Finding Our Forever Page 5

  Because...

  Because coming here was no longer only about her. I feel like I could make a real difference with this job.

  That’s the spirit!

  Cora responded by sending a smiley face, put her phone down and headed into town, where she took quite a few pictures. It was a great way to investigate her new surroundings. Those were the ones she posted on Instagram and sent to family and friends who were eager to see where she’d moved. But it was the photographs of Elijah and the three boys that she downloaded onto her computer when she returned that night. She spent over an hour experimenting with different filters and other bells and whistles on Photoshop. In her favorite photograph, one where Elijah was smiling at the boy to his left, the lighting was perfect as it came through the branches of the trees.

  She could win a contest with that shot...

  “Hail to the conquering hero,” she muttered before she set her computer aside and turned off the light so that she could get some sleep.

  Chapter Five

  Over the next few days, Cora put her classroom in order by making sure the large, commercial-sized kiln and sixteen throwing wheels in the pottery room were clean and in good repair. She also took stock of the clay and other supplies. The teacher before her had done a respectable job caring for the equipment and maintaining the necessary inventory, so it wasn’t too overwhelming of a job. She obtained permission to order some glazes she’d been hoping to get, as well as a new set of colored pencils and paintbrushes for each student, so she’d at least have the supplies needed to start the year off right.

  By the end of the week, Cora was feeling pretty encouraged about beginning school on Monday. She’d been running into more and more students as the boys returned to the ranch and was looking forward to meeting the rest. Other than texting and calling her old friends and her brother, who promised to come out and see her soon, she’d had virtually no social life since she arrived, so she figured more distraction, work and activity would help fill that gap. The neighbor opposite to Sean Travers, Doug Maggleby, a math teacher at the school, chatted with her whenever he caught her out and about. But she’d started to avoid him, where possible. The more he talked, the more uncomfortable he made her. He liked to rave about politics, and she rarely agreed with his opinion. He’d also mentioned taking her to the movies even though he was clearly too old for her. She wasn’t looking forward to having to say no, but knew that was coming. So instead of visiting with him in the evenings like she had the first few nights, she’d sneak out of her bungalow and walk down to the pond to watch the sunset or stop by the horses’ pen to say good-night. If Mr. Maggleby happened to be in his yard working in his fall garden, however, she’d settle for having a glass of wine in her cottage and reading a book or going over her lesson plans.

  She’d seen very little of Elijah since taking those photographs of him horseback riding with the boys. Although she wasn’t pleased by the fact, she’d developed a habit of looking for him whenever she was out. Occasionally, she’d spot him at a distance and couldn’t help admiring what she saw. But he seemed extra busy getting the ranch ready for the fall semester, so she was fairly certain she was the last thing on his mind.

  Aiyana had been especially busy, too. Since Betty May had handled the purchase requisition for the art supplies, Cora had had no interaction with her birth mother—not until Friday afternoon. She was in the cafeteria between lunch and dinner, nibbling on a chocolate chip cookie while she finished reading the orientation materials she’d been given, when Aiyana came in, poured herself a cup of coffee and walked over to join Cora.

  “Hello.” Instantly self-conscious, Cora closed the manual as her “boss” sat down.

  “How are you holding up, dear?” Aiyana asked.

  “Good.” She cleared her throat. “Great.”

  “I’m relieved to hear it—and glad to find you here. This time of year is so crazy for me. I apologize that I haven’t had the chance to check on you. Did you get the supplies you requested?”

  “Not yet. But last I heard they’ve been ordered, so they should arrive soon. Thanks for giving the okay on that.”

  She took a drink of her coffee. “I told you how I feel about art. That isn’t where I choose to skimp.”

  “I have to admit your attitude is refreshing. I’m not used to art being much of a priority.”

  “The practicalities of running a school can often get in the way of even the best intentions,” she said. “Fortunately, right now, we’ve got some wealthy benefactors who are giving us the support we need.” She winked. “Makes a difference when we have a fair number of students with rich—and sometimes famous—parents.”

