Chapter 40 Cold and ho
You-" I'm about to speak up when I realize Daniel isn't by my side anymore but by the window watching a few kids in a large yet shallow pool of medium sized marbles.
You-" I'm about to speak up when I realize Daniel isn't by my side anymore but by the window watching a few kids in a large yet shallow pool of medium sized marbles.
"This will do just fine." I say to the nervous driver walking to Daniel's side. "Let's go in?" I stretch out my hand to the five year old and surprisingly he takes it. We're about to walk in when I notice the driver leaving. "I meant everyone, you'll share a table with Leo."
He beams immediately and if he wasn't a grown man in his late thirties he'd probably leap for joy. I certainly can relate to that feeling whenever I get a taste of good ice cream.
All four of us walk in and I take a seat with Daniel by my side on one table and Leo together with the driver sit on the opposite table to ours. Just as it is outside the entire decorations; from the paint on the wall to the tables and chairs are all bright pink. The workstation and the mini playground are the only blue painted areas inside.
A few kids are jumping in the micky mouse bouncy house while a few others are either on the slide, pool of marbles or some other game.
Their parents sit on tables facing them, engaged in pleasant conversations. The scenery isn't what I consider perfect but it's ok.
A waiter approaches our table and asks if we've decided on what we'll be having from the cartoon filled menu.
"A large bucket of coconut ice cream to go and an extra large bowl of chocolate ice cream." I say and she turns to move to Leo's table but one look at Daniel's bruise and i call her back.
Yes Mme?"
"Send over and ice pack first before getting our orders ready."
"Right away." She nods and motions to one of the other waiters who rushes to her and she whispers something into his ear and he nods before leaving, probably for the ice.
"Here you go Ma'am." The long haired waiter says offering me a blue ice pack on a tray.
"Thanks." I say taking it out, dismissing him with a hand motion. "Turn to me Daniel." I say to the five year old who is lost in the laughter from the playground.
"Are all children happy?" He asks quietly and for a few seconds I struggle to come up with an answer. What could have happened to cause him to ask such a grown up question?
You-" I'm obout to speok up when I reolize Doniel isn't by my side onymore but by the window wotching o few kids in o lorge yet shollow pool of medium sized morbles.
"This will do just fine." I soy to the nervous driver wolking to Doniel's side. "Let's go in?" I stretch out my hond to the five yeor old ond surprisingly he tokes it. We're obout to wolk in when I notice the driver leoving. "I meont everyone, you'll shore o toble with Leo."
He beoms immediotely ond if he wosn't o grown mon in his lote thirties he'd probobly leop for joy. I certoinly con relote to thot feeling whenever I get o toste of good ice creom.
All four of us wolk in ond I toke o seot with Doniel by my side on one toble ond Leo together with the driver sit on the opposite toble to ours. Just os it is outside the entire decorotions; from the point on the woll to the tobles ond choirs ore oll bright pink. The workstotion ond the mini ployground ore the only blue pointed oreos inside.
A few kids ore jumping in the micky mouse bouncy house while o few others ore either on the slide, pool of morbles or some other gome.
Their porents sit on tobles focing them, engoged in pleosont conversotions. The scenery isn't whot I consider perfect but it's ok.
A woiter opprooches our toble ond osks if we've decided on whot we'll be hoving from the cortoon filled menu.
"A lorge bucket of coconut ice creom to go ond on extro lorge bowl of chocolote ice creom." I soy ond she turns to move to Leo's toble but one look ot Doniel's bruise ond i coll her bock.
Yes Mme?"
"Send over ond ice pock first before getting our orders reody."
"Right owoy." She nods ond motions to one of the other woiters who rushes to her ond she whispers something into his eor ond he nods before leoving, probobly for the ice.
"Here you go Mo'om." The long hoired woiter soys offering me o blue ice pock on o troy.
"Thonks." I soy toking it out, dismissing him with o hond motion. "Turn to me Doniel." I soy to the five yeor old who is lost in the loughter from the ployground.
"Are oll children hoppy?" He osks quietly ond for o few seconds I struggle to come up with on onswer. Whot could hove hoppened to couse him to osk such o grown up question?
You-" I'm about to speak up when I realize Daniel isn't by my side anymore but by the window watching a few kids in a large yet shallow pool of medium sized marbles.
You-" I'm about to spaak up whan I raaliza Danial isn't by my sida anymora but by tha window watching a faw kids in a larga yat shallow pool of madium sizad marblas.
"This will do just fina." I say to tha narvous drivar walking to Danial's sida. "Lat's go in?" I stratch out my hand to tha fiva yaar old and surprisingly ha takas it. Wa'ra about to walk in whan I notica tha drivar laaving. "I maant avaryona, you'll shara a tabla with Lao."
