The Love We Choose

Chapter 47

Dazed, Lynne looked up into an entrancing pair of warm brown eyes with flecks of gold throughout the iris.

"Jesus H. Tap-dancing Christ. Are. Are you ok? Here, let me help you up. Can you get up on your own?

In the back of Lynne's mind, she vaguely registered that he was saying something to her as he held a tan hand out to her. Shaking the fog from her mind and registering her surroundings, Lynne took a mental inventory of her body. No pain or cramps in my abdomen. All good signs. Thank the heavens. Taking the outstretched hand, she gave him a watery smile and allowed him to help her off of the floor.

"So so sorry about that. I wasn't," he paused to pick-up her lunch bag, "paying attention. My momma always told me I was as graceful as an ox on ice skates. Geez. I'm rambling."

Lynne registered her blurry vision and dragged the edge of her sleeve over her eyes. "No, I'm good. Just a little shaken up," she reassured him. However, despite her attempt to quell her tears, equal streams continued to flow down the sides of her face.

"Shit!" Looking around the hallway, he ushered her into the nearest classroom and helped her sit down in one of the student desks. Rushing over to the teacher's desk, he grabbed the box of tissues and handed it to her. "Are you sure you're alright? You're not seriously hurt or anything right? Do you need the nurse? Should I call somebody for you? I mean, I'm not that big of a guy, but I'm pretty solid. There I go again." He took a deep, cleansing breath. "Let me restart. Hi, I'm Xavier Butler," he told her, once again extending his hand to her.

Lynne finished wiping away her tears and shook his hand. "Oh, you're the new History teacher everyone's been talking about."

"Good things, I hope," he replied with a sheepish grin.

"Well, I won't go into detail, but you have amassed quite a fan club. I'm Lynne Prentice."

"Nice to meet you. I wish it were under different circumstances. I am truly sorry for knocking the wind out of you."

"It's ok. I wasn't paying attention either. Not your fault. Just got a lot on my mind is all."

"Worrying about your student's upcoming midterm exams?"

"Sorry, but I'm not a teacher."

"Oh. Are you a sub?"

Lynne let loose a titter, "naw. I don't have the patience or gift it takes to be a teacher. I'm the school's Business Manager. I rarely exist outside of the Financial Office in the admin suite."

"Sounds exciting," he remarked flatly.

"Oh, it is pleasantly boring," she paused before adding, "at least something in my life is." Realizing that the last few words weren't said in her mind, Lynne visibly cringed. "Sorry, ignore me. I should-"

"No no no. It's ok," he hurriedly assured her. "Sometimes we all need something constantly neutral in our lives to balance out the crazy. The stories I could tell you about my family and my love life would blow your mind. I run each morning in order to keep myself in some sort of status quo."

"I never thought about it that way, but it does make sense. And my stories could probably give yours a run for their money."

"You wanna bet? We could grab lunch or a coffee sometime and swap our best WTF tales."

Lynne was interrupted when the door to the room flew open and a statuesque auburn-haired woman in a purple dress and heels walked in. It was Ryleigh Evans, the fourth-year Middle School history teacher.

"Xavier," the woman's over-enunciation of his name caused Lynne to roll her eyes. "I wanted to talk to you about...oh!" She stopped, placing her hand over her chest in faux-shock like she walked in on a scandalous scene, not two individuals spaced at least five feet apart, one standing and one sitting.

"It's alright Ryleigh. I was just leaving," Lynne said, rising to her feet. Turning toward Xavier she gave him a warm smile, "it was nice meeting you Xavier."

"You too. Maybe we can grab lunch or that coffee sometime soon."

"Maybe," she replied half-heartedly with a shrug. Outwardly, she was all smiles as she exited the room, doing her best to avoid bumping into Ryleigh. Inwardly, she was trying to map out how the rumor-mill would twist this situation. The only two black staff members in a closed room together. Escandalo! But, you know, without the fun title sequence and Jimmy Kimmel in an over-the-top wig. Lynne had done her best to avoid ever being close to speculation of any sort at Abundant Life Academy. So much for laying low.

As she entered the Admin suite and headed toward her office, she stopped at Francine's desk to get any messages and send the younger woman out to have her lunch break. When Francine looked up at her, concern quickly swept across her face.

"Boss, is everything ok? Your eyes are red and puffy."

Waving a dismissive hand in the air, "it's just allergies. I'll be fine."

"You sure? Should I call Ms. Docherty? You seem like you might feel better if you talk with her."

"No!" Lynne barked out. Talking to Ava is the last thing I want to do now. Damn Francine and that big heart of hers. "Like I said, I"m fine. Go get lunch. Enjoy." She told her as she walked into her office and shut the door.

Now that she was finally alone, Lynne was able to run her hands over her belly and double-check that everything was fine. No sore points, other than her ego. She felt pretty normal. She didn't dare speak out loud to her belly as she usually did, out of fear someone might hear her.

Looking over at the cellphone she had left, she saw the string of missed calls and messages she had, a few from her siblings, asking for babysitters and the like, one from her mom requesting her presence at the next family dinner. But the one she cringed at that also had three missed calls associated with it was from Mrs. Zhang.

Before lunch, she had sent the woman a message telling her she would not be able to attend the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration or help her out beforehand like she had done almost every year since high school. It killed her to disappoint Mrs. Zhang this way, but Lynne had made the decision after a lot of thought. Although her stomach was in no way, shape, or form prominent, her face had begun to get fuller, her clothes were tighter around the middle, and she was easily tired.

Then there was the other thing. As much as she told herself it wasn't a factor, it was. And she couldn't bring herself to face it without the option to escape. So instead of opening herself to getting into a catfight with the person who had inadvertently led to her current predicament, she decided to bow-out of the event altogether. It wasn't worth the stress.

"I guess I need to message Huan, too," she murmured to herself as she quickly shot-off the text, ignoring all the others, and getting back to work. All thoughts of her conversation with Ava, meeting Xavier, and the messages of her outside life were placed in a nice small box inside her mind and locked away for when she got home.

XXX

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