  “Are we talking movie stars?” Cora hadn’t considered that possibility, but she supposed, since they weren’t far from LA, it was logical.

  “A few. Others are the children of producers and movie execs, attorneys, doctors, that sort of thing.”

  “Are the wealthy kids ones who are typically loved, or...”

  Her lips curved into a rueful smile. “Oh, they’re loved, just a little more generously than would probably be best. From what I’ve seen, being given too much can be as difficult as being given too little.”

  “Doesn’t that create quite a disparity? I mean...you mentioned taking in orphans who have no one to support them.”

  “We have some of the richest and some of the poorest students in the state. But we make it clear from the beginning that everyone is on an equal footing here at the ranch. There is no favoritism, no bending of the rules because of who their parents are.”

  “I can’t imagine that goes over very well—not for people who are used to receiving preferential treatment.”

  “I’ve lost several students over that policy,” she admitted. “All parents agree to it when they enroll their child—but can change their minds once they want or need special treatment.” She pushed a strand of loose hair out of her face. “Regardless, I won’t bend. To me it’s a matter of integrity. And, if a parent will stand behind me, their son usually settles down and begins to learn the lessons they were hoping we’d teach him.”

  Cora swallowed another bite of her cookie. “How does that play out in a social setting—for the kids, I mean?”

  Aiyana took another sip of coffee. “Depends. We take a hard line on bullying, too—watch carefully for it. Most get the message early on that the rules are firmer here, but fair to all, and life falls into a sustainable rhythm. I don’t think we’re too terribly different from other high schools—all schools have some behavioral problems.”

  “But you’ve taken on the behavioral problems other schools can no longer cope with. Doesn’t that ever make you feel...intimidated?”

  “I wouldn’t want to go back and start over—I can tell you that,” she said with a mirthless chuckle. “But now that we’re up and running, and I’ve got the momentum that comes from doing this for so long, it’s easier than it was. Still, I couldn’t continue without the community support I’ve received, not to mention the devoted teachers we have here—and Elijah, who has such a knack for communicating with these boys. Even if I can’t get one to behave, he usually can.”

  Cora pictured Aiyana’s son on top of that horse. “Elijah’s your secret weapon.”

  “Absolutely.”

  She studied Aiyana’s face. Her mother was so pretty despite the lines that were beginning to appear around her eyes and mouth and the ribbons of gray in her hair. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but...”

  “Ask me anything,” she said.

  “I was wondering what nationality you are.”

  She seemed surprised by the question—that Cora would have any interest in that—but not put off. “My mother is a Nicaraguan immigrant. My father was a white farmhand in the Central Valley.”

  “Are they still alive?”

 
“They are. But my mother is no longer with my father. He was an abusive man, so I don’t have any contact with him, either. For many years now she’s been with the farmer who employed them both and has been so much happier. What about you? What nationality are you?”

  Cora thought it might be too coincidental if she were to say she was part Nicaraguan, but that was good to know—filled in one of the many blanks in her life. Aiyana had said her father was white; from her skin tone, Cora assumed hers was, too. “I’m a mix, I think.”

  “And your parents? Where are they?”

  “In LA. My father’s a financial planner. My mother’s sort of a...socialite.”

  She smiled at that. “Do you have siblings?”

  “An older brother who’s larger than life and terribly handsome. Like a lot of people in LA, he’s a movie producer. What about you?”

  “I have one older brother and two younger brothers, but I don’t see my younger brothers very often.”

  She seemed noticeably saddened by that. “They don’t live close?”

  “My brothers are all over California. One owns a winery in Napa. One is in banking in San Francisco. The oldest runs the farm for my mom and stepdad in Los Banos, where I grew up.”

  “Are they all married?”

  “Yes. With kids. What about your brother?”

