Teacher's Aide 02

“You did,” Pete said quietly as he went back to folding, hoping he hadn’t somehow unintentionally embarrassed her.

Less than 30 minutes later, he had five very neat stacks of cards with each child’s name on them.

“Okay. What’s next?” he asked cheerfully.

“You finished those already?” she asked with more disbelief.

“It was just writing names on cards,” he said with a smile as he held up an example.

“And your handwriting is neat!”

Chelsea faux glared at him then tried not to smile when she said, “You know I hate you, right?”

Pete chuckled then told her, “You better not talk like that. People might get the idea we’re married or something.”

Chelsea’s eyes opened wide in disbelief (again) before she started laughing.

“Pete! That was…terrible!”

She stopped laughing, tilted her head, then said, “Terrible but funny. Very funny, actually.”

“What can I say? I’m a regular comedian,” he told her before asking what she was working on so he could help with it.

As it got closer to noon he asked what she was doing for lunch.

He saw a puzzled look on her face then heard her swear for the first time.

Her earlier ‘dang it’ got replaced with something stronger when she remembered her lunch was sitting on the kitchen counter at her mom and dad’s.

“Dammit! I forgot my lunch!” she said.

Within seconds he saw her eyes filling with tears again.

“I set it out on the kitchen counter and left without it. I can’t call my mom because she’s at the doctor’s office with Bryce. And even worse, I can’t afford to be buying lunch anymore, either.”

This time, Chelsea grabbed a tissue herself then apologized again for getting so emotional.

“You don’t need to apologize,” Pete told her rather quietly. “You’re under as much stress as a lot of soldiers and Marines wounded in combat. This is as much PTSD-related as anything they’re going through.”

Thinking he was helping, he was shocked and saddened when, after looking right at him as he said that, she started crying.

“I’m sorry. I was only trying to be helpful,” he said as he stood up and moved toward her. “I’m obviously not very good at it.”

Chelsea was shaking her head and trying to get control.

“No. That’s not true at all,” she said as she tried taking a couple of slow, deep breaths.

“Then…what is it?” he asked hoping to try and make things right.

“It’s…nothing,” she told him, her breathing still ragged.

“Is it me? Am I the cause of this?”

This was all so new to him that Pete wasn’t sure what to say or do.

“No,” she told him. “Well, yes, but…”

“Wait. I’m the reason you’re crying?” he asked quietly.

He was standing beside her desk and knelt down so that he’d be able to talk to her at eye level, but she wasn’t looking at him.

“No. You…you didn’t make me cry, Pete. Your words did.”

“Chelsea. I…I am so sorry.”

She shook her head then finally turned toward him a little then told him, “You’ve done nothing but make me feel like…like you care about me since the first time we met, and no one, except my mom and dad…”

She couldn’t finish talking, and started crying again.

Pete reached over and gently put a hand on her back.

“You okay?” he asked very quietly.

She was nodding her head then fell apart.

Out of nowhere she turned and put her arms around him as she cried and sobbed. The angle was awkward and uncomfortable, but he willed himself to tough it out for as long as she needed. The ‘jag’ lasted maybe two minutes before she was able to pull herself together enough to talk.

“I don’t know how I’m even going to be able to look at you again,” she said as she grabbed more tissues. “You have to think I’m a total basket case.”

Pete shifted his weight then said, “No. No, I don’t.”

She kind of turned toward him and cut her eyes his way then looked down again as he spoke.

“I think you’re a very brave young woman who’s pushing back against a whole lot of adversity. You have nothing to ashamed of, Chelsea. In fact, you have everything to be proud of. You have a son, you’re back here teaching, and well, you’re one of the kindest, sweetest…”

He realized that was crossing one of those lines he’d been reminded of in the mandatory training.

“Sorry. I don’t think that was the best choice of words.”

She glanced over at him and tried to smile so he said, “I meant that word, and I think it’s true, but it probably wasn’t appropriate.”

“I…I liked hearing it,” she said. “It was very…sweet.”

Pete was feeling better just as she said, “Sorry,” then blew her nose so loudly it made him laugh.

He was about to apologize for laughing when Chelsea laughed, too. 

“I’m a freakin’ mess!” she said as she tried to take some more deep breaths.

“Hey. How about you and I go get something to eat?” he suggested.

“No. Pete, you already spent a fortune on copies.”

“Nah, I got a senior discount,” he told her with a straight face as he stood up.

She looked up at him then saw him smiling, and that made her laugh then say, “I feel terrible for looking.”

“What?” he asked.

“Well, I know you’re not old enough for a senior discount, but you said it so seriously, I…I had to look.”

Pete crossed his arms, cocked his head, then started tapping his foot.

“Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea,” he said as he shook his head. “I think you just called me ‘old’.”

She started to apologize when he said, “And I resemble that remark.”

Once she realized he wasn’t offended, she threw the wad of Kleenex at him then shrieked.

“Oh, my gosh! I am so sorry!”

He managed to turn sideways so it missed him, but it hit the floor with a wet plop.

“So that’s what a snot bomb looks like,” Pete deadpanned as they looked at the gooey mess.

“I’ll pick that up!” Chelsea said as she reached for her cane.

“No. You’ll do no such thing,” Pete told her as he grabbed another tissue to use to grab it. “But you will have lunch with me.”

She went to protest, but Pete held up a hand and said, “Uh-uh. No arguing, young lady!”

Her face was a puffy mess, her eyes were bloodshot, and yet when she looked up at him and said, “Okay,” Pete felt something he hadn’t felt in a very long time. He dismissed the feeling immediately, but it hit him very hard and very unexpectedly.

“Did you want to go now?” she asked just as sweetly as she’d said ‘okay’.

“I could eat. You?”

She nodded, smiled, then said, “I’m starving.”

“Okay. Then let’s do this.”

He helped her stand up, and when he did, she was using his arm to steady herself until she was standing up directly in front of him.

She looked up into his eyes, smiled again, then said, “Thank you, Pete. For everything.”

That ‘feeling’ hit him again just as he said, “My pleasure.”

She grabbed her cane and continued using his arm as they left the room. Pete locked it for them then Chelsea asked if they could stop by the restroom so she could try and clean up.

