“She’s just so…stuck up,” Kelsey finally found the word she was looking for.

  “I’ve noticed that too,” Johanna added.

  That would be a phrase Melanie would use to describe Esther. Closed off, stuck up, and cold. She seemed to almost have no life in her, and yet, Melanie remembered the moment of Esther with Anthony, when she directed him to his class on that very first day, the kindness that flashed in her eyes as she pointed out where he should go.

  No one who was lifeless would look at a child like that. No one who was stuck up would either. Pondering that, Melanie ate another chip as she listened to the gossip run around the table, not interjecting or stopping it because she was far too lost in her own thoughts.

  Eventually, Chris stepped in. “Guys, give it up already.”

  Kelsey and Johanna gave Chris sheepish looks. Melanie didn’t blame them. They had just been chastised by their principal, boss, and friend, although it was rightfully done. Melanie settled her drink on the table and let her shoulders droop.

  “I have a feeling,” Melanie started, “that there is far more than meets the eye where it concerns Ms. Dunja.”

  Chris eyed her, delight and mischievous glee behind it all. Melanie gave the slightest of shrugs. She still didn’t want to be Esther’s mentor, but she could at least see why Chris had insisted she be the one to do it. The others would have given up by then, and they weren’t even two weeks into the school year.

  “I did hear she came highly recommended by the school board,” Kelsey offered, clearly trying to make up for what she’d already done wrong.

  Melanie kept her lips closed. She had staunchly not gone looking for rumors or gossip on the new Ms. Dunja, wanting to figure out who this woman was without outside influence. So far she’d succeeded, but then again, Esther seemed to keep to herself, which meant there was very little information for rumors to be spurred on from.

  “She did,” Chris answered, at least giving credit to that rumor.

  If there was one thing Melanie had learned about Chris it was that she would always protect her teachers, as best as she could, especially if they deserved it. Chris defending Esther, even in this very small gesture, was enough to tell Melanie there was a reason behind it, one she should pay close attention to.

  “Can we stop talking about school?” Melanie pleaded. “I thought we came here to get a break from all that.”

  “We did.” Johanna lightened up. “But still on the school topic, how is Avery’s first semester going?”

  Melanie pressed her lips together tight as she glanced at the table, her cheeks heating as tears suddenly sprung to her eyes. “I didn’t think it would be so hard when she moved out. Honestly. I thought I’d be used to it by now.”

  “It hits hardest with the youngest.” Johanna’s eyes softened. “At least that’s what I’ve heard. Mine are still in high school, thankfully.”

  “Yeah.” Melanie turned her drink in circles on the table. “But you at least got yours for the full eighteen years before they left. I was shorted on some of those years.”

  “It’s how you’re so young when they graduated.” Johanna bumped her shoulder into Melanie’s. “Take that the right way. Being young with grandkids around is a blessing.”

  Melanie groaned and closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Don’t tell me that. I’m pretty sure Jeremy is going to get a girl pregnant sooner rather than later, no matter how much I talk to him about safe sex. I have my hands full with the two grandkids I do have.”

  Johanna snickered. “A few unwanted pregnancies end up with some of the best kiddos, you know that.”

  “I do, but still, I’d rather him not be a parent before he’s ready.”

  “Is anyone ever ready for that?” Chris chimed in. “I think Jeremy would make an excellent father.”

  “He’s twenty-two. He doesn’t need any encouragement.”

  “When’s he coming home next?”

  Melanie sucked in a breath as she thought through the kids’ schedules. “He should be back for Thanksgiving, but I don’t think Ella is going to make it. She’s still trying to get off work, but she just started that new job. Becky might, even with the kids and Preston’s family, life gets complicated.”

  “That’s how it always seems to go,” Kelsey mumbled. “It’s so hard for kids these days just starting out.”

  “It is,” Melanie agreed. “But Ella’s at least loving her job. Becky is too. They work together, actually. Twins to the core.”

