Widowed Teachers

This story is truly fiction. It shows coincidences or parallels between two couples and how surviving spouses come together.

It is fantasy! No need to overthink it. It is for entertainment only.

There are five narrators: Jim Clark, Sandy Cline, John Clausen, Betty Clark, and an unseen Narrator.

It is written as two parallel stories

,

so you will see similar plots... plus a mature love story thrown in.

I included a list of main characters at the end. At the end because I did not want any spoilers.

Widowed teachers

Parallel lives until they meet, and love takes over

.

Chapter 1- Jim:

1993

I am James Clark, Jim. My wife Suzanne Clark (née Campbell), Sue, and I were high-school sweethearts. We met freshman year, just before homecoming. We went to

the

homecoming together, and never looked back.

Everyone said we were meant for each other. We were each other's first kiss, first date, our first restaurant date, observing our eighteenth birthdays in March (they were just a week apart), senior prom date, and we lost our virginity to each other on prom night.

1996

At Arizona State University, Sue and I were both education majors. I was on the golf team and Sue played soccer. Neither of us would be called first string, but we played every match and game. Sue and I worked our educational asses off. We kept our estrogen and testosterone in check; we were very careful with any lovemaking we did. Sue used birth-control pills, and I rubbered up, well latexed up, every time we made love. We resolved to conceive our kids on our timeline.

1998

I asked Sue to marry me during our Thanksgiving break during our sophomore year. We married that following summer and moved into an off-campus apartment for our junior and senior years; we continued to practice safe sex every time we made love. We worked hard in our classes and graduated with honors. We made the newspaper as one of

two married couples

, where both partners were graduating with honors. The other couple was named Clime, or something like that.

2001

Sue and I started teaching. We were teaching at Washington Middle School. Sue was teaching science, and I was teaching social studies. We attended many school activities, and were involved in many school functions.

Our intimate time was great. Sue was a tiger in the bedroom. We would both shower, most times together, and would give each other oral in the shower. Sue's breasts were big B-cups, and she loved me pinching her nipples while I licked her clit. After a shower, the love was always hot; sometimes, we had to re-shower!

2002

The real estate in the Arizona market was favorable. Sue and I made a bid on a four-bedroom house, and we got it, and the loan to go with it. We loved the master suite. We set the house up with the smallest bedroom as an office. We set up a boy's and a girl's bedrooms with the other bedrooms.

The way we decorated each room showed how different and how alike we were. Sue decorated the boy's room, and I decorated the girl's room. Sue's idea was a Spartan design-- bins instead of a chest of drawers; posters of baseball, football, hockey, science-fiction heroes, and video games. Sue was designing for a little stud...

My girl's room had pictures of characters from children's books and a Cinderella-type canopy bed, oh, I girl-ed it up royally. I was designing it for a princess, my future princess.

After we saw each other's ideas, we toned it down (just a little).

Three years into our marriage, we decided to start a family. Sue came up pregnant almost right away, with a due date at the end of July.

We left the hospital with Patricia Suzanne Clark, Patty, three days after her birth on July twenty-fifth.

We were the average American family-- a mom, a dad, and a daughter.

2006

My dad, George, was so happy to hold his first grandchild. Unfortunately, my mom, Elizabeth Clark, Betty, became a widow just two months after Patty was born. Dad was killed in a freak accident on the freeway, a car flew off the I-10 ramp at the 202 freeway and landed on his truck one hundred feet below.

We lost Sue's parents five and seven months after Patty's birth; they did get to see and hold Patty. Sue's dad had a heart attack, and her mom died of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a broken heart, the doctors said it was also known as The Widowhood Effect.

Sue and I started our master's programs. My widowed mom loved to babysit Patty while we were in our grad classes. It was therapy for mom; she was a doting grandmother.

2008

When Patty was about three, we started to try for another child, but nothing was happening. After about thirteen months, Sue was feeling fatigued and went to the doctor to find out why. We found out why we could not conceive again. Sue was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer, and my world came crashing down. Because there is no method of early detection for pancreatic cancer, it was too late by the time Sue felt the symptoms. The cancer did not directly affect conception, but her body knew better, no egg would implant.

