Hello Again, Sir {s/t - complete}

What About Now?: 12.

                “I hope your date with what’s-his-name-army-guy went better than the day I had at college.”

                “Wesley.” Angie corrected. “You know, it was really good. We went out for dinner. Even went to the cinema and watched a movie. And for once I was glad it wasn’t a kid’s film. I enjoyed going.”

                “Are you going to see him again?”

                “Yes, on Saturday. Is that okay with you?”

                “Well if I looked after the kids last night for you then I’m sure I can look after them on Saturday too. I might take them to the park. Last night as she was going to sleep Ashlye mentioned something about wanting to go back to the park because she hasn’t been in a while.”

                Angie’s face softened and she shook her head. “What would I do without you?”

                I stood up straight, smirking. “Well for one you would have to actually pay your babysitter.”

                “I’m sorry I left them with you all night.”

                “It’s fine.” I shrugged. “I don’t mind. Ashlye gave me cuddles most of the night which made me feel better anyway.”

                “Oh yeah!” She perked up. “How did yesterday go?”

                “To be honest,” I sighed, “I think today is going to be worse.”

                “Why?”

                “I had a fight with Hanna. She walked out of my classroom because I was quick to ignore when she spoke to me.” I explained to Angie what happened and how the conversation went. “And then she left. After saying that, she walked away. She didn’t go back to class like I expected her too. She didn’t come back at all. I went to get Tim who luckily wasn’t teaching. He owed me anyway for covering his lesson last week. He went to supervise them with what they were doing whilst I drove back here and got some clean clothes on. I was as quick as I could be and then at lunch; I didn’t even see her there. I tried explaining to Leidy when I saw her and she said that she would sort Hanna out. Would talk to her and make sure she didn’t walk out again.”

                Sipping on her orange juice, Angie sent me a sad smile. “She’ll come around. Last week she was, after all, the one who said she didn’t want to talk. You can’t adapt to her mood swings all the time, Alex. She just needs to except she let you go—”

                “But I shouldn’t have done what I did at the weekend—”

                “She came onto you! As I said: you can’t adapt to her. She has to learn that things are complicated.”

                “You didn’t see the look she gave me...” I whispered. “She looked like she hated me.”

                “L—”

                “Mom?” a groggily voice said from the door way. “Uncle Alex?”

                I snapped my head to see Ashlye rubbing her eyes, her hair sticking up in some places.  “Good morning, sweetie.”

                “What time is it?” she asked, blinking at the change in lights.

                “Six-thirty.”