Jordan handed out reading assignments in his Ethics class for the rest of the semester. The ending of which couldn’t come soon enough, he thought, scanning the students, his gaze holding onto Mariella’s for a few seconds.
“So,” he said to them all. “Did you study your assignments?”
Nods of agreement.
Ahmad Bashir raised his hand. “Can I say something before we discuss these?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you for digging up readings on the ten different topics we told you were important to us. The individualization of this class is amazing.”
Hardy thanks echoed from them all.
“You’re welcome, but lest this praise go too far, I have a quiz for each of you to take.” He held up papers. “To make sure you’re completing the required reading. Then we’ll discuss the ones due today.”
It had taken Jordan a whole day to find treatises, articles and essays, tailored to each of the ten students. Apparently, his efforts had been worth the time spent.
No one grumbled, but Walker glanced around nervously. Jordan would bet the Rolex he’d gotten as a French literary prize that Walker hadn’t completed the work.
Standing, he passed out the individual tests for their specific sets of readings. When he handed Mariella her exam, he had to contain his amusement. She wasn’t exactly dressed in a shroud, but her oversized black pants and bulky sweater were nondescript. She was trying her best to be unattractive. Unfortunately, her attempt was in vain.
After ten minutes, he collected the quizzes, leafed through them, then threw them in the trash. “Walker and Carrington, you may leave the class now and go somewhere to do the work you should have done.”
The misery on Carrington’s face and the anger on Walker’s spoke volumes. “And Ms. Carrington, please return at the end of the class.” He suspected her excuse would be a valid one. He thought he heard she was a single mother, which would explain missed assignments. And she looked exhausted.
Without further ado, he began the instruction. “As I said last week, when your topic comes up, you’ll report to the rest of the class what you learned from your readings, starting today. I asked you to make ten copies of the outlines you completed on your topic and pass them to the rest of us.” He also held up a schedule. “You were given this to have the first two sets done for today.”
It hadn’t been a piece of cake reading
the material for today. The articles contained legalese, some
esoteric concepts and some practical tenets.
Ahmad went first.
Mariella observed from the second row as Jordan handled the students expertly. He allowed each presenter the time and space to review the outline, then asked the others to give their thoughts. Finally, each reporter summarized his or her opinion. At the end of all that, Jordan gave supplementary notes on points that Ahmad had missed.
The man was a genius to be able to have read the class so expertly, then research and organize the work tailored to each student. Unfortunately, genius turned Mariella on. Ever since the kiss in his spare room, she was acutely conscious of his nearness and the memories of his lips on hers haunted her.
Damn. Be professional!
When class ended, she stood outside the room while Anna Carrington walked by her and inside. She squeezed the woman’s arm. Anna raised bruised eyes to her. “Good luck.”
Mari knew she shouldn’t, but she waited out of sight.
And heard, “Calm down, Ms. Carrington. I saw the expression on your face when you were asked to leave. Tell me why you didn’t do your work, and I more than likely won’t penalize you.”
“M-my baby was sick all weekend and yesterday. Whenever he slept, I did too. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t do the assignment.”
“How is he now?”
“Better. His fever broke. He’s with my sister.”
“Glad to hear it. I thought perhaps something important kept you from your work. And I remember those days of tending to a sick child. In the future, let me know when you’re in crisis by email. I won’t make you leave the next time.”
“Thanks so much, Dr. Dubois. I appreciate the understanding.”
“I hope all goes well with your boy.”
Slipping into an alcove so Anna didn’t see her, Mari waited until everything was silent. Then she went back to the door and leaned against the jamb. “It’s not fair, you know.”
He glanced over at her. “Were you eavesdropping, Ms. Moretti?”
“Yes.”
“So, you think I shouldn’t have given the poor woman a pass.”
“Of course I think you should have. It just makes me...feel more when you’re sensitive, especially to a new mother.”
A devilish grin. “I’m glad you’re feeling more. Every time I see you, I feel more, too.”
“Think we’re going to make to April?”
“Yes, we are.”
“I hope so. I’ll see you Thursday night.”
“I look forward to it.”
Mariella’s heart was heavy at leaving him. But she also felt an undercurrent of anticipation. Maybe this would work out.
* * *
The girls came rushing out of Stepping Stones, and their exuberance was palpable. Jordan tried to be stern about how they maneuvered the adults into getting their way, but they were so happy, it was hard to stay mad.
