(9th story) Summer

“So, Julie says you’re a teacher.”

“Yes,” Sherry nodded. “You’re her cousin Miles, right?”

“That’s me,” the man gave her a lopsided grin.  “So you have the whole summer off.  Must be nice.”

“It is, especially after spending the last month working on report cards and IEPs on evenings and weekends.”

“Sounds rough,” he laughed.  “What? You work 9:00 to 3:30?”

“No,” Sherry began. Julie appeared at her side.

“Come with me,” Julie grabbed Sherry’s elbow. Sherry followed Julie through the clumps of Julie’s friends and relatives.

“Is something wrong?” She asked.

My sisters,” Julie groaned.  “I need a break, and if Miles was true to form so did you. Lets step outside for a minute.”

Sherry followed Julie through the sliding glass doors onto the back deck. 

“If people think teaching is so easy, why don’t they do it?” Sherry plopped down on a plastic lawn chair.

Julie shrugged.  “It’s my engagement party, so why do my sisters pick tonight to argue with my mom.”

“Because it’s your engagement party.” Sherry leaned her head back and stared up at the sky. “You know they like to be the centre of attention.”

“And you know people always envy what others have.”

“You were right, we both needed a break.”

“Do you think Ian will propose?” Julie leaned forward.

“No, I don’t,” Sherry sat up and looked at her friend.  “Part of me wishes he would.  It would be nice to be asked, but most of me hopes he doesn’t ‘cause I think I’d be miserable married to him.”

“You’re not going to break off with him are you?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe.” Sherry shrugged.

“I don’t suppose it would be fair to ask you to wait until after my wedding? Since you’re the being maid of honour and he is Dave’s best man?”

“You’re not getting married until next spring!”

“So you are thinking about breaking it off?”

“Sometimes,” Sherry leaned forward. “Sometimes he’s fun and sweet, sometimes he is such an utter jerk that I don’t know why I see him at all.”

“No one is perfect. It has been nice, you know like the four of us, but... is there someone else? That teacher at your school?”

“Rick? No, he has a girlfriend.”

“But would you be interested?”

Sherry giggled.  “In the mean time, I am still seeing Ian, and I should get you back into your engagement party.”  Sherry got up and offered julie her hand. Julie took it, pulled herself up and with linked arms they reentered the party.

Dave and Ian greeted them at the kitchen door.  “There you are!” Dave grabbed Julie’s hand and pulled her away from Sherry.  “Your father is going to make a toast.”

Ian pulled Sherry hand through his arm and gave her hand a squeeze, “You look lovely,” he whispered as they followed Julie and Dave into the living room.

Julie’s mother, Mrs. Fine, handed them each a glass of champagne.

Mr. Fine stood with his glass raised, “When children find true love, parents find true joy. Here's to your joy and ours from this day forward. Cheers.”

Sherry raised her glass, joined in the chorus of cheers and sipped the champagne. 

Julie’s aunt Marie appeared at her side. “So, you finished your second year, congratulations Sherry.

       "Thank you, Marie.” 

       “To two months off,” Marie raised her glass.

Sherry smiled and raised her glass.  Marie was a principal at a secondary school.

“Yeah,” Ian raised his glass “To two months free of stories about kids and complaints about admin.”

Sherry pulled her arm free of Ian’s grasp.

“What?” Ian asked.

Sherry shook her head and followed Marie to the other side of the room.

Miles reappeared with a young woman that Sherry didn’t recognize.

“Sherry this is my cousin Nadia.  Nadia this is Sherry, Julie’s friend. She’s a teacher.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sherry extended her hand.  

The young woman took it.  “Wow, so you’re off for the summer. That must be nice.”

“So I’ve heard,”  Sherry agreed. “It is nice.”

“What grade do you teach?”

“I’ve been teaching grade two, but next year I’ll have a grade four and five split.”

“I had a terrible grade five teacher. She told my mom I should learn a trade and that I wasn’t university material.  I’m in my second year at Lakehead. Sometimes I think I should find her and tell her, but I think she died.”

Sherry downed the last of her champagne. ”What are you studying?”

“Business admin. Teaching sounds good though. All those holidays and the short days.”

“You could get your B.ed.”

“I don’t like kids.” Nadia shuddered. “All that nose picking and germs!  But if I did like kids, it would be great.  It must be nice. You’re lucky.”

“If you think it would be great, you could always teach high school.”

“Teenagers are so rude these days, but I’d love to have your hours and holidays,” Nadia insisted.

“Well, the holidays go with the kids and teenagers, you can’t teach without students. Its been nice talking to you.  Enjoy your career choice with its shorter holidays, but clean office spaces, up to date computers, and quiet, child and teenager free days,”

Sherry walked away to get another glass of champagne.