The Teacher

"Thank you Tom for the wonderful breakfast, I really was hungry and thank you for being here for Tim as well, he will need all the help and support he can get at this time." Suzanne told me.

"Suzanne you are welcome here anytime, you come by day or night you're always welcome here, wish I could do more for you both." I told them.

"Suzanne I want to stay with Tom for a few days, it's so hard to be in that house right now." Tim told her.

"I need you at home tonight Tim, I will go to my Sisters for a few days, try to figure out what you and I do from this point forward, without Timmy in our lives I don't see our marriage succeeding do you?" Suzanne asked Tim.

"I am feeling the same way, he was the glue that held us together without our wonderful son I don't see a future for us, besides I am falling in love with Tom here." Tim admitted to her.

"I suspected as much, but I can't stay in that house alone right now, to many memories, he is all over that house." Suzanne said bursting into tears.

Tim went to her and held her as she cried, they both cried for their little boy, I could not contain myself I too was all out crying, I would miss Timmy so much.

"Suzanne if it's to much for you to stay in the house right now you're welcome to come and stay here, I do have a spare bedroom." I suggested to her.

"Tom, thank you so much but it may be a little bit weird me staying in the house of the man my husband is having an affair with don't you think?" Suzanne said to me.

"Suzanne the offer is open anytime you feel you can't be in the house you are more than welcome in my home anytime." I reiterated.

All three of us stood in the middle of the kitchen, not sure what to say or do, I collected the dishes putting them in the sink.

"Can I help clean up Tom?" Suzanne asked me.

"Oh no that's fine I can do them later." I said to her.

"Are you sure might be a good distraction right about now." Suzanne offered.

"Yes let's get this cleaned up then." I said to her.

I filled the sink squirting some soap in.

"Tom I am going to lay down for a bit, I have a terrible headache, I think I need more sleep is all." Tim said to me.

I went to him put my hand on his forehead.

"No fever that's good, okay you go lay down and we will do some dishes, do you want something for the headache Tim?" I asked concerned.

"No Tom I should be fine just a little nap should fix me right up." Tim said kissing me.

Tim went to lay down in my bed shutting the door as he went in, it was good it would give Suzanne and I a chance to talk. There was an awful long moment of silence, Suzanne finally broke it.

"So Tom how long have you and my husband been sleeping together?" She asked me.

She was not one to beat around the bush she would ask the difficult questions first.

"About six months." I replied.

"I see, and you have feelings for him do you?" She came back with yet another hard question.

"Yes I can say honestly I do have very strong feelings for Tim, I am in love with him." I responded honestly.

After a short moment of silence.

"Tom I don't know if I should be mad, sad, want to kill you and Tim, or if I should just go with it, I've known Tim was not happy in our relationship for so many years now, I'm just glad he no longer frequents that awful place he was meeting men in, I worried he would get something or someone would catch him and spread it all over our city with our friends." Suzanne said to me.

"I am so shocked how well you're taking all this Suzanne, I am sure if I were in your shoes I would not be as cool calm and collected as you are." I told her honestly.

"Tom I could rant and rave, but what would that help, who would that help, I still love Tim but he and I are passing ships as they say, our time is long past, it's time he moves on, and the same for me as well. I will go see my sister, she and I can figure out what is best for me to do at this time." Suzanne told me a tear in her eye.

"Can I give you a hug Suzanne?" I asked her.

"Tom of course, I welcome it at this point." Suzanne told me.

I pulled her close and held her as she started to cry, she had lost not only a son but a husband at the same time.

"I'm so sorry if I caused you any pain Suzanne, that was not my intention." I told her tears rolling down my face.

"Tom I am happy Tim found a really good man to care for him, he deserves that, I can see how you are with him, he could not have found a better man to take care of him and love him more than you Tom." Suzanne told me wiping the tears from my face.

"How about a coffee Suzanne, or would you rather take a nap right now?" I asked her.

"Let's have a coffee then I can decide if a nap is the right thing or not." Suzanne said to me.

We sat and talked like we were best friends for years now, she talked about Timmy, how he was at home, I told her what a great kid he was at school, little things that parents don't get to hear about their kids from a parent teacher meeting, how kind Timmy was sharing his lunch with a boy who did not have one, on more than one occasion, how he was the one to offer to help any of the kids struggling with any an all of their homework.

Talking about him made me cry, he was such a sweet boy, honest caring sincere, I could not imagine the classroom with out Timmy in it. Suzanne and I had a good cry. I could see the exhaustion in Suzanne's eyes.

"Okay Suzanne I must insist you come and lay down for a bit in my spare bedroom, you look on the verge of collapse." I insisted.

"Okay Tom thank you so much." Suzanne said to me.

I took her hand and brought her to the spare bedroom, had her lay down and covered her with the soft blanket.

"Have a good sleep Suzanne know I am in the next room if you need anything." I said to her.

"Thank you Tom so much for all of this." Suzanne told me.

I leaned in and kissed her forehead. I shut the door as I walked out, going to lay with Tim who was completely out, exhaustion had caught up with the man. I laid down and Tim rolled on top of me, his head on my chest his arm holding me close.

"I love you Tom." Tim mumbled to me.

"Love you too Tim." I replied holding him close.

All three of us slept for about two hours, I woke up to a soft knock.

"Tom I am heading home." Suzanne said through the closed door.

I placed Tim on his back, grabbed my robe and opened the door.

"Stay for dinner, please Suzanne." I insisted.

"I could not intrude on you anymore Tom." Suzanne said to me.

"I am not taking no for an answer you are staying, give me a minute to get some clothes on you and I can talk some more." I said to her.

I got some clothes on and made myself presentable, I covered up Tim who was completely out, I found Suzanne in the sitting room.

"How about a glass of white wine?" I asked her.

"That sounds perfect." Suzanne said to me grinning.

I grabbed us a bottle and two glasses, we took a seat together on the couch, we clinked our glasses.

"Too new friends." I said to her.

"Too new friends." Suzanne toasted back to me.

Suzanne and I enjoyed a glass of wine, We moved to the kitchen so I could make some lunch for us, soup and sandwich, Suzanne helped make sandwiches while I made some home made chicken soup. Tim finally woke up, he looked better, not so exhausted, he came over and kissed me, It still felt weird to have him kiss me in front of Suzanne. Tim decided to take a shower, I got him some clothes ready for him to wear while the soup simmered.

You could tell Suzanne was okay when it was just her and I but when Tim was in the room she was very uncomfortable. Again she wanted to go home, I quickly talked her into staying. After lunch we cleaned up, then sat in the sitting room talking about Timmy, it brought us all to tears so many times.

Suzanne's phone rang, it was her sister she was coming over to pick her up, she did not want her driving after all this.

"Tim drive her home then you can bring your car back if you want to stay here with me." I suggested.

Tim thought it was a great idea, this way he could talk to Suzanne's sister at the same time.

"Would you like to come with us Tom?" Suzanne asked me.

"No it's best you and Tim sort this out, I will get dinner ready if you all want to come back for dinner you're more than welcome." I suggested.

Tim was gone for about two hours, he came back he looked exhausted, he had luggage, with most of his belongings.

"Tom I can't go back in that house, Suzanne is leaving tonight, I mentioned for them to come by for dinner, not sure Judy, Suzanne's sister is comfortable with that, but I did offer." Tim told me pulling me into a hug.

"Tim let's get your clothes and stuff in the house I can put it away while you rest for a bit." I suggested.

"Okay Tom but I would prefer to do other things than rest." Tim said kissing me.

"Later lover we may have dinner company so we best keep our clothes on." I told him in between kisses.