Chapter eight
I had slept badly. As much as I told myself I didn't know why, I was thinking too much about the Lennox twins. Anne had only drawn a picture, which, in a way, was no big deal, but I wondered what it would be like for them to have to deal with missing their mother. As much as the other students had crazy wigs for parents, they still had them.
There was no point in comparing them to me; my mother was alive, lost, probably on drugs with some addict, but she was still somewhere. As bad as she had been for me, I couldn't help wondering what it would be like if I never saw her again.
This absence of their mother, for such little girls, was heartbreaking. Even though I was just a teacher, I couldn't not care. However, it was quite possible that in the near future, they would have a stepmother. A handsome, wealthy man like Thomas Lennox must have had plenty of candidates. At some point, he would end up choosing one of them.
“Good morning, Helena!”
“Good morning, Holly.” I smiled at her as we entered the school.
“How is your grandmother?”
“Good. Even though I want to leave the house less and less.”
“I understand; my mother doesn't think about anything other than watching television after she retired.”
“There are interesting programs,” I tried to be optimistic.
“Not the ones she watches.” My coworker laughed.
I shrugged and headed for my classroom, preparing the place before the students arrived. I had organized some more playful activities the day before that I hoped would keep them busy and make them have fun, as well as stimulate their motor skills and reasoning.
I loved my job. Being with those little ones was undoubtedly the best part of my day. I had never regretted the professional choice I had made, even if it didn't bring the same prestige as other jobs. Seeing those little angels develop every day was very rewarding.
Sometimes I thought about what it would be like to have children of my own, but going home from work every day and leaving zero time for flirting, it was unlikely that I would find a husband.
Maybe a handsome, super-interesting guy would sit next to me on the subway, commenting on the launch of an author I admired or telling me about his plans to live in a house with a backyard. I laughed to myself as I thought how silly it was to imagine such a situation.
“Helena!”
I was startled when little arms wrapped around my waist.
“Hi, Michael!” I stroked my little pupil's head.
“Hey!”
“How did you spend the night?”
“I dreamt it.”
“Did you dream it?”
He nodded.
“With what?”
“Ti had a poni.”
“That you had a pony?”
“é!”
“Wow, was it nice?”
“It was.”
“Have you ever ridden a pony?”
“I walked. Dad took me on the trip.”
“When did you go on a trip?” I used to repeat the sentences or ask questions with the context to help them understand the words better, thus improving their pronunciation, which was still very childish. “Where did you go?”
He squeezed his eyes shut, thinking and pressed his lips together until he seemed to give up.
“I don't remember.”
“It's all right.” I caressed his shoulder. “You can tell me later. Now, go sit in your seat and wait for the rest of your colleagues to arrive.”
“Yes!”
Gradually, the room filled up with familiar faces, but the twins were slow to appear. I was worried, almost thinking they wouldn't come until Holly appeared, guiding them into the room.
“Were they late?”
“The father said the traffic was bad.”
Dad...
The mental image of the man shouldn't have caused me such mental turmoil, but I hoped it would pass soon.
“Okay. Go and sit down.” I indicated their chair.
“Are you all right?” Holly asked me as if she had noticed something.
“Why wouldn't I be?”
“I don't know, you seem a bit strange.”
“I'm fine.”
“If you're saying.”
“I'm going to start my lesson.” I grabbed the door handle as an indication for us to finish the subject.
“See you later.” She waved.
“See you!” I locked it from the outside and turned to the children. “Shall we start the lesson?”
“Wow!” They cheered.