The Oak Hotel - Watty Awards 2013 Finalist

Chapter Forty-three - Dream Catcher

Chapter Forty-three

Dream Catcher

Rowan de’Malange sat with her girls at their usual table in the dining room. On a typical evening, the meal would have been accompanied by much animated discussion and laughter. Tonight, however, an invisible wall divided teacher and students. Kayleigh and Lincoln, sitting at an empty table nearby, felt the tension and watched helplessly as the girls picked listlessly at their food.

“How can we be sitting on this bench?” Lincoln asked.

Kayleigh looked over at him questioningly. Lincoln continued:

“I mean, if we’re not really here, we shouldn’t be able to stand on the floor or sit on this bench, right? Wouldn’t we just fall through or something?”

Turning back to Sapana, who was now pushing food around her plate with a corn tortilla, Kayleigh said, “Well, it makes sense that I’m not falling through since I’m not real anymore. I don’t know about you.”

Lincoln’s eyes widened. “Do you think I’ve changed? Like you?”

Kayleigh laughed softly. “No. You’re still back on the roof of the hotel."

“But how do you know?” he asked, wondering how she could be so casual about it all.

“I just know,” Kayleigh said.

“I just know,” said Ms. deMalange at the same instant, “that you will all be wonderful students for your new instructor on Monday.”

Silence from every girl.

“Well, then,” Rowan said after a moment, “I’ll have to tell Ms. Archible how much you all adore her cooking. I’ve never seen such interest in quesadillas and steamed broccoli.”

Sapana looked up, inclined her head a bit to the right and sighed. “What are we going to do without you?”

Rowan smiled, though it was hard won and the girls knew this. "You will all go on being the brilliant young ladies you are. I have no doubt about that. You will continue to learn and grow and—"

"But without you," Sapana said, speaking for everyone. The other girls nodded in turn, eyes brimming.

"If I stayed, it would be you who would one day leave me. I've already told you about my mother. You know why I must go; I'm sure you would all do the same."

Ranks of eyes fell to the table in silent agreement.

Rowan lowered her voice, "I’ll take each of you with me in my heart just as part of myself will stay behind with you.”

Sapana reached out and took her teacher's hand. "Ms. deMalange, what if your mother—?"

Smiling, Rowan delicately interrupted. "I know what you're going to say, Sapana, but no. My mother refuses to leave her home and live here with me. I've already asked her. She's spent her entire life in that house. I must to do everything I can to protect it for her."

It was a statement of truth and the girls had too much respect for their teacher to continue even a weak argument.

Rowan straightened and placed her fork against the rim of her plate. "I will be leaving tonight. Your new teacher, Ms. Matheson, will arrive late on Sunday. I'm certain you will all be the gracious ladies I know so well and welcome her warmly."

Kayleigh placed a hand gently against Lincoln's shoulder and he reached up to touch it. It was a tough knot of a moment, difficult to loosen. Kayleigh's eyes were fully focused on Rowan de'Malange, feeling her heartbreak at leaving these girls. Lincoln, on the other hand, was caught up in the loss so evident in Sapana's eyes. They watched helplessly as Rowan said goodbye to each girl. Sapana held back, waiting for the others to leave.