SECRETS LEFT IN THE DARK

CHAPTER 6

"Now children, be good and have a lovely weekend. " Thirty-one year old Merese Tilley said enthusiastically.

It was the end of another day for the pre-schoolers. And Merese was exhausted. It was 2PM and it was still blistering hot. The ceiling fan was not much of a help and hot air continued entering from the classroom windows. Merese walked over to her one year old son Kellin who was playing on the red mat with colourful building blocks.

"Another day done and dusted darling. Do you want to have a nap?" Merese asked the playing child.

Instead Kellin threw a yellow block at Merese which made her laugh.

"I guess not. "Merese said.

"Mrs.Tilley, all the kids have left safely. " twenty-nine year old Cheryl Carter assured as she entered the classroom and began picking up crayons and paint brushes from the floor.

"Thank you Cheryl, once you have tidied up you can leave as well. I must say though you're quite a good assistant and the kids love you. " Merese told her assistant with a smile.

Cheryl smiled feeling pleased and said, "Thank you Mrs.Tilley and you own quite a great pre-school, the past three months has been quite joyous working here as well."

Merese smiled she was glad in deciding to open her own little pre-school after she had left teaching taking her package. It was her husband Jordan who gave her the idea in opening the school with the money she got paid out, she also used some of her savings and Jordan who was an attorney contributed as well. The idea came about when Jordan set up his practice in Palm Ridge. The couple were initially from Crestaville where Merese had been teaching. When the big move came about, Merese resigned taking her package and invested the money in opening a pre-school in Palm Ridge. It's been two years now that she was in the area. At first she was managing the kids solo since she started off small with ten kids as the numbers grew to now thirty in the two years she opt for an assistant. Before Cheryl, she had Laney Manfield. The woman was not reliable at all, she was always absent and coming in late hence Merese dismissed her. There after came Cheryl who so far was quite impressive.

Once Cheryl was done with her duties she then left. Merese picked up Kellin ready to leave as well and then her cell phone rang. She picked it up and saw that her mother Francis was calling.

"What does she want now? " Merese muttered.

Before Merese could speak her mother burst out, "Merese your sister has done it again. "

Francis sounded petrified and annoyed.

"Where is she? Is Sandra ok?" Merese asked.

She noticed her knuckles turn white due to clenching the chair so hard so loosened her grip.

"Sandra hasn't returned home in the past four hours, I hope she's not gone to rebel again. " Francis whimpered.

"Did you try calling her?" Merese asked with panic.

"Of course I did she's not answering." Francis wailed.

"OK calm down let me try to call her. " Merese said then cut the call.

Merese felt her stomach do flip-flops she was worried and angry at the same time. She felt sorry for her sister Sandra in a way though. At the age of twenty eight, her sister had experienced quite a few traumas. It started when she was sixteen, Sandra was a very naive girl, she fell pregnant with her high school boyfriend's baby and tried to elope with him. The guy was a 'jerk' and just used, abused and dumped Sandra like trash. There after Sandra had a miscarriage, losing the baby which drove her to insanity, she literally fell into depression and developed a low self-esteem, she began bunking classes and joined the wrong group of friends which resulted in her dropping out of school. Sandra lost touch with reality and started hurting herself with pins and needles on her body and even cut her wrists with her shaving blade. Francis realised it was enough and decided to take Sandra to see a psychologist and for the past two years Sandra seemed to tone down and become more involved in normal life things like for starters getting a job as a hairdresser assistant at Francis's friend's salon. Sandra also took up an interest in gardening and even volunteered to help feed orphans at the local shelter. Merese and her mother were quite pleased to see how much Sandra had improved well until the call she received now.