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“You couldspringwithus.”
“Live with you?” I was completely surprised by her statement, and I wasn't expecting anything like that.
“É!”
“But I already have a house.”
“Ours isbeautiful.”
“I imagine it's very beautiful, but I have a family, and I live with them.”
“Let'sbe a family.”
“Oh, no, dear. Our family is our parents, grandparents, uncles, cousins...”
“You said Dad washandsome.”
“He is, but...” It was in the middle of the sentence that I realized what she might have been implying with all those childish thoughts.
I knew that she and her sister had lost their mother in a tragic car accident when they were just months old. Somehow, they could have been transferring to me a presence that was certainly lacking. As much as I loved those two little ones as much as my other students, I couldn't imagine that such behavior could be healthy for them. I didn't want them to get hurt or create some kind of mistaken image of me.
“Mary and Anne.” They raised their little blue eyes when they heard me call and stared at me. “Come here with me.” I took their little hands and brought them to the reading corner of the room, near where the cupboard with the backpacks and lunchboxes was.
They stood with their arms swinging at their sides, looking at me as they tried to understand why I had kept them away from the rest of the class.
“You're both very special girls.” I touched the tip of each of their noses. “I love you both very much, and I love being your teacher, but I'm not your mommy.”
“It's not!” replied Mary with conviction. “Dad said that now, our mother is an angel in heaven.”
“That's right! I'm here to help you both, but I'm just the teacher.”
“She said Daddy washandsome.” Anne crossed her arms, challenging me with her gaze.
“He is.”
“So...”
“Surely, at some point, he will have someone who will be very lucky to be part of your lives.”
“You...”
“Oh, Mary.” I stroked her cheek. “I didn't.”
“Why?”
“The right person will fall in love with your dad, and they'll be very happy.”
“But...”
“Look, girls,” I put my hand on each of their shoulders, “I'm very honored to know that you have such affection for me, but I'm just your teacher. Are you all right?”
They stared at me for a moment until they nodded.
“Who wants to choose the book we're going to read today?”
“Me!” Anne raised her hand and ran to the bookcase.
“Children, come to the reading corner.” I turned to the other students, waiting for them to get up and join us.