“You know, to try and fix the disaster I call my face,” she said with a laugh.

When Pete answered her, she had a feeling of her own; one she hadn’t experienced in a very long time, either.

“Your face isn’t a disaster, Chelsea.”

She looked over at him as they walked, and as he looked back at her he said, “It’s actually very pretty.”

She looked away immediately, but this time there were no tears, and as far as he could tell there was no hint of having offended her. What he couldn’t know was that those few words made her feel better than she’d felt since before the life-changing events that took place when she gave birth to her son.

She held his arm a little tighter as they continued walking but didn’t say another word. They stopped at the teacher’s lounge where the only restroom for staff on campus was located, and Pete opened the door for her.

“Sorry. You’re on your own from here,” he said with a smile.

“I think I can handle it,” she told him as she smiled back.

When they got to his Jeep Cherokee, Chelsea saw how much higher the floorboard was than in her car and said, “Oh, my. There’s no way I can get there.”

Pete opened her door, told her to hold on tight then took her cane and set it inside. He then gently picked her up by lifting her legs as she held onto his neck, then just as gently set her inside.

“You okay?” he asked as he set her down.

She was just inches from his face and looked away again as she said, “I…I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Can you get your seat belt?” he asked, not knowing whether or not she could.

Chelsea looked at him, laughed, then said, “What? Do I look like I’m…helpless or something?”

Still not sure if she was kidding, he waited until he knew then laughed, too.

“No. Not at all. You don’t look helpless at all,” he said in a way that again caused her to feel whatever she was feeling.

He turned the Jeep on, and the AC came to life.

“Oh, that feels so good!” she said.

“Yeah, August in Florida can be pretty brutal, huh?” he said as he backed out.

“I grew up here all my life, and never noticed until after, you know…”

That caused Chelsea to ask Pete where he was from, and the answer took all the way to the restaurant to finish as he told her then hit each of his duty stations, as well.

“I’m envious,” Chelsea said. “The furthest I’ve been from Fleming Island is Charleston, South Carolina. My grandparents live there, so I used to go up each summer and spend a week or two with them.”

Pete came around and helped her out the same way, but this time Chelsea didn’t look away when he picked her up. She just smiled sweetly and thanked him as he gently set her on the ground before handing her her cane.

They sat down and ordered and made small talk as they ate, and about twenty minutes into their meal, Pete’s phone rang.

“It’s Trevor,” he told her.

“Oh, by all means. Take it,” she said knowing he was waiting for this call.

“Trev! What’s the word?” his dad said.

“Dad. You’re not gonna believe it!”

“Yes, I will. Lay it me, Lieutenant. What’d you get? F-22s?”

“Um…no.”

“F-35s?” his dad said, his enthusiasm waning.

“Try again.”

“I give up, Trevor. Tell me.”

“Ospreys. Friggin’ MV-22 Ospreys. Can you believe that shit?”

Chelsea saw how serious Pete’s face looked and could tell by the tone of voice he seemed upset.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

He covered the phone as though he was using an old style mouthpiece and said, “Yes. Just a little setback.”

“Dad? Who was that?” his son asked.

“Oh, that’s my new boss. Chelsea. Or Ms. Tanner to me,” he said while winking at her.

“Ahh! Your teacher. The one you’re aiding and abetting, right?”

He hadn’t told Trevor the details, so he couldn’t chastise his son for asking, “So…is she hot?”

Chelsea evidently heard his comment, and Pete saw little circles of red in the apples of her cheeks again as she looked down at her plate.

He waited until she looked back up at him then told his son, “She’s…amazing.”

When Chelsea smiled, that feeling hit both her and him again before he let his son vent about not getting any of his three top choices.

“Well, you’re still flying for the Marine Corps,” his dad said.

“I know. And I’m already a lot less pissed off than I was when I found out a couple of hours ago. I guess Ospreys aren’t all that bad.”

Pete chuckled as Trevor said, “Well, I’ll let you get back to your lunch. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I just needed to let my old man know what I got.”

“Trevor? I’m proud of you,” his dad told him sincerely. “And you know Mom would be, too, right?”

“Yeah. I do,” his son said. “Thanks, Dad. I can’t tell you what it means knowing I can call anytime about anything, and my dad will ‘get it’.”

“Well, I can’t tell you what it means to have a son wearing the same uniform I wore for all those years who can share his experiences with me.”

“All right. Well, I’ll uh, I’ll let go,” Trevor said.

“Okay, buddy. Talk to you soon, okay?”

“Sure thing, Dad. And…I love you.”

“I love you too, son,” he said.

He saw Chelsea smiling at him and said, “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re this really big, strong…masculine…guy, but you’re quite possibly the most gentle man I’ve ever met,” she told him with a smile.

He looked around then said, “Don’t say that too loudly, okay? I’ve got a reputation to protect.”

Chelsea laughed a genuine laugh and said, “I can tell you love your son, too. He’s very luck to have you.”

“I’m the lucky one,” he told her. “After Gayle died, he was all I had. He was away at college, but we were on the phone every day. Without Trevor…”

His voiced trailed off, and Chelsea could feel the emotion just as he forced a smile then said, “You ready for dessert?”

“Dessert? I’m stuffed! I haven’t eaten this much in months!” 

He looked down at the piddly little amount she’d eaten then said, “Yeah. You really know how to pack it away, don’t you?”

“Okay, now you’re just being mean!” she said with another very sweet smile. “But since you told your son I was amazing, I think I’ll let you slide this one time.”

“I would have said ‘beautiful’ but I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression,” Pete said.

It was obvious by his tone of voice he was being honest, and yet Chelsea was having a hard time believing it because she didn’t believe it about herself. 

“That’s me. Stick girl. Beautiful…stick girl,” she said trying to sound playful.

“There’s nothing wrong with sticks,” Pete said playfully. “I actually like sticks.”

Not quite sure how to take that, Chelsea decided to change the subject.

“I might be able to eat something sweet. Is that still okay?”

Pete got very serious then said as he made of show of looking at her plate again, “Gee. I don’t know. I mean, now that I think about it, if you were to order something like cake or pie, that could put me in the poorhouse.”

“We could share something,” she suggested so sweetly it touched him deeply.

