CHAPTER 87

  WestDale high school was just as she remembered it. Well, from years ago not from the scene that had occurred some weeks ago. When she had applied for a spot to be the cheerleader's coach at her former school,she hadn't been very sure it she would be successful. She had been used to teaching kids back in Australia but now,she thought that doing something different was what she needed. The opportunity had risen since the school lost the coach just before she was back in the country and when she heard that through Emily, she had decided to try her lack. Emily had encouraged her and Dylan too had been supportive of that but she was still nervous. Was she really ready to face a bunch of teenagers with the issues her peers had had or even worse? What pushed her to give it a try was the fact that she had gone through it and so she would know how to handle them. At least she wanted to believe that. She was still on the phone with Dylan as she walked up the front steps.

               "What if I don't get accepted?" 

                "You have a natural talent Carly,they would be stupid to turn you down. Just get in there and prove to them that you are still that girl who can dance in the air like a star."

 She chuckled,"I don't know,it has been so long since I last danced. Not even dancing, just a simple routine might be very disastrous."

                 "Well,my experience with you in bed says otherwise. If last night especially didn't give you stitches,then you've got this perfectly."

  She smiled and for a moment recalled the previous night. After their drinking session on Saturday with Dylan's workmates,they hadn't had the energy to make love but the next day was much memorable. Her whole body still tingled as she thought of it.

               "Yeah, I agree with you. Have you gotten to work yet?"

                "Just going through the door at this moment."

                 "Okay,wish me luck."

              "You don't need luck baby, you've got this. Go in there and make me proud."

               "Okay, I love you Dee."

                 "And I love you Lee. Call me immediately you are done."

               "Won't I be disturbing you?"

              "I just want to hear the good news while they are still hot."

  She smiled,"Thank you for being so supportive."

              "Always for you."

   The call ended and she sighed before going through the door. She headed straight to where the principal's office always had been. She didn't want to wait since it was already nine,the scheduled time for the interview. She knocked and was immediately called in. She had somehow expected to find the former principal but she met a new face,younger and even more cheerful than the old one. He stood up and offered his hand in greeting. That was a good sign.

               "You must be Miss McAdams."

             "Yes I am. And you are Principal..." she stopped realizing that her nervousness was leading her to say things she wasn't sure of.

                "Mathews is my given name but I like it when my staff calls me Matt," he replied and sat down then ushered her to a seat.

                "I am not a member of staff so I think I should accord you the respect you deserve."

                 "Yet. You are not a member of staff yet. Just at the moment." She gave him a puzzled look. He elaborated immediately. "Carly, right?" She nodded. "I have been doing some research since the day I received your application later. You went to school here,very disciplined, straight A student and deputy captain of the Cheerios for a while. I have also seen some of the videos of you and the other girls dancing and I love your energy. So,I not only want to offer you being the cheerleader's coach alone but also the dance team coach."

   She looked at him in surprise. She hadn't been prepared for that and since when did the school have a dance team?

               "I'm sorry. Do you mean that I don't need to be interviewed for that spot? And also I can be the dance team coach?" she asked as if she hadn't heard him the first time.

   He nodded,"I believe that's what I said and meant. All you have to do is sign an agreement form and leave it with my secretary by the end of the week."

  She sat there for a moment. This felt like it was too much for one person. How could she manage two teams at once? 

              "Can I have a day to think about it?"

                "Of course. Just don't take too long. I had several applications but I am just hoping you will say yes to both because none of the others meet what I am looking for. You fit in so perfectly and I would really like to work with you."

             "Give me a second?" She was already up before he even replied. She went into the hallway, walked to the end  and took out her phone then called Dylan immediately. She picked up after the second ring. 

                 "Hey you,done already?"

              "Yeah,he is offering me the position."

               "That's good,right?" She sighed but didn't reply."What is it? You don't sound too happy."

               "He is offering me the dance team coach spot too."

                "Wow! That's amazing!"

               "I don't know, won't it be too much? I mean, I will have to work double and practice is always at the end of all classes. I have Teddy and you and if I work double I won't have enough time for you guys. You are more important to me."

                 "Hey, just breathe. You don't have to do both in one day,you can schedule a specific time in a day for one and do the other one the next day. You want it,right?"

               "Yeah,I want this but I don't want it to come between us."

               "It won't. It's what you love and I wouldn't deny you that. Please take it,we will always have time for us. Tell you what? How about you guys move in with  me permanently so that we will always have each other in the evenings?"

               "You mean me and Teddy?"

                 "Yeah. And when Ravenna isn't with her father or your parents she can come over too."

 She nodded vigorously,"Yes...oh my God yes! I would love that very much."

                 "Great! I'm so glad you accepted it. Now go back in there and take the job. Do what you have always loved."

               "I love you so much. You are too good to me."

                "That's because you mean the world to me."

                 "I'll see you later?"

                  "Definitely."

   She ended the call, exhaled with relief. She wanted to jump for joy but remembered where she was. What would the students passing by think of her? This day had turned out in a way she wouldn't have thought of. She returned the phone in her pocket and went back to the office. This time there was a girl who had been summoned in between the minutes she had left the office. A mini version of Emily Hill. She hoped that if she was the one she thought she was, she wouldn't be that mean.

