Wayside: A Serial Novel - Episode 10
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Epidose 10: Ninjas
This episode of Wayside: A Serial Novel is dedicated to all the amazing kids who are still masking to protect themselves, their friends and families, and their communities from Covid-19 and other airborne infectious diseases.
To all the Covid-Conscious kids out there: I wish I could find the words to tell you just how rare and special you are. At school you might be known as the ‘kid in the mask,’ but you should know you’re way more than that.
You’re a ninja.
October 5, 2026
Ben knocked on the Wayside-facing window of the main gate security booth.
Seconds later, it slid open to reveal Mitch and Randall, two of Wayside’s uniformed security guards, smiling underneath their N95s.
“Good morning, Ben!” Randall leaned his head out the window while Mitch waved over his shoulder.
“Hey guys,” Ben replied. “How’s your Monday so far? Off to a good start?”
“So far so good,” said Mitch, flipping through papers on his clipboard. “If you’re hoping to meet Josina on her way back in, you missed her. It looks like she signed in early yesterday morning, around 3 am.”
Ben blinked with surprise. “I didn’t realize she was back already.” He reached for his phone, checking his messages. Nothing from Josina.
“If she got in at that hour, I’m sure she’s exhausted,” said Randall.
“Good point,” Ben nodded. “She probably spent yesterday catching up on sleep.”
“Didn’t you hear her come in?” Mitch asked. “Aren’t you two still in the same house?”
Ben hesitated before answering. “We have both a house and a villa. Josina was in the villa before she left. She probably went back there to get some rest.”
“Oh… okay,” said Randall.
“I’ll check in with her later,” Ben said. “I’m actually here to pick up another guest - Olivia Carino. She just finished quarantine at Gateway Lodge and cleared her panel of tests, so she should be headed this way any minute.”
“Everything okay with you and Josina?” Mitch asked, after exchanging a concerned glance with Randall.
“Yes, of course.” Ben laughed dismissively, trying to hide his chagrin. In spite of its uniqueness as a public health and safety sanctuary community, Wayside was a small town at heart. Everyone knew everyone else and neighbors could be nosy.
“That must be your guest,” Randall said, pointing toward the gate.
The scratchy whirr whirr whirr of rubber wheels rolling across cement could be heard as a young woman rounded the corner of the nearby Gateway Lodge, tugging a rolling suitcase behind her.
Recognizing her as the same woman he’d been communicating with over the ‘Not Gonna Settle’ app, Ben stepped toward the chain-link security gate and waved his hand. “Olivia?” he called out to her.
“Ben, hi!” She waved back with her free hand, quickening her pace until she reached the security booth window outside of the gate. Randall turned around to the external window, slid the glass open, and asked Olivia for her ID. She handed him her driver’s license and waited while he scanned a copy of it, pulled up her visitor record, and verified she passed the health screening that morning at Gateway Lodge. Then he turned back toward the opposite window, presenting Ben with a sponsor agreement form on a tablet to read and sign. Once Ben was done providing his signature, Mitch pressed a button. The gate slowly swung open, allowing Olivia to step through.
Ben was happy to see she was already masked. Her navy blue N95 matched the color of her hoodie sweatshirt and sneakers. Her long, dark wavy hair was pulled up into a ponytail and a stylish pair of sunglasses were perched atop her head.
“Welcome,” said Ben. He politely extended his arm for a handshake.
Olivia bypassed it, throwing her arms around him to hug him instead. Ben awkwardly patted her on the back. When she released him from her embrace, he reached for the handle of her suitcase.
“Here, I can take this for you.” Ben said, rolling the suitcase behind him as he stepped away from the security booth. “Let’s head over to my place.”
“Lead the way,” said Olivia, falling into stride beside him. “And thank you again for inviting me to visit Wayside. The Gateway Lodge was so nice, but I’m glad to finally be inside. I’m really excited about being here.”
Ben could hear the nervousness in her voice. He noticed she had crossed her arms over her chest, suggesting she might have been feeling vulnerable or insecure. As they barely knew each other, it was an awkward situation for both of them.
“So… I really like your blue N95,” said Ben, looking down at the ground as he walked. Small talk wasn’t his forte, but he felt a duty to mask his own discomfort for the sake of putting Olivia at ease.
“Thank you. I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to wear one outside or not.”
“It’s up to you,” said Ben. “We mask indoors at all times in public places, and encourage masking outdoors in gatherings and high-traffic areas, like Main Street, which is what we’re on now. Good judgment call on your part.”
Olivia stopped abruptly, pointing ahead of her. “This is breathtaking!”
Ben looked up to see she was pointing at the mural painted on the Wayside Community Academy building. “Yes, it is,” he agreed.
“Safety… home… family… healing… joy… freedom…” she read the words painted in the mural aloud. “Who did this?”
“The students at our school here at Wayside. That’s the K-12 academy building. They sought input from the rest of the community about which words to include in the mural, but they did all the painting themselves. It’s incredible, isn’t it?”
“To put it lightly,” Olivia murmured. “Kids are amazing. I really miss my students so much.”
“As it turns out, Wayside Community Academy needs more teachers that are licensed here in the state of North Carolina,” explained Ben. “Since you meet the requirements for one of our high-demand occupations, that could move you up on the waiting list for admission. That is, if you decide you like it here at Wayside and would like to bring your mom along to live here.”
Olivia faced Ben. “I’m not used to people being so kind to me,” she said. “To us. If there was any way I could bring my mother to a place like this, where I could keep her comfortable and safe in her last days, it would mean the world to me. And the idea of being able to teach again in a school where I wasn’t getting sick constantly seems like a dream. My mother would want that for me, even after she’s gone. I know in my heart she’d be happy to see me land in a place like this.”
