We play a quick game of hide and seek. Of course I get to be it. I have to find both Kathryn and Sam to win. My bond with Kathryn makes it easy for me to find her. I find the two of them watching TV with Mom and slide in beside them.
Kathryn squeezes my hand just to let me know. I recognize the video there watching it’s about my Dad. A reporter is doing interviews with the people he saved. From the quality of the video it’s about five or six years old. The last person they interview is Alyssa and they show the footage of Dad throwing her to the firemen. Alyssa talks about how that saved her and her unborn daughter.
They have the Jersey raisin ceremony from the tenth anniversary. They even have my first kiss on video. Sam giggles, but Kathryn gives me an evil stare seeing the kiss. I chuckle at Kathryn’s expression and tell her, “That was the one and only time I ever kissed Joan, and I didn’t ask her to do it then. Besides I hadn’t even met you yet.”
Kathryn turns back to the video, but I can tell she is just trying to keep from laughing. She knew that Joan did that. I told her about my first kiss how Joan practically tackled me. Kathryn seeing it is one thing very different. They didn’t show her running or me nearly knocked over by catching her, or they edited that out what they showed was Joan kissing me and me kissing back. Fortunately it wasn’t a very long kiss. But they did show Joan holding onto me for dear life, and me allowing her to stay.
I thought this was about Dad, but it goes on it talks about how Mom and me moved from LA. It has interviews of some of the teachers I had as a freshman, even the Coach. They asked him a lot of questions, and about Kathryn and me, how we started to date. They interview Michelle and she gives her version of the bear story, and the interviewer reads the transcript from the court where Judge Thurgood had question Kathryn about the story. They even found one of the park rangers and interviewed him about the bear.
They speak to several of the clergy, and how I always help out especially for Christmas. They have a few photos from our wedding. They speak to several of the townspeople who I am silent partnered with. Many of these credit our small town’s recovery to my efforts.
The final person they’re interviewing is Jeremy senior, and he talks about the organization and what it stands for. They talk about The Give a Gift of Giving organization how it came into being. He gives out our email for the organization and request nominations for children. He indicates the website has the applications to apply for the give a gift of giving. With that the program ends.
Our phone immediately begins to ring, before I answer it I ask, “What was that really about?”
Giggling Mom says, “The governor wants to make you the man of the year for the state.”
Kathryn giggles, “No good deed goes unpunished.”
To my surprise it was Janet on the phone, Janet began by shyly asking, “Mister Meyer are you the same JJ Meyer from the program that was just on?”
For a second I consider denying it but jokingly I say, “I didn’t realize how much I’ve gotten done this year for the governor to recognize and nominate me for man of the year.”
From the sound of it Janet dropped the phone and it took her a second or two to come back to speak again, “Mister Meyer I’m so sorry about the mix-up with Kara. I just asked a new friend from my freshman class who the two of you were. She didn’t know, so when we ask other people before we knew it, your kiss on Kara’s cheek had moved to her lips and it got worse from there.”
I chuckle and say, “That’s high school for you. Kathryn, Kara and I just laugh about it. We know how high school is.”
Janet asked another question, “You’re really not upset about the rumor.”
I confess, “I really don’t like the rumor, I’m glad it’s going away especially because it’s not true. Three fourths of the high school definitely knows how much I love Kathryn and that I would never cheat on her. The freshman class on the other hand doesn’t know Kathryn, and few of them have ever seen us together.”
Janet says, “I’m really sorry I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
I smile into the phone as I say, “Your apologies accepted I know you didn’t mean for it to happen. Would you mind asking your parents if they could come over say Wednesday night for dinner? I’m sure Kathryn would like to welcome them to the community.”
Joan voice is a quite a bit more relaxed as she says, “I’ll ask Dad if he would like to. Can I’ll let you know tomorrow at school.”
With a chuckle I say, “Just be sure it doesn’t start another rumor.”
Giggling Janet says, “You’re right it’s high school, I’ll call you tomorrow after school to let you know.”
Once off the phone I inform Kathryn and Mom that I invited Jeremy Junior, his wife and daughter over on Wednesday for dinner. Kathryn gives me a look that has Mom giggling and I quickly say, “Okay I’ll never do that again without asking you first.”
Sam asked me, “Is that the girl that started the rumor?”