              "What have you got for me?" the principal asked.

               "I'll take it."

                 "Both?"

                   "Yeah,I'll take both."

                  "I had a feeling that you would come to that and in that case,this is Alison Carter, she's both head cheerleader and dance co-captain so you will be working closely with her."

  She turned to the girl who was already offering her hand respectfully with a smile.

              "Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

                "A pleasure to meet you too Alison. We will be seeing each other soon I believe."

               "Yeah I can't wait."

               "Okay Alison,you can get back to class now. You will interact more during your practice sessions." He then took out a form and handed it to her. "Submit it by Wednesday latest. All the best."

               "Thank you."

                        ★★★

       SUMMER...

      Dylan looked at the time on her wristwatch and smiled. She had finished filling an already solved case,her last piece of work before she headed home. Thanksgiving had come and gone, Christmas had passed some months back and now it was summer and the going was as great as she would have loved it. She was satisfied with her work, her life and finally she had found her nirvana. She now didn't have to work late wondering what she would go to do if she went home early. She had a reason, reasons to leave work and that's why she was smiling. She looked across the desk where Kenny was seated busy with his own part of work. Just like she had thought,Kenny turned out to be a pretty good partner. Fun to be around,kind hearted and he always had her back. Looking back in her life, she couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy. She pulled her chair back and leaned her head against it's neck and letting her hands free. 

                "Not done yet?" she asked in a mocking voice. That was their way of talking every day. Kenny looked up and faked a shocked and angry face.

                 "No,this isn't happening again,you cheated!" he announced loudly making everyone else in the room look at them.

                 "Uh-oh, now they think I'm some kind of untrustworthy partner thanks to you. I didn't cheat,I just worked hard."

                  "Or maybe it's because you have some kind of motivation which I don't have. God, you are so lucky."

                 "I know and you will get there some day." She remembered something and decided to tease him. "How is the going with her brother,any luck?"

  Kenny blushed then looked up,"Not even close. I don't think he really shares the exact genes with his sister." His whole face screamed that he was lying. She chuckled but let the matter go. 

                 "I'm going to go submit  this to the captain then head home. Or do you want me to wait for you?"

                  "No,you go be with your woman. I'll manage here and also, there's someone I have been eyeing here for a while now. I want to stick around and see if I'll have any luck,"he turned and directed his gaze to a guy who had joined the team just some weeks ago. He was good looking and definitely gay but even so, she didn't think he was the type of guy who would work for Kenny. But,who was she to get in the way?

     She nodded,"Okay. I'll see you soon then, good luck with the hunk." She winked then stood up and headed to the captain's  office with the fully worked on file to submit it to him before heading home.

                             ★★★

      Carly sat in the car in the parking lot of the police station patiently. Nothing felt more right than the feeling she had inside her knowing that she was waiting for the love of her life to walk out of the building any minute now and she would drive them home to another evening of love making and everything else she had missed for so long. Two months into the summer which was what she had missed about Los Angeles. Comparing the cold in Australia,this season felt heavenly. Walking on the beach in the late evenings holding hands with Dylan, walking in the water on the edge or just watching the sunset together. The last few months had been the best she had had in a very long time. She was just grateful. I mean what wasn't there to be grateful for? Teddy's recovery had come in a way she had never thought was possible. He was so full of energy now,he had joined school now and by the look of things and her constant follow up,he had adjusted quite well to the new system,he was no longer scared of anyone and all he could talk about was how he had made friends. She knew she didn't have to worry about him fitting in now. Perhaps this was even what she had been failing to see when she was away. Maybe this is what they hadn't discovered then because, why else would they suddenly be so happy here. This was their home, always had been. It just went cold when they left but now that they were back,they were beginning to warm it up. She had one person she was grateful for most and now that person was walking right towards her gracefully from the building. She loved her walking. It still had the basket ball spring she remembered back in high school. She got out of the car smiling and waited for her outside with a warm smile.

               "My love?"

                 "My love," she replied casually and embraced her. "I missed you."

                "No,that won't do. I'm gonna need a lot more than that to believe that you missed me indeed."

                "Oh?" she raised an eyebrow. Dylan nodded. "How about this?" she pulled her by her collar closer to her face and kissed her, lightly at first but deeper within seconds."

                 "That's more like it. So,where to?" Dylan asked.

               "Wherever you want us to go,"she replied suggestively.

                "Hmm,how about we hire a boat, sail across the sea and chase the sunset. Wherever it lands us?"

   Carly laughed heartily,"I would really love that. There's just one tiny thing."

                  "Not so tiny anymore." They both laughed. "They grow so fast."

               "I swear, it's only been a few months now but my eight year old boy is so grown. I sometimes don't believe just how the days come to pass. He has changed a lot."

                 "I agree and he is just the best. How is he fairing?"

                "He still wants you to see him compete against his classmates."

                "Do you think he will win?"

              "He had a great teacher and he is passionate about it. Those two things are enough for me to know that he is going to win."

               "Our presence will be the third thing. I'm really happy that the captain agreed to give me some days off. I didn't want to miss it."

                  "I'm really glad too."

                   "Let's head home."