The Arrangement: The Finale

ANGELA

Endless Horizons.

From up here, I could see how the school got its name. When you reached the top of the hilly campus, the view really was endless.

The hill was flanked by mountains with thousands of trees spread before us, and the Connecticut River glittered in the sun. Jenny spread her arms out at the view, almost presenting it to us.

I smiled at Xavier beside me. He was frowning at the science building, which looked like a wooden cabin.

In fact, the whole school looked kind of like a summer camp. But at least it doesn’t look like Harvard.

Personally, I would trade the wrought-iron stuffiness for natural splendor.

Even Leah and Ace were enjoying the view.

“Martha, what’s that?” Leah asked, pointing to a cave in the nearby mountain that I hadn’t noticed.

The admissions officer had encouraged the kids to call her by her first name, which made Xavier roll his eyes. But I found it sweet.

Martha kneeled down to be at the twins’ level. “Good eye! That’s home to a black bear named Hank.”

“A bear?!” Ace asked, whipping his head around so quickly that his glasses flew off.

“Yes. He’s a gentle giant, so don’t worry. Black bears are rarely a danger to humans, so long as we don’t get between a baby and mama bear.”

Martha looked up at me and winked. “No one has ever seen Hank on campus. He prefers to stay near his cave.”

“That’s good,” I replied in an anxious voice, helping Ace put his glasses back on.

“But I want to meet Hank,” Leah pouted.

“In the fall, you can meet Tappy the turtle! Now Tappy’s on summer vacation, but during the year she lives in the environmental studies classroom.”

“Cool,” the twins replied in unison.

“That doesn’t sound healthy,” Xavier said under his breath.

I rolled my eyes. Ever since sloppy joe night, my husband had been moody…

I could tell he was torn between work and home, and living with his father-in-law while missing his dad.

But he shouldn’t take it out on me.

“Hey guys, let’s check out the science building,” Jenny said with a wave of her hand.

Ace’s ears perked up, and then he took off running. “Show me the chemistry lab!”

“I’ll beat you there, booger brain!” Leah shouted, racing after him, and I winced.

But Jenny turned to me with a sincere smile. “They play so well together. It’s wonderful to watch.”

“Oh…thank you,” I replied. Jenny followed after the kids, and I hung back with Xavier.

“Did you hear that?!” I whispered.

“She’s just buttering you up for tuition money. I mean, look at this place. They obviously need it.”

Anger bloomed inside of me. “Watch out, Xavier. Your snob is showing.”

Immature? Probably. All the little-kid insults were bound to rub off on me at some point. But what he said was uncalled for.

Xavier frowned, refusing to look at me.

What has gotten into him?!

The building was rustic on the outside, sure. But as soon as we stepped inside, we skipped decades into the future.

In the center of the round atrium was a huge telescope. I gazed up to find the entire ceiling was made of glass.

Sunlight streamed in and fluffy clouds passed overhead.

“This is nice,” Xavier admitted, shooting me a sheepish smile.

I took his hand, a tiny peace offering, and followed the excited babble of Ace’s voice.

“Wow! All this real equipment! Not like the baby stuff I have at home!”

Xavier and I stepped into one of the rooms off of the main hall.

“Do you like to learn about science at home?” Jenny asked.

“I conduct experiments whenever I can,” Ace replied sincerely.

“He’s the big nerd. I’m the movie star of the family, you could say,” Leah butted in.

“That’s not nice, Leah,” I scolded.

“We’re all pretty nerdy at Endless Horizons because we love to learn,” Martha said, turning the diss into something to be proud of. “And we have a theater for movie stars, too.”

Martha took us to the theater, which had comfy old seats and a velvet curtain over the stage. Then we went to the art building and the gym, while she answered every one of the twins’ questions.

I was surprised to find that parts of the school looked familiar to me from my own school days. Some things were state-of-the-art, and some things were normal.

I appreciated that. Especially because the philosophy was far from normal. Martha demonstrated it in her actions: the children’s ideas were respected and their voices were heard.

Maybe it was new age-y. But I also found it special.

As we headed toward the office for an interview, Leah and Ace ran ahead into the sculpture garden. Martha was some paces ahead, maybe to give Xavier and I space to talk.

But my moody husband was not in the mood to talk.

From a distance, I saw Leah whisper in Ace’s ear, pointing at a large bronze horse.

Oh no.

I watched in horror as Ace crouched down, letting Leah climb on his back…and then onto the sculpture!

I sprinted towards them, but I got there too late. Martha had already reached them, and she was…smiling?!

I stopped in my tracks, watching Xavier walk over the gravel to meet them. Martha wasn’t angry?

“I love the teamwork I’m seeing!” she encouraged them. “Leah, can you help your brother get up, too?”

Leah reached out her hand to Ace, and Xavier lifted him up by his waist.

“Look, now you can both ride the horse,” Martha said happily.

“Cool!” Ace cried.

I made my way over to them to find everyone in good spirits. Crisis averted.

