New Beginnings A sequel to ‘Window to the World’ By Indiana Jon indiana_jon@aol.com © 2011 This is a fictional work. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, or dialog is strictly coincidental.
Chapter Four– Panther Pride Dalton stared at the nearly blank piece of notebook paper with growing frustration on this mid-August Sunday afternoon.
“DAD…, I need HELP!” he hollered from the kitchen table.
Tim was sitting on the sofa, finalizing his first week’s lesson plans that he had spread out all over the coffee table. The new school year started tomorrow, and the last thirty days had been a blur of exciting, but hectic preparation for the both of them; at home, as well as at Tim’s new classroom.
“If you’re referring to your homework assignment, Sport, I told you it’s not my story, it’s yours.”
“But I don’t know what to say…,” the eleven-year-old predictably whined.
Tim took a slow breath before calmly responding.
“Pretend you just read a letter Ms. Courtney sent you that shared everything about her, and how she ended up teaching at your new school, and now you want to write back and let her know all about you,” the man suggested; trying to continue his work while carrying on a hopefully short conversation with his exasperated son.
There was an encouraging few moments of silence before Dalton hollered out again.
“Is ‘jackass’ one word or two…?”
Tim nearly leaped off the couch heading into the kitchen, sending carefully stacked piles of lesson plans fluttering onto the floor in his wake.
“What the hell are you writing, Dalton?” he urgently interrogated, looking over the boy’s shoulder in panic and concern. “You know you can’t use language like that!”
“I was just saying that my real dad was a jackass, and I didn’t really have a dad until I met you,” he softly replied, without looking up from his work.
Tim’s eyes immediately brimmed with tears of compassion, as he bent over and kissed the boy on the head.
“I appreciate what you are trying to say…, but I think your story would be just as good if you focused on the positive parts, don’t you agree?”
Dalton sat there in silent contemplation for a few seconds before responding.
“But Dad…, if they don’t understand what my real dad was like, how can they know how I felt when you agreed to be my dad?”
At that point, Tim’s emotions overrode his self-control, and the tears begin to flow freely down his face as he took a seat next to his son.
“You win,” he said, wiping the tears from his eyes to observe the defiant ‘victory smile’ the blond boy was sporting, “but you must spell it, d-e-a-d-b-e-a-t, understand?”
Dalton carefully replaced the word ‘jackass’ with ‘deadbeat’ on his paper, and then studied it for a second.
“That’s awfully close to dickhead...,” he suggestively observed while flashing a devilish grin.
Tim playfully frowned back, trying to keep the boy focused and on track.
“I’m jus’ sayin’…, I might accidently pronounce it wrong Monday, and…, well…,”
The man had to force himself to keep a straight face as he prepared his reply.
“Let me just end our discussion by telling you that I am putting my entire faith in your pronouncing the word correctly. Now…, will you need to practice it one hundred times, or are you comfortable with your mastery of the new word?”
“FINE…,” Dalton huffed, as he turned his attention back to his paper.
Tim could only shake his head in comical disbelief, as he stood up to return to his interrupted work. Upon entering the living room, however, his disposition quickly changed.
“Aw- SHIT!” He exploded, seeing the papers he had unintentionally scattered all over the floor.
After realizing that his dad wasn’t blowing up at him, Dalton quickly spoke up, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“I’m putting my entire faith in you, Dad, that you won’t say that word in front of your class on Monday.”
Tim closed his eyes and bit his lip, trying not to burst out in laughter.
“Get your skinny ass in here and help me pick up this shit, since you were the one that caused me to do this,” he ordered, using his best drill sergeant voice.
“If I help, do I get my ‘potty-mouth’ money you now owe me?” he brazenly asked, as he paused in the doorway.
“If you help, you get to continue hogging my bed at night…; otherwise, it’s the bunk beds for you, Eeyore!”
“Fair enough,” the boy happily agreed, squatting down beside his dad and helping sort through the countless strewn papers.
When Tim crawled into his bed next to his son, he double-checked the alarm, making sure it was set for 6am. As he got comfortable, he became acutely aware that Dalton’s mind was a million miles away. The man laid there for a few more minutes before interrupting the stillness.
“Thinkin’ about your first day tomorrow?” Tim inquired, turning to face the eleven-year-old.
Dalton responded with a weak smile.
“Yeah…, I guess. I’m startin’ to feel really scared an’ all.”
Tim reached over and began soothingly stroking the boy’s hair with his fingers.
“If it makes you feel any better…, I’m really scared too,” the dad privately confided.
“You are? Why?”
“Well, I haven’t taught for over three years, and this is a new school for me as well. And like you, I only know you, and your teacher, Ms. Courtney, and Principal Case. Plus, I’ll have to learn the names of all my students really quick.”
“Wow,” Dalton gasped after processing his dad’s remark. “I see why you’re scared too.”
“But I’ve got a secret weapon that will remind me there’s nothing to be afraid of…, know what it is?”
“No, what?”
“You!”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because, Sport, I’ll know you are just down the hall in your classroom, and I won’t feel alone. I’ll know you are there with me too, even though I can’t see you.”
Dalton stared at the ceiling for a long while, considering what Tim just told him before finally rolling over and smiling suspiciously.
“You told me that because that’s what I need to do…, right?”
“Yes…and no. I was really being honest with you, Dalton. Knowing that you are just as scared as I am tomorrow will help me face my fear easier, and then tomorrow after school, we can both let each other know how we did…, deal?”