  “That’s a bonus!” Johanna raised her drink in a salute.

  Melanie couldn’t deny it. She had worked so hard with all four of the kids for years, trying to create a stable environment for them when they’d had none for the first chunk of their lives. Their mother may have been there for years, but she wasn’t someone who understood consistency.

  She steered the conversation away from her four kids and from Esther after giving a quick update on each of them, especially the twins. Then she focused on whatever else she could before it was time for her to sneak out and head home.

  She hadn’t lied when she said it was quiet. Her house felt so empty without Avery home. As each kid had left and gone on their own, she’d felt the same kind of loss, but this one hit her particularly hard. Locking the door behind her, Melanie put her keys on the hook and shucked the light jacket she’d worn. She grabbed a slice of cheesecake from her fridge and ate it slowly as she reclined on her couch and turned the television on.

  Checking her phone, Melanie frowned. She had no calls or texts or emails from her kids, and once again that aching loneliness hit home. Maybe she should get a dog, just to keep her company on these quiet nights, although Avery might kill her if she finally got a dog after she’d been begging ten years for one.

  She wondered what Esther did on these nights, if she was as lonely as Melanie was or if she had a life no one knew about. Melanie had no idea, honestly, because Esther was so closed off, so tightly wound. That first day Melanie had been sure Esther had just about pooped herself when she’d opened the door to the classroom and scared her. That hadn’t been Melanie’s intention in the least, so after that day she’d taken her time to open the door.

  Esther had greeted her much more serenely the last time around, so Melanie would have to remember that for the future. She wanted Esther to feel comfortable with her, to perhaps crack the icy exterior that seemed to be a solid wall. Esther reminded her of Jeremy in a lot of ways. He’d been so hard, when they had moved in with her, but eventually Melanie had worn him down and given him a safe place for long enough that he felt he could open up to her and now he was one of the chattiest of her kids.

  Perhaps it would be the same with Esther. Time, energy, and tenacity—all of those Melanie had on her side. She just had to be consistent and let Esther know that she was there, that she would always be there for her. Chuckling, Melanie took another bite of her cheesecake. No wonder Chris had insisted Melanie continue as Esther’s mentor. No one else would be able to pull it off.

  Two more hours and Esther could leave for a blissful three-day Labor Day weekend. She’d be up most of that night doing work so she could spend the rest of the time with Anthony since Skip had canceled yet again, but it would all be worth it—so long as Anthony knew and understood that she loved him and was there for him and that he was her priority in every decision she made.

  They were barely two weeks into the school year, and still Esther longed for these quiet hours between the final bell of the day and when she would leave to pick up Anthony from daycare. It was the perfect quiet calm that she needed. Oftentimes it was filled with other meetings, but she took the time as she could to get caught up on her work. Efficiency at its finest. Hadn’t Skip told her for years she was one of the most efficient women he knew? And to be fair, he knew a lot of women.

  She was sliding her pencil over a paper to draw a line through her to-do list when the door to her classroom suddenly opened. It wasn’t rough, but a smooth open, tentative almost. At least this time Esther wasn’t jarred into anxiety or fear. Melanie popped her head through the small crack as it widened, allowing her full body to be visible before she even took a step forward.

  Esther eyed her suspiciously. She just couldn’t figure this woman out. Melanie was beautiful, Esther would never deny that, but beyond a confident sunny disposition, she was rather annoying in her insistence on talking to Esther. Lanky legs carried her toward Esther’s desk, as those dark brown eyes with light flecks of gold pinned her in place. Even if Esther wanted to get up and leave, she wasn’t sure she could. Not this time. Not with that gaze.

  Briefly, she wondered if Melanie used that look on all her students. If she did, it would be quite effective. Tightening every muscle in her body, Esther waited tensely to see what the topic of today's conversation was going to be. Instead of long conversations lately, Melanie had taken to making very small one-sentence remarks. Simple things like, “Hope you have a good day” or “You’re looking energetic this morning.”

