From Mrs. To Mama

Three

My phone dinged with a Facebook message:

"Hey there, Abbs... I usually don't friend my students until they graduate but we're cool."

It was from my my AP English teacher, Mrs. Andrea Borrelli- a middle aged woman with brown hair and matching eyes that tell a story. She doesn't think she's anything special but the warmth she radiates is indescribable. It's as if she attracts the broken and with her smile and then she glues your pieces back together. If you were to ask anyone else at Honeoye Falls-Lima Central High School they'd tell you she's the one student's go to to cry, and they're not wrong.

"Totally Abbs, well I was debating sending you a friend request then I was like Bryan is your friend on FB so, then I decided to go for it." I responded quickly, trying not to embarrass myself though not performing as well as I'd hoped. 

A few weeks prior she had accidentally called me "Abbs" in class. I'm not sure how 'Margaux" sounded like Abby but I have a good sense of humor and didn't mind. She told me it was because I reminded her of a friend from college, I just laughed and said "Okay Abbs." After that the name stuck and we called each other Abbs all the time. I don't know why I kept the Abbs thing going, I guess it was our inside joke.

Somehow during junior year, word got around that I was pretty handy with a camera, eventually Mrs. Borrelli asked me to film a show she directed at her church.

"I'll come to both the Friday and Saturday night show. I'll film both of them and then I'll splice the footage together so you get the best of both nights."

She agreed.

Friday night I showed up early to St. Catherine Of Siena Church with a few of my friends about a half an hour early.  It's a beautiful white building with massive windows and wide arched driveway. Once we walked inside we see tables aligned perpendicularly to the stage. Mrs. Borrelli greeted us at the door, showed my friends where they would be sitting and me where I could setup my camera and tripod. The tables are lined with red plastic table clothes and the families and friends the stars' bustle in and find their seats. The crowd is roaring with anticipation and I am in awe of the excitement that was in the room. 

She introduced me to the man who was doing the lights, a loud, round man who vaguely resembles Santa Claus. Once I was set up, Mrs. Borrelli told me she had to go backstage. I smiled and waved and continued talking to the loud man. Moments later, he made the lights in the room flicker twice to let the audience know that the show was about to start.

The spotlights came on as the show began and as it continued, Santa was heckling the actors, a  show custom that the audience is encouraged to participate in. Maybe it was because I was nervous, or maybe it was because Santa was a true comedian, either way, I thought he was hilarious. 

The show was incredible. After the closing song had been sung and the actors and actresses had taken their bows, they began mingling with the audience. I remember feeling so proud of my teacher, watching her be apart of something that I knew she was so passionate about.

I waited with my new friends for Mrs. Borrelli to finish talking to some audience members but after a few minutes of waiting we decided to just walk up to her. 

"You did so amazing. I feel like a proud mom." I said leaning in to give her a hug.

Her eyes glistened as her smile widened, "well thanks."

The four of us chuckled as we told her our favorite parts of the show, though shortly after we started talking, she was called over to another group of people.

We said quick goodbyes and went our separate ways. My dad picked us up from the round driveway and took us home.

The next day my dad told me that he couldn't pick me up from the show that night so I had to think of a Plan B. I really wanted to see the show again-I didn't get to appreciate it as much as I wanted to. I wanted to go again-I needed to go again.