Occult Suspense for Mothers Boxset: The Nostalgia Effect by EJ Valson and Mother's by Michelle Read (2 ebooks for one price) (8 page)

Behind me there was shuffling and whispering.  I turned slightly, but not obviously, and noted the figure just inside the doorway.  A smallish woman was speaking softly to herself, cradling a massive stack of papers in one arm, shuffling through them with her free hand.  She was rambling off numbers to herself . . .
20 copies . . . 40 of these . . . on lavender and yellow . . .

She hadn’t noticed me, so I didn’t yet feel the need to pull my stare from her.  And
staring
was the only word for what I was now doing.  As she made quiet mental notes about the copying chore she’d just been given, I gawked, and took in the creature standing not six feet away from me.

Although she was relatively short, this woman had a slender physique that was both powerful and feminine at the same time.  Her faded jeans hugged her perfectly proportioned legs, and her t-shirt – tattered at the sleeves from years of wear – clung snugly to her tiny torso.  Her clothes looked as if they had been purchased from a garage sale or consignment shop, or were given to her by some teenager who had outgrown them.  And although her slightly ratty outfit was not at all appealing by itself, it looked one million times more attractive because this woman was wearing it.

Her long, graceful fingers gently thumbed through the last of the papers in her elegant arms, which looked as if they were covered in milky silk rather than skin.  She had an olive-toned, dainty face that was very near perfection, full lips, and thick auburn hair.  I immediately took stock of myself and felt self-conscious.  She was quite literally the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

In the few seconds it took for me to observe her outward appearance I had also realized that, while she was quite stunning, it was an understated beauty.  A humble beauty, rather than a forced one.  She couldn’t help it.

“Claire,” someone half-shouted from inside the room.  “Would you mind bringing the lunch list back with you when you’re done?”  I knew that voice, it belonged to Danna.

“Certainly,” Claire sung without taking her eyes from her papers.  “Be back in a few.”  Even her voice was beautiful.

Embarrassed that I had been staring so fixedly at her, I spun my gaze back to the bulletin boards on the wall.  Claire patted her papers back into an orderly bundle and strode slowly down the hall.

I should introduce myself now
, I thought hurriedly.

As she passed me, I looked her way casually, as if I had merely noticed anyone walking down the hall.  I slapped my most innocently inquisitive look on my face and spoke.

“Are you Claire?” I asked knowingly.

“Yes,” her face broke out into a
nice to meet you
expression and her perfect smile dazzled me.

“I’m Erin, the new building assistant.”

A look of immediate understanding replaced the previous one of mere cordiality and she sang again, “Oh yes!  So nice to meet you!  How is your first day treating you?”

“Good.  Well, boring actually.  I haven’t done much yet.”

She instantly began speaking to me as if we had known each other our whole lives.

“Oh that’s just because it’s your very
first
first day.  Believe me, once people start to recognize you,
every
one will have you running for them.  Be thankful you’re bored for now, it won’t last long.”  I was immeasurably at ease listening to her speak.  It was like talking to Charlotte, and I felt an easy friendship waiting to be formed.

“That’s what I hear,” I said, shrugging.  “I’d rather have something to
do
though.  I’m going nuts and it’s not even lunchtime yet.”

“Well then, come with me.  We’ll go make copies together.” 
Easy as that.
  A new friend.  We turned together and headed for the resource room.

Meeting Claire felt sort of like becoming a mother.  The very nanosecond I gave birth to Violet, I had something in common with every woman everywhere.  Just mention that you have a kid and the cashier at the dry cleaner has advice for you, and the elderly lady in front of you in the grocery store has animated stories to share.  Everyone’s a friend, a fellow combat in arms in the frontline of motherhood.

Claire was easy to talk to in the same way.  We knew nothing about each other, yet only a few yards down the hallway and we were already laughing at each other.  I felt so relieved to have found what might just prove to be a truly comforting companion here.  A friendly face in a sea of strangers.  By the time we reached the resource room, I was completely at ease with her.

In the few minutes we had walked together, Claire provided me with an overview of her experiences in this school.  She told me of all the momentous and unforgettable first days of school she had seen since volunteering here for the first time, years ago.  I just laughed along with her, feeling a little more thankful for the dull morning I’d had so far.  We then chatted lightly while she made copy after copy for Danna, and eventually parted cheerfully.

Charlotte eventually radioed me some new instructions, which were to provide an extra set of eyes on the playground for first recess.  I spent the entire recess period searching diligently for Violet, only to find out later that her class had not been outside yet.  By the middle of the day, I was going crazy not being able to see her, to see exactly how she was adapting.

I had now made it to the resource room, after an order from Charlotte sent me on a search for extra car rider name tags.  During this fruitless quest, I found it impossible to concentrate on what I was doing.  I kept looking at the clock every few minutes wondering what Violet was doing, and more importantly, if she missed me as badly as I missed her.

The two large clocks in the resource room had oversized faces with long, prominent hands indicating the time.  Its loud ticking was ominous in the motionless room.  I searched and searched for the elusive name tags to no avail, and radioed in that I couldn’t find any.

“No big deal,” Charlotte had replied.

