True Confessions of a Teacher

Chapter 5

Their little feet were stomping to the rhythm of my song as they babbled to themselves in a language I had yet to decode.  I continued to push the wagon around the circle as I sang the ABC in different tempos... slow, medium, fast, even rap!

"How many kids do you have?" Ms. Kim showed up from afar and hollered.

"Five!" I hollered back.

"Well, I think Brad will be picked up soon, but would you want me to put a water table for the kids to play?"

"That would be great!"

I looked at my watch and it said, 3:30.  Then I wheeled the cart towards the school building and pushed it just enough to fit through the gate. Ms. Kim had put the water table outside, but it had been emptied.

Using the garden hose, I quickly filled it up with about a few inches of faucet water before I carefully brought each baby out of the cart. As soon as their feet hit the ground, the kids started to huddle around the table... laughing, stirring, and splashing their hands with the water and playing with the toys.

After a few minutes of playing with the kids and constantly getting wet by their splashes, Brad's mom showed up and I was just as glad as Brad being reunited with his mom at the end of the day. Believe it or not, most babies would spend at least seven hours at school everyday and would not get to see their parents until past five.

"How was he today?" she turned to me with a huge smile. A genuine smile.

"No falls for Brad today, so I'm very happy!"

"I'm glad!" She then asked Brad, "Are you ready to go home?"

Brad was all smiles.

I said my goodbyes to Brad and went back to play with the rest. Watching parents get reunited with their children would usually make my heart melt like a soft marshmallow because I knew what it's like to be away from family.

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I felt a tightness ripple in my chest thinking about my daughter, Lyla. I miss her all the time! As a mom, I made sure I was there for her 24/7 so it had been very difficult not to see her for a day, a weekend, a week, and possibly an entire summer!

My ex had been constantly harassing me about fighting for her physical custody. I sighed to keep myself focused on my job. Life is full of intricate mysteries. I need strength. I need strength...

❋ ❋ ❋

"Time to go inside!" I announced to my babies while I gathered the water toys in a swift. I made them line up near the steps and helped them march inside the building.

"You have four kids now?" Ms. Kim showed up out of nowhere.

"Yep!" I glanced up as I changed each baby from their wet clothes back into their street clothes.

"No running, please!" she called out to stop the children who had been horsing around.

"Thank you, Ms. Kim!" I told her.

"No problem. There's food in the kitchen if you need to feed the kids."

"Okay, thanks again."

4:05.  The kids were eating their snacks and I had started vacuuming the floor. Other than toys, there was so much crumbs and tracks of sand all over the carpet. I felt a tinge of back pain as I picked up the tiny items along the way and pushed the vacuum cleaner back and forth.  My back hurts because I'd constantly pick up the babies to give them a hug.  Also, I'd always forget that I am getting old.

I took the opportunity to finish up all the work in the room.  After Josiah and Olivia had been picked up by their moms, I decided to sit on the floor to read a book to Camden and Sadie.

"You need to start closing the room, girlfriend," Ms. Kim appeared again out of nowhere.

"I already did," I replied with a grin.

"Did you empty the trash?"

"Yes, I did.  I also cleaned up all the mirrors."

"Good! I'm going to bring in two more kids, okay?" she waited for my nod. "I'm giving you Megan from Ms. Evelyn's class, and I'm bumping up baby Carly from the baby's room."

"Okay."

"Thank you, I gladly appreciate it!"

I blinked and Megan showed up at the door, her tiny face full of smile and her skin all tanned.  I blinked again and Carly was brought in, with a purple binky on her mouth.

I reached out to take her into my arms and holding her against my chest, I started reading the book out loud again with the best storytelling voice I could ever do.