Playing with feelings

1

10 minutes. She had 10 minutes. Her eyes translated the message to her brain as she glanced at the clock of her car right after she sat in the seat. The clock read 6:00pm which told her she was ahead of her normal schedule of being in the car at 6:10 to drive 15 minutes to the daycare for a sharp 6:25 pickup, 5 minutes before they closed. It was this strict schedule that kept her sane most days.

But today, she had 10 minutes all to herself. She leaned her head on the wheel and attempted to rest, a rarity amongst her two jobs and busy 4 year old daughter. She let out a long sigh. She was exhausted, per usual, but it wasn't until she stopped moving, that she really felt the effects.

She had to go soon, her daughter was waiting for her. But every so often, she liked to close her eyes and imagine a day she wouldn't wake up at 4am to serve breakfast to rich Los Angelos trophy wives then run to a theater where everyone couldn't care less about one another. It was a nice dream, and in reality, she was thankful she didn't get lots of sleep because it left less time to reel over everything that could be different in her life.

After the short few minutes, she lifted her head and put her car in drive. It was like muscle memory going from the theater to the daycare. She'd done it every day for the past 2 years. And while often times this fact made her sad, her baby girl had grown up there, and the staff had shown up for Emmy more times than she could count.

At the sight of the big, playful sign reading Los Angelos Day School, she knew she was there. Impeccable timing, she might add. It was 6:23, giving her 2 minutes to walk in.

She entered the children's room and saw Camryn running around with another little girl. The other girl had to be around the same age, and the two of them were in hysterics, chasing one another around the book stand in the center of the room.

"Cami," Emmy called out with a bright smile on her face. If it was one thing that made everything worth it, it was the human ball of sunshine that had came into her life 4 years ago. There was nothing she loved more than seeing her smile, hearing her loud laugh, or just being her mom.

"Mommy!" Camryn exclaimed once she caught sight of her. Camryn left her friend and immediately dashed to jump into Emmy's open arms.

Emmy lifted the girl up to her hip. "Hi baby," she said cheerfully, pressing a quick kiss on the cheek that was hidden under a head full of curly hair. "How was your day?" Emmy asked.

"We got to sing for the big kids," Camryn responded in her most enthusiastic voice, with pure joy all over her face.

"You did?" Emmy asked, matching her energy.

"Yes, and we got to dance, and we made so many fwends," Camryn went on about her day while Emmy started to gather up her bag.

Emmy could see the little girl from earlier still by the bookshelf, but she seemed quite content in her cross cross applesauce position, flipping through a coloring book. The thought of who would come to retrieve her briefly crossed Emmy's mind. There were a couple other kids whose parents were trying to get them to leave, but other than that she was the only one, simply sitting quietly, now coloring a page.

"C'mon Mommy," Camryn hit Emmy's shoulder, cutting into her thoughts. Emmy slung the My Little Pony backpack onto her open shoulder and headed out the door.

After a short attempt to maneuver the front door with a full hip, a backpack, and her purse, she felt it being held open for her from the other side. "Thank you," she called out, but with everything else, she missed seeing the face of the person who helped her out.

"You're welcome," Daveed called out even if he too wasn't actually paying attention. He was trying to rush inside and she happened to be pulling the handle right as he was. Her face was hidden behind the hair of a young girl, but he was much too focused on getting his own. It was about 5 minutes after closing, nearly a pr for him, and he was speed walking through the corridor leading to the Children's room.

"Daddy!" the last remaining child spotted him before he could speak. Amber tossed her book and crayons to the side and ran over. Before jumping to Daveed, she skipped over to the cubbies and grabbed her backpack.

"Hey my munchkin," Daveed squatted to her level once she made it over, her backpack sitting on both shoulders of her back. He pulled her into a tight hug to which she quickly responded, "Ew Daddy," her hands feeling the sweat on his back.

The sweat was due to his race to get to her from his school, and a few moments later, Daveed let her go and switched to hold her hand. He looked around at the empty room and teachers that were too starting to get ready to leave. "Ready to go?" he asked Amber.

"Yep," she said happily as she started to swing his arm back and forth. She led the two of them to the door, her tiny feet making large strides. Daveed gave another hand to the door handle and to their car they went.

3 times Daveed checked on her car seat buckle, as he always did before getting in his own spot of the drivers seat. As the car started moving, he looked up into the rear view mirror. "How was school Amber?" he asked his daughter.

"Good, we played so much!" she said excitedly, "Your turn Daddy," she sent the question back to him. It was a tradition they'd done everyday after he picked her up. Daveed was currently teaching at a nearby elementary school, and Amber loved the fact that they both "went" to school everyday.

"It was busy," Daveed responded, "Guess what Amb?"

"What?" she perked up in her seat.

"My kids had a test!" he said, putting emphasis on the last word like it was a scary concept. He watched the 4 year olds eyes pop out of her head.

"A test?" she wowed, "I don't like tests."

Daveed giggled at the smart little girl, "Have you ever had one?"

"Yes!" she bounced, "We had one at PE and we had to run SO fast," she said dramatically.

"Wow," Daveed said in awe, "I bet you beat everyone though."

"Mhm," she nodded in the seat, "I'm so fast."

"That's my girl," he smiled to himself before reaching back and rubbing her knee.

Daveed continued to drive the short route to their house right outside the city while Amber stared out the window. It was funny how much she happened to be just like him, observant and plenty in her own head yet animated and extroverted when she felt like it. The name he had been calling her since birth was a perfect fit. She was his munchkin, a perfect, miniature version of him.

"We made it," Daveed announced as he pulled into the driveway. Amber had fallen asleep on the window, the traffic making the drive longer than usual. Daveed stepped out of the car and made his way around to her. Holding his arms out and opening the door slowly, he picked up her sleeping head and unbuckled her seat.

The movement cause the light sleeper to wake up and she looked around at her surroundings. She noticed their house and poked her head up. "Daddy, you gonna do wessons?" she asked sleepily, wondering if he was going to do lesson plans. She had a strong vocab for a 4 year old but some letters were tricky, especially half asleep.

"Yes, lessons then dinner. Wanna help?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair as her head fell back to his shoulder.

Amber nodded, she'd always loved to watch him work, even if she had no understanding of what he was doing. Daveed walked the two of them inside, Amber's eyes steadily opening and closing.

"Alright babygirl, why don't you go put your bag aways and get into your pajamas then we can work on my lesson plans together?" Daveed said, putting the sleeping girl down, already knowing she would go to bed early.

"Yay wessons!" Amber said happily before skipping down to her pink bedroom.