  Every comment put Esther on edge. She couldn’t figure out what Melanie’s ulterior motive was, and everyone had one. Everyone had some game they were playing underneath it all, and usually Esther was damn good at figuring it out.

  “How’d your second week go?” Melanie’s bright eyes caught Esther’s attention, the look so earnest that she almost fell into the trap of answering honestly.

  “Fine,” Esther replied, putting an emphasis on the end of the word, her tone terse. The last thing she wanted was for Melanie to pry into her life. Grinding her teeth, she crossed her arms tightly and waited to see what Melanie could think of next that would push her into whatever she was there for.

  “Just fine?” Melanie propped herself up on the corner of Esther’s desk, one leg halfway lifted as she leaned forward, putting her palm directly on the wood.

  Esther eyed her carefully, trailing her gaze over Melanie’s comfortable form. There wasn’t a tense muscle in Melanie’s body, everything about her exuded calm and relation. If only Esther could ever achieve that kind of confidence. “If it was anything else, I would have said otherwise.”

  Melanie’s lips twitched before a smile bloomed. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

  She hated being pegged so easily. She had never been someone who was easy to read, at least that’s what countless boyfriends and girlfriends had told her over the years. In fact, every single one of them. She had to believe that it was true.

  “Changing topics,” Melanie started, leaning in again. This time Esther didn’t back up like she wanted to, holding firm in her position and not willing to give in to anything Melanie did or didn’t do. This was her classroom, and she would own every inch of it. “You didn’t come out last weekend, all is fair, but would you like to come out this weekend? It’ll be low key, easy, only a handful of teachers.”

  Esther pursed her lips, trying to avoid the sneer that wanted to grace her features. The thought of going out with a bunch of colleagues was overwhelming. She’d never done it. Not in college or when student teaching or any of the last six years of teaching. She was not a people person, and she did best if she lived in her own little bubble of no one but Anthony.

  And equally, she didn’t have a sitter for Anthony, and she wanted as much of her free time as possible when he was in her custody to be spent with him and only him. That was why she’d chosen to become a parent in the first place. Esther raised her gaze to those damnable bubbly brown eyes and gave a cold, hard stare back.

  “No.” She didn’t elaborate. She didn’t explain. She simply answered as she felt reasonable. An answer was expected, and certainly Melanie wouldn’t leave without one, but that didn’t also preclude an entire conversation about the matter.

  Melanie looked surprised. Her full lips parted, and it was almost as though she stuttered to speak and answer. Instead of saying something, and Esther thought she was certain she’d know what question she would get back, Melanie smiled. “The invitation is always open if you want to join us. I know some of the others would like to get to know you better.”

  “You mean you.” Esther raised an eyebrow, tightening her crossed arms as if to protect herself. She did it out of habit and chastised herself as soon as she realized what she was doing.

  “Yes, I mean me.” Melanie’s smile faltered for a brief moment, and Esther took that as a win. “But equally I mean some of the other teachers. You’re new, and they want to get to know you better. We are spending the entire year at least working together. Friendship is something to be welcomed when it comes to colleagues.”

  “Not in my experience.” Esther hardened immediately. She’d thought the same about friendship once, a long time ago, but time and experiences had proven her otherwise. Her heart raced as she looked Melanie directly in the eye, willing her body and facial expressions not to betray her.

  Since having Anthony, her entire life revolved around him and no one else. She wouldn’t step back into the disaster that was a relationship like the one with Skip, and she would never put her job in jeopardy again. She needed the income in order to support her son and retain custody. God knew Skip threatened it enough.

  “Well, think about it. We don’t go out every weekend, but usually once a month. You’re always welcome to join us.” Melanie leaned in and pressed her hand against Esther’s tightly crossed arms.

