“Do you have any idea who took these photos?”
Mrs. Dumphrey turned her back and returned to her seat at the other end of the conference table as she spoke. “No, nor does anyone seem to know who placed the envelope in my mailbox.”
“What will you do?”
“It’s not me who needs to take action, Miss Owen.”
“I understand,” Maizy said softly, as she rose from her seat, glancing again at Mr. Ambrose, who looked incredibly uncomfortable at the other end of the table but said nothing. She’d always been kind to him, she’d never been late unless the circumstances were an emergency, and she’d at least hoped he’d say one word in her defense. Something. But he just sat there, looking at the table.
Mrs. Dumphrey took her seat again, her face stoic. “Please let me know your decision as soon as possible.”
“I will.”
When Maizy reached the door, Mrs. Dumphrey held up her hand and said, “Miss Owen, we have the young minds of this school to think of. We can’t have immorality going on under our noses and just ignore it the way they do in town. The parents of your students, past, present, and future, would have our heads. And in any case, if this news ever came to the attention of the school board as a whole, they’d have you removed from your job. Think very hard, Miss Owen, before you make your decision.”
The decision was already made. She turned to Mrs. Dumphrey and Mr. Ambrose and said, “I understand the difficult position I’ve placed you, and the school board in. I’ve already given this serious consideration. I know it won’t affect your opinion on the matter but I am in love with Spencer, Cody, and Heath. We’ve made a commitment to each other and I have no intention of ending my relationship with them.” She held up the envelope containing the photographs. “Seeing something so precious to me dragged through the mud is tremendously hurtful. You’ll have my letter of resignation by the end of the day.”
Mrs. Dumphrey looked down and nodded as thunder rumbled outside. Mr. Ambrose looked devastated. He stood as though he was going to say something but remained mute.
She walked out and made her way down the silent hallway on numb legs. Kinder through second grade were all at physical education. Jan Gaylord looked up as she passed her open door and she jumped up and ran to the door.
“What’s the matter?”
Maizy fumbled with the doorknob to her classroom and looked up at Jan when she put her hand on Maizy’s shoulder. She could barely hear Jan over the pounding of her pulse in her ears. The grainy photos kept flashing through her mind and her skin crawled as she wondered how many strangers would see those private moments.
Jan followed her into her classroom. “Maizy, what happened?”
Maizy felt cold all over as she eased into the chair at her desk and looked around her classroom. Her eyes scanned the nameplates taped on each of her students’ tiny desks. She wouldn’t be the one to hear them read their first sentences. Someone else would do that. Someone else would high-five with them when they got their first report card…at least she hoped they would.
“I’m resigning my position.”
Jan’s jaw dropped. “What? Why?”
“Because sometimes you have to choose between two good things.”
She took in a deep breath as Jan launched into a diatribe she didn’t hear. She turned to her computer and opened a fresh document and began typing. Jan put her hand on her shoulder, jarring Maizy from her letter. “Do you need me to call Spencer for you? You look like you’re in shock.”
Maizy thought about it and smiled at Jan. It was absurd to be pleased while her heart was breaking but she noticed that her friend hadn’t immediately assumed that Spencer had done something wrong. Maybe Jan’s bitterness toward men was easing somewhat. She knew the bears would drop everything and be there for her in a matter of minutes if she asked them but the choice was clear. Yes, she was in pain but this was nothing compared to the soul-deep hurt she’d suffered when she’d thought she and her men were broken up for good. Camilla had been right in her assumption at the bachelorette party.
She shook her head and patted Jan’s hand. “No. I knew this might happen.”
“What happened? I still don’t understand,” she said as she pulled a chair close to Maizy’s desk.
Maizy explained quietly and watched the confusion grow in Jan’s eyes. “There are three of them? That really happens? I thought it was just rumors and gossip.”
Remembering the grainy image of her three men embracing her after she accepted their ring, she smiled and said, “No. It’s very real and I know I can’t do without them.”