It wasn’t that he didn’t like conferences. It was just the impersonal aspect of hotels he found uncomfortable. And he found himself clinging to the presence of the two colleagues whose acquaintance he had made at the beginning of the week: Dwayne and Eddie. Paul smirked to himself. Dwayne and Eddie sounded like some country/hillbilly band from his youth. Then the smile disappeared as he remembered just how far away his youth was these days.

Not that Paul was old, but twenty years of teaching computing and the lessons of life to high school kids had taken its toll – particularly on his middle. He wondered why he still attended these “Counselling the young” conferences. He had enough “educational” experiences to write a book. Particularly if he thought back to those five years he spent at Sir John Sparrow Thompson in London.

Maybe it was the thought of his time in Canada which meant she was already in his mind, or maybe her face was so familiar he would never forget her, but it came as a bit of a shock when he looked up in the foyer and straight into the eyes of one of his former students.

She was standing across from him in the hotel foyer. Older than her remembered her, but still beautiful. He had thought at the time he taught her, that if he had not been happily married already – and indeed her teacher – it would have been easy to develop a thing for her. (Fortunately, common sense prevailed. His wife would have cut off parts of his anatomy if he had even considered it. Paul smiled lovingly at the thought of his wife.)

And here the girl was again, some fifteen years since he had last seen her, and she hadn’t changed a bit.

The eyes smiled in recognition and he excused himself from his companions and crossed the foyer slowly.

“Casey.”

“Paul! How good to see you!”

“I’m surprised you recognised me.”

“Hey. I spent a lot of time in your office sounding off, how could I not recognise you? You’re looking well.”

“And so are you. Hardly changed a bit.”

“Flatterer. Not bad for a mom of four am I though?”

“Four! Wow! God! Now I feel really old.”

They chuckled together.

“I’m here on a second honeymoon with my husband. You’re here for the conference?”

“Yeah. More for the week away from school than to actually learn something.”

“I suspect you could probably tell them a thing or two.” Casey smiled. “Especially about sibling rivalry.”

Paul laughed. “How is Derek? Still pranking you?”

“Derek is Derek. The day I got married he had someone pin a sign to the back of my wedding dress. “For sale, one careful owner, comfortable ride.” And someone made the mistake of putting him in charge of a Beaver scout patrol – the first week I discovered he’d gotten hold of one of my bras and hoisted it on the flag pole. Needless to say the scouts thought he was fantastic.”

Paul laughed. “He always did have style.”

“You used to enjoy my tales a lot didn’t you?”

“Oh yeah. Highlight of my week. Some days you used to come in, blast out a whole story, talk yourself into the solution and turn round and walk out again. I never got a word in!”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Casey, I dealt with suicidal teens, abuse, exam nerves, people discovering their sexuality. By contrast, your issues with your step-brother were mild and rather entertaining.”

Casey laughed. “Klutzilla strikes again; always the spectacle. Did you have a favourite anecdote?”

“Actually, I think the day that the superglue prank back-fired and you and Derek ended up with your hands glued to each other for the entire day.”

She nodded. “You try going to the bathroom with your brother attached to you.”

Paul looked at his former student as she ran her fingers through her hair, thoughtfully. He noticed the wedding and engagement rings on her finger and wondered how her husband dealt with Derek.

“Did you ever work things out? Has he mellowed at all?”

“We reached an amicable truce. As he gets older, he’s started to run out of pranks. I’m starting to see some of the old favourites return.”

“I bet he’s a bad influence to his nephews and nieces.”

“He drives Lizzie crazy with her two. Edwin, to Lizzie’s annoyance, is a bit more tolerant of the way uncle Derek is with their kids– well you know what Ed was like when he was at SJST, hardly whiter than white.”

Paul chuckled. “Derek had the edge over Edwin though. His little stunt at graduation is still talked about in the staff room I believe. The funny thing is Lassiter talks about him with fondness.”

“I never understood that. How anyone could be won over by the Venturi charm.”

“That’s because you are family. You’re immune.” A third voice joined in and a pair of hands slipped around Casey’s waist.

“Paul. You remember my husband.” She said, leaning back into her partner’s arms.

Paul choked back a laugh.

“Derek. Nice to see you again.”

And he felt like he’d finally been pranked by a Venturi – and she didn’t look at all repentant.