Fire, The (30 page)

He carried the thought to King Street but not beyond the day. Kevin never returned to Asa's house and the couples never dined. Kevin Johnson never saw Asa Johnson again.

CHAPTER 52: SARAH

Saturday, June 4, 1910

Sarah pulled the handbill from her purse and smiled. The flier advertised the event as a "famous show," but she knew better. She had seen the same kind of spectacle in Terre Haute, South Bend, and Indianapolis. The show was not a show. The show was a circus.

She put the flier back and placed her hand in the hand of the man to her right. They sat in the bleachers with three hundred others in the biggest temporary facility Wallace, Idaho, had ever seen. Four large tents, including the big top, had been raised the previous day in the city park.

"You look happy," Kevin said.

"I've never been happier."

Sarah meant it too. There was her eighth birthday, of course, when her father had actually bought her a pony, and the time, ten years later, she had won an essay contest and a trip to Chicago. She had also been pretty darn happy the day she got into Indiana State, but even that could not compare to this. Sitting next to the man she loved, anywhere, was heavenly.

The spectacle itself wasn't too shabby either. With clowns, acrobats, trained horses, and "two herds of performing elephants and droves of Assyrian and Siberian camels," the show that was a circus was the most impressive thing Sarah had seen all year.

Sarah watched a few workers move equipment during the intermission and then shifted her attention to the far side of the tent, where more than a hundred children she knew from school gathered in their usual groups. They differed in age, gender, personality, and ability, but all had at least one thing in common: they had entered the big top for free.

"It was nice of that anonymous man to donate all of those tickets," Sarah said playfully. "He knew exactly what this town needed right now."

"I'm sure he just wanted to reward the students for being so good this year. A lot of men would love to play Santa Claus at least once in their life."

"Would those men include a dashing science teacher?"

Kevin chuckled.

"How did you know?"

"Josie told me. She was in the school office when you met with Principal Morrison and overheard your offer to buy two hundred tickets. She thinks you're the best thing to hit this town since Cracker Jack."

Sarah squeezed his hand.

"So do I."

"It's nice to know I'm as popular as a snack."

Sarah laughed.

"You're more popular in my book, much more. You did a wonderful thing, Kevin. You reminded the children that the world is not only a place where we live, work, and die but also a place where we laugh, sing, and enjoy each other. I wish only that Josh could have seen this."

"I do too," Kevin said with a sigh. "I do too."

Sarah scanned their section of the bleachers for eavesdroppers. Seeing none, or at least no one who plausibly fit the description, she resumed the conversation in more hushed tones.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"It depends how personal. I'm not ready to show you any birthmarks."

Sarah smiled.

"It's not that personal, but it is personal."

"OK. Ask away then."

"Where did you get the money to pay for this?"

"Must you know everything about me, Miss Thompson?"

Yes. I want to know everything about you and then some.

"A few tidbits would be nice."

"If you insist."

"I insist."

Kevin smiled and looked at the inquisitive woman holding his hand.

"OK. If you must know, then I'll tell you. I'm not quite the church mouse I make myself out to be. I come from old money – money so old that it's started to collect cobwebs."

Sarah laughed.

"I figured as much. I don't mean to pry, Kevin. I don't. I'm just curious. Very few people of means come to places like Wallace to become teachers. Even fewer share their wealth as freely as you have."

Sarah looked at him thoughtfully.

"I know what you did for Sadie."

"You do?"

"I do. She told me. She didn't tell me everything, of course, but she told me enough. She said that you talked her out of working for Maggie Ryan, paid off her debt, and found her the job at Maude's. I'm sure those are just a few of the many reasons she adores you."

"Don't read too much into that, Sarah. I would have done the same for anyone in that situation. I had an opportunity to help someone in a predicament and I took it."

"You don't need to explain yourself. You turned a life around. That's more than most people can say in a lifetime. You're a truly incredible man, Kevin Johnson."

"You're being kind."

"I'm being truthful. One can be kind and truthful at the same time."

"I suppose they can," he said with a laugh.

He put his arm around her and pulled her close as the band began playing "Entry of the Gladiators" and a herd of pachyderms marched into the ring. A minute later, dozens of other performers followed suit, and the greatest show on Earth, or at least the greatest show in Shoshone County, Idaho, picked up where it had left off.

Kevin and Sarah left the grounds at nine thirty, after spending two hours in the big top and another hour in the smaller tents. By the time they found some space and privacy on Sixth Street, the spring sky had begun to darken.

"Thank you for taking me," Sarah said as she clung tightly to Kevin's arm. "I've been to the circus before but always with my brothers. You're better company than my brothers."

Kevin chuckled.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should. My brothers are nice people."

When they reached Bank Street, they turned east and lost a couple that had followed them from the park. A moment later, they found Seventh Street, headed south, and began the final stretch to the Marshall house. They had the street to themselves.

"Do you miss your family?" Kevin asked.

"I do. I miss them a lot. They mean the world to me."

Sarah glanced at Kevin, expecting to see an approving nod, but instead saw a man who appeared suddenly troubled. Surely he didn't expect her to say that she
didn't
miss her family.

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious. A lot of people who travel far from home do so to get away from home. I knew you wanted to get away from your fiancé, but I didn't know whether you wanted to get away from anyone or anything else."

"I don't. I miss my family and Indiana. I'd like to go back someday."

"I see."

Sarah saw that his serious expression hadn't changed.

"You seem troubled by that statement. Wanting to see one's family is not unusual."

"It's not unusual at all," Kevin said. "In fact, it's perfectly normal. Who wouldn't want to see their family again? Most people like their family."

"Don't
you
like your family?"