“Hmmm. I think I like the sound of that,” Pete said before asking her what looked good.

“Uh-huh. Of course you do,” Chelsea replied. “Because you know that means I’ll have one tiny, little bite, and the rest will be yours.”

The way she smiled at him ‘did it’ again, and to his surprise, Pete heard himself saying, “You really are beautiful, Chelsea.”

Not sure what to say to take back what he’d just said, Pete sat there in silence as he watched Chelsea blink a couple of times then quickly look down at the menu.

“I um…I was thinking about the pecan pie. Does that sound okay?” she asked without looking at him.

“Sure. Yeah. That sounds great,” Pete told her before signaling their server. “A la mode?”

There was a fairly long period of silence as they waited, and Pete was still trying to think of some way to explain what he’d meant even as he realized he’d meant what he’d said. After that, he had no intention of apologizing even if it came up. 

After their pie came, he set it between them and watched Chelsea pick up a fork then take a tiny little bite.

She said it was delicious, and after that, they returned to making small talk as though Pete hadn’t said what he’d said, and that was just fine by him.

“Do you mind if we stop and pick up the copies on the way back?” he asked once they were back in the Jeep.

“No. That only makes sense,” she told him.

Chelsea had used that store enough times to know Pete had paid extra—a lot extra—to get them done that fast. And although she wasn’t impressed by money or things, after seeing his ‘car’, and thinking about it for a while, she realized he wasn’t likely living anywhere near the poverty line—or anywhere close to it.

And each time she thought about the way he’d looked at her when he told her she was beautiful, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, for some crazy, ridiculous reason that made no sense to her, he might actually have meant that. She was too shy to ask, and a part of her wanted to not find out because it believed he’d tell her he was just being polite.

Regardless, she was now seeing him in a very different light, and also wondered if perhaps there was some other, deeper reason he was being so kind and doing so many nice things for her.

She took a quick look in the mirror on her visor then thought, “No. That’s not possible.”

She thought about him and realized yet again, that in spite of his age, he was still a very handsome man, while she, in spite of her relative youth, was maybe a little above average, and that was when she was healthy making her even more sure there was no ‘deeper reason’.

He was only inside for a couple of minutes, but he left the engine running for her, and Chelsea could see him as he dealt with the girl behind the counter. He was smiling and it was obvious he was playfully joking around with her, so perhaps that’s just how he was. With everyone. And for some reason, that thought made her sad. Very sad. 

As she watched him walk back out carrying two huge boxes filled with copies, she told herself, “Get a grip. He’s almost your dad’s age, for crying out loud, and he’s…freaking gorgeous. That means he’s not interested in you. Got it?”

By the time he put the boxes away and got back in, Chelsea had convinced herself there wasn’t anything going on, and that it was much better that there wasn’t. After all, he was working for her as her aide, and again, he was way, way too old for her. 

So why then did she look over at him one more time just to see how handsome his face was as he got ready to back out and return to campus?

Other than thanking Pete for lunch, neither of them said another word about anything personal the rest of the day. When Chelsea got ready to leave school, Pete told her he’d walk her out to her car.

“Pete? I appreciate you offering to help, but I can walk to and from my car each day,” she told him as politely as she could.

“I have no doubt,” he replied. “But I know how difficult and painful it is for you to walk, so I’d really feel better if you’d me provide a little bit of assistance.”

He saw the way she was looking at him again and wondered if she was about to tear up again.

“Please?” he asked with a smile.

“Once the kids show up, I have to be here from 7:30 until 4:00 every school day, but you only work from 8-2:30. Two o’clock if you eat lunch in the room which is considered not taking a lunch break. I can’t ask you to be here extra hours without pay. You do understand, right?”

Chelsea was getting ready to get up again, so Pete moved over to her desk and helped her stand.

“Yes, I’m aware of all that,” he told her as she stood directly in front of him again.

She’d been looking into his eyes then looked down so Pete gently put his hands on her tiny arms near the place where bicep muscles should be then said very kindly, “I’m not doing this for the money, Chelsea.”

Another second or two passed before she looked up at him. 

She didn’t cry, but her eyes were glassy as she said, “I meant what I said about you quite possibly being the kindest man I’ve ever known.”

As her eyes locked with his, he smiled and told her, “Thank you. And I meant it, too, when I said I thought you were beautiful.”

She looked away again, but Pete ever-so gently squeezed her tiny arms.

“It’s true,” he told her again.

She looked back up then said, “Pete. I have a mirror. I know what I look like. I’ve never been…beautiful. I don’t consider myself ugly or unattractive, but I’m not beautiful.”

“Then you don’t understand the things that make a woman beautiful or attractive to a man,” he told her, still speaking very quietly.

As she continued looking into his eyes, she could tell he was being truthful, and for the first time since she was too little to assess beauty, in spite of her many known and perceived faults, she felt beautiful. And as she stood there with his hands on her arms, she realized her heart was beating fast, and regardless about him working for her, all she wanted was to be able to put her arms around him and hold him.

She didn’t care in the least he was a lot older than her. All she cared about was the way he made her feel, and even her ex-husband had never made her feel that way. Her body was trembling and responding to the gentle touch on her arms to the point where she now needed to move away before she did something she’d regret; something that, in the current environment, might cause her to lose the job she loved.

“I…I really need to get home. Bryce hasn’t been feeling well, and Mom, you know, she needs…”

“Okay,” Pete said. “But you will let me walk you out, right?” he asked as he finally took his hands away.

“Yes. Sure. That…that would be very nice.”

As he helped her into her very warm car, there was a rather awkward silence as neither of them knew what to say. Chelsea turned the ignition and started the car to cool it down then finally said, “Thank you again for everything, Pete.”

“My pleasure,” he told her sincerely.

“Well…have a nice weekend,” she said with a smile that was different than any other he’d seen. A smile that seemed distant if not cold.

“You, too. And I gotta meet this young man of yours one day,” he told her.

“Right. Yeah, we’ll do that sometime.”

“All right. So…I’ll uh…I’ll see you Monday then.”

“Yes. Monday. Kiddos. Lots of energy and excitement,” she said. “Well, actually the first day they tend to be rather subdued, but that won’t last.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Pete told her.