“How’s your mom doing, by the way?”
“She’s not great, but not terrible, either. She sleeps most of the time. She’s eating better now that her chemo is stopped and her appetite is coming back, but I know that will be short-lived. The last doctor who saw her told me she has six to eight weeks left.” She paused. “That was three weeks ago, so now it’s more like three to five weeks.”
“I’m so sorry, Olivia,” said Ben.
“Thank you.” She sniffled and looked away.
“I take it you found someone trustworthy to take care of her while you were in quarantine at Gateway Lodge?”
“Yes,” Olivia nodded. “I left her with family.”
“Oh. So you have other family in this area?”
She shook her head. “No, sorry if that was misleading. I left my mother with a friend. I guess I picked up that habit from my mom – once she likes and trusts someone, she calls them familia. But I’m her only blood relative here in North Carolina. And she’s my only relative as well.”
“I completely understand. My mother was the same way. I also grew up without any other relatives in my life, but all my mom’s friends were my tías and their children were my primos. I don’t have any relatives here at Wayside either, but I have plenty of family.”
“You’re very fortunate to have them,” Olivia said. “And they are too, to have you.”
Ben could feel a blush spreading across his cheeks. He turned his face away. “Let’s go drop your stuff off at my place.” He turned onto the walking path toward home. “Then, if you’d like, I can take you to visit the academy.”
Olivia fell in step alongside him. “Really? That would be amazing!”
“I spoke with Jessica McRae, the principal, and told her a little bit about you. She said today would be a great day for you to visit. I’m sure you already know this, but today is World Teacher’s Day. The Academy is hosting a special picnic luncheon, catered by The Black Sheep, our restaurant here at Wayside. Then after classes dismiss for the day, the students have something special planned for their teachers. The entire community is invited, so there may be a bit of a crowd if you’d like to stick around for it.”
“Oh my God, yes, yes! Yes to all of it!” Olivia clapped her hands together excitedly. “At the school where I used to teach, they didn’t really make a big deal out of Teacher’s Day. The administration would put a tray of cookies in the teacher’s lounge and the kids would load up our desks with teacher gifts. It sounds like it’s a much bigger deal here at Wayside. I love the idea of the picnic lunch and the surprise prepared by the kids, with the whole community invited. It’s a much more thoughtful approach, to focus on experiences rather than gifts. Because a teacher can only have so many ‘world’s best teacher’ coffee mugs before they run out of room to store them all, you know?” She laughed with gusto.
“I can only imagine.” Ben smiled, grateful that his guest seemed to be relaxing a bit and letting her personality shine through. “Where did you last teach?”
“San Luis Coastal Elementary,” she said.
“Is that here in North Carolina?”
“No, actually it was in California. I lived there before moving to North Carolina.”
“I see,” Ben said. “My apologies, I shouldn’t have assumed you had an in-state teaching license.”
“Oh, no worries. California and North Carolina actually have reciprocity on teaching licenses, so I can teach here.”
“That’s good to know. When did you move to North Carolina?”
“Last month. Hence why I was on the dating app, trying to meet people, hoping to build some kind of friendships or relationships or whatever. Other than my friend who is taking care of my mom, I don’t know that many people here yet.”
“That was a long way to come, from California. What brought you here?”
Olivia hesitated before speaking. “It’s kind of personal,” she said. “I don’t mean to be rude—”
“No, it’s okay,” Ben interrupted her. “Boundaries aren’t rude. I understand. And please don’t hesitate to speak up if there’s ever another situation in which you don’t feel comfortable talking about something. I need to get better about doing the same thing. I’ve just never been a good conversationalist, so I appreciate the feedback.”
“I disagree,” said Olivia. “I think you’re a fine conversationalist. And I enjoy talking to you.”
“Thanks,” said Ben. “I used to not feel comfortable speaking up at all, but I’ve gotten better at it over time. I’ve learned a lot just from being around Jo. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned her to you yet, but you’ll get to meet her while you’re here. She has this incredible way of putting people at ease and making them feel important. She’s actually the one who came up with the idea for Wayside and did most of the work to make it happen. We wouldn’t be here right now, if not for her. She’s amazing.”
“Jo is your girlfriend?”
“No, we’re not a couple,” said Ben. “She’s my best friend. We’ve known each other for six years and we’ve grown very close over time.”
“It sounds like you want to be more than friends,” Olivia teased. “Your voice changed when you were talking about her. You went from being all serious and reserved to… I don’t know, it’s like someone turned on a light inside you, and you brightened up just at the thought of her.”
Ben looked away, feeling his cheeks flushing again. “She means a lot to me, yes. But I’m not very comfortable talking about our relationship, or my feelings for her.”
“So there’s a boundary,” Olivia said playfully. “See? You’re already getting the hang of it.”
“Maybe so,” said Ben. “Thank you.”
They walked in silence for the next several minutes, with the exception of Ben pointing out a few of Wayside’s landmarks along the way. The administrative offices, the interfaith chapel, The Black Sheep, and the waterpark, for which Olivia’s eyes lit up at the mention.
When they reached the house, Ben carried Olivia’s belongings up the stairs. He retreated to his own room while she settled into the guest room.
Josina’s room. In Ben’s mind, it still belonged to her.
In Ben’s mind, she still belonged at home with him.
They’d been apart for nearly two weeks. It was the longest stretch of time they’d been away from each other since the day they’d met. Ben missed her so much it hurt. There was a feeling of emptiness, uneasiness inside him since she’d left Wayside. Some days he’d felt it in his gut; other days it had shifted up to his chest. He found he could be distracted from it by throwing himself into work, watching TV, or scrolling through social media.
