Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 16
“I don’t know, but it does. This is the best bait, by far. Just try it.” Marta shook her head as she lowered her hook into the water. After twenty minutes she had yet to get a bite. She pulled her bait in and I changed it. This time she got a nibble-just a little one-but that was followed by a strong bite, one that almost tore her expensive rod and reel from her hands. Marta raised her rod and set the hook, cranked the handle and brought her first black of the fall to the boat. Even after I had netted it she commerited, “I still don’t understand it-there’s no way this fish can get that big plece of crab into its mouth.” Then she put on a new piece and went back to work.
On Tuesday I went back to work, spending the morning in a series of meaningless meetings. I had arranged for Marta to meet me for lunch. Tony drove her to school where we joined some of my fellow teachers at a fine restaurant that just happened to serve an outstanding burger even though it wasn’t on the menu. Marta told me that she had been given a new project-modernizing a logo for a well established Fortune 500 company. It would be a challenge and would keep her busy for weeks. Marta explained that she had done this before and that she usually created at least six logos to submit to the company. She stayed with me all afternoon helping me set up my classroom for the opening tomorrow.
We still made love three times a day trying to get her pregnant. The only problem was that I was wearing down. As much as I loved Marta there were physical limits that even I couldn’t break. I woke up in the morning, made love, grabbed a quick shower and drove to work, stopping for coffee and a donut on the way. This all changed one Thursday in early October. I hurried home to do my duty, finding three home pregnancy tests on the kitchen counter They all said, “Yes.”
I almost fainted from the combined joy and relief. Marta told me she had made an appointment with her gynecologist for the following Friday. It was late so I could go with her. We agreed to say nothing until we knew it was official.
I had been uneasy about Marta being home by herself. With the threats against her life eliminated there was no longer any reason for Tony to be here. I made a suggestion to Marta. I had a student last year whose dad, Russ Sullivan, trained guard dogs. He and I had spoken several times while his daughter Amber was my student and he liked me. Amber had a wonderful experience as my student, blossoming both intellectually and socially. I asked if it were possible for a dog to be both a family pet and a guard dog. “It’s not only possible, that’s the preferred way. When a dog feels
he/she is part of a family there’s a natural tendency to be protective. A trained dog is just as loving, but even more protective.”
The following afternoon I took Marta to meet Sara, a nine month old spayed female German Shepherd. She was a beautiful dog, she and Marta hit it off immediately. We made arrangements to come back over the weekend for mutual training as Russ transferred the dominant human in Sara’s life from himself to Marta and me. We took Sara home Sunday afternoon; she was a bargain at $2,500. I walked her around the perimeter of the yard with her at “heel.” We did it again later; I walked and she followed. She stayed within the confines of the yard as Russ had promised she would. I felt much better when I went to work Monday knowing that Marta had not only a companion, but a protector, as well.
We had team teaching in my school-four teachers (English, Math, Social Studies, and Science) all sharing the same students-and this year I had a new member, a Math teacher named Paul DeVito. He was younger than me by a few years. Over the first three weeks of school learned he was an excellent teacher and a great guy. I invited him to a cookout the last weekend of September. “Come at two. We’ll watch football and drink some beer before dinner. I have someone I want you to meet.”
“Please, Pete, don’t tell me you’re fixing me up! I’m OK, honest.”
“Yeah, right, that’s why you go home and work every afternoon…. every evening..and all weekend. You’re new to the area and you don’t know a soul. I have just the person for you-she has a great personality
“Oh no! Please, spare me! The last time someone did me a favor like that their dog was better looking.”
“Well, Celia is my wife’s best friend. She’s gorgeous, sexy, fun, and I’ve known her all her life. She’s like a sister to me. I think you’ll be perfect together, besides the worst thing that’ll happen is you’ll get a decent meal for a change.”
Leave a Reply