Theo And Reed's Lesson Plans

Chapter Nine

It had been two weeks.  A long emotionally draining two weeks for too many people in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

For the many families that were now burying their young promising children while under the brightly curious scrutiny of both the local and national media.

For parents like Saint and Matt and Reed and Theo who struggled with the mere thought of sending their precious children back to school.

For Saint who spent countless hours at City Hall with his deputy mayor and Chief of Staff wondering what politically can be done about gun violence and school shootings. That his administration hadn't already done. Even with his pro gun stance Saint already had the strongest gun control policies of any mayor in the country. He sent out direct feelers to the city council about them coming up with and passing another strong gun control bill. Pass it , he told them , and he would sign it into law. The recall campaign wasn't going very well but neither was his MS. The stress from the shootings was contributing to his increasing pain and also having him leaning more on his hated walker instead of his cane. Matthew had taken to giving him regular massages at night and was also in the middle of transforming the family's diet habits. With the help of First Lady Allie Keller Matt was going to sweet talk his husband into going vegan to hopefully improve his health.

For the administration of the Academy. Principal Miquel Sandoval and Assistant Principal Beulah Jenkins were currently proposing to the eleven member board that sat over the school about getting one more full time armed security guard and also metal detectors at the entrances and exits. The board sympathized with their plight but they said the issue was money. Find the money and they could have what they wanted and more. Beulah had raged to her husband at home that for anything else they could find the money. " We lost so many of our brightest students. Our best. And almost lost a damn fine teacher. What will we lose next time," she said over dinner and her husband agreed.

For the young killer's family who had to actively search for a funeral home willing to bury that monster they had somehow spawned. When  they had finally found one the Masterson family had to actually put on a small private funeral that was protested outside by the victims' family members. Then they went back to their Georgetown home to pack up Derek's neat and organized bedroom ( minus the boy's MacBook that the police had taken into custody after they searched his room).

For Theo who was still summoning up the energy and enthusiasm to return to his job at the Academy. He had discovered a love for teaching that he never knew he had. He finally realized that he too was meant for the family calling. But after the shootings he didn't know if he ever really wanted to see the school again. And that was hurting his heart. He missed the school. He missed his colleagues. He missed his students.

For Reed who watched his husband staring blankly out the window of their bedroom. He was debating making Theo a therapist appointment but if he did would Theo actually go? He loved Theo but he couldn't bear listening to him screaming every night from nightmares. Reed never had hated in his life. Even Todd Deets who had shot him during their wedding and tried to kill Theo beforehand. But he seriously hated this dead boy who had destroyed so much.

It had been a hard two weeks. But Monday was right around the corner with Theo and Reed returning to their respective jobs.