*Bianca*
It was a hot day in London, the heat making small droplets of sweat trickle down my back as I knelt knee down in the grass of my shared garden, stuffing planted pots into the soil. Sitting upright on my knees I used my wrist to wipe away the sweat, smiling at Nathan as he held his small green watering can carefully, watching intently and waiting for the go ahead.
'Okay baby, water the plants just like Mummy showed you'. He nodded and walked closer to me, his little arms shaking as he poured the water over the white lilies and red roses, his eyebrows creasing as some water escaped from the top, splashing his hands in the process.
'Okay you can pour the rest over yours and Marie's little garden' I said smiling, gesturing over to the smaller patch of soil where I had put in some planted pots consisting of daises and four leaf clovers. With the watering can lighter, he laughed a little and ran over to the corner pouring enough water on each plant.
'Well aren't we making ourselves at home'
Turning around to the garden entrance I smiled as I watched Sandra, the woman who lived upstairs from me; enter the garden with a tray of lemonade and an ice lolly for Nathan, placing it on the white table that was situated in the middle of the grass, accompanied with matching white chairs. Standing up, I took off my garden gloves and dusted off my denim shorts and walked over, sitting down besides Sandra as she watched her little girl Olivia who was currently singing and playing with Marie. Sandra was a 32 year old teacher at the local primary school, she had jet black hair and creamy skin that was now slightly yellow from an approaching tan the London heat wave was giving. When I moved into the flat, which was originally an old Victorian mansion converted into 2 flats, I immediately clicked with her. She was older but not that much older than me, meaning I didn't feel like I was talking to my mum when I spoke to her, however the few years she had gained ahead of me meant she had a less judging eye and slight more experience in situations I knew I'd need help in. When I first moved in she came down and offered her help with her little girl Olivia, who was a year older than Marie and Nathan, and once she done that both me and Sandra, along with Olivia and Marie hit it off straight away. Nathan as per was a little hesitant, and only recently started saying hello to them both, but either way with her warming and genuinely nice personality, I found myself opening up to her and next thing you know at 10 o'clock in the evening after a few glasses of Prosecco I found myself telling her everything about Reece and Kadeem, spanning all the way from college times. It was a blessing in disguise.
'Have you applied for any schools for the kids yet?' she asked, sipping on the lemonade as she swatted away a fly. Taking my own glass and lifting Nathan onto my lap as he took his ice lolly I shook my head.
'Not yet, I keep thinking it's too late, you know'
'You should be fine and if anything they'll just start in January,
'That's what I'm scared about. They're already going to be different because of their accents; I don't want them to be the late new kids as well'. Putting down her glass Sandra gave me a knowing look before sighing,
'You know the more excuses you create for not staying here, the harder it's gonna be for you to leave'
'I'm not trying to create excuses -', Sandra raised one eyebrow up at me and I smirked as she laughed, shaking her head,
'Okay maybe I am, I just...I don't know what's going to happen if I stay here you know?'
'Well' she said, smacking her lips together, 'you're not going to find out running back to Miami now are you'
'No, I guess not' I said, helping Nathan down from my lap, watching him as he walked over to Marie and Olivia,
'And as for the school thing, why don't they just come to my school' Sandra continued smiling, 'Olivia loves it there, and they'll know her and little Nathan will have me if he ever gets a bit scared. It will be good for him to know more than one familiar face'. Looking at Sandra I felt my heart get excited slightly at the possibility of finding a school close by for the kids, with Sandra with them too, someone I was slowly but surely becoming extremely familiar with.