Because there was no need for a crisis in the first place.

I turned to Martha, resisting the urge to hug her. Before, she was an admissions officer. But now, she was Wonder Woman.

The way she deescalated the situation, bringing out the best in both of my children, touched my heart.

This is it, I thought. ~This is the school for my kids.~

XAVIER

“We’ll just be a few minutes!” Martha said to me and Angela before shutting the door to the interview room. Finally, the last step.

A “conversation with the young scholars,” and then we could leave this hippy place behind.

“Wasn’t that incredible?” Angela asked excitedly, grabbing my arm.

“Uh…what?”

“Martha with Leah and Ace! She could have yelled at them, but instead she taught Leah to share!”

“You mean with the horse?”

“Yes, with the horse!” Angela replied. But I didn’t understand what she was so excited about.

“I thought that was just normal,” I pushed back. “I don’t get why you like this place. It’s so…granola.”

I frowned as I looked around the office building. It was in an old house, and it felt too homey. Not professional.

Hell, the secretary had a crocheted blanket draped over the top of her office chair.

I was about to point that out to Angela, but her expression made me bite my tongue.

She looked super pissed. Sheesh, what did I do?

“No, Xavier. That was not ‘normal,’” she replied with finger quotes. “And you would know that if you had actually seen the other schools.”

“Angela, that’s not fair…” I knew she was annoyed that I missed the tour of Branford, or Cranford…or whatever school that was. But we’d worked through that.

“I’m doing this all by myself. The research, the scheduling, the tours. And you have the nerve to tell me I don’t know what’s best for the kids?!”

Uh-oh. I had to make this right.

“I never said that.”

“Xavier Knight,” Angela spat through gritted teeth. “You are the most arrogant man I’ve ever met. This school could be great for our kids, but you’re only thinking about yourself!”

“I’m sorry, baby. It’s not that—”

“All you care about is whiskey!” she cried.

The secretary with the blanket turned her head in alarm. Perfect.

“Let’s talk about this outside,” I whispered.

I held the door open for my wife. She looked out at the trees before turning to me.

“Look, I know work is crazy right now. But it won’t be like this forever,” I promised.

“This isn’t about your work, Xavier. It’s about you and me.”

I felt those words like a blow to the chest. And the worst part was that she was right.

“I’m sorry for my attitude lately,” I said, and I meant it. “I just have a lot on my plate right now. And I love your dad, but living with him is…a lot.”

“No kidding! And don’t forget, that whole one-big-happy-family thing was your idea!” Angela shook her head in frustration.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t argue with that point either.

“I know your heart is in the right place. But you keep making these decisions that affect us both without including me,” she paused before going on.

“And now that I feel strongly about something, you’re not even hearing me out!”

Her eyes searched mine, and I reached out, pulling her into my arms.

“You’re right,” I told her. Those used to be the hardest words for me to say. But I was changing, even if I was changing too slowly sometimes. “I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” she sighed. Then she hugged me back.

“If you think this school is right for Ace and Leah, I trust you,” I said.

“I do,” she replied, and sighed. I felt the pressure release from between us.

I kissed her head. For the first time in a week or more, I felt at peace. Because finally, I was alone with her.

“I wish we could get away, just you and me,” I whispered.

“Oh God, me too,” she agreed. “But until we can, I need to know that you’re on my side.”

I pulled back, lifting her chin up to look at me with my finger.

“I’m always on your side.”

Her gorgeous eyes fluttered closed, and I leaned down to kiss her. And then I was overcome with longing.

My body responded on instinct, drawing her even closer as my groin started to swell, and her mouth opened in a gasp. I kissed her deeply, massaging her tongue with mine.

“We shouldn’t do this here,” Angela murmured.

“I know…but I can’t help myself.” I kissed down her neck, and she wound her fingers through my hair.

“You make me so wet when you say that,” she panted.

After all the frustrating interruptions, I didn’t even care that we were at our kids’ potential school.

In fact, the risk almost makes it hotter…

My hands drifted down her waist, touching her hips, feeling the heat of her skin through the thin fabric…

“Xavier!” she cried, driving me crazy. I needed her. Now.

I lifted up her leg, reaching up her dress. I stroked her through her underwear then squeezed her ass as Angela let out a carnal moan.

“Uh—excuse me?”

My wife and I pulled away from each other like we were on fire, which we basically were, but that was not the point.

The admissions officer was standing at the door, staring at us.

“Hi, Martha!” Angela squeaked, smoothing her sundress.

“We’re, uh, all finished here!” Martha said. Her face was bright red with discomfort. Oh, shit. “Thanks for visiting!”

She held open the door and Leah and Ace scampered out.

“Bye, Martha!” Leah called.

“Thank you! See you in the fall,” Ace said, waving his hand sweetly.

But Martha was already heading for the hills.

I glanced at Angela, whose eyes were wide with panic.

The kids loved the school. If Angela thought it was perfect, then so did I…

But did we just fuck up their chances of getting in?