But as soon as the distractions stopped, that terrible, empty feeling would seize him again.
It had grown since that morning, since he’d just learned that Josina had arrived back at Wayside the day before and hadn’t contacted him.
Ben reached for his phone, opening the messaging app. To his surprise, there were three dots in motion next to her name. She was typing a message to him at that very moment. His heart skipped a beat. He set his phone down on his nightstand, waiting for her text to come through. He laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, waiting, waiting, waiting for a chime to alert him there was an incoming message.
After several minutes, he picked up his phone to see that no messages had arrived. The three animated dots next to her name had disappeared. Maybe she’d been interrupted while trying to message him.
Maybe she needed more time to put her thoughts in writing.
Maybe she had decided she wasn’t ready to talk to him yet.
Ben returned his phone to the night stand. He told himself to be patient, to keep giving Josina the space she had asked for, for however long she needed it.
After several minutes, a soft knock knock knock forced him upright. Ben made his way to his bedroom door and opened it to find Olivia standing before him.
“Is it ok if I unmask in your house?” She asked.
“Yes, of course,” he nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t say something earlier. I took my N95 off when we got here. I did a Covid/Flu combo test this morning and I’m not aware of any potential exposures, but if you’d like for me to test again and show you the results, I don’t mind.”
“It’s okay, I trust you,” said Olivia as she removed her N95, sliding it into the pocket of her hoodie. “So… what now? Should I head over to the academy?”
“If you’re ready, I’ll walk you over there.”
“Yes, I’m excited to go! Should I change clothes? I brought a couple of business casual outfits.”
“Actually, what you’re wearing is perfect for today. In fact, I need to change my clothes too. Give me just a second.”
Olivia gave him a curious look and smiled. “Okay then.” She descended the stairs.
Ben quickly changed and joined her in the living room, where she eyed his outfit with surprise.
“Seriously, a blue hoodie and jeans for you too?” Olivia laughed. “Am I that stylish, that you just had to match with me, or is this the uniform of the day at Wayside?”
“Actually, it’s the latter,” he grinned. “For today, anyway. It’s part of the surprise the kids have planned for Teacher’s Day. I don’t know much more about it than the dress code, but we’ll find out in a few hours what it’s all about. Hey, do you have an extra blue N95?”
She patted the purse slung over her shoulder. “Yep. I never leave home without extras.”
“Then I think we’re ready.” Ben led her to the door.
“You’re coming to the academy too?”
“If you don’t mind, yes, I’ll join you,” Ben said with enthusiasm. “I’ve been meaning to visit but haven’t made the time to do so lately. This gives me a good excuse to drop in.”
And it will keep me distracted from thinking about Josina, worrying about what comes next for us, Ben thought to himself.
***
Josina stared out of her bedroom window in the second story of the villa. The drive back home to North Carolina had been uneventful. Even though she’d taken the same route, the return trip somehow seemed longer. She’d had a lot on her mind – some of which was exciting, some daunting – but all of it demanding her attention, refusing to let her relax and enjoy her playlists and the scenery along the way. She’d spent the better part of yesterday catching up on sleep.
Now, feeling rested and ready to seize the day, she had tried at least twice to text Ben.
Good morning Benjamin! I’m back at Wayside. I’ve really missed you and—
“No,” Josina had sighed with exasperation, backspacing to begin again.
Hello Benjamin, I’m back at Wayside. Would you like to meet and talk today so we can—
“Ugh,” she’d backspaced again till the message was wiped out.
I’m back, are you free today? How about lunch at The Black Sh—
“Oh my God!” Josina shouted with exasperation. “Why can’t I do this?” She tossed her phone onto her bed and stepped toward the window to look out over Wayside.
It was a beautiful autumn day. The sun was shining, a cool breeze was scattering dead leaves like confetti, and the walking paths were busy with Waysiders on foot. Many were wearing solid-colored hoodies, jeans and sneakers in anticipation of the special event that afternoon in honor of Teachers’ Day.
Just as she was about to step away from the window and reach for her phone again, Josina saw Ben.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Walking beside him was someone Josina didn’t recognize. She wasn’t a Waysider, so she had to be a guest of Ben’s. The woman was petite, pretty, and young. Although both she and Ben were masked, they appeared to be smiling as they engaged in a lively conversation.
“Wow,” Josina said in almost a whisper. “That was fast.”
Her first instinct was to crawl back into bed and cry, but it seemed a slippery slope. Surrendering to that urge might have been cathartic.
Or it might have opened the door to a deep despair she couldn’t easily pull herself out of. She decided it was better not to tempt fate.
Exhaling with a loud sigh, Josina thought back to what Ola had told her in her dream.
That she was running from her feelings for Ben, just like she ran from all else that might break her heart.
She’d been right.
And Ola had been right about what Josina needed to do to break the cycle.
She had to stop running, as Ola had emphasized. She had to trust that if the outcome wasn’t what she was hoping for, she’d be strong enough to deal with it. Josina stared at her reflection in the mirror above her chest of drawers. “I am worthy,” she whispered to herself, “and I am strong enough to handle whatever comes next. I’m done running.”
She washed her face, put on a bit of makeup, and dressed in a purple hoodie and hijab. She rummaged through her supply of N95s until she found one that matched the hoodie and put it in her pocket for later.
Then she reached for her phone to text Ben.
Hi Benjamin, just letting you know I’m back at Wayside. See you at the Teachers’ Day event.
Seconds later, he responded with a heart reaction, then texted a longer reply.
I’m so glad you’re back, Jo! I’ve really missed you. I’ll have a guest with me this afternoon. A new friend named Olivia. She’s looking forward to meeting you.