“Me, too,” she said, that plastic smile still there. Chelsea put the car into reverse, and Pete stepped back as she slowly backed up.

He waved and with that, she was gone. Only then did Pete realize he had sweat running down the small of his back. It had to be around 95 degrees, and just being out in it for the ten minutes or so it had taken to get her to the parking lot and say goodbye was enough to cause him to sweat through his shirt.

But that was the last thing on his mind as he watched her drive away. And yet the first thing on his mind scared him more than anything he could remember since learning Gayle’s cancer was inoperable. It scared him because what was on his mind was so ridiculously crazy that it was embarrassing for a man his age with his life experience to even be thinking. And yet here he was very much thinking it.

A phone call to Trevor on Sunday morning broke up the monotony as did an hourlong swim on Saturday and a healthy workout just before the phone call.

When Monday morning rolled around, Pete was still struggling with these feelings and trying to decide how to best deal with them. By the time he got to school at 7:15 he had no better answer than he did when he left there on Friday.

He was sitting alone in the room waiting to go help Chelsea walk in when he heard a knock on the day just before it opened.

“Hey there, Devil Dog,” a tall, very bald man said as he stepped inside.

“Oh, hey Doug. What’s up?”

“Just stoppin’ by to see if there’s anything you or your young teacher needs before the kids start rollin’ in.”

He saw Pete put his hands over his face and kind of rub it being pulling them apart.

“Nah. We’re good,” Pete told him.

Doug knew that wasn’t true and pulled up a chair.

“What’s goin’ on?” he asked. 

“Nothin’,” Pete told him.

“Uh-huh. Sure. Either you two had a…disagreement or…”

Doug smiled then said, “You know I’m married to a teacher, right?”

Pete furrowed his brow and said, “No. I had no idea.”

“Yeah. Shannon. Room 224 upstairs. She uses her maiden name, but yeah, she’s my wife.”

“I had no idea,” Pete said. 

“And she’s twelve years younger than me.”

Pete shook his head in disbelief then said, “Seriously?”

“Yep. Serious as a heart attack. I uh, I met her here on campus and we kind of started talking after I helped her with a big problem she was having in her room. We realized right away we liked each other, but it took me a while to convince myself I should ask her out.”

“But you obviously did.”

“Oh, yeah. I most definitely did. I asked her to the Navy Ball two years ago as our first date.”

“That’s a helluva first date,” Pete replied.

“I asked her to marry me six months later,” Doug told him. “I had no idea she didn’t care about the age difference, and looking back, that’s the main reason I didn’t ask her before that.”

“So what’s this got to do with me?” Pete asked even though he knew.

“Oh, come on. Please! I can see it just lookin’ at you. You’ve got a thing for her.”

Pete started to object as Doug started to stand up.

“Save it, Shipmate. Save it for someone who’ll believe your BS. I won’t tell anyone, in case you’re wondering. But if you like her, you owe it to yourself to say something. I mean, it’s not like this is a job you can’t live without? Right…Colonel?” Doug said with a laugh.

“I barely know the girl,” Pete said as he stood up, too.

“So? What difference does that make? That’s why you tell her. So you can get to know her.”

“Well, I mean. I…I don’t really know,” Pete said, his voice trailing off.

“You’re clearly aware of the physical challenges she has, and if that hasn’t scared you off, then maybe you should go for it. And for what it’s worth, she’s a little on the thin side, but she is pretty cute. Not that I’m looking, mind you. It’s just a fact.”

“Yeah. She’s a little thin, all right. And I have to agree she is…cute. And she’s very young.”

“Mind if I ask your age?” 

“I’m 53,” Doug told her.

“Damn! You are old!” Doug kidded.

“I’m 46 and Shannon is 34, and while that’s not as big a gap as between the two of you, I can tell you that after you’re married you don’t really even notice it.”

Doug opened the door just as the first children went running by.

“Hey! Slow down, okay?” Doug told them as Pete stepped outside.

“It’s none of my business, but if you’re attracted to her, and if she’s into…you know…the grandfather type…”

Doug started laughing before Pete could reply.

“I’ve got a hundred things to do today so I gotta run, but don’t let working together—or age—be reasons for not saying something.”

Pete sighed, thanked his younger friend for the advice, then headed toward the parking lot where busses were already lining up.

When Chelsea pulled in Pete felt his pulse quicken. When he opened her door and saw her in a dress for the first time and noticed she was wearing makeup—something else he hadn’t yet seen—it began beating even faster.

“Wow. Don’t you like nice,” he told her as he helped her stand up.

The scent of a very nice perfume wafted up as she thanked him.

“I wanted to look my best today. You know, for the kids.”

“Then you pulled that off in a big way. You look…amazing,” Pete told her as he tried not to stare.

It was just a simple sheath dress, although it did have bell sleeves making it look rather elegant. A quick look from behind as he closed her door revealed that she really didn’t have a figure to speak of as everything was either straight or flat, and yet he couldn’t get the word ‘beautiful’ out of his mind as they walked inside together.

Pete had the names of their first-period class on the tables in alphabetical order, and Chelsea noticed immediately and thanked him for it.

She, too, had spent the weekend trying to convince herself she wasn’t feeling the things she was feeling for this much-older man she’d just met, and yet she’d chosen her nicest dress to wear knowing full well it had nothing to do with the kids.

In fact, she almost never wore a dress to school. The only exceptions were events held in the evening like open house when she’d meet new parents or to 6th-grade graduation at the end of the year. But never during the school year and especially not the first day of class.

Making matters worse, she hadn’t worn makeup since the first week of her first year when she was concerned about making an impression on the principal until she realized her appearance had nothing to do with it. Ever since, the most she’d ever worn was some mascara.

And yet here she was looking like she was going to the prom and feeling extremely self-conscious about. Or she had until she realized it had at least caught Pete’s attention. 

The ‘good news’ was kids began lining up outside her room within minutes after her arrival. That gave her something work-related to talk about with Pete who found himself enjoying the sounds of 10-year olds chattering happily outside.

“So I was thinking that today I’d stand at the door and welcome the kids, but I’m not sure I can do that for five classes so would you maybe…”

“Of course. In fact, I’ll have them file by your desk so you can say ‘hello’ then show them where they’ll be sitting.”