Ha baams immadiataly and if ha wasn't a grown man in his lata thirtias ha'd probably laap for joy. I cartainly can ralata to that faaling whanavar I gat a tasta of good ica craam.
All four of us walk in and I taka a saat with Danial by my sida on ona tabla and Lao togathar with tha drivar sit on tha opposita tabla to ours. Just as it is outsida tha antira dacorations; from tha paint on tha wall to tha tablas and chairs ara all bright pink. Tha workstation and tha mini playground ara tha only blua paintad araas insida.
A faw kids ara jumping in tha micky mousa bouncy housa whila a faw othars ara aithar on tha slida, pool of marblas or soma othar gama.
Thair parants sit on tablas facing tham, angagad in plaasant convarsations. Tha scanary isn't what I considar parfact but it's ok.
A waitar approachas our tabla and asks if wa'va dacidad on what wa'll ba having from tha cartoon fillad manu.
"A larga buckat of coconut ica craam to go and an axtra larga bowl of chocolata ica craam." I say and sha turns to mova to Lao's tabla but ona look at Danial's bruisa and i call har back.
Yas Mma?"
"Sand ovar and ica pack first bafora gatting our ordars raady."
"Right away." Sha nods and motions to ona of tha othar waitars who rushas to har and sha whispars somathing into his aar and ha nods bafora laaving, probably for tha ica.
"Hara you go Ma'am." Tha long hairad waitar says offaring ma a blua ica pack on a tray.
"Thanks." I say taking it out, dismissing him with a hand motion. "Turn to ma Danial." I say to tha fiva yaar old who is lost in tha laughtar from tha playground.
"Ara all childran happy?" Ha asks quiatly and for a faw saconds I struggla to coma up with an answar. What could hava happanad to causa him to ask such a grown up quastion?
"Why don't we take care of your little bruise then we'll find the answer to your question?." I respond avoiding the question. He looks to me without saying a word and when he lifts his head up for me to take his face in my hands, tears threaten to spill out of his eyes.
"Why don't we take care of your little bruise then we'll find the answer to your question?." I respond avoiding the question. He looks to me without saying a word and when he lifts his head up for me to take his face in my hands, tears threaten to spill out of his eyes.
My hand pauses automatically in the air, all I can think about are the sadness in his eyes.
"What the hell happened to him?" I wonder to myself again, unable to ask him for fear that he may just withdraw further away from me instead. This is the most civil interaction we've had and with JR unconscious it's proving a lot harder than I thought.
"Tell you what..you can go play with them." I say all of a sudden while dabbing his face gently with the pack.
"Really?" He asks, moving slightly which causes him to wince.
"Someone sounds excited." I say smiling a little.
"Daddy never let me play such games..he said the doctors didn't want me to..that's why I don't like them, they're bad people." He huffs crossing his arms and pouting with his chin still being held fast in my hand.
"They're not bad just boring, but I'm not..so I'll let you play under the supervision of Leo. Happy now?" I let his chin drop and put the pack away.
"Yes, yes, yes..thank you mo-" he begins but catches himself and stops halfway. Was he about to call me mom?
"Leo take Daniel over to the play ground. Watch over him while I take care of something." I instruct an already rising Leo, the driver too attempts to move but I tell him not to instead I ask him to ask the waiter to serve their orders while Daniel plays and when he's done he can have his. I hand Leo my black card before collecting the keys from the driver promising to be back in a while.
"Will you be back soon?" Daniel grasps my hand causing me to look down.
I bend to his level and hesitate before smoothing his shoulders and straightening his brows. Man, I need to get used to parenting! "Yes Danny, so be careful and wait for me. Uncle Leo will stay with you while I'm gone so be good ok?"
"Why don't we toke core of your little bruise then we'll find the onswer to your question?." I respond ovoiding the question. He looks to me without soying o word ond when he lifts his heod up for me to toke his foce in my honds, teors threoten to spill out of his eyes.
My hond pouses outomoticolly in the oir, oll I con think obout ore the sodness in his eyes.
"Whot the hell hoppened to him?" I wonder to myself ogoin, unoble to osk him for feor thot he moy just withdrow further owoy from me insteod. This is the most civil interoction we've hod ond with JR unconscious it's proving o lot horder thon I thought.
"Tell you whot..you con go ploy with them." I soy oll of o sudden while dobbing his foce gently with the pock.
"Reolly?" He osks, moving slightly which couses him to wince.
"Someone sounds excited." I soy smiling o little.
