Five Years Later
My lips made a happy smile the moment I walked into my baby's room. My smile widened further upon observing that my angel was still sleeping calmly on the bed.
I gently shut the door and approached the bed where my joy lay.
I sat beside the bed next to my baby girl.
"My love."
"Melissa darling," I told her, shaking her tiny frame gently.
"Hmmmmmm," the child complained, eyes still shut.
I chuckled.
"You'll be late for school."
"I want to sleep some more," she complained, eyes still shut.
I chuckled outright this time. Whatever the bedtime my daughter was shipped off to, the little girl was never a morning person.
"Okay, what if I tell you that I'll take you to school today?"
Her eyes opened.
"Really, Mama?"
I smiled and nodded. "Jennifer has something she needs to do, so she has the day off. I'll take you to school and pick you up afterward too."
The edges of Melissa's mouth creased into a smile. She sat up and crawled over to me.
I greeted my daughter with an open arm in a hug that was tight.
"Good morning, Mama."
"Good morning, love." I double-kissed her brow, then placed her on my lap.
"You slept well?"
She nodded with a smile.
"I had a dream."
"Okay… with the smile on your face, I bet it's good." I always enjoyed hearing my daughter's dreams, even if they are silly-sounding.
"Yes, I made a new friend."
I smiled, tenderly rubbing my daughter's cheek. "Honey, you already have a lot of friends," I responded truthfully because I hardly kept up with the names of all her classmates.
"Yes, Mama. They accept me and I like them too. But the friend in the dream was something special."
"How do you know that?" I couldn't resist asking.
"Because he played with me."
"He?" I curled my brow, staring hard at my little girl. "We decided to go slow with the male friends."
Melissa shrugged, "He was nice."
"Would you be so gracious as to tell me more about him?"
"Uh…. " she mumbled, having her little finger curled against her chin, attempting to recall the description of the person.
"I don't know, but he had a beautiful face." She smiled.
I laughed, "Good to know."
"What would you like for breakfast? Cereal or eggs with bre…"
"Froot loops, please." She smiled and at the same time, giving me a puppy dog face.
"We're out of froot loops."
"No, Mama. There's some in the cabinet."
"Oh really?"
Melissa nodded.
"I don't think so."
"Please, Mommy. I can have froot loops for breakfast. I can have vegetables for dinner."
"How old are you again, Miss?"
"Four." She giggled, holding up four fingers.
"I'll think about that, but let's dress you for school, okay?"
Melissa smiled and agreed.
I put the little girl on her feet and stood up myself. I made up my baby's bed later. Then I took Melissa to the bathroom.
In an hour or so, I'd had breakfast and was ready to go to work and my daughter was school-ready.
Melissa was buckled into the backseat safely, very engrossed in viewing cartoons on her iPad while I was driving and at the same time answered three telephone calls, using the car speaker. In no time, we arrived at Melissa's school.
I pulled into the driveway, exited the car, then proceeded around to the backseat to unbuckle my baby.
"I already miss you." I planted a kiss on her face once her seatbelt was undone.
The little girl giggled. "But I just got to school."
"I miss you already."
She nodded, smiling, "I'm gonna miss you too, Mommy."
I smiled back at her, smoothing my daughter's cheek. I couldn't believe how blessed I was to have the sweetest four-year-old for a moment's baby.
"Mama, are you crying?" Melissa's tearful voice echoed.
No, baby." I sniffled, barely aware that my eyes were wet. "I feel so lucky you chose me to be your mom." I looked at my daughter's beautiful eyes, even though it made me think of someone so hurtful.
Melissa smiled. "I love you, Mommy. I love you forever.".
"I love you too, sweetheart." I hugged my daughter into a long warm hug and then gave her a deep kiss on the forehead.
"Now let's get you to class."
"Yes, Mommy. I want you to meet my friends."
I laughed, dumping my daughter out of the backseat. "Honey, I don't know if I have time enough to say hello to everybody."
"You do, Mommy. It won't take time." She pouted.
I shook my head in disbelief as I laced up my baby's backpack and buckled it around her waist. I picked up her lunch bag, closed the door, wrapped my hand around Melissa's tiny hands, and walked her to class.
I and Melissa took a little time longer to reach her class as Melissa stopped to say hello to the familiar faces she met along the way to class.
Melissa made me wait a bit by introducing some of her acquaintances. I talked to them for a couple of minutes after which I bid my farewell, stealing a peck from Melissa.
I did my best not to pass the speed limit and after what felt like forever, I actually came to a stop in the car park of the office complex.
I removed my handbag from the backseat, then exited the car, proceeding in the direction of the office building.
"Good morning, Ma'am." That sweet, comforting voice greeted me the moment I stepped into the reception area of the office building.
I tried to hide my blush as I glanced at the owner of that deep but lovely voice whom I was falling head over heels for in a matter of seconds.
"Good morning," I said with a polite smile as we proceeded side by side in slow steps toward the elevator.
"You look good."
"Thanks," I said. Something he would have overlooked had he not been paying attention so intently.
"Good night?"
I nodded.
"Melissa?"
"She's good. Dropped her off at school before coming here."
"I miss her."
I smiled. "I'd say the same thing."
"So, Christopher fidgeted at the back of his neck uneasily as he spoke. "You're still free for dinner tonight?"
I froze in my tracks and turned around to face him.
"Onn?!" Christopher whispered, his eyes pleading.
"Yeah, the dinner."
"I'll pick you up at 7."
"Don't stand me up this time."
"I won't." I smiled back at him, a smile that wasn't quite reaching my eyes.
"I get to pick you up." He grinned at me as we walked on.
We took the elevator and even standing side by side, we couldn't make conversation because a couple of other members of staff were with us.