If it was no big deal, then why was I spending my time looking for them?  I had the sneaking suspicion that she was just trying to keep me busy.  I looked at the clock again, and it ticked at me loudly.  Eleven thirty eight.  Violet’s lunch would be starting soon, I thought.  I was pretty sure her class was scheduled for the cafeteria at eleven forty five. 
I wonder.

“Er-bear, you there?”

Nevermind.  Another task.  Oh well.

“Nicknames aren’t very professional—Charlie.”

“True.  But yours is so cute,” she reflected robotically through the speaker.

“True,” I repeated.  “What can I do for you now?”  I was eager to please my boss, but quite bummed that I wouldn’t be able to…

“Go to lunch,” she suggested. 
Really?!
  “Vy would love to eat lunch with her Mommy.”

“Okay, cool,” I said casually.  Then, resisting the urge to suppress my enthusiasm, I added “Thank you!”

Practically skipping down the hall nearly landed me on my face, I was so eager to soak up any details Violet would have to share with me.  Perched near the entrance to the cafeteria – it had taken me less than a minute to skirt my way to the other end of the building – I eagerly scanned the long files of miniature people for my daughter.  Frustratingly, I couldn’t remember what John had dressed her in this morning, so I was forced to search a hundred tiny faces before I finally spotted her.

I smiled and skipped in beside her in line, not calling attention to myself, and was amazed at how long it took her to realize that I was there.  Several silent yards of walking later, she glanced up at me and flashed her biggest grin, but made no sound.  Apparently there was no talking in the hallway.

The
no talking
rule was a great one, I thought, to help everything go more smoothly and help create order.  How had these kindergarteners learned the rules in only one day, though?  Every little person was remarkably quiet; either holding a lunch pail or walking with their arms folded awkwardly behind their back.  Amazing.

There was a woman standing in the middle of the cafeteria when we entered that was directing each class to their table.  She was speaking so loudly that she didn’t need the bullhorn hanging loosely at her side.

Violet, her class, and I found our table and filed in around it.  I had to lop one leg over each side of the bench and straddle it because the table was so small.  We sat by someone named Jason on one side, and Violet’s new friend Chelsea on the other.

My every wish quickly came true as Violet began filling me in on her morning.  She spared no detail, and I had to remind her often to take bites of her sandwich in between thoughts.

As the conversation with Violet began to slow, and her lulls in chatting became longer and longer so she could eat, I began looking around the cafeteria at the other children.  Several youngsters had visiting moms and dads with them, and I enjoyed taking in their expressions as they, too, watched their children eat.  Their eyes were bright with excitement.  When their child wasn’t looking, though, their faces turned somber—as if they wished that they could spend the whole day with them and not just these twenty minutes.  I knew exactly how they felt.

The two dads I saw were my favorite.  They had both stopped for lunch on their way to the school and had bags of fast food sprawled out before their children.  These children, one boy and one little girl, had downed their meal quickly and were showing off the toys they had received.  The fathers seemed proud to have provided their kids with something that made them the hit of the table.  I thought about how long I had spent preparing Violet’s lunch and was a little jealous that they had taken the easy way out.

Last night and this morning, I had packed Vy a sandwich, which I cut into triangles for her small hands.  I sprinkled her apple slices with lemon juice so they wouldn’t turn brown, and had pre-opened nearly everything so she wouldn’t have any trouble when it came time to eat it.

Maybe I would opt for chicken nuggets and fries one day, too.  Violet would like that.

My eyes eventually wandered around to the teaching assistants scattered around the room.  There was at least one woman hovering around each table
sssh
-ing children and prompting them to finish their meals.  I smiled at the lady who was circling the table nearest to me; I wanted to smile at
every
one I saw—I was so full of contentment.

My cup overfloweth
, I thought sentimentally as I observed the room filled with youth and animation.  I had never seen the woman I smiled at before, but I could tell by her blue lanyard that she was an assistant and not a teacher.  Teachers wore green.

When I flashed a smile at her, she gave absolutely no response at all.  She didn’t scoff, at least, she simply didn’t acknowledge me in any way.  She looked over me as if I didn’t exist, even though I was sure that her eyes had met mine.

Not taking much offense to it, since she didn’t know me, I searched the room for other people to share my overflowing happiness with.

The boy named Jason sitting next to us had his hand raised, and the thunderous lunch lady made a beeline for him.  She shot a furtive look at me from under her thick glasses on her way to the boy.  When I beamed at her, I was certain I had seen that she was displeased with me.  There was an appearance of suspicion shooting from the corner of her eye as she moved past me. 
Two for two.
  My excited buzz was quickly wearing off as I hadn’t seen one friendly face directed my way
yet
.

I decided to turn my attention back to Violet for the short remainder of the lunch period.  When I did, I was rewarded by her warm gaze that seemed to say
Mommy, I don’t know much about this place, but I love it.

After her class was finally dismissed (they were the last to leave because they had the most talkers) Violet kissed me hurriedly and raced to the playground.  She was hand in hand with her new friend Chelsea and they walked as fast as they could without running, being careful under the watchful eye of the teachers in the hallway.

By the time they reached the end of the long hall, they were whispering and giggling frantically.  Vy stopped at the exit to the playground, twirled around, and gave me a quick wave.  Just once.  A single wave, and she was out the door.