Answering Sam I say, “Yes it was, and that was her on the phone apologizing. It started innocently with her asking who Kara and I was. I have made the mistake of giving Kara a kiss on the cheek, as she asked who I was she described the event. Before long the description changed and the rumor started.”
Kathryn begins to laugh and then says, “That’s high school for you. One innocent little event is told and retold and before long Kara is expecting JJ’s baby.”
Sam is a little confused and looks at her Mom and asks, “Daddy and Aunt Kara don’t make funny noises together how can they make a baby.” I knew Sam referred to sex has making funny noises, but I didn’t know that she knew that sex is how you make a baby.
Kathryn explains, “Sam rumors aren’t normally true. Your Daddy and Kara are not going to have a baby, but the kids in high school have got the wrong idea.”
Sam giggles and says, “I know Daddy loves Aunt Kara and she loves him too, but not the type of love where you make funny noises together.” I’m more than a little impressed at Sam’s grasp of the difference in types of love.
Kathryn scoping Sam up into her arms says, “That’s right my beautiful little Sam.” The two of them giggle as they hug.
I stretch and look at the time before I say, “It’s been a very long day that started very far away from here.”
Kathryn still holding Sam rubs her shoulder against me and says, “You still have to get up early tomorrow and go off to work. Sam and I can sleep in.”
Sam stretches like I did. She is beginning to look tired and quite sleepy as she lays her head on Kathryn’s shoulder. I rub her chin before I ask, “Are you ready to go to bed now Sam?”
Sam sleepily answers, “Yes Daddy, if I can sleep with you.”
Since Sam’s scare about as leaving her she has been a little clingy to Kathryn and me. I’m sure that will pass in a few more days, but with Sam’s history I can see where it would frighten her. If you really think about it the two people Sam loved and trusted most leave her, third person that she loved and trusted most get sick and dies. That put her with Nicole and Lester, people she feared. If I was only four years old I think I would be very clingy too.
We climb into bed together and Sam kisses Kathryn before saying, “I love you Mommy.”
She slides up and gives me a kiss good night and says, “I love you Daddy.” Sam slides back into place on my chest I caress her back as she falls quickly to sleep.
Kathryn tells me, “I think Sam is very happy to be home again.” Sam nods her head. Kathryn giggles seeing Sam answer even in her sleep.
I whisper, “I’m really happy to be home. I love you and Sam.” Sam still in her sleep has a broad smile that I can feel through my T-shirt.
When Kathryn falls asleep I feel myself drifting away. I awake to the alarm clock as it buzzes. Sam jumps up with a giggle she runs to the bathroom. Kathryn gives me a kiss before she follows Sam. I stretch and turn off the alarm I’ll take my time getting to the bathroom that will give them the opportunity to finish so I can relieve myself when I get there. I hear the two of them talking and giggling before they return.
On their way back I get up and passed them in the hallway giving Kathryn a kiss. I relieve myself and then start my morning routine. Today is an in-service day, a day of us teachers had to go to work but no students. Since this is the first one I’ve ever gone to it should be a new experience for me.
It seems the morning was all briefings. Everything from audiovisual equipment to sexual harassment covered in a series of briefings. One briefing is about rumor control, and the recent rumor about me and Kara brought to the forefront. Coach Edwards, being Kara’s father and my father-in-law defend us both. Not that any direct accusation has been made of any wrongdoing.
I explained the events, and how I was just telling my sister-in-law to have a good fifth period class and gave her a peck on the cheek to say goodbye. A couple of students, who didn’t know who we were, asked others before you know it the description of the events had changed and that started the rumor. Most of the teachers there are very understanding although a few look at me very suspiciously.
The person given the briefing points out, that although my actions were innocent in nature they were still on the verge of breaking the codes of conduct. I am given a letter of warning. I realize that that’s more to protect the principal than to discipline me. One good thing is we do get off early.
I return home followed by the Coach, he follows me to my driveway and we speak once we park. He calls me over and we begin to look over the progress the construction crews have made so far. I know he is doing that just so he can have me out of the house to speak to me privately. After some small talk and as we begin the walk across the bridge he asks, “What did they do to you?”
I say, “It was a letter of warning, hopefully it won’t affect Kara. I have gotten in the habit of giving them a peck on the cheek whenever I say hello or goodbye to them. I’ll have to remember not to do that at school.”
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