Spectrum (Stone Society #14) - Faith Gibson Page 0,4
substitute for one day wasn’t an issue, but having been gone over a week meant chaos had probably ensued, as was evident by the latest email. Kids were master manipulators, especially teens. She had learned that in her first year teaching Sophomore English. In her ten years of being an educator, Stella had learned all their tricks.
Stella’s inbox had more than one message from students regarding the assignment given by the substitute. Kerri Barnett was a capable teacher. The older woman had taught high school for almost thirty years before her first grandchild came along. At that point, she decided to retire. She didn’t need Stella telling her how to lead the class, but as with all substitutes, Stella left a detailed outline of what she expected the students to learn in her absence. So the emails from the students had her rolling her eyes before responding with, “Yes, you have to do the report,” and, “No, you can’t do it over winter break if you want it to count.”
Sheila asked Stella to stay for lunch, and reluctantly, she agreed. Stella wanted to get home where she could think about Ezekiel. Having spent the last ten days with her mother was more than enough bonding time, but Sheila was on divorce number two, thus the trip to Egypt. Stella didn’t blame her mother for the number of husbands she had accumulated. Wanting to be loved was something everyone dreamed about, but Sheila’s luck with men was shitty at best. Stella’s father passed away before she was born, and Sheila had started dating again when Stella was two. Stella didn’t remember Zeke’s father, and the fact that her mom had gone out with the man was beyond strange.
Stella poured lemonade while Sheila made their sandwiches. Her mom had been unusually quiet since running into Zeke. Stella hadn’t been kidding when she told the handsome blond her mother talked about his father all the time. Sheila felt like he was the one who got away, but she didn’t know why after only two dates.
Sheila set their plates on the table, then took her seat. “You always asked me what Ezekiel looked like. Now you know. If you stood them side by side, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. I always thought after he never called again, it was because I had a kid. He was fine on the first date, but after he met you… It was strange. As soon as we got in the car to go eat, he said he didn’t feel good. The man did look green, so maybe he was telling the truth.”
“If I am the reason, then I’m sorry, but since he had his own child, I don’t see why you having one as well would have mattered.” Stella wanted her mom to find a man worthy, but if she were being honest, she was glad Zeke’s dad hadn’t stuck around. If he had, she and Zeke would possibly have been stepsiblings. There was something about the man that called to her like none had before. Maybe it was from watching her mom go through several men without finding the one to go the distance, but Stella was particular. She had been on plenty of dates. And yes, she’d had a couple short-term relationships, but she never found the one who would fulfil all her dreams and desires. Never found the man she’d dreamed about ever since she was a little girl.
“He never mentioned a child, but it’s possible Zeke Jr. lived with the mother at the time. Whatever the reason, it wasn’t meant to be.”
Stella wanted to believe that reason was because she and Zeke were destined to be together. She believed in karma and fate. Believed the stars aligned at precisely the right time for certain occasions because what were the odds the two of them returned from the same place on the same flight?
Stella’s phone rang, and her heart skipped a beat thinking it was Zeke. When she looked at the caller ID, she groaned, then hit ignore.
Chapter Two
Stella slumped against the door as soon as she closed it, dropping her bags to the floor. Ten days with her mother was about five too many. She loved Sheila, but when her mom was depressed, fun wasn’t in her vocabulary no matter if they were in an exotic location. Before she could get past the laundry room, her doorbell rang. Groaning, Stella went to see who it was. When she spotted her next-door