Professional Development - Kate Canterbary Page 0,2

place those days. You know, I am capable of keeping things under control by myself for a bit. The last two days before winter holiday break are a fine time to step away and then come back strong in the new year. Strong together."

I put the paper down, flattened my palms over it. "I am looking forward to this," I managed. "I'm excited—I am—but I'm also concerned that we won't be able to accomplish all this in two days, Lauren." I met Drew's gaze, silently willing him to agree with me. Instead, he arched an eyebrow and left me to hoe this row alone. Dammit, I was always hoeing alone. "These goals seem ambitious for the timeline."

"You should give it a try," Drew quipped. "See what you're made of."

That fucker.

With an impatient sigh, Lauren glanced at the clock above her door and then back at us. "It is ambitious and I expect you'll make a concerted effort," she said. "If you're not able to make meaningful progress, I'll have no choice but to reevaluate this staffing model. I believe in you both but this holy war has to end. It's not productive and it's not the best use of your skills and talents. And honestly, mediating isn't the best use of my skills and talents. We have better things to do and it's time we do them."

My stomach sank to my toes. Drew wasn't going anywhere. He wasn't going to be reevaluated out of a job. Despite the obvious fact he was an egotistical jerk with unforgiving standards and a burgeoning god complex, the teaching staff adored him. His tentacles were wrapped around this school and they had been since the very first day. If anyone was leaving, it was me.

The smirk he shot me confirmed it. He'd wanted me gone and now it seemed his wish was coming true. He'd never see my perspective and there was no way in hell I was bending to his.

"Ten thirty." Lauren pointed at the clock. "Unless you want to talk while I pump, this is where we adjourn." She stood, fetched her breast milk pumping kit from under her desk. Her baby daughter was about six months old and an adorable little meatball. "Tell your teams you'll be unavailable those days. I'll forward digital copies of the training and hotel information to you. I'll leave it up to you to figure out your travel plans." She unzipped the bag and set an empty bottle on the table. "Together."

Drew pushed to his feet, his gaze cast toward the ceiling, as if scandalized by the sight of the bottle. "Understood," he said, heading toward the door without a backward glance.

"Yeah," I murmured, still reeling from Lauren's gently issued ultimatum.

This was an independent lab school, an incubator for new educational innovation. We got to test out history textbooks that didn't limit the world to western Europe, and new apps for learning foreign languages, and we welcomed researchers into our classrooms every day. But my contract provided no layers of bureaucracy between me and unemployment.

"We'll, uh, we'll get it together," I added.

She gave me a crisp grin. "Yes. You will."

"Thank you for making this happen. Getting us into the training," I added.

"You can thank me when you get back." There was warmth in her words, but it was severe.

I gathered my things and shuffled out, Lauren hot on my heels as she locked the door and pulled the blinds behind me. My laptop clutched to my chest, I wandered into the teachers' workroom, knowing I'd find Drew there.

There was no reason to seek him out. In fact, this was a waste of my time. I had classrooms to visit and coaching meetings to prepare for, and probably a new job to find. Leaning against the communal lunch table while he slid papers into mailboxes and ignored me completely was not a smart choice.

But I stayed and said, "About this training thing—"

"I'll drive," he interrupted, still busy delivering mail.

"Oh, so, you've just decided that?" I asked.

Goddammit, I should not have picked another fight with him. I should've agreed and skipped this argument altogether. I didn't even like driving but I did enjoy being included in the decision-making when those decisions involved me.

"I have evaluated the facts and reached a conclusion." He was slotting papers into mailboxes like they were darts. "You travel by public transit wherever possible. When you do drive, it's with that charming little girlmobile."

Even if I wanted to, I couldn't fight him on this