Charlie glanced at the number flashing on the screen as he reached for the Cultural Center’s phone. It wasn’t Jenna’s number, but that would only be a matter of time.

“Palalla Cultural Center.”

“Hi, this is Liz Martin from Tacoma Elementary.” Her voice was low and sweet. Sexy.

“Oh, hey, Ms. Martin, this is Charlie Meninick. I don’t know if you remember me.”

“Certainly, Charlie, I remember you.”

His chest swelled.

“Please, call me Liz,” she said, a smile in her voice.

Charlie’s mind went blank. “How can I help you?” he asked. He winced, imagining the scratch of a needle on a record.

She cleared her throat. “I was just calling to thank you guys for organizing our visit. The kids are working on a card for you all.”

“Oh, sure. Glad they enjoyed it.” What do I say now? “Do you have our address?” A game show buzzer sounded in his mind.

“I think I’ve got it somewhere,” she said, sounding more amused than put off.

“So,” he said. “It’s nice that you brought your class.”

“Well, they didn’t all get to go. I’d like to do it again for those who couldn’t make it this time.”

“That’s a good idea,” he answered. “I—we’d like to see you again. You and your class.”

During the pause that followed, he pictured her trying to contain her laughter at his awkwardness.

“So, Charlie,” she continued, a lilt in her voice. “You remember Ricky, the one who was climbing?”

“Yeah, nice kid.”

She laughed. “He’s still jazzed up from the visit. He’s been pestering me to get in touch with you ever since the trip.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” He couldn’t believe it—finally something was opening up for him.

“Well, he’s got quite an imagination,” she said. “And as you saw, he’s kind of obsessed with trees. He really connected with that part of the lesson plan, you know, about our relationship with our land, so now he’s trying to be that way too. He’s going around saying he’s friends with trees.”

“He told you that?”

“Not at first. I found out about it when I broke up a shoving match on the playground. It seems he went a little overboard with his ‘tree friends’ and now the other kids are teasing him about it.”

“Huh,” said Charlie. “What does he say his ‘tree friends’ do?”

“He says they help him. Keep him safe. He said they helped him during the field trip last weekend when he climbed too high.”

“Did he show you?”

“No, we can’t let the kids climb trees here,” she said wistfully. “The woods are outside school grounds.”

Charlie scoffed.

“I know,” she said. “Anyway, Ricky’s frustrated because no one believes him—well, only one little girl, he said—and he wants you to come to the school and show everyone you’re friends with the trees too. You really made an impression on him.”

“Well, if you want, I could talk to him.”

“That’s sweet, Charlie, but we’re not supposed to put children in one-on-one contact with non-approved adults. Regulations.”

“Oh, right.”

“Sorry. It’s not about you, per se,” she said. “It’s just for safety. I mean, we could schedule a meeting with the three of us, but his parents would need to be notified, and then they might wonder why he’s being singled out, or the other parents would want special visits for their kids too, and on and on.”

“Jeez.”

“I know. It’s almost easier to organize a whole event than to have a simple meeting with a student.”

Charlie spoke before he thought. “I’ll do it.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll come in,” he said, scrambling for an idea. “You know, do a little talk, like a follow-up.”

“And what exactly would you talk about?” she asked playfully.

“I could do a talk on . . . ‘Native Americans Today.’”

“Right, because their teacher doesn’t fit that description at all,” she teased.

“Oh. No, I meant more like . . .” His mind raced. “Like . . .”

“Mr. Meninick,” she said coyly, “it almost sounds like you’re fishing for an invitation to Tacoma.”

“You sure that’s my hook in the water? I hear Palalla women like to fish too.”

Silence. Had he gone too far?

“Yes,” she finally said, “we’ve been known to cast a line now and then.” He could imagine the embarrassed little smile on her pretty, brown face. He wished he were looking at it right now. “Well, I have to go,” she said. “Homework to grade.”

He only had a second to keep her from slipping away. “Can I call you tomorrow? About the visit?”

“Yes,” she said, “I’d like that.”

For that one moment, everything was right in Charlie’s world.