"Oh, I do. I like them a lot. I miss them probably as much as you miss your family, but I sometimes wonder whether there aren't situations when it's best to leave them for a long time."

Sarah looked at him soberly.

"Do you mean situations like ours?" she asked.

Kevin nodded.

"I can't imagine never seeing my family again, Kevin. I truly can't."

Sarah tightened her hold on his arm but kept her eyes forward.

"Even so, I understand it's the nature of man to leave his home and go forth into the world. I wouldn't be here if I didn't possess at least a bit of an independent streak. I guess I wouldn't know what I was capable of doing until confronted with that decision."

"I'm not suggesting anything, Sarah. I'm just inquiring. I understand your view completely. You wouldn't be normal if you didn't want to see your family again."

Sarah brightened when she saw Kevin break into a soft smile. Whatever was troubling him had clearly passed or at least had been relegated to a back burner.

The next five minutes passed in blissful silence as they continued down Seventh to Garnet and within a stone's throw of the Marshall house. The stars were out in force on the surprisingly warm night but not the comet. Edmond Halley's namesake had long passed out of sight and wouldn't return until the impossibly distant year of 1986. Sarah wondered whether she would live long enough to see what Kevin had called a "dirty snowball" a second time. She doubted it.

Sarah sighed as Kevin led her halfway up the walk to the house, stopped, and took her in his arms. This was the part she liked best, the part where the Marshalls were asleep, the street was dark, and he kissed her like she was the only person who had ever mattered.

"I could stay here all night," Kevin said. "It would be worth it just to look at your face."

Sarah laughed.

"What am I going to do with you?"

"You can pack me off to Indiana."

"Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Johnson. That thought has crossed my mind."

Kevin smiled and kissed her softly. He studied her face for a moment, brushed her bangs off her forehead with his hand, and looked at her with serious eyes.

"You look a little preoccupied tonight," he said. "Do you have something on your mind?"

Sarah brought her hands to her cheeks.

Is it that obvious?

She did, in fact, have something on her mind. She had thought about that something for weeks but had not mustered the courage to speak to him about it. After looking at the starry sky for a moment, she decided that now was as good a time as any to change that.

"There is something I've been meaning to ask you," Sarah said as she fidgeted in his arms. "It's been on my mind for some time now."

"What's that?"

She took a deep breath.

"What are you going to tell Principal Morrison if he offers you a permanent position?"

"I don't know. I honestly don't."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

"Why are you afraid?"

"I'm afraid because I don't want to lose you. I'm afraid that if we become separated for any reason, our relationship won't survive."

Kevin grinned.

"What now?" Sarah asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

Kevin chuckled and then looked at her more thoughtfully.

"No. What you just said was music to my ears," he said. "I don't want to be separated either, and I plan to do everything in my power to prevent that. I don't have all the answers now, and I may not have the answers for a while, but I do know two things."

"What's that?"

"The first is that I won't make any career-related decision without putting us first."

Sarah brightened.

"What's the second?"

"The second thing should be pretty obvious. I love you, Sarah Thompson, that's what. I have loved you since the first time I laid eyes on you. I will love you tomorrow and the next day and every day after that. I'm not going anywhere."

She laughed as she wiped away a tear.

"Now what's the matter?" he asked.

"Oh, it's nothing really. It's just that two of us are hearing music."

CHAPTER 53: KEVIN

Wednesday, June 8, 1910

For the two hundred students of Shoshone County High School, the academic year of 1909-1910 had ended Tuesday with morning classes, an all-school picnic, hugs, and a few leftover tears for the boy who would never graduate with the Class of 1912. For most of the faculty and staff, it had ended later that afternoon, when they cleaned out the desks. For Kevin Johnson, the year carried over to the next morning and one last meeting with Principal Edward Morrison.

"Come on in," Morrison said to Kevin as he stood before an open door.

Kevin walked into the familiar room, took a seat, and settled into a lightly upholstered chair that Morrison reserved for interviews, interrogations, friendly chats, and assorted meetings with faculty, staff, and students. After more than a dozen trips to Morrison's office, Kevin had come to think of the chair as his own.

"How are you doing this morning?"

"I'm doing well," Kevin said.

"That's good," Morrison said. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"I think I'm OK for now, sir, but thank you."

"In that case then, let's get started. I'm sure you recall why I scheduled this meeting. As I believe I told you last month, I want to provide you with an evaluation of your performance as an instructor here. I'm sure you will find my report useful no matter where you go from here."

"That's nice to hear."

"I don't do evaluations for everyone. Most of my staff and teachers have left for the summer. I expect most of them to return in August and perform to the same high standards when they assume their positions next year. I'm treating you differently because your situation is different and because I want to fully explore the possibilities for the future."

"I understand."

Morrison grabbed a folder from a vertical organizer on his desk, opened it, and sorted through several papers. He grabbed three sheets and closed the folder.

"I want to begin by going over some observations by your peers. Last week I invited faculty members to give me their thoughts on your performance not only as a science and economics teacher but also as a colleague. As you can see from the size of this folder, quite a few accepted that invitation."

"It looks like everyone weighed in," Kevin said nervously.

"Everyone did weigh in, as you put it. Most wrote letters. Some spoke to me privately last week or at the picnic. All offered candid opinions."

"What did they have to say?"

"All but one offered the highest praise."

"Which one didn't?"

"I can't divulge that information because I promised the individuals confidentiality, but I can and will read snippets from three letters that I believe properly summarize your performance."

"OK."

"The first is from your lone critic. He wrote: 'I believe that Mr. Johnson has, on balance, performed satisfactorily, but I strongly question his methods and his priorities. He seems convinced that the only way to educate students is to entertain them. In my years as an instructor, I have found the opposite to be true. Even so, I believe Mr. Johnson has considerable potential.'"