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I drummed my fingers lightly on the steering wheel, awaiting the closing time for my daughter's school. I craned my neck after a while, and checked the time. It was already two o'clock. I had been waiting for quite a while, and was growing a bit weary.

I looked across the street at kids playing with their balloons and mothers that guided them with caution. I could also see a guy at the street corner, stringing a guitar and singing a sad song. For a minute, I forgot my aim and got lost in the scenery before me. I only got out of my trance when I heard the clang of the school's gate.

I spotted the security man opening it and I removed my car keys from the ignition, and got out. It was finally time. I saw the flock of kids that ran out from the school, some running to the school's playground and others merely stood. Some stared afar off with their school bags; probably waiting for their parents to pick them up.

A wave of relief engulfed me when I spotted my little angel with a girl that she held on tightly to. Her other hand was linked with a brown-haired lady who was her class teacher.

I placed my right hand on my jaw and stared at my child in wonder. When had she grown so fast?

She was indeed my world. I had laboured so much in giving birth to her, and exactly two years later, my husband took his last breath. His death was a complete mystery to me, and ever since then, I vowed never to let my precious baby slip from my fingers, just like my husband did.

I saw Lisie squinting her eyes, with a hand on her forehead, searching with diligence for me. It was indeed a hot, sunny afternoon and I was perspiring through my armpit in my brown–long sleeved shirt. She spotted me and shouted in glee, running over to me. I felt like a proud mom and carried my five-year-old daughter in my arms. I patted her blonde hair and kissed her forehead.

She giggled and pecked me on the cheek. Her blue eyes caught the golden rays of the sun, and I marvelled at how beautiful she looked. I saw her class teacher approach us and I gave a broad smile. The young woman was called Glee. She was popular; in all likelihood that she was always cheerful and loved to play with the kids but, her looks didn't really fit her name.

Her nose was a bit crooked, her hair a shade too brown. Big google glasses that probably weren't medicated, sat atop her nose. Her eyes were impossible not to notice. They were a light, honey coloured brown.

She nodded her head in appraisal at me, and I cleared my throat to speak.

"Good afternoon, Glee," I greeted in good cheer. "Hope Lisie didn't give you any trouble?"

I ruffled her hair and let her out of my grasp. I noticed that as soon as she left my arms, she clutched the hands of a girl that looked to be a bit older than her. She had green eyes, and a pretty face. I made a mental note to ask about that, and turned to pay full attention to Glee.

The class teacher droned on and on about how Lisie, my daughter, was quite an armful. How she answered all the questions that were asked in class, and also about how she was full of fun and high spirit.

Okay, well, I couldn't blame her. It was a new start for her after all.

"But I really do like her excitement towards learning," the teacher concluded.

"Well that's good," I said nodding my head in appreciation. "At least she is adapting to her new environment."

The teacher lowered and raised her head in agreement. Lisa kept jumping up and down, dragging my hand whilst begging for my attention.

"Mummy," she cooed. "Meet my new friend." She was looking at me earnestly, wanting to know my opinion of her companion. I blew a strand of hair away from my face, my eyes brimming with anxiety.

I crouched down to their height and studied the kid for a short while. She seemed shy. Her head was bent, and she used her feet to graze the ground slightly, but there was something odd about her. Her matted hair was streaked with dirt as if she just arrived from a jungle.

I could feel the teacher's eyes on me.

"What's your name?" I asked using my hand to lift her chin, so I could stare into her puppy green eyes.

"Bennie," was all she said. I rubbed my palms on my black jeans and stood up. I turned to the teacher to ask some questions; questions that were flooding my mind and needed answers.

"Who is this?" I asked her, furrowing my brows.

"About that," she started. "I don't really know... Lisa has been clinging to Bennie since classes started."

What? And I was only just noticing that. I mentally face palmed myself and called out to Lisa who had run to go play with her new found friend, Bennie some distance away.

