Gentle Hand by Nora Phoenix

Author:Nora Phoenix [Phoenix, Nora]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

11

Raf had only managed to sleep for four hours, too hyped up about starting his new job. No matter how often Daddy had told him he’d do amazing, Raf wasn’t so sure. His mind had conjured up about a million things that could go wrong, and he hadn’t even tried all that hard.

New things were hard for him. He did better when he stuck to routines because that way he had less to worry about forgetting, fewer things to mess up because he could rely on habits. Not that he liked routines, but he couldn’t deny they made life easier for him.

Of course, starting a new job meant zero routines, no habits to fall back on. During the interview, he’d met the teacher he’d be working with primarily, a fifty-something woman named Dolores Oxford. She’d seemed nice and hadn’t reacted negatively to Raf at all. Most people immediately pegged him as gay, but she’d been friendly and engaging, so he could only hope she’d stay that way once she got to know him better. God, his brain had better behave today. There was little room for error here, or he’d be out of a job faster than he could say ADHD.

Daddy had made him breakfast, then double-checked to see if Raf had taken his meds—he had—and had packed a lunch—he’d forgotten. Since the school was only three blocks away from Daddy Brendan’s house, Raf had walked over, and he now stood outside, staring at the building. Nerves barreled through him, making his stomach roll.

What the hell had he been thinking he could do this? His father had been right. He was too dumb for this, for anything. It was only a matter of time before he’d fuck this up, too.

“Are you debating whether or not to go in?” a female voice spoke, friendly though somewhat amused.

Raf spun around to find Dolores behind him, her kind brown eyes sparkling. “I’m nervous,” he blurted out, immediately regretting it. He should not have admitted that to the woman who held his fate in her hands.

But Dolores only smiled at him. “You’ll do fine. I have an amazing group of kids this year, and they can’t wait to meet you. I told them all about you last Friday, and they’re excited for you to start today.”

Raf swallowed, his brain darting off in every direction. “I’m excited to meet them as well. And I’m glad you have more confidence in me than I have in myself.”

Oops. That probably wasn’t the smartest thing to admit either.

Dolores put a warm hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “As I said, you’ll be fine, Raf. Let’s get set up.”

Under Dolores’ calm guidance, he managed to collect himself a bit, paying attention when she explained the set-up of the classroom and what she expected from him on the first day. “We’re halfway through the year, which is always a difficult time for the class. It’s when the fastest kids grasp the concept of reading and others fall behind, which can be frustrating for them.

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