Chelsea smiled warmly then said, “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” just as the bell rang.

“It’s show time!” Pete said as he went to the door.

Chelsea strained to watch as she listened to him as he interacted with the kids for the first time.

“Good morning!” she heard Pete say. “I’m Mr. Harke, and I’m your teacher’s big helper.”

She saw him do a kind of ‘Hulk’ pose as he said ‘big’ and when the children laughed, she knew this was going to work out.

Pete lined each class up alphabetically then had them come in and say hello to Ms. Tanner before showing them their seats.

That first week whizzed by in a flurry of activity as Chelsea went over the rules for her classroom, what they’d be doing each day, how much homework they could expect, some basic tests to find each student’s reading level, and finally a brief explanation of why Mr. Harke, ‘with an ‘e’,’ was in the room.

Pete hadn’t said a single complimentary thing the rest of the week, so by Friday, Chelsea had given up on the makeup, and once the kids were all gone for the day, Pete casually mentioned it.

“Oh. I…I didn’t think you even noticed,” she told him as the feeling of discouragement slowly gave way to hope.

“Of course I noticed,” he told her with a smile. “I mean, you look great without it, but you were…um…wow! And the jeans and tee shirts are fantastic, but that dress you wore Monday was…”

Chelsea was smiling, and Pete assumed she thought he was on the verge of being reminded their relationship was strictly business when Chelsea surprised him.

“If I’d known you cared, I would have kept wearing it and worn something nicer,” she said. She was looking at him when she began then looked away before she finished.

Pete moved closer then said, “Either way, you look…beautiful.”

She thanked him then after a moment of silence said, “You mentioned wanting to, you know, maybe meet Bryce one of these days. So I was wondering if, well, would you possibly want to do that this weekend?”

Chelsea looked back up as she said it, and saw Pete smiling.

“I would. I’d like that a lot,” he told her.

“Really? Okay, well, I was thinking maybe you could have dinner with us on Sunday or…Saturday or…”

“Just tell me when,” Pete said.

“Sunday around 6pm?” she asked, a sweet smile on her face.

“Okay. That sounds nice.”

She gave him the address and again, neither of them spoke until he helped her into her car.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you do to help me out, Pete,” she told him as she got ready to leave.

“Well, I can’t tell you how much this job…and being around you…has meant to me,” he told her.

Chelsea smiled then said, “I guess I’ll you Sunday then.”

“I’ll be there,” he told her.

As she drove away, he was just as sweaty as he’d been the week before, but this time he was aware of an old familiar stirring he hadn’t experienced since Gayle was healthy and able to make love. He shook his head and realized Doug was right. He had to tell her how he felt, but he had no idea when or where to do it.

By the time he arrived at her parents’ home on Sunday, the realization her mom and dad would be his age really hit him. He’d known that all along, but now that he was about to meet them, it made him feel pretty foolish for even thinking there could be something between him and their daughter.

But by the time he left, he considered them both good friends, and he couldn’t put Bryce down. The little boy brought back so many pleasant memories of Trevor when he was that age, and the attention he gave the boy wasn’t lost on his mother who wore another very pretty dress and full makeup—something else she’d never done for Sunday dinner (or any dinner for that matter.)

As he got ready to leave, her father, Nick, asked if he could have a moment of his time.

“Sure,” Pete told him as they went out to the garage.

“My daughter has been through hell the last couple of years, Pete. Literally. You’ve no doubt seen much worse, but seeing my baby suffer like that, well, it’s pretty tough to take. And when that self-centered SOB of a husband of hers walked out on them, I tell you, I could have…”

He stopped talking then switched gears.

“Look, I know how old you are. But I also know my daughter. I’ve never seen her like this before. Ever.”

Her father paused then said, “And her mom and I know why.”

Pete ran his hand along the back of his head and waited for the other shoe to drop.

“She talks about you constantly, Pete. Literally. It’s all the time. Pete this and Pete that and he’s so kind and…”

“I think very highly of her, too,” Pete said.

“That’s pretty obvious, too. Look. What I’m saying is, this thing that happened to her changed how we feel about almost everything. We’re so thankful to just still have her alive, and that little boy of hers, that nothing else matters except her happiness.”

Pete didn’t say anything so her dad said, “You make her happy, Pete. You may not have those kinds of feelings for Chelsea, but I promise you she has them for you. So if you don’t, I’m asking you, man to man, to please let her down gently, okay? I don’t give a rip about the age difference, and my wife doesn’t, either. But if you maybe do have those kinds of feelings, I guess what I’m saying is I…we…both support you, you know, getting better acquainted with our daughter and grandson.”

“That wasn’t the talk I was expecting,” Pete said with a smile. “But it’s the talk I wanted to hear because as unlikely as it seems, I do have those kind of feelings for her. In fact, she’s the only woman I’ve met since my wife passed away that’s even interested me.”

“Then maybe you should tell her,” her dad said with a smile, echoing Doug’s sentiments. 

Chelsea popped her head into the garage then said, “Oh. Sorry. I was wondering where you two went. I…I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“We’re done, honey,” her dad said to his daughter as he slapped the much-larger man on the shoulder. “We’ll be right back inside.”

Pete could tell Chelsea now assumed her father had just had ‘the talk’ with Pete and was probably worried sick about him telling this man his age he better not ever see him back in this house again and to stay away from his little girl.

So when she slowly walked Pete out to his Jeep a few minutes later, she was beyond surprised when he shared the gist of the conversation with her.

“Oh. My dad said…that?” she asked as she stood just inches in front of Pete.

“He did,” he told her. 

“Well, he…he gets these ideas, you know, and sometimes he…um…he can get carried away. I wouldn’t put too much stock in what he says. You know. When he gets like that.”

Pete smiled then for the first time gently brushed her hair back causing Chelsea to break eye contact.

“Does that mean he’s wrong?” he asked as he moved a little closer. “That you don’t have any of ‘those’ feelings for me?”

“I…well…I think…”

“Because I definitely have them for you,” he said as he softly placed his index finger under her chin.

As she looked up at him, Pete said, “You are so beautiful to me, Chelsea.”

