Cheer Up, Daddy!

Class is in Session (Part Two)

Andy stood there rigidly until they were out of sight. Relief hit Andy like a truck as he sagged back, giving himself some time to breathe in and out. Today was not his day and this roller coaster had to stop, and then Andy remembered he had to teach a parenting lesson in front of half dozen of hot dads holding their sons and daughters. 

F-

When Andy was done with his self-dilemma over nothing, he went back to the center and spent the rest of his time behind the desk, sneaking as many surreptitious glances he could at the men, the bowl of salad in front of him was left untouched. They were sitting around the waiting room since the children weren't finished with their little tea-time which Andy was unhappy he wasn't invited, Andrea was a bit uptight with her schedule and made sure everyone follow through without messing up the time. Andy scoffed when Andrea returned from the playroom, mentally shooting daggers at her which she kindly returned with a smug look on her face.

Time crawled towards six and finally all the single fathers started to arrive one by one. Nick was listening attentively to Randy's review on his performance in his recent movie, Jet Lag. George was being all mysterious near the window pane, probably holding the urge to take a smoke. Paul was smiling shyly at the inappropriate sexual joke Ryan told him who just came out from the playroom. Finn was nowhere to be seen and Andrea was certainly not happy about it. Andy's pulse sped up as he overheard Ryan announcing to the guys they had a new company to join them from now on, talking about a blonde dude with sharp suit and two adorable twins.

Andy chewed his nails agitatedly, trying to imagine what the mysterious man looked like but in vain when Ryan clearly described a person like a typical straight man. There were uncountable amount of blonde entrepreneurs in Manhattan, still the audacity of hope was a real thing that the man was going to be drop dead gorgeous and he believed Andrea never played with his emotion in this matter.

Andy clearly needed to get his mind out of his pants, fast.

He did not get to see the man because Andrea was propelling him toward the green door, telling him to stop drooling over the men and start doing his job as an educator. He waved awkwardly at Ryan who was winking at him, causing a new wave of heat rose on his cheeks. First he was called Miss Walker and chicken arms, now he was blushing over an insignificant wink like a teenage girl, Andy glad he still had his medication at the back of his medical cabinet. 

"Bear with me, this is the result when you were drunk and woke up to find out you have passed out in Chinatown with a missing cheque from your bag." Andrea shoved Andy inside and switched on the light, Andy stopped hearing a word Andrea said the moment he stepped over the threshold.

It was worse than he had imagined. 

The room looked like something out of Fengshui Mag, or what Andy assumed homes in Fengshui Mag looked like. He had anticipated a postmodernist feel of Asian culture except he was looking at China itself. It was pristine with red gossamer drapes covering high around two bamboo beams, wide windows offering panoramic views of the city. There were a dozen low wooden tables gathering in the center of the room with no chairs but brown cushions, he looked around the room and noticed a few classic Chinese water-paintings and various accouterments were tastefully selected and positioned that gave the room a spacious illusion. Andy looked down to see he was standing on not millennium but Japanese tatami floor, and he kept the best part last as he finally dropped his gaze on the stage. Andy accepted the small wooden stage was for teaching purposes but he was genuinely speechless for the fake gigantic fountain or pond behind the stage. The running water was splashing down into the pond and somehow there were illuminating crystals inside the clean water.

Andrea turned to notice that Andy hadn't been walking in silent behind him all this time. She doubled back and frowned at her brother standing exactly at the entrance where she'd left him, mouth gaped open and breathing slowly, brown eyes fixated on the red electronic lanterns, on the verge of awe.