"Dad, it's time," Kelly said, looking across the table at her father.
"Time for what?" Matt Crosby, Kelly's dad, asked. He put down his tea cup, waiting her reply.
"It is time for you to let go. How long has it been? Three years?"
Matt knew the answer. It had been 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days since the love of his life had died, killed by a drunk driver, who walked away unscratched. "Kelly, we have talked about this before and I don't want to talk about it now!"
"But Dad, you know Mom would want you to be happy...to go on with your life. I know you loved Mom and still do but you can't go on like this."
"Boy, for someone who just turned 15, you know a lot, don't you? Besides I'm looking around. Just taking it slow."
Kelly shook her head. "Going on the computer and looking at those on-line dating sites? Come on, Dad, really? You expect to find someone for you on there?"
"Okay, you're right about those. I suppose you have someone already picked out for me?"
Kelly avoided looking at her father but Matt knew she already did. "Look at the time. We better get going. I'll miss the bus and you'll be late." Grabbing her books, she kissed him on the cheek and raced out the door. "See you tonight after chorus. Just think about it."
Matt picked up his cup and looked at the clock. He still had a few minutes before he had to leave. Kelly was right. It was time to move on but it wasn't going to be easy. On the 2nd anniversary of Susan's death, he took off his wedding ring for good. He decided then it was time but he did nothing. He just couldn't.
As he thought about it, it wasn't just he couldn't. It was just he didn't know where to start. He never was one for bars and his job wasn't one where he met a lot of eligible women. The only ones he met were the mothers of his sixth grade students. He had met a few single moms and he found one or two attractive but he felt that dating one of them would be awkward.
His wife, Susan was the love of his life. She was his everything. He didn't believe in love at first sight until they met in college. They both knew they were meant for each other. They were inexperienced at love-making so for both of them it was new and exciting and they learned together. Susan told him that the first time they made love was the greatest sex of her life. At that moment she knew she never love another. For Matt, there were many great days, when they got married and when Kelly was born were among them.
He knew the worst day of life. It was when he received that phone call that Susan was involved in a bad accident and he hurried to the hospital. She was already gone by the time he got there. After 19 years together, through thick and thin, she was gone in an instant and his life would never be the same. He never had a chance to say good-bye and now Kelly was telling him it was time to move on.
Matt entered his class and headed for his desk. Already a few of his sixth graders were there. "Hi, Mr. Crosby," they said.
"Morning, girls."
Through the open door from the next classroom, another voice called out. "Good morning, Mr. Crosby."
He walked next door. "Good morning, Miss Walker. Ready to start the day?"
Kristine Walker was Matt's teaching partner. He taught Social Studies and Science, she English and Reading. They had been teaching together for almost fifteen years but had known each other longer. Kristine was Susan's best friend and had been since high school. They were actually more like sisters than friends. They went to college together, became teachers, like Matt and were as close as could be.
Susan and Kris were roommates in college when Matt met her. Friends use to joke that Matt had two girlfriends, a real one and the other to chaperone them. It didn't bother him as he liked Kris. She was easy to get along with and they became close friends. It was hard to explain to his guy friends who always wanted to know if they were lesbians and did he have threesomes?
Even though they acted like sisters, they didn't look it. Susan was blonde with bright, alive, blue eyes. She was petite having been a gymnast in school and could still fit in her wedding dress. She could eat anything and not gain a pound.
Kris had auburn hair with deep green eyes, ones you could drown in if you wanted too. Kris was a gymnast too until she said she started to grow boobs. She was what someone would call full figured. She wasn't fat but she had to watch her weight.
One night a few years after they were married and Kris had been over their house, swimming in the pool, and enjoying a good grilled meal, Susan asked Matt, "So, did you get an eyeful?"
"What?" he answered defensively.
"Don't what me!" she said in mock anger, hands on her hips. "I saw you checking her out. I know you were."
"She does fill out that bathing suit."
"And I don't?"
Matt wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He grounded his crotch into her and she could begin to feel him stir.
"Not here, not on the deck. People might see."
He kissed her and then said, "Does that answer your question?"
Susan laughed, "I love you!"
Both girls were each other's bride's maids and Kris was Kelly's godmother. When Kelly was born, Susan called Kris before she called her real sister, they were that close.
Kris had been married, to her high school sweetheart, who turned out to be a complete jerk. Susan actually hated him which was rare for her as she didn't hate anyone. Matt never understood what Kris saw in him. He treated Kris badly and cheated on her. Kristine had spent a few nights at Matt's and Susan's, just get away from him. Susan was the one who helped Kristine through it all. She gave Kris the strength, the support to finally divorce the loser. Susan was there for her all the way.
When Susan died it was Kristine who tried helped in every way possible. Even though she was hurting badly, Kris provided the strength they all needed. In Matt's eyes, it was what she did for Kelly that was most important. She gave their daughter a woman's touch. Kris became a 2nd mom to her and they were still close.
The bell rang to begin the day.
"I just received some great news, Matt," Kris whispered to him, "I'll tell you about it at lunch. I think you'll like it. Have a good day." She brushed her hand across his arm.
By lunchtime, Matt was curious about Kris' great news. "So, what's up?" he said, pulling a chair up to her desk. The two ate lunch together often, usually avoiding the teacher's room. They found that they could get more done by doing this but it also gave them time to discuss non-school things, personal things. None of their colleagues thought it was a big deal though every once in a while someone, usually a new staff member would raise a question or two.
"You remember that Erie Canal unit we put together?"
"How could I forget it? It took us over a year to pull it together. It has all the bells and whistles. It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself. We make a pretty good team."
Kris smiled. "Yes, we do," she thought to herself. "Well, administration thought so too," she said. "They submitted it to a national conference to be held in Las Vegas and it was chosen for a presentation there."