In eight months, Sue left us. It was shocking to see Sue's demise from a healthy twenty-eight-year-old loving wife and mother to the shadow of herself at twenty-nine. Patty was five years old. I was then a single parent. Mom sold her house and moved in with Patty and me.

2010

After my bereavement leave, I went back to work, and sanity returned to my world.

I continued to teach at Washington Middle School for the next five years. My students excelled at the District Scholastic Fairs. Parents would request their child be in my class.

During the years since I lost my Sue, I plunged into teaching and being the best dad for my Patty. I read to Patty nightly. I coached her powder-puff softball team (coaching little girls is like herding cats at times). I had to watch out for single moms of players on the team. I'd get some unwanted attention; I was just not ready for a new woman in my life, my Patty was my world.

2012

I let mom, Patty's grandma, handle girl-type stuff. Patty's bed was covered with

a million plush

stuffed animals; there was never a night she did not have at least a dozen in bed with her. She added boy-band posters and posters important to her, that was 'Animal Rescue', 'Backstreet Boys', and 'Eat Tofu', which was on the wall above the wastebasket, containing McDonald's hamburger wrappers in it most of the time. Hey, she was ten.

Chapter 2 - Sandy:

1993

My name is Sandra Ann Clausen. My husband, Roger Cline, and I met late our freshman year in high school and became high-school sweethearts within a week. Our summer was historic (well, in my eyes, it was). Everyone said we were a couple made in heaven. We were each other's first everything-- first movie date, first car date, first kiss, we were each other's Homecoming date sophomore year and beyond, we celebrated our eighteenth birthdays together in April (Roger April tenth and me April twenty-ninth), we were each other's senior prom date, and we made love for the first time senior prom night.

1996

When we attended Arizona State, Roger and I were education majors. Our freshman and sophomore years, Roger and I worked diligently, we kept our hormones in check, and we were very careful with any lovemaking. We decided to plan when we would have our children.

1998

Roger asked me to marry him during our Christmas break, our sophomore year. We married that following summer. We moved into a married students' condo (just a fancy name for the university-owned apartments), and for our last two years, we made love regularly. I was on the Pill, and with Durex condoms, we stayed childless. We graduated with honors, and our hard work in our classes assured that. We made the news as one of

two married couples

where both partners were graduating with honors. I think the other couple's name was Clark, or something like that.

2001

Roger and I started teaching. We were teaching at Franklin Middle School. I was teaching science, and Roger was teaching social studies. We were held in high esteem in the school community. We got involved in school activities. My Roger was a thirteen-year-old trapped in a twenty-three-year-old body. He was kind of a clown to my Miss Serious at times, and I loved it.

We would call each other 'Oxy', short for oxymoron because we were so different at times, but we fit together like adjacent jigsaw pieces. And boy, did we fit together often. I am sure I often sang my praises for Roger's loving techniques. Our intimate time was fabulous. Roger was a stud in the bedroom. We would start in the shower and would make each other 'feel' good; Roger had magic hands, and my breasts were B cups. Roger loved sucking my breasts; I almost would cum from just his sucking (along with his expert fondling of my pussy and clit).

2002

We were saving for a house. We started out using the second bedroom as an office. After three years of teaching, we decided to start a family. I became pregnant right away, with a due date in July. We welcomed Michael Roger Cline, Mikey, on July seventeenth. We 'moved' our office to the living room.

We were an average family-- a mom, a dad, and a son.

Roger and I started our master's programs.

2006

Roger had lost his parents during our college years. He was stoic and never showed any grief until my miscarriage.

I miscarried during my next pregnancy, I was stressed because of the sudden and surprising death of my mother, Abigail Clausen, Abby, from heart disease, she never knew she had hypertension; in other words, high blood pressure! X It hit me hard-- Mom was my best friend, my confidante! I went to my mom when I needed help understanding married life. My dad was my strength, he lost his wife and was still unflappable. Dad did do a lot of talking to Mom; he had a bench placed at Mom's grave so he could sit and talk to Mom.

2007

Roger and I handled our grief over the miscarriage 'well', we did go to counseling, and it helped me greatly. Roger didn't 'need' as much counseling as I did, just the way it was with guys, I thought.