Her eyes were moving so fast between his it almost looked comical. Her next comment almost made him laugh.

“Sometimes…my…dad…isn’t…totally wrong,” she said, one word at a time.

“Like…this time?” Pete asked as he moved even closer.

“Yes. This could be one of those times,” Chelsea said barely above a whisper.

“So does that mean you wouldn’t be too upset if I maybe…kissed you goodbye?” he asked with a smile.

“I don’t think I’d be too upset,” she replied as she slowly raised her tiny arms and put them around his neck.

“Let’s find out, okay?” Pete said as he leaned in to kiss her for the first time.

Chelsea smiled as she accepted his kiss which lasted for several seconds.

“So? Are you upset?” Pete asked.

“I…I don’t think so,” she told him. “Could you maybe kiss me one more time just to be sure?”

Chelsea melted into his arms as this second kiss was even longer and better than the first.

“Hmmm. That’s interesting. Turns out I’m not upset at all,” she told him with a bright, happy smile. 

“So could we maybe do this again sometime?” he asked.

“The kissing part or the spending time together part?” she asked.

“Yes,” he told her causing her laugh as happily as he’d ever heard.

“Pete?” she said. “Will you, I mean, is this…something you really want? I mean, are you sure you know what you’re getting into? I kind of come with a lot of baggage.”

“Baggage. Hmmm. You mean like a wonderful son or you being the kind, caring, amazing woman you are? Which kind of ‘baggage’ are you referring to?” he said with a smile.

“So you won’t be embarrassed to be ‘seen’ with me at school?” she asked as though that was a real concern.

“Wait. You’re worried that’s what I might think?” he asked. “Because that was my concern. That a beautiful, younger woman would be embarrassed to be seen with a guy my…”

“A guy who’s thoughtful and caring and unfailingly kind to me? A guy who’s so handsome it makes my heart hurt? A guy I can’t stop thinking about all day and all night? That kind of guy?” she told him.

“Wait. You think about me at night?” Pete said, his eyebrows raised and a slight smirk on his face.

“Maybe,” Chelsea told him rather coyly. “Is…that okay?”

Pete pretended to think about it then told her, “Um…I suppose I could live with that.”

Chelsea got serious then said, “Pete? If you’re not ready to…what? Go public with this, we can wait.”

“If that’s what you want, we can hold off.”

He took her face in his hands and asked, “Do you? Want that?”

“No. I don’t. I don’t want to wait even one more day. I know it’s all happening really fast, but when you go through what I’ve been through you can’t help but see every day as a blessing you live with the knowledge it might be your last.”

“I guess I’ve had the opposite experience.”

“How so?” Chelsea asked.

“After Gayle died, Trevor was all I had. But he has his own life to live, and I honestly thought I might never be happy again. I’ve never been a bouncy, ‘hooray for today’ kind of guy. But I was always mostly happy.”

“So rather than living each day as though it might be your last, were you maybe hoping each might, you know, actually be your last?” she asked, trying to understand.

“I was never suicidal, but yes, there were many days where it would have been just fine had I laid down and never woke up,” he told her quietly and truthfully. 

Then he smiled and said, “Until I met you.”

“Gee, lucky you,” she said as she tried to smile. 

She looked into his eyes then said very directly, “I’m broken, Pete. And I may never be whole again.”

“But you’ve made me whole, Chelsea. Just knowing you and spending time with you. It’s…well, it’s changed my life. I want to live again now more than anything, and that’s because of you.”

“So that’s where our divergent lives intersect,” she said. “We’ve been on such similar-yet-different paths, but we found the place where our worlds overlapped.”

“Like a Venn Diagram,” he told her. “You and I are the areas where the two circles have a common area.”

“Okay. You should know I don’t like math. I never have and probably never will.”

She smiled at him then said, “But I love the analogy.”

“And I love…that…you and I found each other.”

Chelsea still had her arms around him, and she pulled him close, or more aptly, she pulled herself closer to him. When he wrapped his arms around her she felt small and tiny but no longer felt insignificant. 

For the first time she could ever remember, even early on with her former husband, she felt loved. If this wasn’t love, Chelsea wanted whatever it was to continue every day of the rest of her life. She knew that realistically that probably wouldn’t be the case, but for now the thought of it made her happier than she’d ever been. 

“I’m glad you came over, and I’m glad you and my dad talked,” she told him when she pulled back a little.

“Same here,” Pete told her. “If you’re up to it, I’d love to have you and Bryce come to my house next weekend. Or earlier if you’re not too tired.”

“I’d like that,” she said sweetly before kissing him again.

They agreed they would be completely professional in the classroom, no matter how difficult that might prove, but they also agreed they wouldn’t hide their relationship from anyone. So the following morning they asked if Diane had a minute, and when she invited them in, she told them she was happy for them and agreed with their plan.

“Well, that was easy,” Pete said as they left her office.

Several teaches were standing around, and no one thought it was unusual that Chelsea had her arm in Pete’s. But when they got outside and held hands, Pete was pretty sure there were some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, and a lot of gossip. And although he didn’t look, he was right.

Doug happened to be walking by and when he saw them holding hands he just smiled and said, “Nice!”

“What did he mean by that?” Chelsea asked.

“I’ll tell you once we get to the room,” Pete promised.

After he explained their recent conversation, Chelsea said, “I owe him big time.”

“Yeah. Me, too,” he said before kissing her while it was just them.

“I’m not sure that’ll hold me until the end of the day,” Chelsea told him.

When Pete did a Groucho Marx thing like he was holding a cigar and said, “Then I guess I’ll have to hold you all day,” she laughed so hard she had to sit still and catch her breath.

“It wasn’t that funny,” he told her.

“Oh, yes it was. Because…you were…awful!”

“Hey! Wait a minute here,” he said. He went to lean down to kiss her when the door opened.

“Can we come now?” two young girls asked.

“Oh. Um, sure. Come on in. Mr. Harke was just um, helping me with…”

She gave up trying to explain and just smiled. Pete smiled back then took his place at the desk in the back of the room.

