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“Surprise me,” she answers

Oh, I could surprise her with all sorts of things In fact, if surprises are her thing, I can have fun with that

But for tonight, I’ll start with the pizza

I text Rina to ask what the best pizza is around here, then place an order Surprisingly, they tell e lass of wine, and flipping on the gas fireplace in the living rooet co into the roo an oversize, black T-shirt over black leggings, and her feet are bare

“There’s an open bottle of wine on the counter,” I offer

“Perfect”

She pours herself a glass and sits on the couch across frohs in happiness

“Much better,” she says and sips her wine “Being a teacher is a lot of physical work You wouldn’t think so, but it is”

“Oh, I think it’s probably one of the hardest jobs there is,” I reply and rub my hand over my chin “How many kids will you have in your class?”

“Twenty-eight” She winces and then shrugs one shoulder “It’s a lot in one classrooive each child more of my attention”

“Will you have an aid or a helper of some kind?”

“Not that I’ve been told” She sighs “Soes, who need to put in classrooet parents ant to come in and help They’ll read or just work one-on-one with kids who need a little extra attention It’ll work out This is a good school system I knowthe whole building I’ the year started”

“When did you decide to be a teacher?” I ask her, just as the doorbell rings “Hold that thought”

I set down my wine and hurry to the door I take the boxes handed tothe food to the kitchen

“I’ll come help”

“You sit” I point to her and then load up two plates with pizza, breadsticks, and salad, carrying the across from her once more “Okay When did you decide to be a teacher?”

She takes a bite of salad and chews, thinking it over “I was in high school In the su with the older kids Babies are fine, but it was the older ones that I took an interest in And then I just knew It was pretty organic, I guess you could say When did you know you wanted to be an actor?”