Free Lessons Learned by Sydney Logan Page B

seriously beginning to think men gossiped worse than women.
    “Lucas has a big mouth.”
    “It’s not really his fault. Tommy just can’t keep a secret.”
    “It’s not a secret , necessarily. It’s just another reminder that nothing in this small town is sacred.”
    She smiled.
    “Tommy says you are absolutely all he talks about. He really cares about you, Sarah.”
    “I care about him, too.”
    “But?”
    “But I’m an emotional mess, and I’m just not sure a serious relationship would be the wisest decision right now.”
    “I disagree. I think focusing on something positive and good is exactly what you need. Besides, Lucas has his own demons. Maybe the two of you can help each other.”
    Daniel began to wiggle in my arms, and I snuggled him close to my chest, burying my nose in his hair. He always smelled so good, and I wondered if that was true of all babies or if it was just him.
    “Lucas hasn’t told me much about what happened in New York.”
    “He hasn’t told Tommy a lot, either. You know, if you’re interested, we could do some digging. The Internet is a glorious thing.”
    I was already shaking my head. “No way.”
    “Don’t tell me you aren’t tempted, Sarah.”
    “You know, Lucas could very easily do his own digging—and I guarantee my demons would be much easier to find—but he hasn’t. He’s respecting my privacy. Are you saying I shouldn’t do the same for him?”
    “Of course not,” she replied. “I’m just saying it’d be tempting, that’s all. Something brought him here.”
    “He’ll tell me when he’s ready.”
    After Daniel awoke from his nap, the three of us spent the rest of the afternoon baking and watching cartoons until they finally headed home for dinner, leaving me with my jumbled thoughts and dozens of cookies.
    I boxed them up, deciding my creative writing class needed a little taste of Grandma Grace.

    “I was just like you when I was a senior.”
    Eager hands reached into the box of cookies while I walked up and down the aisles.
    “I could not wait to leave Sycamore Falls. My grandma was the one to suggest I find a college in the city. In her mind, the only way I could truly understand the world was to live in it. She and my grandfather had lived in Atlanta for a brief period of time, and it was then, and only then, did they truly appreciate living in a small town like Sycamore Falls.”
    “How could anyone appreciate living here?” Carrie asked.
    I could tell the rest of the class was wondering the same thing. They were just too busy devouring my cookies to question anything I was saying at the moment.
    “It was confusing to me, too,” I replied, settling onto the edge of my desk. “I was so desperate to leave it all behind I barely glanced in the rear view mirror as I drove out of town.”
    “But you came back,” Matt pointed out, and the class shook their heads. It still amazed them I’d actually chosen to return.
    “You know, Miss Bray, maybe you just moved to the wrong city,” Howie suggested.
    “I mean, going from Sycamore Falls to Memphis must have been a shock to the system. Maybe you should’ve picked a medium-sized town.”
    “Maybe so, but Memphis offered me a full scholarship.”
    The seniors murmured their agreement. When money is in question, you choose the school offering you the best deal.
    “But that’s a discussion for another day. I told you about my grandma—and shared her cookies with you—because I want you to think about people who inspire you. People who accept you for who you really are. My grandma taught me so much more than just how to bake cookies. She taught me it was okay to ask questions and she encouraged me to spread my wings. I want to know who inspires you. Tell me all about the person in a 300-word essay, which we’ll read aloud tomorrow.”
    They groaned, not necessarily because of the homework, but because none of them were particularly comfortable with public speaking. I softened the blow by letting