  Warmth seeped from her fingers, blooming into Esther’s skin and warming her icy state. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone touched her so gently, so softly, so without consequence. It had been nearly a year since she’d seen Carissa last, and she wasn’t expecting to see her again until next summer when she could take Anthony on a small trip. But this gesture…it was so unexpected.

  Uncrossing her arms, Esther broke the touch and scooted her chair away from another potential point of contact. She needed the space, the room to breathe. Eyeing Melanie sharply, Esther nodded at her.

  “Is that all?”

  “I guess it is.” Melanie frowned slightly, wrinkles creasing in the corners of her eyes and lips before that damned sunny disposition was back in place. “I’m glad your second week has gone fine.”

  At Melanie’s slight mocking, Esther started with an apology, but Melanie was already up and walking away, her wide hips swaying from side to side in a dance all her own. Esther let her leave, not wanting to continue a conversation she didn’t want to have in the first place. Instead, she focused on the to-do list sitting on the top of her desk and finished out what she could before packing up her bag and driving to Anthony’s daycare.

  Chapter Four

  By the end of the first month, Esther thought things would be better, but her anxiety reached an all-time high. She’d already flattened her replacement stress ball and needed to stop at the store to get a new one. She should probably just order the things in bulk. She’d thrown the last one away that morning before Anthony had gotten up for school.

  Even he had commented on it.

  Flushing, Esther settled at her desk and faced the door to her classroom, glad it was still shut. She needed the early morning moments of quiet to steel her soul for the rest of the day. The email she received with an agenda for the next school board meeting happening in a few weeks set her on edge. Esther stared at it, reading it three times over before she pulled her lip between her teeth and gnawed.

  Damn it, she really needed a new stress ball. The list was obnoxious, and there was some secret agenda item to be revealed at a later date, which meant they would likely be blindsided by it. Immediately, she wondered how many teachers would be fired over it, and she had no doubt she’d be one of them. She sighed heavily and rubbed her temple, popping her lip out from her teeth. She couldn’t even go to see what they were actually going to talk about because she was officially banned from attending any in-person meetings.

  Thank you for that, Skip.

  How she had been labeled the crazy and obsessive one, she wasn’t sure, but he had managed it somehow, and she was blacklisted from the meetings even though it was her prerogative as a teacher in the district. She was just about to close out of the email, when Melanie’s smooth and bubbly voice filtered to her ears.

  “You should turn that frown upside down, you know. Or you’ll get wrinkles like me.”

  Esther cocked her head to the side, staring at the now open door. She hadn’t even noticed, hadn’t even heard it click or Melanie come in for that matter. Something terrible could have happened to her. She could be dead from being so lost in thought. Melanie was halfway across the room and still coming closer. Esther’s heart rate spiked, and she clenched her fists against the stress ball that wasn’t there.

  “I’m pretty sure your wrinkles are from smiling, not frowning.” It was a weak attempt to put Melanie off, but it likely had done the job, even if it did sound like a compliment.

  Melanie grinned, her eyes lighting up as if she had won a prize. “I think that might be the first nice thing you have said to me—hidden in vague unpleasantries, but I’ll take it.”

  Esther huffed and crossed her arms as she leaned back in her chair. “What do you want today?”

  “I’m just checking in on you. It’s been a month now. Is everything calming down?”

  “Calming down?” Esther raised an eyebrow, hoping to catch Melanie off-guard. This had been the most they had talked since she’d started there, but something inside Esther insisted she continue the conversation. Whether it was because she’d just read a disturbing email or not, she wasn’t sure, but Melanie’s calm presence was actually welcome.

  “Yeah, not everyone enjoys the start of each school year like I do.”

  “Ah.” Esther pressed her lips together hard, staring over at her computer screen again. She wanted to bring the email up, wanted to say something about it, but there was nothing she could do one way or another, and she had no idea how Melanie felt about the matter. For all she knew, Melanie was on Skip’s side. “No.”