The afternoon seemed to go slow for both women. Just as Lonna had thought Lauren had found the message hidden on the leaflet that Zoey presented her with. “Need to speak to you after class. Will knock four times on your room door, so that you will know it's me. See you then.” It had been signed with a L so she knew that it had come from Lonna. Lauren wondered what had happened and had difficulty teaching that afternoon. It was a good thing that none of the classes were paying too much attention to what they were supposed to be learning that afternoon other than Zoey that was. She seemed happy to dote on Laurens’ every word, nothing unusual there she was such a good girl Lauren thought.
Lonna had a slow afternoon as well she was just glad that none of her teachers chose her to answer any questions during the afternoon she was not sure she would be able to answer them. She had managed to stop Jake from walking her home that afternoon. She had promised that she would meet up with him on Friday night after school as her Mom was on a late shift that night so he would be able to spend some time at her house before she got back.
The thoughts that Lonna had been having throughout the afternoon were beginning to worry her a great deal. She was now becoming attracted to Jake the more time she spent in Laurens’ life the harder it was not to. Her default way of thinking of Mrs Rodriguez was to think of her as Mom no matter how hard she tried not to do so. That and the Rodriguez house was now her home, she knew this was not right but it felt right. She was enjoying staying there and having a Mom for the first time. She had lost her Mother and father when she was so young it was nice to have a mom for just now.
The bell that signed the end of lessons for the day rang a short while later and Lonna headed towards her locker to pick up her things and to hopefully see Lauren. She hoped that Lauren had seen her message and was waiting for her otherwise. No, she had to have seen the note see knew that Zoey would have handed over the leaflet in an attempt to gain more brownie points and that Lauren had found her message. She had a backup plan of the books that Mrs Sheppard had told her would be there tomorrow. So even if she didn’t speak to Lauren today she would tomorrow, she just had to.
When Lonna reached her locker, her locker. It had been a long time since she had a school locker before this week but she had gotten used to thinking of this one as hers. It had been Lauren when she had been a student last week but now she was the teacher she didn’t need it so fate or whatever it was had given her it as part of Laurens’ former life.
She arrived at the door to Laurens's room and as promised gave the four knocks on the door. “Come in Lonna. The key is in the lock. so can you lock it as well?” Came the voice from the other side of the door. Lonna opened the door walked inside and locked the door behind her. “I got your note nice touch having Zoey deliver it for you,” Lauren said as she sat down at what had now become her usual seat.
“I thought so. I mean I knew I could count on her to pass it to you and not to read it.” Lonna explained as Lauren adjusted her position in her seat. Lonna took a good look at the now Vietnamese Lauren for the first time and saw that it was quite a change from how she had looked the last time she had seen her. She hoped that Lauren had noticed the change and she didn’t have to be the one to tell her.
“It’s ok Lonna I know. I saw myself in the mirror this morning as I was getting dressed. How could I not? Lauren told Lonna letting the now younger woman off the hook. She had considered not telling her and waiting to see how long it took Lonna to say anything.
“Are you ok with it?” Lonna asked.
“If you had asked me that this morning you would have gotten a different answer. I did all my crying then. I have just about gotten used to it throughout the day. I mean I was thinking of playing a practical joke on you by not saying anything.“ Lauren told Lonna with a smile on her face.
To Lonna, the smile showed the difference between the Caucasian Lauren that she had been and the Vietnamese Lauren that she now was. Not that she would tell her. “What do you think of the lecture are you going to go to it? I think one of us needs to talk to this Professor don’t you?” She asked.
“I couldn’t agree more. That is why I waited on you before I did this.” Lauren said as she picked up her phone and dialed a number that would she have been able to dial from memory just a few days ago. Not that she would let on to Lonna she had to look it up a few minutes before Lonna had arrived.
“What are you doing?” Lonna asked nervously.
“You will see as Lauren put the phone to her ear and listened to it ring. “Hello is that Mrs Rodriguez? Lauren asked with a frown appearing on her face. “Oh good. This is Lauren Tran one of your daughters’ teachers’” Lauren continued to say with the frown on her face deepening almost with every word she was saying. “No she is not in trouble as a matter of fact she has shown an interest in the subject of mythology and I wanted to encourage her. There is a lecture being given this evening at the local museum that I believe would help and I would like to take her to it if you don’t mind Mrs Rodriguez. Oh, that’s great I will send her home with a permission slip right away and I will pick her up around 7.30 this evening. Thank you, yes you are right. I look forward to meeting you this evening.” Lauren said ending the call and placing the phone on her desk.
“Are you ok Lauren? I know that couldn’t have been easy. Lonna asked the woman sitting in front of her.
“She didn’t even recognize my voice. How could she not recognize my voice?” Lauren said with the tears starting to bubble up.
“It must be the stone somehow. She must only know you as my teacher because of it.” Lonna said trying to reassure Lauren. “The same way that no one notices the changes happening between us and sometimes not even us.” Lonna went on to say.
“You are right Lonna. It has to be that stone and hopefully, we will find out more this evening. I booked two tickets earlier this afternoon between classes when I got your note. Now here is your permission slip to get signed, you had better hurry home and get yourself ready and I will see you later.” Lauren told Lonna and handed her a piece of paper that Lonna recognized as a school permission slip.
“I hope you are ok Lauren. I will see you tonight.” Lonna said as she turned and unlocked the door to the classroom.
She was just about to walk out when Lauren turned to her and said “Remember when I see you later you must call me Ms Tran and not by my first name.” with the sadness was evident in her tone of voice.
“Yes, Ms” Lonna replied unable to say the teacher's surname at that point.