Josina took a deep breath. The bed seemed to be calling out to her again, graciously offering to host her for an emotional breakdown. She was tempted, for a second, to surrender.
Instead, she texted Siado. I’m back at Wayside! Josina told her. What are you up to right now? Would you like to take a walk and enjoy this sunny day with me?
A few minutes later, Siado replied. She included a selfie in which her head was mostly covered by her hoodie – also purple – save for an exaggerated frown.
Sure, if you don’t mind me being in a pissy mood. I’ve been staring at Scarlett’s Insta all morning and it’s bringing me down. It looks like she and her opening act have gotten very close. They’re posting a lot of selfies together and someone tagged them in a pic where they’re holding hands in front of the Eiffel Tower. They look so carefree and happy, just out there enjoying the world together. I’m jealous! I’m really sad today, Josina. This sucks.☹
I’m so sorry, Josina texted back. I’m heading out now and will be at your door in five minutes. You can tell me all about it on our walk. You’re not alone, Siado. My heart feels a bit heavy today too. We can be sad and jealous together. Also, I’m wearing a purple hoodie too. Pissy twinsies! YAY!
LOL! Siado replied. I love you, Josina. You always know the right thing to say. 😊
As she stepped outside the villa and closed the door behind her, Josina found she was smiling.
Her heavy heart felt just a little bit lighter.
***
When Ben and Olivia arrived at Wayside Community Academy, they found Bellamy in the back of The Black Sheep’s delivery van, counting stacks of box lunches.
“Can we give you a hand with that?” Ben offered.
Bellamy turned around to face them, her eyes lighting up at the offer. “Heck yes!”
“Well put us to work then,” said Ben. “By the way, this is my friend Olivia. She’s visiting Wayside for a bit, and thinking about applying to live here.”
“Hi! I’m Bellamy,” she said as she climbed out of the van to shake hands. “It’s great to meet you!”
“Likewise!” Olivia replied. “I don’t know what you’ve made for lunch but everything smells so good!”
“A little bit of everything,” she said with a smile. “Sandwiches of all kinds, pasta and fruit salads, brownies and cookies, and smoothies and soups for those staying masked.”
“Wait, what?” Olivia’s eyebrows shot up onto her forehead. “How does that work?”
Bellamy reached into the van for an N95 with a drinking valve. “This is how. The straw goes into the valve so you can sip safely and not risk exposure.”
Olivia turned the mask over in her hands, examining it carefully. “This is so cool,” she said. “Can I keep this one? This would be a big help for the next time I have to take my mom to the doctor’s office or the hospital. We usually end up spending a lot of time waiting to be seen. This could help me keep her hydrated and fed without exposing her.”
“Of course!” Bellamy reached into the van and pulled out a plastic sleeve wrapped around a dozen more valved N95s. “Here, take extras. I’ve got plenty to spare. There’s a QR code on the packaging you can scan to watch a video about how to use them, with answers to commonly asked questions.”
Olivia happily accepted Bellamy’s gift, dropping the masks in her bag. “This is so kind of you. Can I pay you for them?”
“Nope. It’s a gift,” said Bellamy. “Consider it my thank you for helping me get all this food out of the van.”
She handed Ben and Olivia a couple of large plastic bags filled with box lunches, bottled water and juice pouches, then led them down a walking path that took them behind the academy building. A short while later, they arrived at a small outdoor amphitheater, where the academy’s students and faculty were fanned out across the rows of natural stone benches. Their attention was focused on the stage before them, where Jessica was finishing up her principal’s address with an inspirational poem about teachers.
“Shhh,” Bellamy whispered to Ben and Olivia as she detoured to a row of folding tables that had been set up for the food. “They’re finishing up an all-grades assembly for the next few minutes, so let’s keep it down.”
The three of them began unpacking the box lunches as quietly as they could, but the plastic bags crinkled noisily in spite of their efforts. Students began whipping their heads around to see what the source of the noise was, stirring with anticipation when they saw that lunch had arrived. Excited gasps and muffled speech rippled throughout the audience as heads continued to turn.
“It’s BenBen!” A few of the kids whispered.
Onstage, Jessica sped up her pace in reading the final verses of the poem. When she finished, everyone in the amphitheater applauded. Then she asked, “who’s ready for lunch?”
Applause and cheering followed, punctuated with more shouting of Ben’s name.
“Wow, they really love you here, don’t they?” Olivia observed.
Ben looked sheepish. “I’ve never been a fan of being the center of attention, but it’s kind of unavoidable around here.”
From the stage, Jessica waved to them. Bellamy gave a thumbs-up to acknowledge food setup was complete.
“Alright everyone,” Jessica called their attention back to the stage. “Let’s take a mindful moment before lunch. Remember this is your moment to do with as you wish. You can give thanks and pray a blessing for your meal, you can meditate, you can think about your affirmations for today, or you can just sit in silence, do some deep breathing, and be present with your peers during this moment in time. Ready everyone? Sixty seconds starts… now.”
Ben and Olivia watched in awe. In the blink of an eye, the audience of children transformed from chaotic to peaceful. The students sat up straight and faced forward. Some bowed their heads; others tilted their faces upward, eyes closed, as if to take in the warmth of the sunlight, the gentle breeze on their faces, the comforting smells of food, appreciating all the gifts of that moment in time.
When the minute had passed, Jessica addressed them again. “EVERY BREATH,” she shouted to the audience.
“IS A NEW BEGINNING!” responded the students in unison. They applauded as the teachers rose from their seats, guiding their classes to line up in an orderly fashion. Clearly, the kids were still excited, but their voices and movements were more subdued. They marched calmly toward the tables to pick up their lunches.
