Going back to the table just before Sam and Crystal leave for the night, I take each of them up giving them a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. I quietly whisper in their ear, “Be good for your Aunt Kara and have a good night.”
Kathryn punches me lightly in my arm and pulls me back onto the dance floor. As we begin a slow dance, now later in the evening the DJ is playing a lot more slow dance music. I do love holding my wife close to me. Kathryn looks up into my face and asks, “How long have you known?”
I answer, “Just tonight, when Joan asked if she could dance with me.” I did not want to use that word share, just in case it was overheard. I do not care about the rumors, but I am not going to help start one.
Kathryn giggles looking into my face she says, “I guess I thought a little loud right then.”
Kissing below my wife’s ear on her neck that sends shivers down her spine. I think to her, (I love it when I hear you think. It only proves how connected we are.)
Kathryn has a devilish smile as she thinks. (You understand that you cannot keep a secret from me either. I know that you kept from laughing at hearing Joan ask to share. Is that when you found out?)
Answering Kathryn’s thoughts, I think to her. (Yes, that is when it came to the forefront of your mind. You were able to keep it away from me until that moment. I know there are certain things that we can hide from each other for a short time. Kind of like this.)
I reach into my pocket finding this small ring I had placed their earlier tonight. It is a birthstone ring, not Kathryn’s birthstone but our children so far. The gems are in order, Samantha’s, Crystal’s and then Amanda’s birthstones. I slide it onto the ring finger of her right hand. She smiles at the gift.
Kathryn giggles in her mind, and her thoughts say. (I love it, but I knew about it for a week.)
Now chuckling aloud I say, “I was not trying to hide it, just waiting for the perfect moment to share it with you.” (I have had it for two weeks, and special ordered it for a month before. I was far away when I did that. When we are physically connected is much easier to hear your thoughts.)
Kathryn’s thoughts dance between us, (oh well I guess I will just have to make sure, I never do anything I do not want to share with you.)
My thoughts respond to Kathryn’s thoughts. (My Love there is nothing I do, or will do that I am unwilling to share with you, because I am yours and yours alone.)
Kathryn smiles brightly, and her thoughts reply. (I am too my love, yours and yours alone, except for our children.)
The music changes, it is a shag tune, Kathryn and I know how to dance to this music, and we automatically move into the steps that the song and dance requires. Not that many students know how to do the steps in the dance floor rapidly clears. Shortly after the song began, Kathryn and I find ourselves alone on the dance floor and a spotlight begins to shine upon us. Kathryn and I moved together as we have danced together for decades. We move knowing where the other will be and synchronize our movements to each other and the music. As the song ends, the students still there give us a standing ovation.
It is getting later in the evening, and the king and queen of the prom are crowned. The student body applaud the two, like most high schools the prom King is one of the senior football players and a nice person if you asked me. The prom queen a senior cheerleader and the two have been going out for over a year now.
After the prom King and Queen exit the stage, the student president requests my presence on the stage along with Kathryn. Kathryn and I are both at a loss as to why we being asked to the stage. As we stepped onto the stage hand-in-hand, the student body president presents Kathryn with a bundle of red roses, which happens to be one of the school colors.
Rachel Edmon our current student body president announces, “JJ and Kathryn Meyer graduated last year as their student body co-valedictorians, and over the summer they wed, have adopted two young girls, and have a daughter of their own just born two months ago. That alone is a lot to accomplish in their first year as newlyweds. Only a few months after the wedding Mister JJ Meyer return to our school not as a student but as an instructor.”
There is a round of applause before Rachel continues, “JJ and Kathryn are a beloved fixture of our high school, and Kathryn has volunteered and spent many hours in our study hall helping many students. Mister Meyer has also spent some time there during his free period. Samantha Meyer although very young is a member of our self-defense class here at this high school.” On the screen they display the video of Sam given me a toss from that first day that she attended my class. “What Mister Meyer has taught us from many of his examples, is that nothing is impossible. Sam his daughter, a quarter of his weight and half his height as you saw just tossed him for a loop.”
