Tim walked into the bedroom where his wife went to shower and he could hear the stranger call out to him “Tim honey, I hope you’re getting ready. We are going to be late for Carly’s parent teacher conferences.” Tim completely forgot that was tonight. He was so focused on his interview. Tim decided he was just going in the clothes he wore to work. If they are good enough for an interview, they are good to talk to teachers.
Tim waited a bit before calling out that he will be waiting in the car. Here, he sat and contemplated what could have possibly happened. Why is he the only one seeing this woman as not his wife? Shortly after, the woman and Carly walked out and joined him in the car. The woman snuck a quick kiss on Tim’s cheek and Tim did his best to hold his composure. Tim backed out the car and drove to the school.
Carly had just entered middle school and now there were 6 different teachers to talk to rather than just 1. Tim remembered what a few of her teachers looked like but couldn’t remember exactly. First was Geography, than Math, Reading, History, and Science. Each meeting was supposed to be 15 minutes but in a typical Jennifer fashion, the new woman as Jennifer started asking questions about how Carly can improve. They had been there for 2 and a half hours. Everyone was a bit exhausted and Tim suggested skipping the last teacher. The woman acting as Jennifer briefly considered it before saying “well, let me go see if she has a second. I know Carly is doing well in that class so it doesn’t have to be long.” The woman popped into the classroom and called for Tim and Carly saying the teacher has time. When they met at the doorway, the woman in Jennifer’s life said “She has 5 minutes so we can just introduce ourselves.” As they walked in, Tim’s mouth dropped in shock. Sitting behind the teacher’s seat was a smiling Jennifer.
Jennifer’s hair was the same blonde color but now it was straightened and sitting over her shoulders. Jennifer hated her hair touching her shoulders and why she always kept it up or heavily teased and curled. She was wearing a white blouse and black cardigan with a lanyard over her neck and sat under her collar. She was wearing a fairly long olive green skirt that almost reached her ankles. She also had on some brown sandals that exposed her toes. Jennifer also hated open toe shoes as she has a thing against toes.
“Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, so nice to formally meet you.” Jennifer responded as Tim was still stargazed. He was thinking how this could have happened. Why his wife had swapped with a teacher he barely knew. It was at that moment Tim was thinking of his wife when picking Carly up from school. He vaguely remembers seeing this teacher on pickup watch duty waving goodbye to Carly as she got in the car…”and then I clicked the watch” he thought to himself as he looked down at the watch.
His thought was disturbed when the woman referred to Jennifer in the teacher’s life as Mrs. White. “Oh please, call me Jennifer” Jennifer said. The woman in Jennifer’s life said “and please call me Olivia.” Tim glanced at the lanyard around Jennifer’s neck and it was clearly a staff photo of Jennifer saying “Jennifer White, Faculty”
As he thought about it more. He overhead Olivia say, well I can see your next appointment is waiting so we will get out of your hair. Tim began to sweat. He knew if he didn’t act fast, he might lose his only chance to get Jennifer back. As they walked to the door Tim looked at Olivia then Carly then Jennifer and quickly clicked the button.
Tim looks back as Carly in the teacher’s life waves goodbye and let’s the next parents in. “Oh no.” Tim thinks as Carly closes the door behind him. He looks where Carly was standing and now Jennifer in Carly’s life was standing there. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing Carly’s black underarmor hoodie with matching running shorts. She was texting away to her friends.
Tim quickly decided he could try and swap his wife back into her life. Tim focused on them and got set. He pushed the button and…