“Wow,” Olivia whispered to Ben. “I wish someone had taught me that before I went into teaching in a public school. That’s genius.”
“I’m convinced we have some of the best teachers in the world here at Wayside.”
“You’ve already convinced me,” said Olivia. “The way your principal got the entire student body under control like that? That was like a magic trick. My mind is officially blown.”
“To be fair, the kids are pretty great too,” said Ben.
“You bet they are!” Jumping into the conversation was Deborah Hathaway, the first teacher to arrive at the back of the ampitheatre with her class. She turned toward her students, pointing at each as she counted aloud to ensure all had reached the lunch line.
“Well hello Deborah,” said Ben after she’d finished counting. “I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Olivia Carino.”
“Olivia, welcome!” Deborah stepped aside, allowing her class to proceed through the line. “Jessica told us we’d have a visiting teacher on campus today! I teach 5th and 6th grade combined. My teaching assistant is off today, so if you’d like to spend some time with my class this afternoon, I’d certainly welcome the help!”
“Count me in,” said Olivia.
“Thank goodness!” Deborah sighed with relief as she raked her fingers through her stylish brunette bob and adjusted her browline glasses. “Normally I wouldn’t have any trouble holding down the classroom by myself, but the kids are so excited today they’re bouncing off the walls. I need all the help I can get!”
“How about me?” Ben asked. “Would it be okay if I tag along?”
“Of course,” Deborah nodded. “Although if you’re going to be there, Ben, I’m going to have to put you to work at the front of the classroom. The kids will be too distracted otherwise. I’ve got a story from their Social Studies lesson you could read for them, with comprehension questions you can ask afterward. If you wouldn’t mind doing that, then Olivia can observe and help me with some admin tasks. What do you say?”
“I believe I can handle that. Consider me recruited,” he said with a playful salute.
“Fantastic! Those stories are usually a 45-minute activity, but the kids will be so excited to have an audience with you, I’m sure they’ll have all kinds of questions unrelated to the lesson. So if you’re comfortable chatting with them for a little while longer, you’re more than welcome to do so. I know it would mean a lot to them.”
“Of course,” Ben nodded, hiding his fidgety hands behind his back.
“Great! After we finish up with our picnic lunch, I’ll come find you two and walk you to our outdoor classroom.”
“Looking forward to it!” said Olivia.
“Me too!” Deborah called out over her shoulder. “See you in a bit!”
Ben and Olivia watched as she led her students toward a row of picnic tables shaded by towering oak trees.
Then Bellamy tapped both of them on the shoulder. “Thank you both for your help with setup,” she said. “I think I’ve got it from here, so if you’d like to grab some food and go eat, you’re officially dismissed from lunch line duty!”
“Thank you!” Olivia said as she reached for a box lunch, picking up one for Ben as well. “And thank you so much for the masks.”
“No problem,” Bellamy said. “By the way, you should come by my restaurant, The Black Sheep, and dine in while you’re visiting Wayside. How long will you be here?”
Olivia froze as if she didn’t have an answer.
“How about it, Olivia?” Ben asked after the silence grew uncomfortably long. “Would you like to have dinner there one night?”
“Oh, sure,” she said. “Yes, I’d like that.”
Ben led her toward one of the few picnic tables that hadn’t yet been claimed by the students or faculty. They sat across from each other, unmasked, and unpacked their food from the boxes. Olivia kept her eyes down.
“I didn’t catch your answer to Bellamy’s question,” Ben began. “How long would you like to stay, Olivia?”
She looked up to make eye contact with him. “Ummm… I hadn’t really thought about it yet, to be honest. Maybe a few more days? A week? Would that be too much? Do you need a definite date right now?”
“Well, no,” Ben said. “I was guessing this might be a short visit, since you’ve already been in quarantine for 10 days and you’re probably anxious to get back to your mother. I’m not rushing you, of course. It would just be good to have a general idea of how long you’d like to stay.”
She nodded. “I’ll call home this evening and see how my mom is doing. As long as she’s in good shape, I wouldn’t mind sticking around for a few more days.”
“Sure,” said Ben. His inner people-pleaser was egging him on to say more: Stay as long as you’d like, Olivia.
He felt the words forming out of habit in his mouth, but held his tongue. He kept his lips pressed together until the urge passed. It was hard, but he did it.
He’d set yet another boundary for himself, just as Olivia had encouraged him to do.
And after the discomfort in doing so passed, it felt good.
He smiled at her. She had come to visit Wayside at his invitation, at his offer to help make her life better. It surprised him to find that in the short while since she had arrived, she seemed to be helping him too.
That put his mind at ease somewhat, allowing his feelings of trust in Olivia to grow.
And for the moment, it gave him an excuse to ignore the persistent feeling in his gut that there was something very familiar about her.
***
Josina returned to the villa, emotionally drained after her walk with Siado. She’d listened attentively while Siado vented about how the love of her life had been stolen away. Then she’d shown Josina pictures on social media as proof all hope was lost, and cried throughout most of their walk.
“I’m sorry you’re in so much pain over this,” Josina had told her at the end of their route. “I wish I knew the right thing to say.”
Siado shook her head. “There’s nothing anyone could say that could make this better.” She sniffled and wiped tears from her eyes. “But you did help, Josina.”
“How?”
“I was really upset earlier. I just needed to have a meltdown and let it all out, and… I don’t know, I guess I just needed an audience for it. You didn’t have to do anything but listen, and you did. So believe it or not, I do feel a little bit better. Thank you.”
They hugged before parting ways.