Dalton studied Tim’s face for several seconds.
“You’re really as scared as me?” he sincerely asked.
“Yes, I am, Sport.”
Dalton immediately scrambled over onto his dad and laid on top of him face-to-face, straddling Tim with his legs.
“We’re going to be fine tomorrow, Dad,” he reassured, adding a sloppy kiss to his one-sentence pep talk.
“You bet we are,” Tim added with a chuckle, as he wrapped his arms around the boy and hugged him tight.
The radio alarm might as well have been a bucket of ice water, for the way it jarred Tim awake from his deep sleep. After returning the ‘favor’ by blindly whacking the cancel button, Tim opened his eyes and assessed his surroundings. Dalton was lying beside him on his tummy, with his arm draped across Tim’s chest. The eleven-year-old had yet to even stir. Glancing out the window, the man noticed that it was beginning to getting light out, but sunrise was still nearly an hour away.
Being cautious not to wake his son, Tim carefully slid out of bed and turned on the shower. The two of them had previously concluded that Dalton (admittedly not a morning person by nature) could enjoy an extra thirty minutes of sleep by taking his shower before bed at night, and laying out his school clothes. So it came as quite a surprise to the man when, after having lathered up, the shower door opened, and a naked blond boy stood there smiling at him.
“What are you doing up, Sport?” Tim asked with a warm smile. “I thought you wanted to sleep in on school mornings.”
“I do,” Dalton replied, yawning while stepping into the steamy cubicle and closing the door behind him. “I just wanted to spend the morning with you, and let you know I’m not scared about today anymore.”
“That’s my boy,” Tim encouraged, tussling Dalton’s hair while yielding his spot under the shower spray. “Today’s gonna be fun for both of us, I promise.”
After their leisurely, communal shower, Tim shaved while Dalton went to his room and dressed. When Tim arrived in the kitchen to organize breakfast, the coffee pot had already finished its preset brew cycle, allowing the man to enjoy his first caffeine boost without waiting. As he drank his coffee, he poured cereal for both himself and Dalton, prepared two glasses of orange juice, and toasted an English muffin that they would split between the two of them.
“Breakfast is ready,” Tim called to the boy currently engrossed in cartoons.
“Can we eat in here?” Dalton begged; not wanting to interrupt his show.
“Just today,” he conceded, after checking the clock. “But only because we ended up having some extra time by you getting up early.”
They sat next to each other, eating and giggling at the cartoon, until it was time to clean up and leave. Tim cleared up the dishes and filled his travel mug with coffee, while Dalton turned off the TV and gathered his backpack.
“Truck or car today?” Tim asked, knowing the weather would be nice for either one.
“Car!” Dalton eagerly responded; his eyes twinkling with anticipation. How cool would it be for him to arrive at school the first day in his dad’s sporty, black Challenger?
“Showoff!” Tim teasingly scoffed, recognizing the boy’s real motive behind his choice.
Dalton didn’t try to hide his sheepish grin, while nodding his head in agreement.
Tim had no trouble finding a place to park in the faculty lot, which was still two-thirds empty this first day of school. Slinging his backpack over one shoulder, Dalton helped his dad carry some of the teaching materials to Tim’s room, where he would stay until the student busses began arriving. Ms. Courtney’s classroom was just across the hall and two doors down from Tim’s room, so the close proximity to his dad helped to ease the mild case of ‘butterflies’ the eleven-year-old was starting to experience. Although Tim had already transitioned into ‘teacher’ mode, double-checking all the preparation he had done to the room the previous week, he picked up on his son’s unavoidable nervousness.
“Hey, Sport,” Tim said, stopping what he was doing to walk over to Dalton. “No worries, okay? Today will be a piece of cake for both of us, I guarantee it.”
“I know, Dad,” Dalton halfheartedly replied as he gave his best assuring smile. “Is there anything I can help you with?” the boy eagerly volunteered, hoping that a last minute project might distract him.
“As a matter of fact, I’d like you to place one of those student packets on every desk. That way I won’t waste additional class time by having the kids come up to my desk to get them once everyone gets here.”
The boy cheerfully grabbed the stack of student packets his dad had pointed to, and began placing one on each desktop. Tim continued keeping his son busy for the next ten minutes, at which time Ms. Case, the Principal, made an announcement to the teachers over the intercom stating that the busses were beginning to arrive.
“Would you like me to walk down to your classroom with you this morning?” Tim offered, as Dalton grabbed his backpack from beside Tim’s chair.
Dalton‘s silent scowl and cocked head instantly told the man that his spontaneous offer had insulted the new sixth grader’s pride.
“Right…, sorry about that, Tiger,” Tim apologized with an understanding chuckle. “That would definitely NOT be cool.”
“I’m fine, Dad, I promise!” Dalton reassured, adding a forgiving smile. “I’ll see you after school,” he confirmed, giving Tim a rushed bear hug before darting off to his classroom.
“Why, good morning, Dalton,” Ms. Courtney greeted the boy as he walked into her empty classroom. “Are you anxious about today?”
“A lot, actually…,” he openly admitted with a bashful grin, while admiring the astonishingly pretty teacher.
He took his backpack off and looked over to the circle of desks.
“Where would you like me to sit?”
“Well, since you are the first student here, I’ll leave that up to you, young man.”
