a third grade teacher

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I stepped down from the car as the valet handed me my ticket. I walked towards the doors feeling a bit nervous. I didn't really know this woman and now I was going to lunch with her. Wasn't it a bit weird? I guess not. It's probably just me. Once I walked inside I scanned the restaurant looking for her. She raised her hand and elegantly waved to catch my attention.

I walked over to her, feeling my legs slightly shaking. Next to her was her son who was focused on a book in his hands.

"Hi dear, I'm glad you could make it. I never got to ask you your name," she said standing up to greet me.

"My name is Camila," I said.

I noticed that at the sound of my voice Justin glanced up at me before going back to his book.

"What a beautiful name," Pattie said.

"Thank you," I said as I sat down.

"I hope you don't think this is weird, I just thought that I could do something nice like buy you lunch for what you did," she said.

"Oh it's okay, you don't have to buy me lunch, the invitation was enough," I said giving her a smile.

She smiled back, "I insist. Tell me what do you do for a living?"

"I just received my teaching credentials. And I just got accepted to start teaching at Santa Monica Elementary school. I'm going to be a third grade teacher," I explained.

"That's great! You must love kids then?"

"Yeah, absolutely, I could never teach teens," I said.

She laughed, "Yes they are very difficult at times."

"I agree. What is it that you do?" I asked.

"I'm a lawyer," she said, "I work at Whitman firm."

"Interesting, I wanted to be a lawyer once but teaching caught my attention more," I said.

"I was the exact opposite," she said.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" A waiter asked.

Pattie ordered a bottle of wine and I just ordered some water.

"Justin what do you want to drink?" She asked.

He didn't respond until she tapped his shoulder. Then he glanced up at her and began rocking back and forth.

"Sprite?"

He quickly shook his head.

"Pepsi?"

He shook his head no again.

"Lemonade?"

He smiled and gave a quick nod.

"And he'll have lemonade," she said.

"I will be back shortly," the waiter said.

I wanted to make a comment about Justin's autism but I thought that it would be rude so I kept my silence as I looked over the menu. I decided on salmon.

I watched as Pattie snuck the menu on his lap and under Justin's view so she could ask what he wanted. It took them a while but he had finally agreed to something.

When the waiter came back we were ready to order and ordered after he placed our drinks down.

"You must think it's hard," she said.

"Very," I agreed.

"It sometimes is. It all depends on the mood he's in or the circumstance we're facing. If he's upset it's ten times more difficult and if I have a full schedule it's even worse. But I've mastered his ways and in a way I know what he wants without him actually saying it," she explained.

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