Teaching love

4: Crazy ex'es and new possibillities

*Will*

"There you are. I was starting to fear that you wouldn't show and I had to do this all on my own". I say as Alex slumps down beside me in the front row.

He smiles apologetic. "Oh, I would never do that to you. Forgot time a bit. One of my students mother came by to talk to me".

"Oh some over-protective curling mom who wanted to make sure her impossible offspring got a role in the musical ?" I say with a probably exaggerated roll of my eyes. It wouldn't be the first or the last time.

He chuckles lowly. "No, she just wanted to say hello because her kid kept talking so highly about me. It was actually a very pleasant conversation".

"So I am guessing she has a son and not a daughter, because then mom probably wouldn't like hearing your praises constantly". I say laughing.

He shakes his head. "Probably not. That's her by the way, in the yellow dress. Harmony.. She might be a bit of a hippie".

"Not bad.. not bad at all actually". I say looking at her. She has a beautiful face, looking to young to have a kid in high school. But yeah she looks a bit like a modern hippie. I watch how Alex's eyes cling to her and I can't help smiling. "I think someone might like miss hippie Harmony".

"Oh, I..I mean she seemed nice.. she looks nice, I mean.. oh f**k, is it that obvious ?" He groans when I nod. "I don't know what it is, it was just like some instant connection".

I smile at him, he deserves to find someone, and it is about time that he gets over that b***h of an ex. "Go for it then, ask her out".

"Well I can't very well just go ask her can I ? Especially not when she is the mother of one of my students". He says looking a bit lost. At that moment the first student step on stage, and we have to focus on that.

Fortunately there are a couple of talented kids in the bunch, one of them is Paige and I can't help smiling at her, Alex leaning over to whisper. "She is good".

I nod. "Yeah she is amazing".

Alex sends me a weird glance and I realised what I said, hurriedly adding. "I mean, she has an amazing voice, you know". But he doesn't look entirely convinced.

I focus on the auditions, even the very horrible ones. Those feelings, I can't even let Alex know, he would be forced by law to report me. I don't want to put him in that dilemma.

After all the auditions are finished I walk up on stage grabbing the microphone. "First a thanks to all the students that choose to audition for this, there will be a casting list up on monday". I say, then I look at the parents sitting in the back. "And if any parents have the time and feel like giving a hand with rehearsals, costumes, stage or anything, please come talk to me or Alex. Thank you".

When I step down, the woman Alex was interested in, Harmony, walks over, her hair and dress billowing behind her. "Hi Mr Servaes, I am River's mom Harmony. I would like to help. I am pretty good at sowing and stuff like that".

I shake her hand. "That sound marvellous. A pleasure meeting you, River is a great kid". I suddenly see an opening her to give Alex a hand. "Oh I know it is a bit of short notice, but we need to go through the costumes tomorrow.. saturday, see what we can use, what needs fixed and what new stuff needs to be made. Could I talk you into giving a hand ?"

"Sure no problem". She says smiling brightly. I totally get why Alex likes her, she seems the right type for him. "So what time should I be here ?"

"Just here in the auditorium around noon, would that fit you ?" I ask and she nods. "Well then, see you tomorrow, and thanks for wanting to help".

*Amelie*

I come halfway running into the school, with René on my arm. There is an art exhibition being revealed in the school library and I promised to take some of my students there. But then René's daycare called that I had to pick him up because he is running a fever and is fuzzy. This is going to be hell.

On my way in I almost bump into Tim. We have talked quite a lot and become friends. "Hi there Amie, you seem flustered, is something wrong darling ?"

"I got to take some students to the art exhibition in the library, but I had to pick up René from daycare because he has a fever. It is going to be hell with him there". I send him a tired smile. It isn't that I don't love my son to death, but a four year old with fever isn't easy to take care of while teaching.

Tim smile at René. "Oh so this is the cool and awesome René, I have heard so much about". He grabs my sons little hand, shaking it carefully. "Well hello there little man. I am Tim, a friend of your mother, a pleasure meeting you".

"Hi Tim". René says rubbing his little tired eyes and Tim look at me. "You know what Amie, you will stress out having him there and it wouldn't be fun for him either. I don't really have anything to do, I can take him for a couple of hours".