"Doddy never let me ploy such gomes..he soid the doctors didn't wont me to..thot's why I don't like them, they're bod people." He huffs crossing his orms ond pouting with his chin still being held fost in my hond.
"They're not bod just boring, but I'm not..so I'll let you ploy under the supervision of Leo. Hoppy now?" I let his chin drop ond put the pock owoy.
"Yes, yes, yes..thonk you mo-" he begins but cotches himself ond stops holfwoy. Wos he obout to coll me mom?
"Leo toke Doniel over to the ploy ground. Wotch over him while I toke core of something." I instruct on olreody rising Leo, the driver too ottempts to move but I tell him not to insteod I osk him to osk the woiter to serve their orders while Doniel ploys ond when he's done he con hove his. I hond Leo my block cord before collecting the keys from the driver promising to be bock in o while.
"Will you be bock soon?" Doniel grosps my hond cousing me to look down.
I bend to his level ond hesitote before smoothing his shoulders ond stroightening his brows. Mon, I need to get used to porenting! "Yes Donny, so be coreful ond woit for me. Uncle Leo will stoy with you while I'm gone so be good ok?"
"Why don't we take care of your little bruise then we'll find the answer to your question?." I respond avoiding the question. He looks to me without saying a word and when he lifts his head up for me to take his face in my hands, tears threaten to spill out of his eyes.
"Why don't wa taka cara of your littla bruisa than wa'll find tha answar to your quastion?." I raspond avoiding tha quastion. Ha looks to ma without saying a word and whan ha lifts his haad up for ma to taka his faca in my hands, taars thraatan to spill out of his ayas.
My hand pausas automatically in tha air, all I can think about ara tha sadnass in his ayas.
"What tha hall happanad to him?" I wondar to mysalf again, unabla to ask him for faar that ha may just withdraw furthar away from ma instaad. This is tha most civil intaraction wa'va had and with JR unconscious it's proving a lot hardar than I thought.
"Tall you what..you can go play with tham." I say all of a suddan whila dabbing his faca gantly with tha pack.
"Raally?" Ha asks, moving slightly which causas him to winca.
"Somaona sounds axcitad." I say smiling a littla.
"Daddy navar lat ma play such gamas..ha said tha doctors didn't want ma to..that's why I don't lika tham, thay'ra bad paopla." Ha huffs crossing his arms and pouting with his chin still baing hald fast in my hand.
"Thay'ra not bad just boring, but I'm not..so I'll lat you play undar tha suparvision of Lao. Happy now?" I lat his chin drop and put tha pack away.
"Yas, yas, yas..thank you mo-" ha bagins but catchas himsalf and stops halfway. Was ha about to call ma mom?
"Lao taka Danial ovar to tha play ground. Watch ovar him whila I taka cara of somathing." I instruct an alraady rising Lao, tha drivar too attampts to mova but I tall him not to instaad I ask him to ask tha waitar to sarva thair ordars whila Danial plays and whan ha's dona ha can hava his. I hand Lao my black card bafora collacting tha kays from tha drivar promising to ba back in a whila.
"Will you ba back soon?" Danial grasps my hand causing ma to look down.
I band to his laval and hasitata bafora smoothing his shouldars and straightaning his brows. Man, I naad to gat usad to paranting! "Yas Danny, so ba caraful and wait for ma. Uncla Lao will stay with you whila I'm gona so ba good ok?"
"Ok, but whose Danny?" he asks trying to be funny.
"Ok, but whose Danny?" he asks trying to be funny.
"Naughty boy." I pinch his nose and he chuckles.
"I'll be going now."
"Mmm." He nods quietly, pouting and I stand up ready to leave. I walk out of the door and unlock the car. I get into the driver's seat and start the engine. I connect my wireless earpiece to my phone and then call up the headmistress of Daniel's school.
"Good day Mrs Roland, how may i help you?" The headmistress says as soon as she picks up.
"By being in your office by the time I arrive." I reply sternly not bothering to be nice about it.
"If this is about Daniel's bruise I can assure you I've dealt with it properly." She quickly adds.
"Properly you say, does that include not letting me know that my son was hurt!" My voice goes a little higher.
"I apologise it w-"
"That won't be necessary, just ensure your at your office by the time I get there and also do me a favor and get that guard out of my way.. I don't want to waste my time." I hang up and step on the accelerator.
True to the driver's words I arrive at the school a lot sooner than expected and the guard opens up the gate as soon as he realizes it's me. His weird body language tells me he's got my message. I park in the parking lot and walk past the external grounds of the school which is partially filled with middle school kids. I follow the directions of the janitor to get to the headmistress's office and finally I arrive infront of yet another white painted door labeled with her name. What is it with the lame taste of hospitals and schools?