My widowed dad, John, loved to babysit Michael, while Roger and I were doing our post-grad work.

2009

My world ended as I knew it, when Mikey was in kindergarten. Mikey was being watched by my dad. Roger and I were at the river, floating on inner tubes; Roger found a rope swing. He swung out over the water, and the branch broke! It was a substantial branch, and it hit Roger on the head. He went under the water, and several people tried to save him...

The medical examiner's report listed it as an accidental drowning, but the medical examiner told me later that the branch hitting his head would have been fatal in itself, if he had been on dry land.

I was a walking zombie; I took care of Mikey and barely took care of myself.

Dad invited Mikey and me to live with him. I was able to get out of the apartment lease. After my time to mourn was over, my return to teaching was a lifesaver.

2010

I continued to teach at Franklin Middle School. My students led the district in science competitions during our Middle School Scholastic Bowls.

In the years since I lost my Roger, I dove into my teaching and being the best mom Mikey could have. When Mikey turned eight, I was his cub scout den mother. I used my teacher's voice many times. Other mothers would tell me how surprised they were that I was able to keep the eight- to ten-year-old boys in line. I deflected a couple of fathers' attempts at flirting; I was not sure if they were married or not.

2012

Instead of 'The Little Builder Tool Set', Mikey got real tools that his grandfather and I got him. Dad gave him some space in the garage for his own tool bench. Mikey liked to build birdhouses and bird feeders, oh my gosh-- did I have birdhouses and bird feeders. He has said he wanted to build a desk next.

Chapter 3 - Narrator:

1999

Sandy was a cheerleader until she was told she HAD to date a football player and NOT Roger, who was a cross-country runner; she switched to gymnastics.

Jim was on the golf team and never dated a cheerleader, but Sue played soccer, so they just fit together.

2015, Spring

So, you have the back story of Jim and Sandy, two single parents who experienced losing a spouse. The widowed parents' lives finally became 'normal' with the help of family after about five years.

Their district had started to build a new middle school back in 2013, Constitution Middle School. The principal was then hiring for the school and was allowed to pick from the present employees of the district. Both Sandy and Jim were leaders in their subjects, so they were tagged to be department chairs.

Sandy and Jim met each other professionally at organizational meetings for the school, but did not spend any time talking to each other. BUT! In passing, Jim 'noticed' Sandy, and Sandy 'noticed' him. They had known each other's deceased spouses because of the subjects they taught.

2015, Summer

Because of departmental and other meetings associated with opening a new school, Sandy and Jim did not officially meet until the day before the first day of school. The principal held a department chair meeting-- science, math, English, social studies, electives, and physical education-- and that was how they sat in the conference room. The gods were not ready for Sandy and Jim to fully meet yet, but they were 'curious',

'

to say the least, with each other.

2015, End of August

When the class lists came out, Jim found out that Mikey Cline was in one of his classes, the same class as his own daughter, Patty.

Sandy found out that Patty Clark was a student of hers in the same class as her Mikey.

2015, September

The first week was a short one, starting on Wednesday, September 2nd, with Friday being the 'Meet The Teacher Night'. 'Meet The Teacher Night' was where students and parents followed the student's schedule. Because Sandy and Jim had to be in their classrooms, the grandparents accompanied Patty and Mikey.

Their grandparents bumped into each other at the first classroom they visited. The two widowed grandparents knew each other! They had attended the same high school and college. They never dated because they had fallen in love with their respective spouses in high school, just like their kids had done. They decided to visit the rest of the grandchildren's classes together.

Patty and Mikey kind of put up with the grandparents' 'mature style' of 'flirting', not knowing that was what the grandparents were really doing. They first visited Jim's class, where Patty walked in and hugged Jim. Jim had the students whose last names started with 'C'. Jim liked it mainly because he could be there for Patty. Sandy liked it for the same reason with Mikey. When they walked into Sandy's classroom, Mike, as he then wanted to be called, said, "Hi, mom."

Both Sandy and Jim met up with the grandparents and their children at the end of 'Meet the Teacher Night.' The grandparents told,

the parents

! they were going to go out for ice cream.

Jim's mom told the two of them, "Why don't you two go get a bite to eat because Patty and I have eaten already." Sandy's dad seconded the idea since he had already fed Mike.