As September became October, every adult on campus knew about the budding romance between the much-older teacher’s aide and the young teacher who could barely walk. Even the kids picked up on the little signs until one day they told each of their classes in very simple terms that they ‘liked’ each other. There were no additional questions, and with that, all of their worries were laid to rest.

Even Trevor accepted his dad’s decision without hesitation, knowing his father had been a miserable wreck since his mother’s passing. The age difference was huge, her ‘disability’ was obvious, and it had the potential to mean becoming a dad again in his 50s. But because Trevor only wanted his dad to be happy, he told him he was just fine with it.

“But if you end up marrying her, there’s no way I’m calling her ‘mom’.”

His dad laughed then asked if he’d like to ‘meet’ her. Chelsea was sitting next to him during their video chat, and when they saw each other for the first time, both of them smiled happily.

They talked for a couple of minutes, and Trevor promised to get home soon and meet her. He was only across the state in Pensacola, but he hadn’t been home in quite a while, and when his dad took the phone back, he found out why.

“I’ve…I’ve kinda been seeing someone myself, Dad,” he said before explaining who she was and how they met.

Pete told his son he was happy for him, too, and asked him to bring her home as soon as he felt comfortable doing so. He promised he would just before the call ended.

And it just so happened that shortly after that call, Pete made love to Chelsea for the first time. He expected difficulties, but other than some shortness of breath and an inability to hold her legs up, both of them were thrilled to learn everything still worked as advertised—on both of them.

It was around that same time that Pete began reaching out to anyone he’d ever known that could possibly help to see if there was some form of therapy or surgery or some new treatment that could help the young teacher he was falling in love with. 

One of his closest friends from his past was a Navy doctor who had a good friend who practiced at Johns Hopkins. He promised Pete he’d ask around and get back to him.

In the meantime, Pete mentioned the Marine Corps birthday that was coming up, and Chelsea wanted to know all about it. He explained the significance, then also explained another tradition known as the Marine Corps Ball.

“That sounds wonderful. I love pageantry, and you know how much I respect our military,” she told him.

“Then would you go with me?” he asked knowing she would.

“Yes, but I don’t have a gown, Pete,” she said knowing he would insist on buying her one. 

She still felt uneasy letting him spend money on her, but each time she brought it up Pete reminded her that she was the only thing in life that made him happy, and it gave him real joy to be able to do so. So she always ended up reluctantly letting him, and she also knew this would be no exception.

As the big day rolled around, Chelsea was wearing a gorgeous dress with matching shoes and a clutch, but her biggest surprise was seeing the man she loved in his evening dress uniform. It was black with scarlet and gold trim with a white shirt and red cummerbund, and Pete looked so handsome it nearly made her swoon.

But an even bigger surprise came when someone opened his front door an hour before they were supposed to leave for the ball.

Chelsea was startled when the front door opened, but Pete just smiled and said, “Hmmm. Must be someone I know pretty well.”

Moments later, a younger version of Pete Harke walked in wearing a different, but equally-dashing uniform. On his arm was a beautiful young woman also wearing a formal gown; a woman Trevor introduced as Angela. There were hugs all around followed by talk about the upcoming event, which was also Angela’s first.

“I’m hoping it won’t be her last,” Trevor said when Angela mentioned that.

“Same here regarding my date,” Pete said, causing Chelsea to smile happily.

Both women spoke at the same time and said, “I wouldn’t mind that.”

Loud laughter followed by ‘JINX!’ ringing out which caused even more laughter.

The ladies sat and talked while Pete and Trevor moved into the kitchen so they could talk, as well.

“So…what do you think?” Pete asked his son.

“She’s great, Dad. I’m glad you warned my about how thin she is or I might have been worried. But you’re right. She really is pretty in that understated kind of way.”

“Thanks. And Angela’s beautiful, by the way. And she seems very intelligent and considerate.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty amazing, and we’ve really gotten close. Who knows? This might just get serious.”

“Speaking of serious, I want to run something by you,” Pete said.

“Is this the reason you twisted my arm so hard to come home for the Ball?” Trevor asked. Pensacola had one that was much larger than the one in the Jacksonville area.

“Uh-huh. Because I want you be okay with what I’m thinking. Or rather…planning.”

“Dad? Are you gonna…”

There was a small pocket on the inside of Pete’s uniform jacket. As he reached into it he said, “I had a talk with Chelsea’s dad a while back. Two of them, actually.”

Trevor just stared when he saw the huge diamond ring between his dad’s thumb and index finger.

“Holy shit that’s big!” Trevor said as he looked at the ring.

“I love her, Trev. I know we’ve only known each other a little over three months, but…I just know.”

“Yeah. Okay. Sure.”

“No, really. Are you okay with this?”

“Dad. All I want is for you to be your old self again.”

Trevor laughed then said, “That was an age joke, Colonel.”

When his father laughed, too, it reminded him of how things used to be, and any small doubt Trevor may have had disappeared.

“Go for it, Dad. Ask her.”

“Ask who what?” Angela said just after Pete slipped the ring back inside the jacket.

“Oh, I was just wondering if we’re taking two cars,” Trevor said as though that’s what they’d been discussing.

“The Jeep’s more than big enough for all of us,” Pete said.

“Is that okay with you, Angie?” Trevor asked.

“Sure. The extra leg room will be nice,” she told him. “I was just checking to see when we’ll be leaving. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important.”

“We can leave now,” Pete suggested without responding to her concern about having interrupted. “I know the G.O. at the Ball, and I’d like to say hello.”

Trevor saw the confused look on Angela’s face and explained.

“G.O. stands for General Officer. Not every ball held everywhere can have a general officer in attendance, but if you request it early enough, well, sometimes it happens. Even with just a few Marines in attendance.”

“Don’t forget we’ve got all the local reservists, too, Trev,” his father said.

“Never mind. This could be a pretty big event then,” he said with a wink to his father indicating the bigger meaning.

The three of them walked back into the living room where Chelsea was waiting.

“You ready, beautiful?” Pete asked as he helped her up. “You really do look amazing.”

“Thank you, but I still can’t get over how great you and Trevor look,” she told him. “And Angela is the beautiful one.”

“No argument there,” Trevor said as he took his date’s hand.

