Teach Me - Brollins

2.

Colby walked into his mother's house and saw her in the kitchen, he watched her cut vegetables on the cutting board before taking a deep breath and preparing himself.

He walked into the kitchen and Holly looked up at him with a smile.

"Hi sweetheart" she smiled "I didn't think I'd see you this early in the day" she shook her head and she watched her son sit down on one of the stools in front of her "What's wrong?"

"I'm seeing someone" he spoke quietly and his eyes met hers and she remained silent, just simply nodding

"Okay" she said not wanting to push him for information "That's good"

"Is it?" He asked and she looked at him confused "is it really good when nobody can know?"

"What are you talking about?" She asked and her son was now the one to remain quiet "You're not dating some felon are you?" She asked

"No" he shook his head with a laugh "We've been together for a few months.. but we are the only ones that can know what's going on.. for her sake"

"I don't understand" she wiped her hands with the towel on her shoulder "You've been seeing this woman for a few months and have kept it a secret from everyone.. why?"

"Because she's Cali's teacher" he said and he watched his mother's face twist in confusion and he watched her move to rinse the vegetables in the sink quietly he could tell she was thinking of what to say next

"Does Cali know?" Holly looked at her son

"No" Colby spoke quickly "I don't know how to tell her or even how to not make it awkward for her.. if the school board finds out that we are together they'll fire Rebecca" he called her by her first name to someone other than Rebecca herself "they have a strict no fraternizing policy between teachers and parents"

"You have to understand that.. and understand where they're coming from with that rule"

"I do" he nodded quickly

"So if you understand that rule why did you go and break it?"

"It wasn't something I planned to do" he shook his head "I was out with Nick and Brandon at the bar about four months ago and I ran into her there.. we were both drinking and we made some decisions I'm not exactly proud of but I never knew she was a teacher, she never said anything about her job to me.. we exchanged numbers and continued to see one another every so often throughout the summer.. for a night at a time" he explained "and when we went to register Cali for school a few months ago and we walked in the class and I saw her standing there, I thought she was just one of the parents and then I saw her writing on the board and talking to other parents.. and then I knew how bad this could end"

"So far we agree" Holly nodded "So what the hell caused you to continue this little sexual relationship?"

"I don't know" he threw his hands in the air "I didn't expect anything to come from it but then the more we got together over the summer and then I saw how she was as a teacher, I saw how she treated people and just how good of a person she was.. I saw the actual person not just the woman I was having one night stands with and she saw the same from me and the next thing I know We are dating and then fast forward a few months and here I am.. in love with her and I have no idea what to do about it because I can't make it official without risking everything we have and risking everything she's worked for"

"It sounds like you're in between a rock and a hard place with this one" she nodded

"Is this the universe?" He questioned "Is it the universe's way to punish me.. like here, you can finally feel loved again, you can finally feel a love so deep and strong for someone again but we're going to make you suffer through it and rip it away from you"

"Sweetie" she shook her head be held his hand up to silence her

"I just think this is the universe telling me I'm not supposed to date again"

"That is not true" Holly shook her head "Colby.." She grabbed his hand "Sweetie.. When you lost Heather you were destroyed for years.. you quit wrestling and immediately took on the full time father role.. you have buried your emotions for years and now you've found someone to bring even a fraction of those feelings and emotions back.. the universe is not punishing you for that"

"Heather.." He said

"She would have wanted you to move on, she told you that before she died.. she told you to find someone who would treat Cali like their own, to take over for her.. Heather would want you to be happy"

"How am I supposed to tell Cali that the person I'm replacing her mother with is her teacher?"

"You don't tell her that because that's not what you're doing.." She shook her head "You will never be replacing Heather. Cali knows that Heather is her mother, and always will be. She knows that her mother was very sick for most of her life and she knows that her mother loved her without question.. She will never be replaced, but Cali wants you to be happy just as much as Heather would have wanted that for you.. just as much as I do, just as much as the rest of your family does"

"That doesn't help me figure out what to do about this whole thing" he shook his head

"You need to sit Rebecca down and have a full conversation with her about everything.. she needs to know everything no matter how hard it is going to be for either of you and you need to come to a decision together as a couple on what you both want and what to do"

"I want to marry her" he said seriously and Holly nodded

"I know that, I can see that in your eyes.. for the first time I can see it in your eyes again"

"See what exactly?"

"Hope.. and love.. after years, I can see my son again" she smiled slightly "and I guess I have this Rebecca to thank for giving that back to me"