Carrie nudged Harrison. "You taking Adam to school?"
"What?"
"I said, are you taking Adam to school?"
Harrison sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I guess."
"Good," she said, getting up.
"Carrie it's," he turned to look at his clock. "It's 6:30 in the morning."
"And I do start work today."
"I know, I know," he muttered, rolling over.
She rolled her eyes, picking out her outfit, and doing her hair. Carrie wore a simple white blouse and dress pants. Some of her hair was tied up, while the rest hung loosely down her shoulders.
"What should I do with Emma today?" He asked.
Carrie finished brushing her hair. "Take her for a walk or something. I don't know."
"I need ideas!"
"You've got plenty of time to lay there and think of some," she teased, putting her glasses on.
"Come on Carrie!"
She came out of the bathroom, Harrison following her all the way downstairs. "Sweetheart!"
"Take her to my parents, or take her for a ride somewhere," Carrie mumbled, looking for something quick to eat.
She found a yogurt, eating spoonfuls while packing her bag. "Binders, check. Pens check. Papers check."
"Laptop?"
He brought her computer over. "Can't forget your computer sweetheart."
Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she briefed Harrison on their afternoon plans. "I'll pick up Adam on my way home. Can you take him to practice at 7?"
"Yeah."
"You sure? Didn't you have that interview with ESPN, or is that next week?"
"It's next week."
"Okay," she said, grabbing her keys.
Harrison opened the door for her, kissing her gently as she walked by. "I love you professor," he smiled.
"I love you too."
He watched her throw her stuff into the backseat of her car. "Don't forget Adam has to be at school by 8:00!"
Carrie opened the drivers side door, getting in her Porsche. He hit the garage door opener as she started the car. She backed out of the garage, waving to him until the garage door began to close.
•••
Carrie arrived in her classroom in the University of Dallas before the majority of the other professors. She smiled, seeing her room again. Her desk was finally cleared, and copies of her awards hung in frames behind it.
Sitting down, she plugged in her laptop, pulling out her binders stuffed with worksheets and lesson plans. In the other large pocket, was a picture of her, Harrison, Adam, and Emma from their photo shoot over the summer. She set the frame next to her other pictures surrounding her laptop.
"Carrie!"
She turned, seeing Jess, the math professor down the hall who had been a great mentor to Carrie. Jess came behind Carrie's desk, giving her a hug as she stood up. "Jess!"
"How was your summer? How's the family?"
"Good," Carrie answered. "Adam starts his first day of kindergarten today."
Jess smiled, "he's growing up so fast."
"Too fast. How'd your summer go? Tom's not working to hard?"
"Oh no, he won't be off the couch till after I get home."
Carrie passed by her, spreading out more papers. "How's Harrison?"
She smiled. "Good. Grumpy in the morning as usual."
"I can't see him being grumpy."
Carrie laughed. "You should see him getting up at 6 in the morning."
Just then, her phone buzzed in her back pocket. Pulling it out, she saw it was a picture of Adam with his book bag. She showed it to Jess.
"He's so cute!"
Jess handed her phone back as Harrison called. "Somebody wanted to say hi to mommy," her husbands voice said through the phone.
"Hi mommy!"
"Hi buddy! I saw the picture daddy took of you. You do good in school today, okay?"
"I will mommy!"
"I'll see you after school. I love you."
"I love you mommy!"
Carrie smiled. "And I love you too," Harrison said.
"I love you. And don't forget-"
"Adam has to be at school by 8," he finished for her. "Yeah I remember."
"Just checking."
"I'll see you later sweetheart. Have a good day," he said before hanging up.
Jess sighed from behind her. "I wish I had kids."
Carrie laughed. "You can watch mine anytime."
"I think I might take up your offer."
"Good, Harrison and I can go out for dinner sometime."
She stacked more papers at the very end of her desk. "Harrison going to play football again? There's been plenty of rumors going around."
"No," she answered.
"Why not?"
"He didn't want to, and with another kid on the way in the near future."
Jess held up a hand. "Wait... you're pregnant?"
"No no no," Carrie answered looking down. "Not yet."
"What's this 'not yet'?"
"Harrison and I were thinking about having another kid."
"Ohhh," she said, a smile crossing her face.
"What?"
"Nothing. I taught you well," she said, picking up a stack of worksheets.
Carrie nodded. "You did."
Jess had been teaching here for about 30 years, nearly 28 more than Carrie. When she first got a job here, Jess helped her out, and showed her the ropes of being a college professor. Now, they were the top 2 teachers in the school, each earning 10 awards in their respective subjects.
Noticing the awards behind Carrie's desk, she said, "you're going to pass me."
Carrie turned around. "I don't think so."
"Yeah you will. But out of all the people to beat my record, I want it to be you."
"Why's that?"
"You deserve it. Married to a former football player, 2 kids at home, a doctorate degree. Teaching at a high paying college. You're only 30!"
She coughed. "28."
"Oh my lord girl!"
•••
Carrie looked at the clock above her doorway. 7:59. She wanted to get this email finished before her students showed up. The bell rang and Carrie cussed, typing even faster.
Her students began to pour in, finding seats around her classroom. The second bell rang, signaling the start of class. She glared at 2 boys running in just after the bell. Not the way to make a first impression, she thought. They sat right in front of her desk, beside the Cowboys poster hanging on the wall.
"Hey dude," the blond haired boy said, slapping the other one.
"What Justin?" The brown haired one asked.
"Look man. It's the hot teacher."
Carrie made a mental note to make a seating chart, and to put those 2 way in the back.
"I'm not going to learn anything in this class."
"Isn't she Harrison Ford's wife?"
"I don't know. She's really hot."
They both looked up as she approached. Carrie handed the them both papers. "It's professor to you both."
The boys didn't say anything else as Carrie went over the class objectives, what they were going to learn, the level of the class, and her expectations.
"As you all are probably aware, this is a higher level class, which means, more work outside of class. I'm positive all of you shouldn't have trouble with the outside classwork."
"In this class we will be covering childcare, nutrition, managing personal finances, running your own business, and my personal favorite, interior design."
"As some of you may remember me from last year, I am a stickler about grades. Anyone failing this class will not be permitted to participate in extra curricular activities." She got a groan from her class. "However, if you pay attention, do your work, and study for tests, you'll all have no problems passing this class. Any questions?"
"Are you married?" The blond haired boy asked.
She walked over to his desk. "Yes."
"To who?"
Another hand went up. "Yes?"
"Is your husband going to play football again?"
Carrie bit her lip. "No."
She saw looks going around her classroom. "How old are you?"
Her attention was turned to the brown haired boy. "None of your business."
"Come on!"
"Do you have any kids?"
"I have a son and a daughter."
"What are their names?"
"Adam and Emma."
•••
During her lunch break, Carrie video chatted with Harrison as he fed Emma. "You've got some competition babe."
"Why's that sweetheart? I thought I eliminated all my competition back in high school?"
"2 boys came in late today and sat right in front of my desk. The first thing I hear, 'oh look man, it's the hot teacher'," Carrie said as she laughed.
"Do I have to come in and make a statement?" He asked.
"You're not jealous are you?" She teased.
"Oh no. Unlike them, I get you to myself all night."
Carrie busted out laughing. "Sure," she said as the next bell rang.