As Josina entered the villa, her phone chimed with a text alert. She opened her messaging app to see that Bellamy had posted a photo to the Fine Ass Ladies of the Founders’ Council group. It was Ben sitting across from his guest, the pretty young woman Josina had seen with him earlier. They were smiling at each other.
Just met Ben’s visiting friend Olivia, Bellamy texted. I like her, she seems very sweet! Maybe she could join us on Wednesday for our weekly brunch if she’s still here then. Would anyone mind if I invite her?
Josina threw her phone onto the bed, throwing herself face-down next to it.
She screamed into her pillow.
Then she stood up, adjusted her hoodie and hijab, grabbed her phone, and left for the Teacher’s Day event on Main Street.
“I am worthy,” she whispered to herself as she stared down at Bellamy’s text. “And I’m not going to run away.”
***
When Wayside Community Academy dismissed for the day, the students gathered on the lawn in front of their school building. All were buzzing with excitement, thrilled to see that hundreds of Waysiders had turned out to support them in celebrating their teachers.
Up and down Main Street, community members were gathered on both sides of the paved road in jeans, sneakers, and solid-colored hoodies with matching N95s. The students pulled their own hoodies out of their backpacks and put them on as their teachers watched with growing curiosity.
Ben and Olivia stood across from the academy, eagerly anticipating whatever surprise the kids had prepared. Deborah lingered with them, still chatting with Olivia.
“I can’t thank you enough for your help this afternoon,” Deborah told her.
“You’re welcome,” said Olivia. “I really enjoyed it. And I love your school. The outdoor classrooms and meeting spaces are really something. I’ve never graded papers in the sunshine before!”
“I’ve never gone through so much sunscreen in my life, but I have to say, it’s wonderful,” said Deborah. She turned to address Ben. “And thank you for reading to my class. While you had their attention, Olivia helped me knock out a stack of assignments that needed grading, and even showed me some websites for K-12 teachers with materials that align with our curriculum. She’s a gem!”
“I’m glad we could help today,” said Ben.
Deborah leaned closer to the both of them. “So do either of you know what this big surprise is that the kids have planned for us? Whatever it is, they’ve done an exceptional job of keeping it a secret. What are all the hoodies about? Any hints you can give me? I won’t say a word!” Deborah winked and tapped her index finger to her N95 in a shushing gesture.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but we’re all on a need-to-know basis as well.” Ben shook his head with a laugh. “The students sent everyone at Wayside a handwritten invitation to join them in celebrating their teachers. But all we got was the date, the time, the place, and the dress code.”
Deborah sighed with exasperation. “How could I live under the same roof as two students – including the student body president – and not even have an inkling as to what they’ve cooked up?”
“The student body president is your kid?” Olivia asked.
“Soon to be my kid, yes,” said Deborah. “My husband and I are foster parents. When we first moved to Wayside, we learned there was a nonprofit here in North Carolina that worked with at-risk youth. They had seen a big jump in recent years in the number of unhoused kids with serious health problems. The nonprofit was spending a lot of their resources on medical care and temporary housing for those kids, but things were only getting worse instead of better. Fortunately, their leaders recognized Covid was largely to blame for the kids being so sick all the time. They knew the most important thing they could do was place them in an environment where they wouldn’t keep getting exposed. So they reached out to us here at Wayside to ask if we could help. My husband and I, along with ten other families, decided to become foster parents. It took us a few months to complete the training and home study process, but once we were official with the state, we welcomed three kids into our home. We’re now in the process of adopting them.”
“Are all of your foster kids here at school today?”
“Two are,” said Deborah. She pointed across the street to a small cluster of upperclass students. “See the kid over there…tall, Black, has a light blue hoodie on? That’s Omar. He’s a junior. He’s obsessed with basketball and loves the Tarheels. And in that same group of kids is Denise, the redhead in the wheelchair, wearing the burgundy hoodie. She’s a senior and the current student body president. She wants to go to law school at Harvard. They both have Long Covid but since they’ve moved here to Wayside, they’ve improved enough that they can go to school most days and live fairly normal lives for kids their age. At home we also have 14-year old Justin, who has severe dysautonomia. My husband retired before we moved to Wayside, so he’s his caregiver and homeschool teacher.”
“You and your husband are saints,” Olivia said. “Those kids are so lucky. I’m sure they know it.”
“They do,” Deborah nodded. “And my husband and I are lucky to have them too. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth it. They all came to us sick and traumatized from trying to survive on the outside. Omar also had severe anger issues. He was raised by a single mother who died from Covid, so he went to live with his uncle afterward. His uncle traveled around the southeast in a camper, holding tent revivals and taking money from people to perform faith healings. But when he couldn’t heal his own nephew of his fatigue, fainting, and shortness of breath, he abandoned him. He told Omar that all of his physical ailments were his fault because he lacked faith. Turns out Omar didn’t need faith, he just needed someone to remove blood clots from his lungs and put him on the right medications. After he moved here to Wayside and we got him the care he needed, he started to improve physically. But the poor kid was so, so angry, he had a really hard time controlling his feelings. When his case worker with the state came to visit him in our home for the first time and saw that he had punched a hole in the wall, she wanted to move him to a group home in Pine Tree. We pleaded for another chance and got him into intensive counseling, which helped. But what really made him turn the corner was when my husband put up a basketball hoop in our backyard. After Omar had a bad day at school, he came home and started shooting hoops. My husband joined him and it turned into part of their daily routine. That’s when we saw him starting to come out of his shell, starting to trust us.”
“My God,” Olivia murmured. “I can’t imagine what his fate might have been, had you two not advocated for him and kept trying to help him.”
