Free Give Me a Reason by Lyn Gardner Page B

I’m busy.” Picking up an essay, she returned to her
reading as if the woman standing a few feet away from her didn’t exist.
    “Of course. I’m sorry I intruded. I’ll let you get back to
work.”
    Although amused by Toni’s obvious brush-off, Laura didn’t
allow it to show until she walked out of the room. Shutting the door behind
her, she broke into a smile that lit up the corridor.
    It was the tiniest of steps, but it was a step nonetheless.
Only a millimeter in length, across a space wider than a canyon, but the
reclusive teacher had spoken, and she had spoken to Laura. From that day on,
Toni’s classroom became part of Laura’s weekly rounds…whether Toni liked it or
not.
    As the days turned into weeks, both women found it impossible
not to think about the other.
    Alone in her darkened flat, Toni would sit with her cigarette
and beer, staring at the bottle of vodka filled with poison, but not
contemplating its contents. A student had made a comical remark one day, and
from the back of the room came a chuckle, low and sexy. Toni knew in an instant
it belonged to Laura MacLeod, and she found herself wanting to look up, to see
the smile, the gaiety...but fear blocked her path. It was unimaginable to think
she could allow a virtual stranger to become anything more. To trust was impossible,
but as each day passed, Toni began listening for the footsteps and inhaling
deeply at the scent of a stranger’s perfume.
    For Laura, finding a comfortable balance between work and
leisure had never been her strong point, so bringing work home was nothing
unusual. Although Duane had called once or twice, leaving messages on the
machine asking for another chance, Laura hadn’t returned the calls. Nightly,
she immersed herself in her work, sipping a glass of wine as she moved through
the papers, unconsciously saving the reports on Toni’s classes until last.
She’d open a file and get lost in its contents, remembering the lesson as if
she was a student and the teacher as if she was a friend. Toni was so animated
in her teaching that Laura found herself watching every move she made. How she
waved her arms to make a point or clapped her hands when a student grasped a
concept, and once, on an afternoon filled with sun and warmth, Laura had heard
her laugh. She couldn’t remember ever hearing anything sound so wonderful.
     
    ***
     
    It was one of those days when you wanted to be at home,
snuggled under the covers with a good book and a cup of tea, but that was a
luxury that didn’t apply to the working masses. Rain or shine, they came to
work and did their time. As she stood under the overhang, cupping her hands
against the wind to light a cigarette, Susan Grant wished that she was a member
of the upper class if only to enjoy rainy days wrapped in the comfort of her
duvet.
    Hearing the door open, Susan moved enough to let Toni out,
and as soon as the door closed, both women hugged the wall to prevent
themselves from getting drenched. Lighting her cigarette, Toni took a deep drag
and then looked at the sky. “Shitty day.”
    Stunned to hear the woman speak, it took Susan several
seconds before she could find her voice. “Yes…yes, they say it’s supposed to do
this all weekend.”
    Toni didn’t dislike Susan Grant. Like Switzerland, her
feelings were those of neutrality where it concerned the blonde woman with the
easy smile. Although she had never joined in the camaraderie that Susan had
offered in the early days, a part of Toni appreciated the fact that she had
tried to include her. Craving a cigarette for more than an hour, Toni,
nevertheless, had waited until she saw Susan walk past her classroom door with
jacket in hand before excusing herself from her class to grab a much-needed
smoke. Having become accustomed to Laura’s weekly visits, as Toni looked out
into the storm, curiosity got the best of her. “Is MacLeod on holiday?”
    “What?” Susan asked, glancing at Toni. Surprised that she was
actually making eye