As soon as I got in through the front door, I kicked off my shoes and went straight into the kitchen. I grabbed the freezer meal I’d left thawing and stuck it into the oven, but I shoved it so hard it thumped the back of the oven and bounced forward.
Get a freaking grip of yourself, Sapphire.
Taking a deep, calming breath, I positioned the tray in the middle of the grill and gently closed the glass door. There. I could do this.
An hour later, I settled down at my little kitchen island with a steaming casserole on one side and the project file on the other. There was no time like the present to attack the issue at hand. As I ate I worked out a new strategy. By the time the last forkful of food was gone I had formulated my new plan.
Just before bed, I sent a message to the committee stating that we needed to have an emergency meeting tomorrow afternoon. I did not give a reason. Then I went to bed and lay awake until dawn appeared in the sky. The whole time memories of the past washed over me and silent tears poured down the sides of my temples.
* * *
The lookon all their faces as they walked through the staffroom door the next day told me they had already figured that the news I brought could only be bad.
How bad the situation was they did not know, though.
When I finished telling them, they stared at me in disbelief. I avoided Stacey’s gaze. I knew she was not going to buy the bullshit story I had made up that Zade’s promise had been retracted because his accountant had advised against a donation of that amount, or any donation for that matter as he had only been released a few weeks before.
I had no idea why I felt the need to protect him, but in a way, I was protecting myself. There was no need for them to know the real reason we were not getting the money.
“So,” I paused, linking my fingers together, “though we are not back at square one, we are now in a bit of a bind and we’ll need to decide what gets priority now and what will have to wait for later.” I looked around the room. There was silence as they looked at each other.
Before any of them, or specifically Lisa, could ask any awkward questions, I rushed in. “I was thinking we could reduce the number of laptops for each classroom. That would take quite a chunk out of that balance, wouldn’t it?”
No one answered. They just stared at me with defeated, disappointed expressions.
I looked down at my file, hating Zade with a vengeance. “Anyway, I did some quick math. If we make it a good cut, something like one third, that could cover almost half of the shortfall.” I turned my gaze hopefully onto my colleagues. “Can you guys think of what else we can cut or delay?”
They must have understood I was feeling terrible, my swollen eyes would have been a dead giveaway, and they responded with all kinds of suggestions. In an hour, we trimmed the deficit down to less than five thousand. Once we wrapped up the meeting I went to my classroom to finish working on my end of year reports. I did not have to look up when there was a knock on the door to know that it was Stacey.
She walked in, took a seat in the front row, and folded her arms across her chest. “Now tell me what really went on, Sapphire.”
The desire to breakdown and cry on her shoulder was intense, but I tried to keep my voice steady. “It’s too awful, Stacey. Just know that he made me an offer I had no choice but to refuse. I’m sorry I let you guys down.”
“Zade let us down, Sapphire. Not you,” she said gently.
I swallowed hard. The tears were threatening again, but I blinked hard to keep them at bay.
“You’ve gone above and beyond anything we could have asked and none of us can think of a better committee chair. You have not let us down at all. I’m so proud of you, and for what it’s worth, I was wrong. I’m really disappointed in Zade. I thought this would be his chance to redeem himself in your eyes and it would heal whatever wounds between the two of you. I truly believed he needed someone like you in his life, but, I guess, he blew it. It’s his loss.”
I looked into my friend’s eyes and smiled. “Thank you.”
“Anytime. Look, is there anything I can do?”
“No, I’ll be alright. I just need a bit of time on my own.”
“Okay. Just remember, we’ve got your back on this. And wewillhave our lab.” She stood and tapped the desk as she walked out. “Don’t stay too late. You’re a teacher not a slave.”
“I won’t,” I smiled softly. The smile remained long after she had left. It was amazing what a few kind words and positive energy could do. Alone in my classroom I mused on Stacey’s last words. We would have our lab indeed, and it would not be because of anything Zade Herron had done.