Scrutinizing the entire room, Dalton quickly chose the desk that directly faced the chalkboard. From that vantage point, he could also see Ms. Courtney’s desk, the door, and the clock…, plus the windows were over to his left, making it easy to glance outside as well. He no sooner took his seat, than some of his new classmates begin filtering into the room from the rapidly filling hallway. As they entered, Ms. Courtney instructed each of them to choose a desk to sit at. While they made their decisions, they gazed suspiciously at the new student, often stopping their conversations mid-sentence upon first noticing him. Trying his best to remain calm, Dalton refused to look down, and smiled at everyone that looked his way. He was flabbergasted, however, when one boy smiled back, and even chose to sit at the desk next to him, on his right.
“Hi, my name is Jeffery, but you can call me Jeff,” the slightly taller boy announced with a big smile. “What’s yours?”
“I’m Dalton,” he joyfully spoke up, excited that someone actually chose to sit next to him. “I’m new here, ‘cause my dad just started teaching fifth grade here this year.”
Tim watched in awe as his new fifth grade students gradually filed into the room. It had been a l-o-n-g three years since he had last taught, and he was experiencing quite an adrenalin rush as he silently questioned his teaching skills yet again. Pretending to be preoccupied, he became amused at the candid expressions of bewilderment on the kids’ faces as they noticed their new teacher for the very first time. Tim took some selfish comfort in knowing that the students would be just as nervous as he was this first day together. His biggest surprise of the day, however, was just about to hit him.
“TIM…! What are you doing here?” an animated voice called out from the doorway, startling the man and causing him to look up in embarrassment as the entire classroom grew unnervingly quiet.
“Students, as most of you already know, my name is Ms. Courtney. I’m your sixth grade teacher for this year. You are a part of this class because of the excellent work you did last year in fifth grade. As you can see, there are only eleven of you. I expect each one of you to do your very best work at all times. I also expect you to ask many questions, especially if you do not understand something. If I explain something several times and you still don’t understand, I want you to raise your hand and tell me, ‘Ms. Courtney, I still don’t get it’, because I can use different methods to explain something so that you will comprehend, okay?”
All of the students’ heads happily nodded in unison. Dalton breathed a sigh of relief, as Ms. Courtney continued.
“While most of you already know me, I only know a few of you, and I’m sure you’ve already noticed that we have a new student joining us this year, so the first thing we need to do is to go around and introduce ourselves. I’d like to start with our new student.”
Dalton felt as though he had a mouth full of cotton when he saw Ms. Courtney gesture to him to begin. As he looked around the circle, all eyes were on him! He softly cleared his throat.
“My name is Dalton Hunter,” he uncomfortably announced in a quiet, unsteady voice.
“Thank-you, Dalton,” Ms. Courtney said, adding an encouraging wink, while mercifully coming to his rescue. “Some of you had Ms. Beckman for fifth grade last year and remember that she moved to Florida during the summer. Dalton is with us this year because his father, Mr. Hunter, is the new fifth grade teacher, taking Ms. Beckman’s place. You will get a chance to learn more about Dalton later today, but right now let’s continue introducing ourselves…, Jeffery, you’re next, I believe.”
“HUNTER?” Tim stammered in disbelief, seeing the grinning ten-year-old waving at him. “You go to this school?”
Jerry’s grandson excitedly ran over to Tim’s desk, nearly running into the teacher’s chair.
“Is Dalton here?” the boy urgently inquired.
Tim calmly reached up and put his hand on Hunter’s shoulder, gently drawing him closer so that their conversation would be private.
“Dalton is in Ms. Courtney’s sixth grade class, and he’ll be happy to find out that you go here too…, but I need to ask a big favor, okay?”
Hunter willingly nodded his head yes in total agreement.
“While we are at school together, I need you to call me Mr. Hunter, okay? Students aren’t allowed to call teachers by their first name, out of respect…, but when we aren’t at school, it’s still okay with me if you call me Tim, understood?”
“Yes, Mr. Hunter. Wow, I can’t believe you are my teacher!”
“Well, I’ll try not to disappoint you, Hunter…, now why don’t you find a seat so we can get started,” Tim politely encouraged, while trying to figure out how to deal with this surprise situation. Having Hunter as a student would definitely create unique ramifications to his relationship with Jerry and Donna…, and potentially, even his son!
Because Ms. Courtney’s teaching style kept her students continually engaged throughout the school day, Dalton soon felt completely at ease in his new surroundings. Her upbeat attitude was unavoidably contagious, and her always present, encouraging smile made it nearly impossible not to want to please her by learning as much as one could. Therefore, when she announced that during the next hour of class each of them would take turns sharing what they did over the summer, Dalton was actually eager for his turn! He wanted his classmates to hear about how he experienced the best summer of his life.
Tim nervously glanced at the clock. It was only twelve minutes past ten! ‘It feels like I’ve been going all day!’ he agonized to himself. He had just finished passing out the last of the several textbooks his nineteen students would be using, while recording which numbered book each student would be responsible for. Seeing a raised hand in his peripheral view, he looked over and noticed Hunter with an urgent expression on his face.
“Yes, Hunter, what is it?”
“Um…, may I be excused to go to the bathroom?” the boy shyly inquired, garnering several predictable hushed giggles that such a request brings.
Tim cocked his head and raised one eyebrow.
“It can’t wait until lunch, Mr. Jackson?” he interrogated, using the boy’s surname for authoritative effect.
Hunter just shook his head no, while still holding his one hand up with the other.
“Come on up, then…,” Tim instructed, while reaching for the stack of blank hall passes.