She came running and jumped excitedly into my arms. I held her briefly and told her we needed to get going. She furrowed her brows and frowned her pretty face. Gosh, she looked so adorable.

"I don't want to go," she said in a pleading voice. "I want to stay and play with Bennie."

I looked towards Bennie who was building a castle with sand, and sighed. Now, this was going to be a whole lot complicated. I looked to the class teacher with pleading eyes. She called out to Bennie and held her hand in hers. I ordered Lisa to close her eyes and told her, I had a surprise for her. She squealed in excitement and closed them.

I whispered for the teacher to take Bennie away and she did that. I could hear the noise of kids playing in the playground to the left of me as I turned and headed for my car; my hands still around Lisa's eyes.

"Can I open 'em now," she pleaded. By the time, I was already at my car.

"Sure you can," I replied. She opened her eyes and looked round; eager to find the surprise I had for her. When she saw nothing, she screamed aloud, and kicked her chubby little legs. My face broke into a smile and I forced her into the back seat of the car as she kept on screaming for Bennie. What was up with my kid and this Bennie girl?

I closed the door and hurried to enter the driver's seat before Lisa would create a mess. I had just got in when she began throwing her school bag all over the place; her books flying in every direction. I was getting scared of the tantrum Lisa was creating.

I slid into the driver's seat and shut the door, ordering Lisa to stay put as I twisted up and bent over my seat, to buckle her seat belt.

________________________________

I continued to observe Lisa through the rear-view mirror that was between my seat, and the passenger's seat. She would throw her tantrums occasionally and I would get a bit scared, because of course, this was all new to me and I wasn't used to it.

"Did you eat the lunch I packed for you, Lisie?" I asked.

I could see her scrunching up her face and she folded her arms across her small frame. I turned to stare at her in brief.

"Hey! Watch it!" someone yelled, and I speedily tried to regain control of the car.

"Sorry!" I yelled back sticking my head a bit out of the window.

I was back to keeping my attention on the road and I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white.

"I asked you a question, young lady!" I demanded.

"I didn't eat it," she said in her tiny voice.

I blew out my breath. I had taken great care in preparing lunch for my baby and she deemed it fit not to eat it. What were the odds of that?

I stared at her briefly through the car mirror again, and asked her why she had refused to eat her food.

"My class teacher didn't feed me." I heard her purr.

I sighed in disbelief.

"Your class teacher what...?" I asked furrowing my brows, my voice a bit uneven. "Haven't I told you to learn how to eat by yourself?"

"Uhhnnn," she answered. "But I really wanted someone to feed me." I saw her bobbing her head.

I shook my head, just as I pulled the car to a stop, in front of the red traffic light. Turning to stare at Lisie, I made sure that her seatbelt was cinched properly. I didn't want to hear any stories and I wasn't counting on losing anyone so dear to me, anytime soon.

The car beside me suddenly honked aloud and I turned to stare. A formidable man with a muscular build sat behind the wheel. His jawline was sharp and jarring, with a thin line of beard that ran the side of his face. I couldn't help but sigh. It had been a long time since I had a man, all to myself. Ever since my husband's death.

"Mummy." I could hear my kid say. "Am I getting too old?"

I laughed at that and surged the car forward just as the light turned green. My baby was just the perfect age for me. At five years, she was a bundle of joy and excitement.

The car that had been beside me took the left turn, while I took the right. Too bad, in all likelihood, I would not see him again. I noticed the car was a bit quiet, and I checked on my kid through the mirror. She had fallen asleep and her blonde hair stuck to her face. I could see beads of sweat on her forehead and I stretched my right hand to turn on the air conditioner; keeping the left on the wheel. Cold air blasted through and enveloped the car.

I was enjoying the feel of it as I relaxed in my seat and turned on the radio. My favourite jam was playing and I nodded my head in sync with the music.

I drove all the way home and made a stop only to fill my car, at the gas station.