PERRIE
My seven year old cousin showed me the star that her art teacher had given her today. It made me so proud of her. I looked at her and kissed her forehead, making her giggle. Today was the first time I ever picked her up from school due to my very busy schedule at my company. I can tell that it made her sad when I sent our driver to pick her up. So she was exceptionally happy today.
It made me happy to see my cousin this way. When her dad, my mam's brother died in that plane crash a few months ago and her mom had to go to rehab to deal with her grief thus disqualifying her as a proper guardian for Ellie, I swore that I would take good care of her and always make her happy until her mother has come to terms with the loss.
"My teacher told me I'm very good." She beamed up at me as we drove off the school grounds.
"Really?" I beamed back down at her.
"Yeah, she did. She's my favorite teacher, actually." She said. "She's very beautiful. You should have come in my classroom so you met her."
"Maybe next time I would." I assured the kid.
Ellie looked out the window and pointed at a figure walking down the street.
"That's her!" She rolled down her window and yelled, "Teacher Jade!", waving.
The woman on the sidewalk turned to look at who called her, then waved back.
"Hello Ellie."
The moment I saw her face, my heart raced. Everything about her is captivating- from her dark brown curls to her chocolate brown eyes. But what had me, was the recognition of that pretty face. My mind told me I'd seen her before. Then I realized I did. At the university I visited a few years ago. And the face that stared at me from the cherub painting in my room, just more mature. The face that has never left my mind for years now.
I pulled over when Ellie's window was parallel to this Teacher Jade.
"Hi Teacher. I'd like you to meet Perrie, my cousin." My little girl gestured at me. And she looked at me and I swore the breath got knocked out of my chest.
"Hello Teacher." I didn't know what else to say. "Need a lift?"
She smiled shyly. "Thanks, but this is me." She pointed to a building just a few metres away.
Ellie laughed at me. "Teacher Jade has an art studio she goes to after school." I can see my cousin has been close to this teacher to know that.
"I see. Well...a pleasure meeting you teacher." I extended my hand out the passenger window to shake her hand, which she did and left some electric shock in me.
I did not realize I was holding on to her hand until she tried to pull away.
"It is my pleasure to meet you, Perrie, though I have to go." She offered me a smile. I pulled my hand back, suddenly missing the warmth of her hand.
She waved Ellie goodbye and walked off to the building before disappearing in one of the doors. And I just stared at the angel I just met until then.
"Shouldn't we be going?" Ellie's sweet voice brought me back to reality.
"Uh...yeah, yeah." I started the engine trying to keep my eyes from wandering off to that beautiful face and focus on the road.
Upon reaching home, I and Ellie had dinner and I let her off to her room.
I went off to mine, being met by that cherub painting I bought years ago.
I remember that visit to the university I and my pal in college had. I saw this painting being displayed at the arts department for some kind of fund raiser for a charity and the angel in it somehow spoke to me. I was told that it was made by one of the students. I decided on buying it and luckily I had enough to acquire it. Ever since I've had it hung in my room, I've always dreamed that she was real and I could meet her. Finally, I did.
I looked up at it and for the first time, I noticed the signature at the bottom right.
"Jade" it read, and connecting the dots, I realized, it was her self portrait!