“We’re done!” Yvette said, jumping into Jordan’s arms.
He staggered backward a few steps. “Yes, I know.”
Lilliana hugged her mother tightly. “We go to Casarina tomorrow.”
“You do, mia figlia.”
The four of them headed to their cars.
“Are you sure I don’t have
to pack anything?” Yvette asked for at least the fourth time.
Mariella answered. “No. This is a tradition we’ve had the three
years we’ve been in the US. Mamá buys all new clothes for Lilliana
and they serve as her spring wardrobe here.”
“And she wants to do the
same for Yvette,” Lilly put in.
“Yes, of course. Besides, it’s already done. She called to regale
me about the outfits she bought. They’re stylish as well as being
different.”
Yvette leaned into him. “Can you believe it, Papa? The queen bought me clothes.”
Lilly laughed. “I forget Nonno’s the queen.”
Walking ahead of them, the girls held hands the rest of the way. Jordan had parked a few cars down from Mari’s. “So, I’ll wait for her to be picked up by Antonio tomorrow?”
“Yes, he’ll come to my house then yours.”
“Huh! I can’t remember the last time I took a private plane.”
“The king and queen do everything in style.”
“Wait here a minute.” He couldn’t let her go just yet. “The weather’s mild tonight. Let me get Yvette in the car and I’ll be back.”
He returned in minutes. Lilliana was all secured in her booster seat. Outside, in the dim light of the parking lot, Mariella turned to him.
Moving close to her, he peered down at her. “So, this is it. I won’t see you for a week. Though friends do go out once in a while.”
“No, we agreed to no contact. I don’t trust us.” She put her hands on the lapels of his cashmere dark blue coat. “You shouldn’t either.”
“I don’t. The temptation would be too great.”
“Damn it.”
“Hell.”
“I want to kiss you goodbye.”
“Oh, sure.” She rolled her eyes. “We should put on a show in the parking lot of our school and in front of whomever passes by.”
“Get in the car, then.”
When she moved back, he grasped her arms. Pulled her to him and gave her a full-bodied hug. Then he let her go and walked away. Halfway there, he almost turned back.
Almost.
* * *
On Saturday morning, Mariella dug the toes of her skates into the ice and glided across the rink. Brie caught up to her after four rounds. “Hey, wait for me.”
“Sorry.”
They linked arms and began to skate more slowly. Brie wore a shiny blue down coat, a white hat and navy gloves. Mari wore a red parka with fur trim. “Outrunning demons?”
“You mean Lilliana’s absence?”
A knowing expression. “That, too.”
“I’ll miss her. But her vacation will be great especially because Yvette went with her.”
“Hmm. What about yours?”
“I want some time to myself.” She squeezed Brie’s arm. “To do things like this.”
“Me, too.”
Mariella had spent the morning with Brie and Dante, but in the afternoon, they’d come to the rink to skate while he worked at the collision shop. Mari loved this activity, as they’d been trained at home on their own ice rink, so she thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon.
“Have you been thinking about Jordan? You’re not going to see each other for a week.”
“Yes, I have. He’s working on his book. I picture him at his desk.” And wonder what it would be like if she could give him backrubs and make him take breaks, but she kept that to herself.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come to the school’s winter break party with us tonight?”
“Thanks for the invite, but no. I’m going to do some homework and go to bed early. We got up at the crack of dawn to get the kids off.”
“Was Antonio excited about the girls coming?”
“Yes, like he used to when he got to take us places off the palace grounds.”
They finished their laps and then glided to the bench to remove skates. The seat was cold and her face cool, but she’d enjoyed this excursion. She took out her phone to see what time it was, and there was a text from Jordan. Dear, Lord. She read, I miss you. I can’t help it.
She texted him back.
* * *
Jordan heard his phone ping. He’d been noodling an idea around in his head for days, and this morning had finally got something on paper, though it was raw. He checked the caller I.D.
I miss you, too. Now go away and write your book. I won’t respond again today. We said one text per day.
Yeah, they had. It was about four o’clock, so he pushed away from the desk. His phone rang. Again, he checked the caller I.D. Elise. He clicked decline. He knew she’d call eventually, but he couldn’t talk to her, he was so utterly pissed at her. Merde! The woman was a menace to society.
Needing a break, he fixed himself a drink, heated up some brie, put a croissant in the oven and cut up an apple. He leaned against the counter and sipped his Manhattan amidst the homey scent of baking bread and the aroma of the cheese.
