Barely There

Chapter 15 - Broken Clock

She pushed the phone against her ear. 

"Hey Caleb. What's up?"

"Oh thank god! You picked up! Leda...listen. I need a huge favor." Anxiety thumped through her veins as he grew frantic on the line. "Pick up Clementine from daycare for me please."

The phone slipped out of her hand and she juggled with the smooth metal in the air before catching it again.

"WHAT? CALEB."

"Leda just listen. It's important. Grayson called and asked me to pick her up because he's stuck at work and my car just broke down in the middle of the highway. You have to."

"I don't have to do anything. She's not my daughter Caleb."

"Pleaaaase. Leda just do this for me."

Her voice cut through the thick silence.

"I don't even have a car seat. It wouldn't be safe."

"Grayson already put one in my apartment for emergencies, just set it up in your car. Are you done with the shitty excuses now?"

"Fine. You owe me."

"THANK YOU! THANK YOU! OH MY GOD! I'LL SEND YOU THE ADDRESS."

"Wait what do I-"

The other line became silent. Leda sighed exhaustedly before moving towards the kitchen drawer. Fumbling through the junk and trinkets, her heart relaxed at the sight of the single, dark metal key. She quickened her pace to grab the car seat from Caleb's cluttered apartment, dragging the heavy object down the stairs as she mumbled incoherent swears under her breath. 

The parking lot's darkness engulfed her in its uncertainty. She searched for her car in the black environment, clicking the car keys several times to find the universal red glow. 

Click.

Her eyes drifted to the red circles before she began to lug the car seat towards her car, opening the back door in a nervous hurry. After setting up the foreign object in her car she crawled into the driver seat, pushing out a tense breath. 

Ding. 

The brunette looked at the unknown address and brought up the directions before starting the vehicle. With all the windows open, the fresh breeze blew upon the sweat on her face and she sighed in contempt at the chill weather as the car rolled down the streets. The cars whizzed past her as she maintained her focus on the road, keeping her eyes on her surroundings in reminiscent anxiety. 

The seemingly, infinite road curved and turned around the city, dragging her to new areas that her virgin eyes had never placed their gaze upon. Turning left onto a rather empty street, her betraying eyes analyzed the daycare. The rainbow colored door stood in front of a bright blue exterior, painted to look like a sunny sky. She could hear toddlers laughter and screaming behind the closed gate and tried to differentiate the voices in order to pinpoint Clementine's. Frowning at her failed attempt, she tentatively entered the welcoming building.

The woman looked up at her from the sticker-covered desk, the thick glasses sliding down her button nose. Her black, pixie cut fit her diamond face and her sharp, almond eyes brightened slightly from their black color as she saw Leda walk towards her. 

"Hi! I'm Gemma. How can I help you?" 

Her cheery voice calmed down Leda's frayed nerves, enabling the brunette to finally find her voice again as she approached the desk.

"Hi, I'm Leda. Um... I'm here to pick up Clementine Lowe." Under the woman's inquiring gaze, her heartbeat picked up again. She continued in fear of misplaced suspicion. "Her dad is stuck at work so he can't make it today."