  Suppressing her curiosity about why Aiyana had never married, Cora answered the question. “Still playing the field.”

  “Sounds like my sons.”

  “Where are they all? I mean, besides Eli, of course.”

  “Gavin, my second oldest, has a house in town but works here. He’s a handyman, can fix anything.”

  “Really?” Cora had been around for five days, yet she couldn’t recall ever seeing a handyman. “Was he at the meeting on Monday?”

  “No. He’s not someone who likes to get involved in the administration aspect of the ranch. He prefers to remain in the background, which is why he lives in town.”

  “How old is he?”

  “Twenty-eight. I adopted him three years after I adopted Elijah. Then there’s Dallas. He’s twenty-five and a mountain climber, so he’s usually off, traveling to remote destinations all over the world. I don’t get to see him much.” She seemed to regret that but moved on. “Seth is twenty-three. He recently graduated from UC Berkeley, wants to be a sculptor. That’s one of the reasons I love art so much,” she confided. “I’m not sure what I would’ve done with him if I hadn’t been able to reach him in that way...”

  “He has...emotional issues?”

  “Anger issues, mostly. I seem to gravitate to the most damaged of the boys. I can’t help trying to make them whole.”

  Did Aiyana always accomplish that? Or were some of her sons too damaged? “Let’s see—Elijah, Gavin, Dallas and Seth. That’s four sons, but I heard you have eight,” Cora said. “What about the others?”

  “Ryan and Taylor are twins. Well, they’re not actually related, but we call them twins because they’re the same age and have done just about everything together since they met here at the ranch. They’re still in college. Ryan wants to be a planetary scientist, and Taylor has set his sights on becoming a theoretical physicist. They’re both too brilliant for their own good,” she added. “Now that they’re actually applying themselves.”

  “Where do they go to school?”

  “MIT. Then I have Liam and Bentley, who go here. Liam’s a senior. Bentley’s a sophomore.”

  “I wonder if I’ve seen either one of them around.”

  “Not yet. They’ve been with Dallas at Yosemite the past ten days. He’s teaching them how to climb.”

  “That’s nice of him.”

  “They live to spend time with their older brothers.” She lowered her voice. “He better not let them get hurt, though.”

  “It’s a scary sport.” Cora dusted the cookie crumbs off her “boyfriend” jeans. “Would you ever consider adopting more?”

  Finished with her coffee, Aiyana pushed the cup aside. “I keep telling myself I need to stop. But every couple of years, it seems as if there’s at least one more I’m dying to take home with me.”

  “That means...maybe?”

  “I guess. It’ll depend on the circumstances.”

  So she would take in another boy if she felt he needed her that much, Cora decided. “Did you always want a big family?” she asked and then held her breath. She thought this might be the most revealing question yet, that it might give her some clue as to why Aiyana hadn’t wanted her, but Aiyana’s face grew shuttered as she shook her head.

  “No. Never thought I’d have any kids.”

  Cora was dying to ask why, but there was something so forbidding in the sudden change in Aiyana’s expression and body language that she could tell it would be too intrusive. Aiyana had essentially slammed the door shut on that subject, and she didn’t stick around long enough to give Cora much of a chance to talk about anything else.

  “I’d better go.” She reclaimed her empty cup as she stood. “It’s been wonderful having a chance to chat, but I’ve got a lot to do before the pizza party tonight. You’re coming, right?”

  Cora had found a flyer taped to her door when she got back to her cottage last night announcing a Kickoff Party for all the teachers at a place called Moonstruck Pizza in town. “I haven’t made up my mind, to be honest.”

  “Oh, don’t miss it,” she said. “The entire staff gets together the Friday before school starts to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of a new year. It’s a tradition.”

  “And the students? They stay on campus?”

  “Yes. The floor monitors keep an eye on them. So come to the party. It’ll give everyone a chance to get to know you. And there’ll be plenty of pizza and beer—and karaoke, if you sing.”