“Denise had her own challenges too. Before she came to Wayside, she’d had Covid at least six times that she knew of. She reached a point where she couldn’t even walk without screaming in agony, which made her such a target for bullying that she dropped out of school. She got in trouble for stealing prescription painkillers to manage her pain, and her family became physically abusive to her, eventually kicking her out. After she went through a substance abuse treatment program and came here to stay with us, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. She got started on meds and infusions that have turned her life around. Now that she isn’t living in unbearable pain anymore, she’s doing great in school and she’s proven herself to be a leader among her peers. I’m so proud of her. Of all three of them, really. I needed them in my life just as much as they needed me.” Deborah rested her hand over her heart as she watched Omar and Denise gathering their fellow students together. “But at the moment, what I really need is to know what they’re getting ready to do for us teachers. The anticipation is killing me!”
“It seems to me that if they worked this hard to keep their Teachers’ Day event quiet, they must really want you and the rest of their teachers to enjoy the surprise,” said Ben.
“I don’t think you’re going to have to wait much longer,” Olivia pointed toward Denise, who was making her way into the middle of Main Street, raising a megaphone to speak to the crowd.
“They’re starting!” Deborah clapped her hands excitedly. “I’d better go join the rest of the teachers. Thank you both again for your help today!” She dashed back across the street, joining the rest of the faculty as they turned their attention toward Denise.
“Welcome everyone!” Denise shouted into the megaphone, “I’m Denise Dorman, Student Body President at Wayside Community Academy. Thank you for joining us to celebrate our teachers on World Teachers’ Day!”
Thunderous applause followed from the crowd.
“You may be wondering,” Denise resumed, reading from a script she had written on a sheet of notebook paper, “why we asked all of you to wear hoodies with matching N95s. First, I need to tell you a story. When Wayside Community Academy opened last year, we had a mascot chosen for us by the Wayside School Board. For the past year, we’ve been known as the Wayside Warriors. But as time passed, we students started talking to each other, and we realized most of us didn’t think of ourselves as warriors. Before we all came to Wayside, every day was a fight. We were at war with a virus the rest of the world had chosen to live with, and that made every aspect of our lives a fight to stay safe and well. Once we came to Wayside and started our new lives, with our new school, our new friends, and our new teachers—”
Denise was interrupted by the audience, cheering and clapping again for the beloved teaching staff. She paused until their applause died down.
“… we realized we didn’t have to fight anymore. The war was over! So the idea of our school mascot being a warrior didn’t fit. We asked our teachers if we could change it, and instead of dismissing us like so many adults do when kids come to them with ideas and hopes and dreams, they told us yes. They told us to decide on a new mascot, write a petition to the Wayside School Board to make the change, get signatures from students, and submit it for approval. So next, we had to figure out what our new mascot would be. It was my brother Omar who came up with the idea, so I’m going to let him tell you more.”
The audience cheered as Omar stepped forward, joining Denise in the middle of Main Street. She passed the megaphone to him, then gave him a fist bump. “Hey everyone, I’m Omar Creighton, soon to be Omar Hathaway.” He turned and blew a kiss toward Deborah, who was furiously wiping tears from her eyes. “As some of y’all know, that’s my mom, Ms. Hathaway. She’s the best mother I ever could have hoped for, and the best teacher too. When I came here to Wayside last year as a foster kid, the Hathaways welcomed me into their home and treated me like their own son from day one. I had come from a bad situation and I had a lot of anger inside me. I didn’t really know how to deal with it at first, but my family helped me figure it out. My sister Denise told me I could talk to her about anything, so I started opening up to her. Then my dad turned the back yard into a basketball court and we started shooting hoops for a little while every afternoon. But my mom did something really special, and I think it’s what helped me the most.”
The audience fell silent, completely engrossed in Omar’s story, anxious to hear what he had to say next. Even Deborah looked surprised.
“I had gotten in trouble at school one day, and Principal McRae called me into her office. She knew I had a lot of anger and was having these outbursts because I couldn’t control it. So she asked me to think about someone, or something, that embodied the opposite of anger. She told me to do some research on whatever it was and write a paper about what I could learn from it, or how I could become more like it. Unfortunately, I had no idea what to write about. So I asked my mom for help. We sat down at the kitchen table to work on some ideas, and she saw this drawing I had doodled on my notebook. It was supposed to be me with an N95 and my favorite hoodie on. My mom saw it and said, ‘hey, nice ninja!’”
The audience laughed as Omar held up the notebook he’d referenced in his story.
“But when she said that, I thought, why not research ninjas and write about them? After all, ninjas aren’t known for their angry outbursts. They’re known for being quiet and stealthy. So I studied ninjas and wrote my paper about them. I learned that in order to become a ninja, one must be trained in the ways of the Shinobi. In Japanese, that means ‘to be sneaky.’”
More laughter from the audience.
Omar opened his notebook, reading his notes aloud. “Sneaky, as in being covert or invisible. Ninjas are often portrayed in TV shows and movies as being assassins, but their true craft, and the heart of their purpose, is spying, or gathering intelligence. In order to do that, a ninja would go through a rigorous training of their body, their mind, and their spirit. They learn to be patient, precise, and self-aware; to respect and care for themselves, for others, and for nature. They learn self-discipline, how to control their emotions, and not let their emotions control them; to accept pain and loss as a normal part of life. Perhaps most importantly, they must master the art of adaptation, so they can respond quickly – and frequently – to changing circumstances. The more I thought about the way of the Shinobi, the more I realized it could help me if I aspired to be more like a ninja. And as I started sharing this idea with Principal McRae, my teachers and all of my fellow students, the more it dawned on me that we’re all striving to be ninjas here at Wayside. So to wrap this story up, my sister and I – with the support of all of our classmates here at the academy – submitted the petition to officially change our school mascot. And just last week, we got our answer. We are now… officially… the Wayside Ninjas!”
