of was finally falling into place. “He’s even hinted at starting a family, and you know how much I want to have children one day. If the universe is trying to say anything, it’s that Jared is the one for me.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“About what?” Holly asked.
“About Ben? I wasn’t imagining what I witnessed back there, Hol. And to be honest, I was getting vibes from you, too.”
“I already told you. He has a girlfriend, I have Jared, and you have an overactive imagination. Case closed. Come on. Let’s go eat our dinner.”
Chapter 13
“Knock, knock. Do you have a minute?”
Holly looked up from her desk to see Gus Shaw standing in the doorway. He must have been filling in for the gym teacher again based on the whistle around his neck and the bright blue oversized mesh tank top, which hung over his red T-shirt and running shorts like a dress. Interesting outfit. What was he doing here? She only had one free period before the next group of fifth-graders were due to arrive, and she’d hoped to get a jump on grading homework from the previous class.
“Sure, Gus, what’s up?” she asked, regretting the words as she spoke them.
“Well, it’s about this talent show,” Gus responded, bounding into the room.
“What about it?”
“I know Dan didn’t ask me directly, but you may remember I’m actually pretty good with these sorts of things. I guess he didn’t know since this is his first year at West Place Elementary.”
Holly did her best to hold in her sarcastic remarks. Last year, Gus performed some sort of modern interpretive dance wearing a neon green spandex outfit that covered him from head to toe, including his face. He looked like a monstrous inchworm that escaped from a nuclear science lab. He not only scared the kids, he scared most of the parents and staff as well. She was fairly sure Dan knew about Gus’ horrific act.
“I’ve been giving it some thought,” he continued, “and have come up with a few math related ideas for the show. I’ve also got costumes planned. Believe it or not, I’m pretty good with a sewing machine.” He came closer to her desk. She leaned back in her chair as far as she could to avoid his breath as he whispered, “I have a lot of down time, and the sewing room is empty most of the day.” He cleared his throat and, thankfully, backed out of Holly’s personal space. “Anyway, I thought I could make you look like a giant addition sign, while I could be multiplication.” He jumped out like he was doing a jumping jack to make his arms and legs into the shape of an ‘X’. “See? There’s a ton of fabric left over to work with. I could make them puff out with pillow stuffing, like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.” He filled air in his cheeks and walked around with a stiff gait, but looked more like a robot than a lovable squishy icon. “Then we can do a dance together. Or I can play piano and sing, while you do acrobatics. You know, somersaults and whatnot.”
“Oh—” she said, not knowing how to even begin to respond.
“That sounds wonderful,” Dan interrupted, walking into Holly’s classroom, “but I’m afraid Holly has a partner for the talent show. Me. We’ve already started on something together. It’s kind of a surprise, so if you don’t mind …” He took Gus’ arm and led him toward the door.
“Okay, okay. Fine,” he stammered, “Holly— you can be multiplication!” he yelled in a final plea, as his boss gently pushed him into the hallway.
“We’re good, Gus, thanks,” Dan said, before closing the door. He collapsed into the chair in front of Holly’s desk.
She covered her mouth and burst into a fit of laughter. “Thank you,” she said, trying to compose herself so Gus wouldn’t hear her. The poor guy might be weird, but he meant well. “You have perfect timing.”
“Actually, I really was coming in to talk to you about the talent show. I’m not going to be able to meet with you
“So what are you going to do?”
“About what?” Holly asked.
“About Ben? I wasn’t imagining what I witnessed back there, Hol. And to be honest, I was getting vibes from you, too.”
“I already told you. He has a girlfriend, I have Jared, and you have an overactive imagination. Case closed. Come on. Let’s go eat our dinner.”
Chapter 13
“Knock, knock. Do you have a minute?”
Holly looked up from her desk to see Gus Shaw standing in the doorway. He must have been filling in for the gym teacher again based on the whistle around his neck and the bright blue oversized mesh tank top, which hung over his red T-shirt and running shorts like a dress. Interesting outfit. What was he doing here? She only had one free period before the next group of fifth-graders were due to arrive, and she’d hoped to get a jump on grading homework from the previous class.
“Sure, Gus, what’s up?” she asked, regretting the words as she spoke them.
“Well, it’s about this talent show,” Gus responded, bounding into the room.
“What about it?”
“I know Dan didn’t ask me directly, but you may remember I’m actually pretty good with these sorts of things. I guess he didn’t know since this is his first year at West Place Elementary.”
Holly did her best to hold in her sarcastic remarks. Last year, Gus performed some sort of modern interpretive dance wearing a neon green spandex outfit that covered him from head to toe, including his face. He looked like a monstrous inchworm that escaped from a nuclear science lab. He not only scared the kids, he scared most of the parents and staff as well. She was fairly sure Dan knew about Gus’ horrific act.
“I’ve been giving it some thought,” he continued, “and have come up with a few math related ideas for the show. I’ve also got costumes planned. Believe it or not, I’m pretty good with a sewing machine.” He came closer to her desk. She leaned back in her chair as far as she could to avoid his breath as he whispered, “I have a lot of down time, and the sewing room is empty most of the day.” He cleared his throat and, thankfully, backed out of Holly’s personal space. “Anyway, I thought I could make you look like a giant addition sign, while I could be multiplication.” He jumped out like he was doing a jumping jack to make his arms and legs into the shape of an ‘X’. “See? There’s a ton of fabric left over to work with. I could make them puff out with pillow stuffing, like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.” He filled air in his cheeks and walked around with a stiff gait, but looked more like a robot than a lovable squishy icon. “Then we can do a dance together. Or I can play piano and sing, while you do acrobatics. You know, somersaults and whatnot.”
“Oh—” she said, not knowing how to even begin to respond.
“That sounds wonderful,” Dan interrupted, walking into Holly’s classroom, “but I’m afraid Holly has a partner for the talent show. Me. We’ve already started on something together. It’s kind of a surprise, so if you don’t mind …” He took Gus’ arm and led him toward the door.
“Okay, okay. Fine,” he stammered, “Holly— you can be multiplication!” he yelled in a final plea, as his boss gently pushed him into the hallway.
“We’re good, Gus, thanks,” Dan said, before closing the door. He collapsed into the chair in front of Holly’s desk.
She covered her mouth and burst into a fit of laughter. “Thank you,” she said, trying to compose herself so Gus wouldn’t hear her. The poor guy might be weird, but he meant well. “You have perfect timing.”
“Actually, I really was coming in to talk to you about the talent show. I’m not going to be able to meet with you
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