Elise. He’d been madly in love with her when they married—a big wedding at his grandparents’ home with all the right people attending. He would have eloped if she’d have agreed, but she wanted the fussed-up event. He was trying to remember how long they’d had before the charm of partying and being in the hip places wore off. It exhausted him, and he needed something meaningful to do. That’s when he started teaching.
The buzzer went off for the brie, so he took out the plate, then the croissant, assembled everything, and brought it to the living room. He thought about making a fire, but he didn’t have the energy. Besides, fire elicited reflection, and he didn’t need any inducement to think about Elise or Mariella.
So, he did something he rarely did. He turned on the television that came with the house rental and flicked through the channel guide. He stopped on A Princess for Him. Doux Jésus! Somebody up there had it in for him. He turned up the sound and watched the show as he dipped the bread into cheese and then crunched a tart apple sliver in his mouth. Princess Lizette, a long-haired blonde, stood staring out the window of the palace and singing a sweet song.
Could Mariella sing? Had she lived in a castle? Jordan thought she’d referred to her home as a palace. Well, he’d see soon enough. Tomorrow, Yvette would video call with him and he’d get a glimpse of where she was staying.
The princess was joined by her mother. “What is it, darling?”
“I want to go out into the world, Mother. I’m sick of being cooped up in this castle. I want to meet people, maybe a man, some day.”
“You’re only twenty-one. But perhaps we could arrange for some suitors to come calling.”
“You’re missing the point.”
And so it went. Eventually, the princess got her way and was allowed to live in the city for six months, incognito, but with discreet protection. She’d attend the local university and take some liberal arts classes.
Not long after, a scene showed her in an apartment. There was a knock on the door. “Hello, there. I’m your next-door neighbor. I came to welcome you.”
Because her parents had checked out all the tenants, the guard stationed down the hall nodded his okay. Lizette said, “Hello. Would you like to come in?”
He entered. “I’m Gabriel Charpentier.”
“Mon Dieu.”
Now he was glued to the screen which played out the romance of the Frenchman and the princess.
He watched the whole damn thing. It turned out her parents had chosen Gabriel to live next to her. He was a student at the same college and had been checked out to have stellar credentials to date her.
At the end, Jordan turned off the set and put his head in his hands. How low he’d sunk. It was later in the evening, now. He pulled himself out of his funk and went back to his book, where he wrote for another three hours. After which, he went to bed.
He finally fell asleep thinking of Mariella, playing out in his mind a few fantasies of what it would be like making love with her. He awoke in three hours with a painful erection. This was not his night. Naked, he got out of bed, threw pajama bottoms on out of habit and went to the den. He sat there, staring at his computer, plagued by images of the woman he wanted more than he could ever remember wanting anyone.
* * *
Mari couldn’t sleep, probably because her daughter was absent from the house. The place seemed empty. Brie had invited her to stay over at their house, but Mari said no. She’d sleep in her own bed like a grownup.
Sliding out of it, she stood by the glass doors in her room that led out to a patio. Sad, Mari watched the snow fall in light flakes, accumulating on the dry ground. She wanted to be with Jordan. She’d actually taken out the calendar and counted the days until the last day of class in April. Fifty-six days! She had to wait fifty-six days!
Well, you don’t have to wait. You could have him now.
But that wasn’t right. God only knew the repercussions of sleeping with her teacher. If it ever came out, what a scandal it would cause. Besides, their daughters wouldn’t understand any negative publicity or gossip, which was more important.
That doesn’t help you tonight, principessa. Or the next six nights when you’re alone.
The hell with this.
Without censoring her actions, she dressed in brown woolen slacks and a heavy beige fisherman-knit sweater, then dug out her boots. Once finished, she grabbed her coat, gloves and hat from the closet and headed to the garage. She hit the open button and was circling the car when she saw a figure standing about ten feet down the driveway. Snow dotted his gorgeous hair and his face was wet. He had his hands in the pockets of a long, navy coat. Jordan.
He started toward her and she came out of the garage. They simply stared at each other. He confessed, “I cheated. I can’t stay away.”
“I cheated, too. I was coming out to drive over to your place.”
“Ah, mon amour.” He closed the distance between them and swooped her up, brought her to his body, and pressed his cold mouth on hers. She responded. He was the one to draw away. “Let’s go inside. You’ll freeze out here.”