“All right, guys, it’s recess time.”
“Yay!”
Rory smiled at their eagerness to head outside. “Pack away your things, and we can head outside.”
“Are you okay, Rory?”
She looked at her friend and colleague, staring back at her with concern.
“I’m fine, Amber. Just a little tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Rory tacked on a smile to reassure her.
“I can imagine with your wedding less than two months away,” Amber reasoned.
The smile on Rory’s face slipped a little.
“But don’t worry, it’ll be worth it because you’re marrying the man of your dreams, and I’m sure it’s bound to be a fairytale even,” Amber continued, oblivious of the turmoil brewing on her inside. “I’m just happy that I’ll get to witness it. I am still getting an invitation, right?”
“Of course,” Rory informed her.
“Good.” Amber’s smile grew, her brown eyes bright and filled with relief.
Rory moved toward the door to direct her students outside, but Amber stopped her with a hand on her arm. She looked over at her questioningly.
“I’ll take them outside. You can take a quick nap. I’ve got you,” she offered.
Rory’s lips curled into a grateful smile. “Thanks. I owe you one.”
Amber returned her smile. “Don’t mention it.”
As soon as Amber and the students had all filed out of the classroom, the exhaustion from her fight with James and the sleepless night she’d had hit her like a moving truck. Rory heaved a heavy sigh as she sank into the chair at her desk. Just as she was about to rest her head on the desk, her phone rang. Removing it from her bag, she looked at the caller id before answering.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetie. I’m glad I got you,” Andrea greeted.
“Why, is something wrong?” Rory perked up.
“No, no…not really. I just called to see if you’re okay. Last night…I know you said you were fine, but…you sounded a bit off, and I was worried.”
“I’m fine, Mom. I’m just…tired. It’s been busy since I got back from Oak Harbor with lesson prepping and planning for the wedding. I guess I’ve just been a bit overwhelmed. Plus, James has been quite busy too…” she trailed off. Coils of guilt knotted her stomach. She’d always been able to tell her mother anything, but now she just couldn’t get the words past her throat to tell her that it was more than just fatigue plaguing her. It had been that way since she found out Andrea had lied to her about her father.
“Why don’t you take some time off work and come visit Oak Harbor? I’m sure Amber won’t mind taking over the class for a bit, and, I can help you with the rest of your wedding list…think about it.”
Rory thought about her mother’s suggestion and couldn’t see why not. Maybe some time away from James and his toxic parents would do her some good.
“That’s actually a good idea, Mom,” she agreed. “I just need Mrs. Connelly to sign off on it.”
“Great, I can’t wait to see you,” Andrea breathed out in relief.
“Mom…are you sure everything is fine?”
There was a short pause before her mother spoke.
“It’s Mom…we had to take her to the doctor. She had an episode and…”
There was a heavy sigh. Rory worried her bottom lip as she waited for her mother to continue.
“She’s at stage two of the disease Rory, and pretty soon it will progress to stage three and then…”