Both Chelsea and Angela were in awe at the pageantry Pete took for granted but yet appreciated more with each passing year. Trevor had been to one ball, but still got chills when the Marine’s Hymn was played as well as during the moment of silence for fallen comrades. He had no fallen comrades while his father had too many, but that wasn’t the point. It was taking the time to honor them and their ultimate sacrifice for the country they loved.

The last event of the evening before the ball itself began was the playing of Anchors Away and the Marine’s Hymn again. But rather than concluding the evening, the narrator said there was one event left causing every Marine in the room to start looking around to see what could possibly be happening to break protocol.

That’s when the guest of honor, the two-star Marine general who’d known Pete for nearly 30 years said, “Ladies and gentleman, we’ve reached the end of our formal program, but I’d like to take a moment and ask an old friend of mine to come up here and say a few words. So if you’ll bear with me…”

He smiled then called out, “Colonel Harke. Front and center!”

Pete sprang up, marched to a point three feet in front of the general and stopped. Marines never salute indoors unless ‘under arms’ and Pete was not so he stood at attention and reported to the senior officer.

“Sir, Colonel Harke reporting as ordered.”

“Pete, the floor is yours,” the general said with a handshake and a smile as he handed the microphone to his old friend.

Pete turned around then looked over at Chelsea and smiled.

“I promise to make this short,” he began. “I’ve been retired for several years now and when I left active duty, my wife, Gayle, and I, moved here to the Jacksonville area with plans to spend the rest of our lives here together. But Fate or something else had other plans, and Gayle passed away after a short battle with cancer. I’ve never been a quitter—at anything—but I have to admit I often felt like quitting after losing her.”

Pete began walking toward the table where Chelsea, Trevor, and Angela were sitting as he spoke.

“I loved my wife more than I can put in words, and when I lost her, I wasn’t sure I could go on. I was really just marking time until…well, I had no idea what the ‘until’ might be. And then I decided to try something completely different. I took a job working as, of all things, a teacher’s aide.”

He stood right next to Chelsea, smiled at her, then continued.

“The principal told me I’d essentially be the legs for a young teacher who nearly died herself during childbirth. I had no idea who she was and didn’t know anything else about her. But my life changed the day I met her.”

“What’s…what’s going on?” Chelsea asked quietly as she leaned toward Trevor.

“I think my dad has something to ask you,” he replied quietly without taking his eyes off of his father.

Chelsea’s tiny body began trembling as the man she loved continued talking.

“In a nutshell, this teacher—this beautiful, young teacher—changed my life. She gave me a reason for living again. And to my complete surprise, I soon found myself falling in love with her.”

He looked down at her again, and saw tears in her eyes as he set the microphone down.

His voice boomed loudly enough for all to hear as he said, “And now I can’t imagine living without her in my life. So…”

He reached into his pocket again as he got down on one knee in front of her and held up the ring.

In a loud, clear voice that everyone heard, Pete said, “Chelsea? I never thought I’d ever love again. I didn’t really know if I’d ever even be happy again. But because of you, I am as happy as I’ve ever been, and I can honestly say that am I deeply in love with you. So will you make me even happier and marry me?”

Angela had her arm around Chelsea who was opening crying as she listened the man who’d also made her life worth living again say those very words to her.

There was absolute silence in the large room until a weepy Chelsea Tanner found her voice and said, “Yes. Of course I will marry you!”

The room erupted in loud, “OORAHS!” from the Marines in attendance followed by other loud calls of ‘CONGRATULATIONS!’ and other such things as Pete placed the ring on her finger then helped her stand up without her cane.

The general pointed to the band which began playing a slow, romantic song Pete had requested. He took Chelsea’s hand and said, “May I have this dance, honey?”

Chelsea couldn’t speak but she nodded and let Pete support her weight as they danced alone together for a minute or so with a large spotlight on them before the floor was opened up to everyone else.

As Chelsea clung to his neck, and while he mostly carried her, she whispered in his ear.

“In my wildest dreams, I could never have imagined anything more romantic.”

She pulled back a bit, smiled at her new fiancé then said, “Nor could I ever have imagined being so in love with anyone.”

Pete pulled her close as they finished their first dance together which marked the beginning of the rest of their lives.

Chelsea moved in with Pete during the Thanksgiving holiday two weeks later, and just after their first Christmas together, his Navy doctor friend called with some promising news. There was a new treatment available if Chelsea would be willing to join a trial at John’s Hopkins in Baltimore. There would be no cost for the trial, but she would have to again take a leave of absence, and it would cost a lot of money for Pete to live there with her.

He dismissed her concerns as quickly as she raised them, and the first week of January they were living in an upscale apartment in Maryland where Chelsea completed the trial and to their great delight saw a 30% increase in her mobility and a huge reduction in the pain caused by walking.

The improvement was substantial, and more than enough to allow her to walk down the aisle that summer with just a small amount of help from her father who gave her away knowing this time it was for life. She never regained full use of her legs, but she able to walk nearly pain free making the time spent in the trial more than worth it.

Chelsea returned to teaching the following year but Pete didn’t go back. Just four months later, she quit for good when days before their second Christmas together she learned she was pregnant again. Just two days after their first anniversary, Chelsea gave birth to a beautiful baby girl without any complications.

Although Pete initially resisted, Chelsea insisted they name their daughter, Gayle.

“I never knew her, sweetheart, but she was the love of your life, and I want you to know I know you’ll always love her. And just because I didn’t have the chance to meet her, that doesn’t mean I don’t love her, too.”

So Pete and Chelsea Harke, with an ‘e’, brought Bryce’s baby sister, Gayle Ann Harke, home with them, where both parents devoted their lives to each other and their two children.

Trevor married Angela six months after his father remarried, and after getting orders to an east coast duty station, the two of them made the trip home to Florida twice a year to spend time with their parents in Jacksonville and Pensacola.

Lastly, Chelsea eventually settled her lawsuit for a substantial sum of money. A large portion of it went to pay her medical bills, another chunk fully funded both kids’ future college educations at today’s rates, and what was left went into a joint account where it sat until they needed it to travel or upgrade their home.

Serving as a teacher’s aide may have been below the dignity of a retired Marine colonel, but the decision to do so was by far the best decision Pete Harke ever made.