The audience roared with clapping, whistling, cheering.
Omar spun around slowly, continuing his speech. “Now that we students are officially Wayside Ninjas, we’re inviting all Waysiders to join us in becoming ninjas as well. If you wore your hoodie and matching N95, as I see many of you have done, you’ve already got the uniform on. But you know who didn’t get the memo to wear a hoodie today?” Omar pointed at the teaching staff. “Our teachers! So we did some homework to find out what their favorite colors are, and we got each one a special hoodie with a matching N95. Can I get some help from our kindergarten ninjas to pass those out to our teachers?”
The crowd in front of the academy building parted as a line of kindergarteners appeared, each holding a neatly folded hoodie and matching N95. One after the other, they approached the teachers, distributing the gifts along with hugs and high-fives. The teachers unfolded their hoodies and held them up for the audience to see. Each had been screen-printed with the logo of a ninja and wraparound text reading ‘Wayside Ninjas.’
The audience clapped and cheered as the teachers put their new gear on. They lined up, resting their arms across each other’s shoulders, and dutifully posed for pictures as everyone pulled out their phones.
“Don’t go anywhere, we’re not done just yet!” Omar shouted into the megaphone. “We’d like for all you to join us in our ninja parade!”
From behind the academy building, a line of golf carts appeared, driven by school volunteers and parents. Each was decorated like a parade float. The kindergarteners took the teachers by the hand, escorting them to the golf carts. After all of the faculty were seated, the carts began a slow procession down Main Street, the Wayside Academy marching band trailing behind them.
Ben and Olivia followed the procession, clapping and singing along with the crowd to the band’s rendition of ‘Celebration’ by Kool and the Gang. The parade ended at Bonfire Pavilion, where Deborah’s 5-6th grade class students were passing out programs for the surprise Teachers’ Day assembly.
Once everyone was seated, the program began. Denise made opening remarks, then called all of the teachers up to the stage, inviting each one to take a seat in the semi-circle of folding chairs behind her. Next, individual students took turns stepping up to the microphone to tell the audience how their teachers had made a difference in their lives. Whenever a teacher would tear up, one of their students would dash toward them with a box of tissues, sending the audience into giggles.
Next, a small group of students stepped onto the risers behind their teachers. On the big screen behind them, a Zoom meeting was launched, and the faces of dozens more children appeared on the screen.
“Wayside Ninjas, please put your hands together for the Wayside Academy Glee Club,” said Denise into the microphone, “and joining them virtually is the international Long Covid Children’s Chorus!” As Denise moved offstage, an instrumental track piped through the sound system. The students on the risers began bobbing their head to the music, joined by the children on screen behind them, all keeping perfect time with the beat. They began singing a heartwarming song about overcoming adversity by embracing the spirit of the ninja. The lyrics appeared onscreen as the children sang them, prompting many of the teachers and the audience members to jump in and sing along as well.
As the song finished and the Teachers’ Day event drew to a close, audience members continued their applause as they made their way toward the exits. The teachers remained onstage to receive hugs and words of praise from students and parents.
Olivia touched Ben’s arm. “This was beautiful!” She shouted over the roar of applause. “Would you mind if I go up to the stage to say goodbye to Deborah, and thank her again for letting me spend time with her today?”
“Go for it!” Ben said. He watched as his guest weaved through the crowd and made her way to the stage.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Josina.
“Jo!” Ben called out as he sprinted toward her. “Oh my God, I’ve missed you.” Upon reaching her, he threw his arms around her and held her tightly.
Josina hugged him back. “I’ve missed you too, Benjamin.”
They didn’t let go of each other. The flow of people moving toward the exits shifted, detouring around the space where they stood together.
“We have to talk,” Ben told her.
“I know,” she said. “We will.”
“When? Could you come by the house this evening?”
Josina pulled away, shook her head. “We should wait a bit longer since you have a guest.”
“She’ll only be here a few more days.”
“But seeing how she spent ten days in quarantine just to get in here and see you, I think you should give her your full attention as her host. There’s no rush, Benjamin. I’ll be in the villa. We can catch up when your guest leaves.”
“If you think that’s the right thing to do.”
“It is,” she said. Her gaze drifted toward the stage. “So what did you think about the Teachers’ Day event?”
“It was incredible. I’m in awe of these kids, Josina. Today has made me realize how resilient they are. They were all just starting their lives when a global pandemic began and turned their world upside down. And in spite of what they’ve lived through, they’ve found the strength to do what many adults could not. They’ve adapted.”
“It’s the most important thing we can do, just like Omar said.”
“I was tearing up while Omar was telling his story.” Ben confessed.
“We all were,” Josina laughed. “This was an amazing event. Everything the kids said, I needed to hear it. I needed to feel it. It was very humbling for me. And very joyful, too.”
“I’m glad they invited the rest of the community to be a part of the celebration.”
“Indeed,” said Josina. “Part of me felt like a kid again.”
“Me too,” said Ben. “I guess we’re all still kids at heart.”
They stared at each other for a long moment, each waiting for the other to break the silence. When Ben couldn’t find the right words, he embraced her again.
And again, Josina hugged him back.
“I should get going,” she whispered in his ear.
“Okay. I’m glad you’re back home.”
“Me too. I’m glad to be back among my own kind.”
“With all the other kids?” Ben joked as she turned to leave.
“With all the other ninjas,” Josina whispered over her shoulder with a wink.
You can support my work by signing up for a membership to The Guiness Pig Diaries, sending me a tip, or buying me a coffee. You can also grab a Wayside Ninjas tee from my shop on Bonfire.