  “I sing a little,” Cora said, but that was an understatement. She sang a lot. She and a handful of friends liked to compete in various local contests, enjoyed standing behind a mic. And she really needed to get out and have some fun. She just hoped Doug Maggleby wouldn’t be too determined to monopolize her time. She could easily imagine spending the evening trying to dodge him.

  “So you’ll be there?” Aiyana seemed eager for her company.

  At that point, Cora didn’t feel as if she could refuse—not if it might afford her a few minutes more with her birth mother. “Sure. Why not?” she said, but as soon as she agreed, she began to wonder if Elijah would be part of the festivities. Then she chided herself for having the desire to see him. She was letting herself get quite a “thing” for Aiyana’s handsome son, even though she barely knew him and he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested in her.

  * * *

  He was there. Cora spotted Elijah as soon as she walked into the pizza parlor and hated herself for suddenly being so glad she’d come. She didn’t need to get her heart broken; she was trying to mend it by moving here, to finally get over the sense of rejection her adoption had engendered.

  But she figured she shouldn’t be too hard on herself. She didn’t yet know anyone other than the staff she’d been introduced to at the school, so it wasn’t all that surprising she’d fixate on the one man she’d met who was in her age bracket—especially when she factored in how darned handsome he was.

  She couldn’t get hurt if he never responded, anyway. His disinterest made the attraction safe. So she figured she might as well enjoy the view he provided, maybe even indulge in a few harmless fantasies. If allowing him to fuel her imagination helped pass the time and made her stint in Silver Springs more enjoyable, why not?

  Feeling slightly empowered by the fact that she had no expectations, she smiled widely when he looked up. Once she found a seat and everyone went back to chatting and drinking their sodas and beer, she even winked at him, since he was still watching her.

&
nbsp; He didn’t wink in return—or even smile. But he didn’t look away, either. He studied her that much more closely, as if he was trying to figure out what she was up to.

  Since Doug Maggleby insisted on crowding as close to her as possible, she was glad when the pizza finally arrived. Doing her best to keep interaction with him to a minimum, she focused on the female English teacher on her other side, a recent divorcée with two kids, neither of whom was with her now because her ex had picked them up for the weekend.

  Cora also kept an eye on Aiyana. She hoped to speak to her mother again—at some length, if the opportunity presented itself. She now knew that she had living grandparents and uncles and where they all lived and what they did for work! It was a revelation, considering the dearth of information she’d had until six months ago. There were a lot of other things Cora wanted to know—but Aiyana was always surrounded by an eager group of teachers or other staff.

  Everyone who worked for her liked her, Cora realized. They all seemed to bask in whatever attention she gave them. Thanks to that, there was no chance for Cora to approach her while they waited for the pizza, and Aiyana left shortly after it came, before the karaoke even started.

  “Are you leaving, too?” Cora asked Darci Spinoza, the English teacher she’d been chatting with most of the night, when another group from their party started to say goodbye.

  “No way,” she replied. “You said you were going to sing. Since I don’t have a voice, and wouldn’t have the nerve to perform in front of a crowd even if I did, I’m waiting to hear you.”

  “Me, too,” Doug chimed in.

  Although Cora was grateful that Darci would be staying, she wished Doug would find other friends. Her other neighbor, Sean, sat in the corner with a couple of people. Why couldn’t Doug go over there? He was drinking too much, which made him feel free to touch her...

  Briefly, she considered going home herself, to avoid him, but she hated to miss her chance to sing. And Elijah was still there. He stood with his back against the wall and a beer in his hand, talking to a man she’d never met. Because that man was somewhere close to their age, was part of the group from the school and seemed so comfortable around Elijah, she guessed it was Gavin, the handyman Aiyana had mentioned and Elijah’s younger brother. Tall and thin, he had a beard and several tattoos on his arms. He was handsome, but not nearly as handsome as Elijah.