Quickly filling in Hunter’s name, his classroom, the time, the boy’s destination, and Tim’s own signature, he tore off the yellow hall pass and handed it to the ten-year-old.
“Don’t make this a habit,” Tim sternly whispered; countering his phony admonishment with a give-away wink and a grin after the boy gazed up at him in trepidation.
Hunter grabbed the pass and disappeared out the door.
“We slept in the truck that night, which was parked on the street, and the next day, my dad taught me how to body surf in the ocean. Oh…, and while we were swimming, Dad got stung on the leg by a jellyfish!” Dalton quickly looked at the student’s faces around the circle of desks and noticed that he had everyone captivated by his memorized story. He anxiously continued. “From there, we started to go to Ohio, but ended up driving all night to a hospital…, back in…, Indiana…, because….”
Dalton eventually froze midsentence, staring intently at the classroom door in shocked disbelief. An unexpected movement had caught his eye seconds earlier, and now he found himself trying to rationalize to his brain why his best friend Hunter would be here, at Dalton’s new school, madly waving at him through the door!
“Dalton…, what’s wrong?” Ms. Courtney inquired from her desk, becoming immediately worried that her student was getting sick.
Dalton instantly glanced back over at the teacher with a look of confusion and guilt.
“Um…, nothing!” he hastily insisted, turning stark white. His stomach was in his throat.
By now, several other classmates had witnessed Hunter’s bold display and began pointing and laughing. Fully realizing that another student was the source of this disturbance, Ms. Courtney rushed over and opened the door, catching the guilty ten-year-old in his hastened retreat to his own classroom.
“Hold on right there, young man…,” she forcefully instructed, entering the hallway while letting the door close behind her. “A word, please….”
Hunter gulped as he stopped dead in his tracks. He had ignored his better judgment and acted foolishly out of impulse, and now the shit was about to hit the fan. He slowly turned around and returned to Ms. Courtney.
“Who was that, Dalton,” Jeff asked with a chuckle. “Was he waving at you?”
Everyone was looking at Dalton now, waiting for his answer. Dalton broke out in a sweat, as his face slowly turned bright red.
“Um…, I guess you could say that was my best friend…, but I had no idea he goes to this school, I swear!”
“What grade is he in?” the girl sitting to the left of Dalton asked.
“He’s in fifth grade,” Dalton unconsciously replied, before a light bulb turned on inside his head, and the final piece of the puzzle fell into place. “Oh, SHIT…, I wonder if he’s in my dad’s class?”
The boys in the circle started laughing at Dalton’s colorful language just as the classroom door opened, startling everyone.
“Dalton…, could I see you out here for a second, please,” Ms. Courtney gently requested, smiling as though nothing had happened.
Dalton closed his eyes as he slowly stood up and slid his chair back. He held his breath as he made his way to the door. When he stepped through the doorway, his heart nearly stopped. Hunter was in tears, facing him, and Tim was standing behind Hunter, with his arm on the crying boy’s shoulder.
“Boys, don’t be upset…, no one is in trouble,” Ms. Courtney gently explained, “especially you, Dalton.” Dalton apprehensively glanced up at his dad, who was still trying to comfort an emotional Hunter. “Mr. Hunter has helped me unravel the mystery behind this harmless disturbance, and has explained to me that you two became best friends over the summer, but neither of you knew you would end up going to the same school together. In fact, Mr. Hunter only discovered today that he had young Hunter in his class!”
Ms. Courtney stooped down and looked Hunter in the eyes, while taking her thumbs and gently wiping the tears from his cheeks.
“And you couldn’t wait to let Dalton know the exciting news.” Hunter’s face betrayed the first small sign of a grin. “I know how important your best friend is to you, Hunter. Dalton is lucky that you go to his new school, where everyone else is a stranger to him right now. But from now on, you both need to understand that your friendship must wait until class time is over, and there can be no more interruptions, okay?”
“Sorry, Ms. Courtney…, Sorry, Mr. Hunter,” the guilty boy earnestly apologized, looking at each of them when doing so. “I promise I won’t do this again.” Eventually looking back at Dalton through eyes rapidly filling with tears of regret once again, he silently mouthed the words ‘I’m sorry’.
Unable to hold his own emotions back any longer, Dalton quietly began sobbing; feeling as though he was the reason Hunter got himself into trouble. Seeing that it would take a few minutes of composure time, Ms. Courtney stood up and softly addressed Tim, before slipping into her room.
“Just have Dalton come back in when he’s ready.”
“I’m sorry, Dad,” Dalton wept, after the three of them were alone in the hallway. “I didn’t mean for you to get involved.”
Tim knelt down on one knee and pulled his son close.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Sport, and you don’t need to worry about Hunter, either. He’s not in trouble with Ms. Courtney, and I’m only going to have him write, ‘I will not misuse my hall pass from Mr. Hunter ever again’ one thousand times, backwards, and using only his left hand, while blindfolded!”
Hearing the sarcasm in Tim’s voice, both boys started giggling in unison, as the fifth grader finished drying his face.
“You’re dad is the coolest!” Hunter quickly praised, while grinning at Tim.
“Oh CRAP, that reminds me! I was doing my REPORT!” Dalton declared in near panic.
“Hey…,” Tim called out; momentarily stopping the boy from returning to class. “It will turn out fine; just do your best, k?”
Dalton grinned and nodded his head before quickly disappearing through the door.
