first_in_time | New Lives and Mourned Pasts

The trip was long but at least they had jobs to go to and somewhere to live even if it was small. They each had one suitcase half filled with clothes and a life they were leaving behind. Once they were left in the by the side of a dusty road on the outskirts of a small country town Barbara walked with Ian to their new home, unconsciously holding onto his hand as she had done so many times before. Their real estate agent waited at the door of their new home to hand them a set of keys. He wished the newly weds ever lasting happiness then left them to it.

"It seems I've missed my own wedding," Barbara said with a sigh as she put the suitcase down in the middle of the almost empty lounge room and chuckled a little. She was tired and felt dirty from all their traveling.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

first_in_time

Barbara unlocked the door and held it open for Ian while he talked, then closed it once they we're both inside. "I'm sure that you will have plenty of interest from a range of ages," she said and locked the door before taking the basket back to start putting things away.

From:

splendid_roman

"I hope so." He took his coat off. "The younger children might not understand the explanations, but they'll enjoy the experiments."

From:

first_in_time

"Well, if they can enjoy the experiments, they might be able to pick up some things they'll be able to use later on, surely." Barbara put away the cups they'd taken and the remaining sandwich went into the fridge. Then it was simply a matter of putting her arms around Ian and smiling up at him.

"I love that teaching children makes you so excited," she told him.

From:

splendid_roman

He smiled back, putting his arms around her in return. "I didn't realise how much I'd missed it until I got to do it again today."

From:

first_in_time

"It is a lot easier to remember the not so good parts over the great parts," she said and leaned in to kiss him gently on the cheek. "Your students are lucky to have you. I'm lucky to have you."

From:

splendid_roman

"Yes, you are." He grinned, then more seriously he said, "I was remembering the marking and the late nights trying to get it done and forgetting the times when a student understood something they'd been struggling with or discover the wonder of science."

From:

first_in_time

"They were good moments, weren't they?" she agreed with a smile, "remember when Timothy - I can't remember his surname - came running into the lab so excited because he'd built a volcano that spurted vinegar and bicarbonate soda?"

From:

splendid_roman

"I remember," Ian said, chuckling. "He then spent half an hour talking about how he'd made it and how it worked. He was thinking of going to university, I wonder how he got on," he said thoughtfully.

From:

first_in_time

"We could try and find out but we might get found," she said and rubbed her hands up and down his back in large circles.

From:

splendid_roman

"I know," he said, with a little regret. "But as long as I've got you, I'm happy."

From:

first_in_time

"I'm glad that I have such an affect," she told him. "You make me happy too."

From:

splendid_roman

He smiled and kissed her. It wasn't as passionate as the one on the hill had been, but it was full of love and comfort.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara was still happy to kiss Ian and did so, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She liked how comfortable she was at doing that now.

When they parted she rested her head against his chest and hugged him tightly.

From:

splendid_roman

Ian hugged her just as tightly, putting his head on hers and was content to stay like that for a little while. "We forgot to go to the library," he said after a while. "Shall we listen to the radio for a bit?"

From:

first_in_time

"We can do that," Barbara said and let go of him enough to take his hand and walk into the lounge with him where she sat on the sofa and waited for Ian' to join.

"We'll have to leave a note for ourselves to visit the library after school tomorrow so that we don't forget."

From:

splendid_roman

"That's a good idea," he said as he fiddled with the radio, eventually deciding on a station playing relaxing music. "I was just so surprised to be teaching younger kids that I forgot." He sat down beside Barbara and put his arm around her.

From:

first_in_time

"At least they're not unteachable," Barbara reasoned and cuddled up to Ian, placing a few kisses on his cheek. "And they listen, and they try to understand. It could always be worse."

From:

splendid_roman

"That's true," he agreed, cuddling her closer. "And I suppose it could be really young kids, that would be worse." He wasn't sure it was possible to teach very young children science.

From:

first_in_time

"I think you'd be fairly good at teaching younger children they might not need science so much as high frequency words and reading skills," she chuckled and played with the hair at the back of Ian's head.

From:

splendid_roman

"Mmm." He leaned his head on her shoulder, enjoying what she was doing. "I don't think I'd have the patience for a whole class of younger children."

From:

first_in_time

"Hopefully you'll never have to try," she replied and kissed the top of his head. "And I'd like to think that if we have children of our own, that we won't have so many that we need a classroom for them to sleep in."