"Oh that would be wonderful Tim". I say, not many men would offer to watch a cranky 4 year old. "But I don't know how he will react, he is a bit fuzzy around others, especially new people".

Tim reach out for René and I let him take him into his arms, to my surprise my son only look shortly at Tim, then he snuggles into him and Tim smiles. "I think we men are going to figure this out just fine. I don't think he should sit in an office here, he is quite warm. Is it okay for me to take him to my place ? You can pick him up when you are done".

"You know what, you can have my key if you want, and go to my place, then he has all his stuff too. Would that be okay ?" I ask him.

"If you trust me to be in your home alone". He says softly.

I can't help giggling. "Tim I am trusting you with my kid, I think I can trust you with my house".

I help Tim getting the car seat into his car and gives him the key and my address, kissing René goodbye. "Thank you Tim, you are a life saviour. I'll be home as fast as possible".

"No need to hurry. I got the whole night of, so don't rush okay. We'll be okay". He says smiling at me as he gets into the car.

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Three hours later I open my front door, afraid that I will walk into a turned over house, a screaming René who wants his mother and a stressed out Tim who regrets helping. But no screaming to hear at all. Instead there is the most delicious smell.

I walk into the living-room, realising that it is actually more tidy that when I left this morning. Not that it was a mess or anything, but there had been some of René's toys and such.

Then I spot Tim in the armchair, he smile at me and put a finger to his lips and when I walk closer I see René with his teddy bear sleeping in his lap. A sight that literally melts my heart. He whispers in a low voice. "I got a bit of food in him and some water, but I think you better get him to bed. He is all done for".

"Thank you so much". I don't know what else to say.

He just smile and gently lift René into my arms. "Oh I hope it is okay I kind of made dinner, I thought you would be hungry when you got back".

I feel myself actually fighting tears and he immediately looks concerned. "Is something wrong Amie ? Did I do something wrong ?"

"No, no not at all". I bite my lip. "I am just not used to anybody being this nice to me, to care for me. You are truly special Tim". And he is.

He blushes slightly. "Oh but it was nothing". He looks like he don't know what to say. "If you get the little sleepy head into bed, I'll go finish up dinner".

I smile and nod, carrying my son i to his bed, tugging him in. He open his eyes. "Mommy ! Missed you. But fun with Tim".

And then he is back to sleep and I kiss his forehead. "I love you baby, sleep well".

When I step back out into the kitchen Tim is plating up the food, and I stop for a moment, just looking at him. How a man like this is single is a mystery. I mean he is handsome, he is intelligent and articulate, he is sweet and funny. He clearly loves kids and is good with them and he volunteeringly cook and clean. And then there is that deep voice with the british accent.

"I am sorry its just a pasta dish, I had to go with what was in the fridge". He sends me an apologetic smile and holds out the chair to me.

I shake my head slowly. "How you managed to make anything at all out of what was in my fridge speaks volumes about your abilities in a kitchen".

"Oh it's nothing really". He says with a small smile, and open the bottle of wine I have just put on the table. Soon we are eating, sipping wine and talking.

When we are done it feels totally natural that I wash the dishes and he dries them of, before we go sit in the living-room. He looks at me. "I hope it is okay to ask, what happened with René's father and you ?"

"Yeah it's fine". I send him a small smile. "He wanted me to be a trophy wife, to go at home and take care of the house. He is the CEO for a rather large insurance company. He thought that I didn't spend enough time on making myself sexy for him and in the end he chose his 23 year old secretary named Candy".

"The man must have been daft". He blurts out and blushes slightly when I giggle. He hurries up asking. "So does he see René regularly ?"

I shake my head. "No, Candy don't like kids, but that is his loss. But what about you, you are divorced recently too right ?"

"Yeah, about a year ago. After five years she suddenly realised that she didn't want kids or a life in the suburbs with a white picket fence. She wanted to travel and discover herself. Last thing I heard she was backpacking through Asia with her new boyfriend a 24 year old model named Chad". He says with a small sight.

I shake my head. "She must have been out of her mind". I tell him with a smile.

He smile back, lifting his glass. "To crazy exes and new possibilities".