Sandy and Jim looked at each other and shrugged their collective shoulders, and said, "Okay."

Jim said, "I'll follow you home so you can leave your car at home, and we can ride together to the restaurant."

"Okay, sounds good," Sandy replied.

Jim followed Sandy home. Sandy jumped into Jim's pickup truck.

Jim asked, "How about Olive Garden?"

Sandy answered, "Oh, I love their salad and breadsticks."

They, by the luck of the gods, had a quiet booth. Sandy and Jim fell into a delightful conversation. They both knew that they had lost their spouses the same year. They talked about single parenting and its pitfalls, joys, and heartbreaks. They praised their parents for stepping up to help them and their children. They laughed that the parents knew each other, and it looked like there might be a spark between them.

Jim asked, "Have you been alone since... 'you know'...?"

Sandy answered, "Yes, how about you?"

"Yeah," was Jim's reply.

Sandy then asked, "Do you have friends always trying to set you up?"

Jim retorted, "Oh, tell me about it!? I have almost stopped accepting dinner invites."

"Me too!" Sandy replied, with a smile.

With almost a schoolboy tone, Jim added, "Well, I am glad you accepted this one."

Sandy had a sparkle in her eyes. "How do you like that our parents set us up?" Sandy continued.

They laughed a little too loud and got a couple of looks.

They did not know, but a couple of students of theirs were in Olive Garden with their parents.

Sandy got a text from her dad.

DAD: Mike is going to Zzz he says good night, and he loves you <3,

SANDY: thx, dad B home soon.

DAD: You don't work tomorrow or Monday, stay out as long as you want. BTW tonight was fun meeting Betty again :-),

SANDY: Dad, do you like Betty?...

And within seconds of sending.

DAD: You just have fun tonight, Bye.

Her dad quickly ended the text.

Before Sandy was done, Jim got a text from his mom.

MOM: Patty is going to sleep. She says 'nite, nite,' and she loves you, big time.'

ME: Mom, I'll be home soon.

MOM: No work tomorrow! Stay out. Have fun, honey. It was gr8 seeing John again :-). Have fun. You have Monday off too ya no.

Jim looked at Sandy and said, "Mom said have fun."

Sandy said, "My dad said the same thing."

Jim showed Sandy his text, and she showed him hers.

They both broke out laughing.

Jim replied, "I think our parents want us to spend time together, my mom is such a matchmaker."

Sandy added, "Or they want time together, themselves!"

Jim sang, "John and Betty sittin' in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

"You know they might be wanting to sing that song to us," Sandy interjected.

"Well, would you like to do this again?" was Jim's inquiry.

In her best Scarlett O'Hara, she said, "Why, Mr. Clark, Y'all plannin' on takin' lil' ol' me out on a date now?" with a giggle.

Jim replied in his best Rhett Butler, "Well, darlin' Miss Sandy, I'd be downright tickled to have y'all join me on a future date, ya' know?"

They could not speak, they were laughing so hard.

Jim composed himself, "In other words, YES! I'd like to see you again."

Sandy, with bright eyes, replied, "Okay."

They left the restaurant, and Jim drove to a scenic lookout point, looking over the valley. They were not some young teenagers just parking and making out; they were thirty-six-year-old parents and upstanding members of their community. They talked for two hours more.

They found out a lot about each other, Jim found out Sandy liked chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and so did he. She found out Jim liked cherry pie, apple pie, and pumpkin pie in that order, and so did she.

They made a date for Saturday night; they would confirm later.

It was about 12:30am when Jim dropped Sandy off, giving her a chaste kiss goodnight.

Chapter 4 - Jim:

2015, September

As I walked into my house at about 12:45am, Patty was standing with arms folded, tapping her foot, dressed in her Cinderella nightgown.

"Do you know what time it is?"

Being a no-nonsense but smart-ass dad, I replied, "Time to buy a watch?"

With a smile on her face, she asked in her sweetest voice, "How did your date with Ms. Cline go?"

"It was not a date, we just had dinner."

Patty said, "For five hours!? Where did you eat, New York City...? I like giving you a hard time, Daddy, I love you. By the way, I like Ms. Cline."