Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry for the extended wait! Theres really nothing I can say to justify it so I won't make any excuses. And no, II can't write sex scenes to save my life. I'm extremely bad at it but I'm working hard to change that lol. *shrug* But I tried my hardesssst in this final chapter so hopefully it satisfies.
And to tens, I am so so so sorry you felt offended due to the prior chapter. I never meant to downplay the Jewish culture in any way. I'm so so sorry.
Kat?
I haven't heard from you in a bit honey, let me know how things are going. I miss you.
Love, Pat.
Hey Pat.
I know. Things have gotten busy lately. I'm doing well over here. I miss you too. I love you.
Kat.
She sighed deeply at the computer screen and ran a soft hand over her face. Kat didn't have much else to say other to say to her.
*
"Come to the lounge with me." Luis called from the front door of Kat's classroom. Kat furrowed her brow at the man and stood to push her chair back under her desk. With a smoothing motion on her flowing skirt, she headed toward him. Luis was already back in the hall by the time she made her way to the classroom door. She looked down the hall to see a glimpse of his body entering the Teacher's Only room Kat had seen on her tour her very first day. She hadn't had a reason to go back there since.
When she cautiously took a step inside, she was met with a loud booming sound. Her eyes and ears tried to work at the same time while her emotions went soaring.
"Surprise!" The room seemed to scream to her. Luis and Marlennys stood ahead of 10 other co-workers Kat had grown to be close with. A bright pink cake sat on the dining room like table and had
"We'll miss you!"
engraved in its frosting. A banner on the back wall mimicked the same words. Kat felt a tear quickly roll down her brown cheeks before she had time to realize she was crying.
Today was indeed, their last day of the summer program and while she sat at her nearly empty and cleaned desk, she could feel the overcast of gloom hanging over her crown. She figured it must have come from the realization that she'd never return to the kids, people or building again.
Marlennys engulfed her into a tight, breathtaking hug. Kat let a hand gently wander over her back and she temporarily shut her eyes. As she pulled away, Kat allowed her eyes slowly open to meet her damp ones. They smiled at each other knowingly before letting a chuckle pass their lips. Marlennys brought a hand up to stroke away Kat's tear and brush a loose hair away from her eyes.
"This is supposed to be a happy party." Luis said, eliciting a small laugh from everyone in the room. Kat took a deep breath that did the trick for pushing aside the feelings she was beginning to let control her actions so she could enjoy her party.
****
"Hey guys. Before we go, I just want to talk to you all for the last 5 minutes of class."
Kat purposed. She sat on the edge of her deskβformer desk was how it seemed, and crossed her arms over her chest with a sympathetic smile on her lips.
"I want to let you all know, how proud I am of you. You've worked so hard these past 3 months and I can't believe how much progress you've made. I'll never forget any of youβever."
"Where are you going?"
Carlos asked from the back desk. Kat raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.
"Come on, you can say that in English can't you?"
She pressed with a devious smile, trying to test his knowledge and memory. Carlos sat thoughtful, for only 3 seconds before he proceeded to re-ask his question.
"Where are you going?" He asked in a thick, dense Spanish accent. Kat smiled broadly and clapped her hands unconsciously before herself.
"Nice work Carlos."
She replied, giving him a wink and a smile.
"But I'm going back home, to America. I only came to teach you."
She said. The bell rang loudly in the room and for some reason things seemed different. The bell didn't sound the same, and for once, Kat wasn't glad to hear it. The kids moved slower, and with less enthusiasm. But it seemed like Kat was feeling the same way.
"Give me a hug before you go."
She said almost inaudibly, but her voice still cracked as she spoke. She took a hard swallow while she eyed her students slowly making their way up to her. One by one, she bent down to give them warm hugs and an uplifting personal messages about themselves in their ear.
****
"Can you help me get my stuff?" Kat asked Alejandro quietly. He was sitting in the driver's seat, patiently waiting for her to come out. He nodded curtly and opened the door to follow her back inside the school. He watched her from behind and took note of her mood just off of her body language and how she walked. She seemed like a zombie, just going along with the motions of living.
Kat handed him a large box filled with some of her books, jackets, water bottles and papers she wanted to keep from her students. While she held the remainder of the cake from lunch, a bouquet of flowers and some balloons.
"You okay baby?" Alejandro whispered beside her while they walked down the familiar hall. She nodded as reassuringly as she could but she knew it wouldn't be enough to shake him.