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I cup the side of her face and lean over the console, placingback, I restmy eyes, I wish so much that I could be more for her I kiss her forehead, then pull away and open my door

She doesn’t get out, and I don’t look back as I walk over to nore the two crosses as they come into view

Gwen is still at the top of the eh the windshield, I can barelyal back to her I pull away, and I try to keep my eyes on the road and not the rearview mirror, but they slide there before I can stop them

Why in the hell does it feel so wrong to see her driving away in the opposite direction?

Chapter 17

Gwendolyn

The bell rings, and as typical with kids, they i from their seats and are quiet no et their attention

“Before you go, stop by rab a field trip perned and returned towith us to the zoo”

I get “yes ma’ams” and “okays” fro papers and books in their bags I stand by my desk with the stack of forms in my hand

“Good job on that test, Joey” I smile and hand a form to the black-haired boy in front of me “I knew you could do it”

“Thanks, Mrs Crews” He beams at me

“I expect all your tests to be just as good” I laugh when he wrinkles his nose “You did great on this one, so you know it’s possible now You just have to work at it”

He looks doubtful, but gives rades were horrible I’ve been working closely with hi

I watch as the last student leaves, and start straightening rade inthat on top of the papers

After looking over the roo the strap of the bag over rab my keys from the top drawer of my desk, and leave the classroom I make the short trek down the hallway to Valerie’s roo her ho the same at the desk beside her Valerie stays after school every day because her husband is the principal and they drive in together When she found out I had two kids in the sa the few minutes it takes me to close down my classroom