Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 34206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
She wanted to roll her eyes and came close to doing so. Instead, she handed her mother the math book, and at the same time, she wanted to choke her. She didn’t.
“I know there is so much potential there.”
“Mom, I’m sure Jaxson has other things to do, and besides, shouldn’t you be ordering the takeout?”
“Takeout?” Jaxson asked.
The doorbell rang again.
“Oh, Teal, take him to the dining room. I’ll handle that.”
This time, Teal did roll her eyes.
“Takeout?” Jaxson asked again.
“My mom can’t cook. I don’t know why she said she would cook you dinner or invite you, but you’re getting takeout. Possibly Italian. It’s her favorite. She always said that Italian was a little easier to pass off as her own.” She shrugged.
Jaxson laughed.
“I’m sorry about my mom,” she said.
“It’s no problem. Are you struggling with school?”
Teal didn’t know what to tell him. According to the paperwork, yes. To Teal, she didn’t believe she was having a problem. Her homework was fine. More than fine. She got the grades she needed, always had straight As in her classes. Testing this one time had failed her, and she felt like a fish out of water. Nothing made sense to her.
Teal had to wonder if her mom would even look at her math homework or any of her homework.
****
Teal never got a chance to answer as her mother returned, complete with made-up plates of pasta.
Bethany left them alone again, but not for too long as she returned carrying her meal as well as a large plate of garlic bread.
“I hope you love Italian.”
“I do.” He also knew the restaurant she’d used to attempt to pass this off as her own. It was one he frequented many times since he arrived. Italian food was his favorite.
Teal, however, looked so uncomfortable.
“So, before that brief interruption, have you had time to think of my proposal?” Bethany asked.
Jaxson looked toward Teal, who appeared to be praying for what he could only imagine was for the ground to open up to swallow her.
“Bethany, you haven’t actually told me what you would want from me.”
“Oh, right, of course. Teal is struggling through high school.”
“Mom!”
She held her hand up as if to silence her daughter. “And I was hoping that you would be able to help tutor her. I’ve read your credentials. You’re extremely qualified for the job. Would you please consider helping tutor my daughter?”
“Mom, I don’t need tutoring.”
Bethany opened her mouth but stopped as her cell phone went off. “I must take this. Please excuse me.”
Jaxson was left alone with Teal once again.
“I’m sorry about my mother. She is a little, you know, full on.”
“She’s fine,” he said.
She shrugged and opened her mouth only to stop when they heard her mother snapping on the other end.
“And so it begins. Like always. The shouting. That’s all they ever do to each other. Yell.” She stabbed at her pasta, twirling her fork into the long strands.
“It’ll be okay.”
“I know it will, but now they’re using me to get the upper hand. It started with Mom, and she’s only asking you to show that she’s caring more for me than what my dad does.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. If you do need some tutoring, then my door is open.”
Teal smiled at him. She stared down at her plate and frowned. “Do you ever wonder what went wrong and why?”
He was a little confused.
She looked up and smiled. “I’m sorry. It’s just that between my mom’s affair, and moving, everything seems to have gone wrong. I never used to test badly. I was a great student, or used to be.”
“I understand. Going through your parents’ separation can be tough. It can affect you in ways that you’re not prepared for.”
Teal laughed. “That’s not it, at all. Trust me. The only difference right now is that you’re not hearing the other side of the conversation. My parents are rivals. Or they used to be. They worked at rival companies. Same positions and everything. Trust me, I’m used to them being at each other’s throats all the time.”
“Your dad’s not around, Teal. He usually is. That could have an impact.”
She sighed. “I guess you’re right.” She put her fork down.
“Damn it, David, you are not a better parent than me. While I’m trying to figure out what went wrong with Teal, you’re too busy licking your damn wounds with your PA. Who is now, Natasha, Becky, well…”
Jaxson watched Teal as she listened. She was an interesting person.
In his class, she sat in the back of the room, and each time he called on her, she had the answer. She never put her hand up. Always looked at the board, took her notes. She did everything right. There was a sadness in her eyes, and for the first time in his life, he had a need to make it go away. To see her smile.