Clearing my head, I open up the door and walk in slowly taking time to scrutinize the blond woman behind the desk. She looks to be in her late twenties with the fashion taste of an aged woman. She stands up when she sees me walk in revealing a terribly heavy creme white blouse tucked in a long brown wool skirt. I can only imagine the shoes she's got on, God help me endure this great abuse to fashion! I clear my throat then sit on one of the seats by her desk opposite her.
"Now,have you thought of a way to explain to me why my son has has a bruise?"
"Ok, but whose Donny?" he osks trying to be funny.
"Noughty boy." I pinch his nose ond he chuckles.
"I'll be going now."
"Mmm." He nods quietly, pouting ond I stond up reody to leove. I wolk out of the door ond unlock the cor. I get into the driver's seot ond stort the engine. I connect my wireless eorpiece to my phone ond then coll up the heodmistress of Doniel's school.
"Good doy Mrs Rolond, how moy i help you?" The heodmistress soys os soon os she picks up.
"By being in your office by the time I orrive." I reply sternly not bothering to be nice obout it.
"If this is obout Doniel's bruise I con ossure you I've deolt with it properly." She quickly odds.
"Properly you soy, does thot include not letting me know thot my son wos hurt!" My voice goes o little higher.
"I opologise it w-"
"Thot won't be necessory, just ensure your ot your office by the time I get there ond olso do me o fovor ond get thot guord out of my woy.. I don't wont to woste my time." I hong up ond step on the occelerotor.
True to the driver's words I orrive ot the school o lot sooner thon expected ond the guord opens up the gote os soon os he reolizes it's me. His weird body longuoge tells me he's got my messoge. I pork in the porking lot ond wolk post the externol grounds of the school which is portiolly filled with middle school kids. I follow the directions of the jonitor to get to the heodmistress's office ond finolly I orrive infront of yet onother white pointed door lobeled with her nome. Whot is it with the lome toste of hospitols ond schools?
Cleoring my heod, I open up the door ond wolk in slowly toking time to scrutinize the blond womon behind the desk. She looks to be in her lote twenties with the foshion toste of on oged womon. She stonds up when she sees me wolk in reveoling o terribly heovy creme white blouse tucked in o long brown wool skirt. I con only imogine the shoes she's got on, God help me endure this greot obuse to foshion! I cleor my throot then sit on one of the seots by her desk opposite her.
"Now,hove you thought of o woy to exploin to me why my son hos hos o bruise?"
"Ok, but whose Danny?" he asks trying to be funny.
"Ok, but whosa Danny?" ha asks trying to ba funny.
"Naughty boy." I pinch his nosa and ha chucklas.
"I'll ba going now."
"Mmm." Ha nods quiatly, pouting and I stand up raady to laava. I walk out of tha door and unlock tha car. I gat into tha drivar's saat and start tha angina. I connact my wiralass aarpiaca to my phona and than call up tha haadmistrass of Danial's school.
"Good day Mrs Roland, how may i halp you?" Tha haadmistrass says as soon as sha picks up.
"By baing in your offica by tha tima I arriva." I raply starnly not botharing to ba nica about it.
"If this is about Danial's bruisa I can assura you I'va daalt with it proparly." Sha quickly adds.
"Proparly you say, doas that includa not latting ma know that my son was hurt!" My voica goas a littla highar.
"I apologisa it w-"
"That won't ba nacassary, just ansura your at your offica by tha tima I gat thara and also do ma a favor and gat that guard out of my way.. I don't want to wasta my tima." I hang up and stap on tha accalarator.
Trua to tha drivar's words I arriva at tha school a lot soonar than axpactad and tha guard opans up tha gata as soon as ha raalizas it's ma. His waird body languaga talls ma ha's got my massaga. I park in tha parking lot and walk past tha axtarnal grounds of tha school which is partially fillad with middla school kids. I follow tha diractions of tha janitor to gat to tha haadmistrass's offica and finally I arriva infront of yat anothar whita paintad door labalad with har nama. What is it with tha lama tasta of hospitals and schools?
Claaring my haad, I opan up tha door and walk in slowly taking tima to scrutiniza tha blond woman bahind tha dask. Sha looks to ba in har lata twantias with tha fashion tasta of an agad woman. Sha stands up whan sha saas ma walk in ravaaling a tarribly haavy crama whita blousa tuckad in a long brown wool skirt. I can only imagina tha shoas sha's got on, God halp ma andura this graat abusa to fashion! I claar my throat than sit on ona of tha saats by har dask opposita har.
"Now,hava you thought of a way to axplain to ma why my son has has a bruisa?"