They replay the video allowing it to play until Sam jumps onto my chest, and asked if I was okay. The auditorium fills with laughter. After allowing some time for the laughter to die down Rachel continues, “Unfortunately, this will be the last year that Mister Meyer will be able to share his wisdom with us. The school board has unwisely decided to terminate these classes. At this time with like to file a petition on behalf of the student body with the school board to continue Mister Meyer’s self-defense classes and employment.”
The auditorium fills with “I’ll sign” being shouted for many students simultaneously. I am not sure if I want to hug every one of them, or tell them it is no use we have already exhausted most possibilities at this point.
The school had been a huge part of Kathryn’s life, there is many pictures of her as a toddler on the sidelines or in the stands. Occasionally on her father’s shoulders as he ran practices. I look at Kathryn who has tears running down her cheeks, and I know this is painful for Kathryn.
With my hand in Kathryn’s hand, I communicate to her. (You know this is not about a crackpot lawyer that is just an excuse the school board is using for us. It is really about our wealth and how makes us a target, the threats Daniel received more likely are the cause.)
Not taking her eyes from the crowd Kathryn responds to me. (That is what started it all, us trying to secure our homes. The school board realized if we were secure at home, the only place they could get to us is at school. They asked Dad to retire early for the same reason. Our wealth makes us a target and they fear collateral damage.)
Communicating telepathically is different. The feelings and images communicated along with what you wish to say, is like reading someone’s facial expressions times ten. (I wish you would told me sooner, I might have made the wrong decision if I had not sensed there was something more.) There was a little bit of anxiety, that my wife would deny the truth from me communicated as well.
Kathryn turned to me looking into my eyes apologizing mentally, (sorry my love.) Along with her apology, I felt Kathryn making the decision, never again hide anything from me.
Telepathy is something new to Kathryn and me, I think to everyone on the planet. Who knows as humans continue to evolve it may become quite a bit more common. The chances up to telepaths finding each other and falling in love have to be extraordinary. After all seven billion persons alive today, how many of those are telepathic, no one is certain. I flash a few images of what I am going to do to Kathryn tonight, and I can feel her body respond. I glance down her body to see her erect nipples for confirmation.
I come to a decision, and I realize it is for the best of the students that I leave, as quietly as possible.
I raise my hands, and then take the microphone from Rachel I say, “I am honored that you feel so strongly. Humbled by the fact that you feel my presence is a necessity. Unfortunately, there is more to the situation, which I cannot share; it is for the best of the students that my tenure here ends. That does not mean the self-defense classes need too. I will work with the school board to see if they can continue. I would appreciate if the students wish for those classes to continue that you petition for that.”
A subdued Rachel retakes the microphone and states, “The petitions will be ready Monday for everyone to sign. I wish everyone a good weekend, and want to see everyone here Monday. Drive safely.”
Rachel looks a little depressed so I asked her if she could speak with us for a moment. I make sure the microphone is off before I begin, “Rachel, the real reason the school board decided that my tenure here be terminated is for the best of the students. They fear that I being here could bring to the school an attempt by criminals to kidnap either me, or one of my family. I will not endanger a single student if I have it in my power. There have been a few threats directed at my family, fortunately none directly at me or the school so far. The school board is correct. I just wish they would have been more open in the true reason behind their decision.”
Rachel looking at me with understanding says, “I had a feeling that story about a lawyer threatening to sue was a little thin.”
I pass on a little wisdom I learned from my law firm by saying, “Lawyers never threatened to sue; they either sue or keep their mouth shut. If you are going to sue someone it is best to do it with as little notice as possible.”
Rachel asked me, “Are you okay with leaving?”
Kathryn and I still hand-in-hand and I say, “Leaving is going to be painful, the school’s been a very large part of my family’s life. It is not something that I would wish to happen, but I know we do not live in a perfect world. Things like this occur because of that.”
Rachel being a smart student says, “It is not often that you can get an education from a billionaire, I am very glad to have known you Mister Meyer.”
Smiling I say, “I will see you Monday, have a great weekend.”
Kathryn holding to the roses and one hand, her arm in mine on the other side we go back to our tables to wish everyone a good night. After those announcements, the party seems to be over anyway. Even the DJ is playing a last few songs as he begins to gather his equipment prepping for his departure.
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