The Teacher by Meg Gray Page A

puzzled look on his face, as if he was trying to
understand how his teacher had ended up in their car.
    “How was school today, Brayden?” he
asked determined to show Ms. Hewitt he was a good father.
    “Fine,” the response came from the
backseat.
    “What did you do?”
    “Nothing.”
    Great, Marcus thought,
this was the same conversation they had every day. He was hoping Brayden would
rise to the occasion in front of his teacher and tell him something, anything
about his day at school. His plan had backfired and now he was sure he just
reinforced this woman’s low opinion of him as a father.
    “Brayden,” Ms. Hewitt’s voice was soft.
“Why don’t you tell your dad about the book you picked out at the library today?”
    Through the mirror, Marcus caught a
flicker of excitement in his son’s eyes before it blew out. “It’s about pirates,”
he muttered.
    “This is my building,” Ms. Hewitt said,
pointing to a quaint three-story red brick apartment house tucked between two
row houses. Marcus pulled to the curb and shut off the engine.
    “Maybe you and your dad could read it
together tonight before you go to bed,” she said, braving a smile over her
shoulder at Brayden who returned it. Turning back around she deliberately dipped
her gaze to avoid Marcus and then reached to unfasten her seatbelt.
    “There’s my roommate!” She pulled on the
door handle and jumped out of the car. “Seth!” she called and the man about to
enter the building stopped. She ran, joining him under the awning, and buried
her face in his chest. The other man put both arms around her and enveloped her
trembling body. He whispered something into her hair before gently kissing the
top of her head.
    Boyfriend? Marcus caught himself wondering, as he stepped out of the car and pulled her
rain-drenched bag from the back seat.
    “Be right back,” he told Brayden and
then rushed through the rain to join the couple under the shelter of the
awning.
    “Marcus Lewis,” he offered immediately
holding out his hand to the roommate—what had Ms. Hewitt called him again.
Something that started with an S…Sam or Steve?
     The two briefly, but firmly, shook hands.
“Someone attempted to mug Ms. Hewitt tonight,” Marcus continued as he handed
over the bag and reached for his wallet. “She’ll need to call the police and
report it. Here is my card, in case an eye witness account is needed.” Marcus
returned his wallet to his pocket as Ms. Hewitt lifted her head and stepped
back from her roommate.
    “Oh my God, Emma, are you okay?” her
roommate asked, holding her at arm’s length.
    She wiped the tears from her eyes before
speaking, “Yeah, I’m alright.” Ms. Hewitt leaned into the other man for support
just like she’d leaned into him earlier. Without another word, Marcus nodded,
and turned to leave.
    “Thank you!” the man called out. Marcus
didn’t turn back, just raised his hand to wave off the thanks. He hadn’t done
anything really, except delay the poor woman’s walk home.
    Back in his car, he watched the two
figures enter the building together. He turned around in his seat to see
Brayden doing the same.
    “Is Ms. Hewitt, okay?” Brayden asked,
still watching the building.
    “Yes, I think so,” Marcus replied.
    “But she was crying and you asked her if
she was hurt?” Brayden looked at him and then back at the building.
    At the school, Brayden had plugged into
his video game as soon as he was buckled into his seat and Marcus didn’t know
what he’d witnessed. Hopefully nothing, but seeing his teacher cry and driving
her home had obviously alerted him that something was wrong. Now Marcus would
have to deal with that.
    “Well, yes,” Marcus said, turning back
around in his seat and fastening his seatbelt. “She fell down. I was afraid she
might’ve gotten hurt, so we stopped to help her.” He hoped that was enough of
an explanation to satisfy his son’s curiosity.
    “Why didn’t the other guy help her