Progressing Well?

Sherry stretched her legs under the table, sipped her Shiraz and listened to Ian's deep, warm voice over the blur of sounds in the crowded restaurant. 

"He ate the bottom of the cone first so ice cream leaked all over him,” Ian said. “Then he scooped the ice cream off the top." Ian pretended to scoop ice cream from his wine glass. "By the time he was done. We had to give him a bath and a complete change of clothes. Then I understood why my sister had packed so much stuff for just one afternoon." 

Sherry smiled, "I had a similar experience with Jaime and spaghetti."

"Do you tease her about it now?" Ian raised his wine glass. ""Cause I can see teasing him about this when he's bigger." 

"Not so much. We tease her about the fact that she was convinced she was Snow White when she was three years old."

Ian chuckled. "Yup! That's even better." He shook his head and drank some wine. "What do you feel like doing tomorrow?"

"I thought you had to work," Sherry drew her legs under her chair. 

Ian shrugged his shoulders, "Rescheduled."

"That’s great,” Sherry forced a smile. “But I have to work tomorrow. Report cards are due in two weeks."

"Two weeks," Ian reached across the glass table and touched Sherry's hand. His touch was warm. "Then why can't we do something tomorrow?"

Sherry shook her head. "We went through this last year," She sighed. "I can't work on them during the school day, I'm too tired by the time I'm done teaching to be productive in the evenings. I need to use the weekends."

Ian withdrew his hand and poured wine into both their glasses. "Didn't you just finish those other things?" he asked. 

"IEPs?" Sherry ran a hand through her hair and groaned. "Yes, but now I have to do reports. I'm not exactly thrilled about this either." 

Ian leaned forward and lowered his voice. "Then blow them off for one day.” He smiled at her. “Or one afternoon."

Sherry shook her head.  "I don't know."

Ian leaned back in his chair. "The forecast is good. I thought we could play golf or drive out to Elora." He scowled. "I'd invite Dave, but he probably has plans with Julie because they do things together." 

"You told me you were working,” Sherry leaned forward. “So I made other plans. Now you expect me to drop everything because your schedule has changed."

"If I hadn't said I was working, you wouldn't have worked on report cards this weekend?" 

"I have to get them done." Sherry leaned back in her chair.

Ian raised his hand to signal to their waiter.  "You have to plan, mark, prepare reading groups, write IEPS, write cards, write reports.  There is always something."

"I get good holidays," Sherry offered. 

"I thought you were quitting."

Sherry struggled to keep her voice even.  "I don't know. I'm not ready to decide.” She shook her head. “About anything." 

Ian stared at her. "What else is there to decide about."

Sherry grabbed her wine glass, raised it and drank. She wasn't ready to decide.  The group of women at the next table were laughing loudly.  Sherry resisted the urge to ask them to use their indoor voices. "You're right,” she finally said. “Let's go to Elora.”

Ian smiled

“I'll just sleep less,” Sherry told herself. “There will be plenty of time for sleep over the winter break.