“Well, I guess the only thing left to do now is go back and explain to your classmates that they won’t be eating lunch today, so that we can make up for the lost time I was down here rescuing you…, can you handle that?” Tim asked his wayward student; noting the look of sheer alarm in the boys’ bulging, brown eyes. “Relax…, I’m just pulling your leg…, you’re the only one missing lunch,” he continued to tease, while purposely bumping into Hunter and nearly making him stumble.
Hunter instantly stopped and glanced both ways, making sure the hallway was empty before wrapping both arms around his teacher’s midsection and hugging him tightly.
“I wish you were my dad!” he candidly blurted out, catching Tim off guard. “Dalton is so lucky!”
Being careful not to insult Hunter’s open affection, Tim gently eluded the hug, and directed the boy to the classroom door, after tussling his students’ shaggy, blond hair. The startup of his erection was fortunately still unnoticeable, as he made his way back to his desk.
“Did your dad really let you drive the semi?” the girl sitting across the lunch table from Dalton asked, as she opened her carton of chocolate milk.
“Well, like I said, I was sittin’ on his lap, but he let me steer, and I even put it in PARK and set the parking brakes!” he proudly bragged, noting that there were no less than four other classmates crowded around him, asking for more details of his summer adventure.
Unexpectedly, a familiar voice across the lunchroom suddenly seized Dalton’s attention, as well as those sitting immediately around him.
“Dalton…, save me a seat!” a restless boy pleaded from the lunch line, while standing on his toes, waving.
“Isn’t that…,”
“Yeah, that’s my best friend, Hunter…, again,” Dalton giggled, interrupting Jeffery’s obvious question. “When he comes over, you can meet him. He’s really not that…, annoying, I promise. He’s cool, you’ll see,” Dalton willingly clarified in Hunter’s defense. “Would you mind if he sat between us today?” he respectfully asked his new friend Jeff, who had promptly claimed the spot next to Dalton as soon as he had sat down.
“Sure, that’s fine with me,” Jeff generously consented, as he made room for the younger fifth grader.
Tim grabbed his lunch tray and headed for the teacher’s lounge (he only had to serve as a lunchroom monitor every third day), but he paused long enough to scan the student tables and locate his son, who was surrounded by classmates and engaged in a very animated discussion.
‘Excellent,’ he whispered to himself while breathing a sigh of relief. ‘He’ll fit right in.’
When Tim walked into the teacher’s lounge, he didn’t even have time to scan the room for a place to enjoy his lunch.
“Tim…, over here. I’ve saved you a place.”
Smiling in gratitude while blushing slightly, the new fifth grade teacher made his way over to a short table where Ms. Courtney had motioned to an empty spot across from where she was sitting amidst three other teachers.
“Tim, this is Sara Clark, and Beth White, who teach the other two sixth grade classes, and this is Martha Bell, who teaches the other fifth grade class next to your room. Oh, and my first name is Bev, by the way,” she added, realizing that Principal Case had only introduced her as Ms. Courtney, due to the fact that Dalton was present the first day they met.
“Ladies…,” the nervous man acknowledged, nodding his head while taking a seat.
“This is Tim Hunter, who you’ve probably already figured out replaced Ms. Beckman this year. I might add that I have his adorable son, Dalton, in my class as well.”
Tim chuckled aloud, thinking back to this mornings’ disruptive incident.
“Well…, I will be interested in seeing if adorable will still be your adjective of choice come next spring, especially since my son found out today that his best friend, Hunter, attends school here too.”
“Oh, that…. Dalton behaved himself perfectly, Tim,” Ms. Courtney assured him, waving the incident off. “I barely kept myself from laughing, though, when I heard Hunter’s alibi. He’s as tenderhearted as Dalton. And listen to this…, after Dalton returned and finished sharing about his exciting summer, I might as well not have been in the room, because he had the entire class mesmerized. He spent more time answering questions than he did sharing.”
Tim could not help but blush from pride, as he listened to his son get doted on.
“But I suppose my biggest surprise was learning how you stepped up to become Dalton’s father. I’m just glad your son didn’t catch me wiping the tears from my eyes. His story could have easily passed for a five-star movie on the Women’s Network channel!”
“Obviously, he has that affect on me as well,” Tim openly confessed, grinning at his colleagues, “which is why I’m thankful that he’s in your class. He begged me to be his teacher when he found out I used to teach sixth grade. It’s going to be difficult enough this year having Hunter as a student,” he unintentionally revealed before catching himself.
There was only a slight, uncomfortable gap in the discussion before Ms. Bell graciously jumped in and offered her suggestion.
“Tim, if you’d feel more comfortable transferring Hunter to my class, Principal Case will gladly work out the logistics. She’s very indulgent concerning conflicts like that.”
“Thanks, I’ll think on it tonight,” he replied with a grateful smile, wishing he had been more guarded with his personal thoughts. ‘Now they probably think I’m one of those teachers who always finds a student to complain about.’
When the final bell sounded at the end of the school day, Hunter patiently waited until Tim dismissed the class before he approached the man’s desk.
“Is Dalton coming down here to meet you, Mr. Hunter?” he asked, already comfortable addressing his teacher in the correct manner.
“Yes, he should be here any time, why?”
“Would it be okay if I wait here long enough to tell him bye?”
“Sure, just don’t make yourself late, okay?”
Before his student could answer, Dalton came bounding into the room, full of excitement.
