Later that evening, Ryan noticed Debby’s smile for the first time in days as Damien regaled her with tales from school.
“And then Mr. Hayes said I was so fast, I could be in the Olympics!” Damien said, puffing out his chest.
Ryan’s ears perked up at the name. “Mr. Hayes?”
“Yeah,” Damien replied. “He’s awesome. He helps with the reading club, too. He even gave Debby his favorite book to borrow.”
Ryan’s jaw tightened, but he kept his tone even. “Sounds like he’s pretty involved.”
“He is!” Damien said enthusiastically. “He’s the best teacher ever.”
***
At the school, Amelia had begun looking forward to her conversations with James Hayes. After-school programs had provided ample opportunity for them to cross paths, and his calm, approachable demeanor made her feel at ease.
One afternoon, James caught her on her way out, holding a small stack of books in his hands. “Amelia,” he called, his smile warm. “I was hoping to catch you. Debby asked to borrow these, and I wanted to make sure you were okay with it.”
Amelia glanced at the titles—brightly illustrated chapter books about adventure and mystery. She smiled. “She’s going to devour these. Thank you.”
James chuckled. “She reminds me of my daughter at that age. Always had her nose in a book.”
“Your daughter?” Amelia asked, curious.
James nodded, his expression softening. “She’s fifteen now. A bit of a handful but a good kid. Being a single parent has its challenges, but it’s worth it.”
Amelia hesitated, feeling a pang of understanding. “It’s not easy. But, like you said, worth it.”
Their conversation lingered, stretching into topics about school programs, parenting woes, and shared moments of exhaustion. Amelia found herself laughing at his stories, the kind of unguarded laughter she hadn’t experienced in years.
“You know,” James said thoughtfully, “it’s clear how much you care about your kids. They’re lucky to have you.”
Amelia felt a blush rise to her cheeks and quickly brushed it off. “Well, they make it easy most of the time.”
James smiled, sensing her modesty but appreciating her sincerity. “If you ever need someone to talk to—parent to parent—I’m always around.”
***
Ryan noticed the change almost immediately. When Amelia arrived at his house that evening, she was lighter somehow, her posture less rigid, her smile more frequent. But his mood soured when Damien enthusiastically told her about the day.
“Mom! Mr. Hayes showed me how to do this cool trick shot in soccer today!” Damien exclaimed, bouncing on his heels.
Amelia beamed at her son, her expression soft. “That’s great, honey. Did you thank him?”
“Of course!” Damien said, his face glowing with pride.
Ryan stood in the corner, his arms crossed. “Who’s this Mr. Hayes again?” he asked, his tone carefully neutral.
“He’s Debby’s reading club teacher,” Amelia replied, not missing the tension in Ryan’s voice.
“And apparently, a soccer coach now too,” Ryan muttered under his breath.
Damien, oblivious to the shift, continued to gush about James. “He’s the best, Dad! He even told me he’d come watch one of my games!”
Ryan forced a tight smile. “Sounds like he’s taking a lot of interest.”
Amelia’s eyes narrowed slightly. “He’s a good teacher, Ryan. The kids like him. That’s all.”
Ryan let the conversation drop, but the tension between them lingered. As he watched Amelia leave later that evening, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that James Hayes was becoming more than just a teacher in her life.