last time I saw her alive.