“Dad, school was great!” the eleven-year-old declared, running over and hugging his father. “Oh, hi, Hunter…, how was Dad’s class?” he asked, turning his attention to his friend.
“I love having your dad for my teacher,” the younger boy gushed, glancing over to make sure Tim heard him. “He makes school fun!”
“Well, you’re just saying that because I didn’t assign you any homework tonight, but just wait until tomorrow!” Tim teasingly frowned back, while preparing to grade some math papers.
“I don’t care, you’re still the best teacher I’ve ever had,” Hunter countered; his eyes gleaming like diamonds.
“Whatever, Sprout…, now say goodbye, or you will be late,” Tim patiently admonished.
“Yeah, see ya, SPROUT!” Dalton taunted, echoing his dad’s new nickname for Hunter, as he gave him a quick hug.
“Bye, EEYORE!” the younger boy retorted, giving his older friend a playful shove as he headed for the door.
When Hunter had disappeared into the hallway, Dalton walked over and stood by Tim as the teacher finished grading the last dozen or so papers. Taking a quick glance at his son’s face, Tim realized the boy was pondering something.
“What’s bothering you, Sport? I thought you had a perfect day.”
“I did…, it’s just…, Hunter gets to have you as his teacher, but I never will.”
Tim stopped his work, turned to face his son, and promptly gathered him onto his lap.
“Would you feel better if I transferred Hunter to Ms. Bell’s class instead?”
“NO, DAD, you can’t do that!” the boy gasped. “Hunter would cry if you transferred him. I didn’t tell you that because I don’t want you to be Hunter’s teacher…, I guess I’m just sad you’ll never be my teacher, is all.”
“Listen to me…,” Tim whispered into Dalton’s ear, as he held him tightly. “I may never get to be your teacher, Dalton, but…, no other boy will ever be my son, and if you’re askin’ me, I’d rather have you as my son any day, than just my student!”
With that, Tim began to tickle the eleven-year-old mercilessly, until Dalton was giggling and begging him to stop.
“Now, this is my last paper to grade, so grab your backpack and get ready to go home, so we can do something fun,” the man instructed, as he quickly started going down the answers.
We Tim finished, he turned out the lights and they exited the classroom, nearly knocking over a panicking Hunter, who was rushing back to find Tim.
“Hunter…, what’s wrong?” Tim asked, tenderly steadying the hysterical boy by his shoulders.
“I…(sob)…missed…(sob)…my…(sob)…BUS!”
Hunter immediately buried his face against Tim’s shirt and started bawling freely.
“My parents…(sob)… are gonna…(sob)…kill me!” he mumbled, shaking as he sobbed. “I went to the bathroom, and when I got outside…, my bus was gone.”
“Hunter, there’s nothing to be upset about, I promise,” Tim encouraged, while rubbing the boys’ back. “This happens all the time…, especially during the first week. We just need to go to the office and let them know…,”
“Not the office!” the younger boy erupted. “Can’t you just take me home…, PLEASE, Mr. Hunter? You’re my teacher.”
Tim realized that missing the bus ending up being the tipping point to Hunter’s already hectic first day. It was more excitement than the ten-year-old could handle. Tim stooped down to eye-level with his student.
“Listen to me, Hunter. I would be glad to drive you home, okay. The reason we need to go to the office is to inform them that the bus driver took off without you. It’s important that they know, because they can work harder to make sure no one gets left. Plus, even though I’m your teacher, I need to get your mother’s permission to take you home, and to also let her know that when the bus comes, you won’t be on it, so she won’t be worried, understand?”
Hunter nodded his head weakly, and then wiped his eyes on his arm.
“I’m really sorry about today, Mr. Hunter.”
“Don’t you worry another second about it, understand?” he instructed, while instinctively kissing the top of Hunter’s forehead, before realizing his encouraging affection was definitely inappropriate as a teacher. Hunter had his arms tightly around Tim’s neck and his soft cheek against Tim’s before the man could even attempt to correct the runaway events happening in rapid succession.
“Well, let’s not keep your mother waiting,” Tim craftily suggested, while standing up and ending the boy’s warm embrace.
The man glanced quickly at his son, not knowing what reaction to expect concerning what just took place in the empty hallway. Tim was quite surprised when Dalton grinned back with a pleasurable expression, giving his approval of his dad’s efforts to comfort his best friend.
While Hunter and Dalton stayed with the office receptionist as she called Hunter’s mother, Tim slipped into Ms. Cases’ office to fill her in on why Hunter missed his bus, and to explain why Tim had offered (or rather, agreed) to take the boy home, so long as Hunter’s mother approved. Sensing an opportunity to get the Principal’s feedback on Tim’s earlier discussion with Ms. Bell concerning Hunter’s possible transfer, the teacher decided to introduce that subject as well.
“I’ve also found myself faced with an unexpected situation,” he began, carefully structuring his thoughts. “While Hunter is my student this year…, it turns out that he is also my son’s best friend, and my neighbor’s grandson…, so he ends up spending time at my house whenever he visits his grandparents. Innocently enough, I had him calling me by my first name this summer, so that was the first thing I had to correct this morning,” he candidly shared, which struck the Principal as amusing and helped to ease his tension. “I guess I’m bringing this to you because I want to avoid any conflict of interest here, and I’m afraid that with the current relationship I have with Hunter, it might be just that.”
There was a long moment of silence while Ms. Case pondered what her newest teacher had just shared with her. She studied the man intently, and promptly formulated her reply, feeling confident in the advice she was about to dispense.
