It turns out Asher is teaching at the school every Friday. Don’t you think Frank would have mentioned that in the hallway? A simple, “Hey, Ems, Alexander Asher, the billionaire whose foundation is funding this little school of ours, will be teaching the cello every Friday in the classroom attached to your office” would have been nice.
I also did a little digging on something Devon touched on in the car. How did I not hear the words Asher Foundation once in the last two months? According to Frank, he and everyone on the board with him signed a confidentiality agreement. They weren’t allowed to mention the foundation’s involvement until the opening.
Well, that makes sense, I guess.
What the hell do I know? What I do know is I have a problem with my Friday colleague. I would avoid him but after a long chat with Leah I decided against it.
The conversation went a little like this:
“I knew that fucker was going to make his way back into your life.”
“Don’t worry. I just have to avoid him once a week.”
“No way, Ems. To quote the great McConaughey, “You’ve got blood in your body. Lay it on the line!”
“Um, what?”
“Lay it on the line until the final whistle blows. And if you do that, if you do that, we cannot lose—”
“Leah?”
“—we may be behind on the scoreboard at the end of the game but if you play like that we cannot be defeated!”
“We are Marshall?”
“We. Are. Fucking. Marshall. Emma. You are playing on the same field. Don’t let him push you to the sidelines. Take the ball and ram it down his throat!”
I couldn’t deny she made a valid point. As theatrical as it may have been.
“To quote the film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, ‘You’re like a crack-enhanced Kathie Lee’.” That got a good laugh out of her.
With a weekend to process the situation, and a mini-marathon of McConaughey films, as recommended by Leah, I arrive at school with a new attitude.
I can do this.
My first order of business is to tell Frank I am going to the fund-raiser and I’d love to make a speech.
My second is to make this school one of the most sought-after music programs in the country.
I have a feeling I’m getting a reputation as a control freak. Okay, I know I have a reputation because Crystal told me. I don’t care. If this school is going to be a success, it needs to be run a certain way. The students need to be trained on par with any other acclaimed music academy. It doesn’t matter that it’s a free program. We are either the best or we don’t perform at all.
Don’t think I am going to shy away from Fridays. No sir. If Alexander Asher wants to teach in my school than he is going to get the same treatment as everyone else.
As Friday rolls around, I find my confidence is at full peak. Walking to the back of the classroom, I pull a folding chair to the corner and take a seat. The afternoon students are arriving, their cases in tow. Watching these kids walk into the room reminds me how incredible this place really is. Not only is this school providing music lessons for free but they also gave out instruments to the students pro bono. The amount of money that went into this is astounding.
I take out my iPad and Bluetooth keyboard, preparing to take notes. If it weren’t for this little device, I don’t know how I’d get any work done.
The students continue to enter, each taking their places. With each new face, my heart races a tiny bit more. I bite down and look straight at my computer screen, appearing to be very busy. When he enters, I want to seem all business.
Hopefully my outsides are appearing that way because my insides are racing at prestissimo tempo.
Consider that racehorse fast.