“By you sitting down with me and openly sharing your concern for one of your students lets me know that I’ve hired the right person for this job, Tim. It shows me that you put your students’ best interests above anything else. However, before I give you my thoughts, answer me one question…. Would you have willingly taught Dalton if you had been hired as a sixth grade teacher?”
Tim sat there stunned, wondering if the Principal somehow had privy to the discussions he had had with his son.
“It’s funny that you bring that up, as you can tell from my candid expression, because we’ve discussed that scenario quite a bit. And despite my hesitation, I would probably agree to teach him, because he wants that more than anything, and it would offer me a hands-on opportunity to instruct him personally.”
“And there you have my suggestion,” she added. “I’m confident that despite any extra-curricular relationship you currently share with Hunter, you will have his best interests at heart, and it will not influence your performance as his teacher. Legally and ethically, it’s not an issue, so I’ll let you make that decision based on your personal comfort level…, fair enough?”
Tim took a deep breath and held it for a second, while he considered what to do.
“Let’s keep things as they are then,” the teacher finally relinquished, feeling that his decision would be the best for everyone involved. “Thanks for taking time to listen,” Tim sincerely acknowledged, as he stood to leave.
“My door is open any time,” Ms. Case assured, as she followed him back to the main office.
When they met up with the two boys, the Principal walked over to Hunter and warmly placed her hand on his shoulder.
“I’m really sorry that we messed up today and you didn’t get on your bus, Hunter. I promise we’ll get that worked out so that you won’t have to go through this again, okay?”
Hunter’s bewildered look clearly told everyone that he wasn’t expecting an apology!
“It’s okay, Ms. Case, I should have told someone I went to the bathroom, I ‘spose,”
The Principal leaned over and smiled at her student.
“Well then, , since both of us will be doing our best from now on, we probably won’t be running into each other after school anymore. Ms. Huber…,” she continued, turning her attention to the receptionist, “would you show Hunter your secret box of candy bars, and let him pick one out? And while you’re at it, I think Dalton is looking a little famished from this episode, as well.”
“Thank you, Ms. Case,” both boys responded in unison, grinning as they eagerly crowded around the colorful box of assorted snack size candy bars that the receptionist had just procured from her bottom drawer.
Dalton purposely deferred his selection long enough to determine what Hunter would choose, and then grabbed an identical item; a Kit Kat® bar.
“So…, what’s the plan to get you home?” Tim asked his student, as both boys tore off the wrappers with frightening speed.
“I spoke with Mrs. Jackson,” Ms. Huber politely interjected, “and she relayed me her permission for you to take Hunter home today. And when she found out that you were Hunter’s teacher, she asked that I add you to Hunter’s ‘pick-up list’, authorizing you to take him home in the future without needing to call her again.”
“Cool, you can take me home every day now,” Hunter joyfully exclaimed, outwardly teasing his teacher, but secretly wishing it were actually true.
Dalton quickly joined in the mock celebration by giving his friend a high five.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Tim cautioned, while using his hands to herd the boys toward the car. “Today’s ride is free…, but future rides will cost you big time.”
As he was walking out the door, Tim turned back and thanked both women for their help.
“Would you like to ride shotgun, since you haven’t rode up front in my dad’s car yet?” Dalton asked his friend, as they walked down the empty hallway towards the faculty parking lot.
“You don’t care?” Hunter questioned with astonishment, having assumed that he would be relegated to the back seat.
“Nah, besides, Kip got a turn, so it’s only fair that you get to, too,” the older boy reasoned.
Tim chuckled to himself when Hunter responded by moving next to Dalton and putting his arm around his friend’s neck, while trying to match the older boy’s stride.
“That’s my house,” the ten-year-old announced, pointing out a yellow, double-wide mobile home which sat back off the county road about one hundred feet.
“I thought you lived in a town, like we do,” Dalton admitted with a bit of surprise.
“Huh-uh, we’ve lived here since I was a baby,” Hunter explained, as Tim pulled into the empty driveway. “Wanna see my four-wheeler?” the younger boy proudly inquired, after noticing it parked in the garage.
Dalton anxiously glanced at Tim, waiting for his permission.
“Hunter, we can’t stay, but if you make it quick, you may show Dalton while I chat with your mom, okay?” Tim offered; trying to be congenial, while wanting to get home quickly.
“Thanks, Dad,” Dalton shouted as he negotiated an appreciative hug from the back seat.
The two boys immediately headed to the open garage, while Tim made his way up the sidewalk to the front porch, where Hunter’s mom was already waiting with the door open.
“Hi, Debbie…, Hunter insisted on showing Dalton his four-wheeler first,” Tim coyly explained, as the woman smiled and gestured for him to come inside.
“Thanks, Tim, for coming out of your way to bring him home,” she started, while ushering him over to the sofa. “Hunter has done nothing but talk about you and Dalton since he came home from his visit to Mom and Dad’s house last month. I had no idea so much has changed for you since we last visited.”
Tim grinned, recalling how her father, Jerry, had reacted when he learned about Dalton.
“Yeah, it’s been quite the summer, for sure. And then when I found out today that Hunter was in my fifth grade class, I wondered to myself, ‘what could happen next’?”
“So, I assume you aren’t driving the semi anymore, since you are teaching fifth grade now?” she asked, in a quick attempt to catch up.
“Sold it, and bought that black car you saw,” he explained with a contented smile. “Officially became Dalton’s father just hours before Hunter met him for the first time, though he had been staying with me for nearly four weeks prior to then. Dalton has two younger siblings, who live with their mom in northern Indiana."
Tim had hardly finished his sentence when the front door flew open and Hunter dashed into the living room, shadowed by Dalton.
“Mom, this is Dalton, my best friend I told you about…, and that’s his dad, Tim Hunter. I share the same name with both of them!”
Debbie flashed her son a quick, guarded glare.
“Hunter…, what have you been taught about interrupting a conversation between adults? You grandma would be marking up two points by your name, young man,” his mother chided.
Giggling aloud, Dalton teased his friend, remembering Mrs. Porter’s grammar game that he was now an honorary part of.
“And besides,” she continued, “ I already know Tim. He’s been over to Grandma’s for dinner several times, but you didn’t pay attention to him, because you were busy with your video games.”
Turning her attention to the older boy, she quickly recomposed herself.
“Dalton, I’m Debbie, Hunter’s mother. Jerry and Donna Porter are my mom and dad. Hunter’s dad is still at work, and his name is Paul. Since he drives a dump truck, he ends up working long days.”
“It’s fun riding in a truck,” Dalton quickly chimed in. “I rode in Dad’s semi with him all summer, and he took me everywhere!”
“Yes, but those days are over, and I’m teaching again,” Tim politely cut in, “which is why we need to head home now, so you can do your homework, while I decide what homework Hunter gets tomorrow.”
“No fair,” Hunter playfully countered. “But I’ll do homework every night if you let Dalton stay all night really, really soon…, PLE-E-E-ZE!” he begged, folding his hands in front of him.
“That will be up to your parents, Sprout,” Tim deflected, as he stood to leave.
“Please, Mom…, I’ve never had anybody stay all night here before.”
“That’s a discussion you need to include your dad in, but since Tim and Dalton need to leave right now, I think you owe Mr. Hunter a big ‘thank you’ for making sure you got home today,” she strongly hinted.
Hunter ran over and wrapped his arms around Tim’s waist and gave him a big hug, and then motioned for the man to lean down.
“Thanks again for bringing me home…, and for being my teacher,” he bashfully confessed before boldly kissing the unsuspecting man on the cheek.
Blushing and unsure how best to respond, Tim put his arm around the boy and pulled Hunter tight against his side.
“Thanks, Hunter,” he nearly choked, while glancing at a completely approving Ms. Jackson. “I’ll see you in the morning, little guy.”
The boys quickly hugged each other, and Dalton followed Tim out to the car.
“Who kisses better…,” Dalton asked out of the blue, while Tim backed the car down the drive, “Hunter or me?”
As Tim glanced at his son, the blond boy was giving his dad his best evil grin.
“Was that what that was?” the man slowly responded back, feeling a touch of guilt. “I thought he was slobbering on my face!”
“Right….” Dalton sarcastically agreed.
“Listen to me, Sport…, NO ONE kisses better than you do, I guarantee it?”
“Even Jordan…?”
Stunned by the boy’s comeback, Tim threw the shifter into PARK; suddenly realizing that Dalton was feeling very insecure right now, and was calling out in his own way. Tim turned towards his son and looked him square in the eyes.
“Dalton, I need to share something very important with you that maybe I haven’t done the best job of letting you know about up until now, and that is, you are my entire world, son! I chose to quit driving, and even sold the semi because I wanted more than anything to be your dad, and to have the opportunity to raise you. I realize that we’ve only known each other for two months, and I’ve been your dad for only half of that time, but I love you just as much as if I had been your father from the time you were first born, I swear that’s the truth.” Tim took a deep breath, and then continued. “Now…, I need you to be totally honest with me, okay?” he asked, reaching over with his right hand and tenderly raising Dalton’s head up by the boy’s chin. “Would you like me to gently let Hunter know that he can’t be hugging on me and kissing me like he just did?”
Dalton hardly let Tim finish his question before he fervently spoke up.
“No, Dad, please don’t say anything to him,” the boy pleaded, while close to tears. “I know that he misses his dad, and he doesn’t have anybody to play with. That’s why he asked me to spend the night with him. He planned to ask his mom while we were in the garage,” the eleven-year-old confessed. “I want to keep sharing you with him, because I know how you make me feel…, it’s just sometimes, I get angry at myself for sharing, and then for some reason I get mad at you.”
Tim’s loud chuckle came unexpectedly, and really puzzled Dalton.
“What’s funny about that?” he asked with a frown.
“Absolutely nothing, Sport…, in fact, what you are feeling is quite normal, and it’s something I experience at times, too. It’s called being jealous. I feel that way at times when you spend the night with your friends. The reason is that I love you so much; part of me would like to keep you all to myself. But that wouldn’t be good for either of us, so when I feel jealous, I remind myself how lucky I am to have you as my son, and then I get busy doing things that I enjoy.”
Dalton sat for a moment considering what his dad had just shared with him.
“So, you feel that way about me too?” he finally questioned with an impish grin.
“I’d be stupid not to, silly boy,” Tim promptly acknowledged. “You’re the best son in the whole world.”
“Good,” he replied, springing his trap. “In that case, I think I deserve to eat at McDonalds®…, now let’s go eat, I’m starved!
“I can’t argue with that logic,” Tim announced, as he backed out of the drive and headed towards town.
(End of Chapter Four. Don’t miss Chapter Five – Forks in the Road coming next month.)