The Art Teacher

Chapter 15: What Was She Going to do?

Considering Hazel had lived with her father and only her father for the past 5 years, she'd learnt to tie her hair, laces, make herself lunch, and do pretty much everything she needed to do to get ready in the morning. Tom was always busy and Hazel knew that it would be easier if she learnt to do it all herself, but that didn't mean sometimes she wished someone else would do her hair for her. Viola her best friend, would always come to school, with her long blonde hair in a long braid and she wished her hair could be like that sometimes.

She tried to braid her hair, but braiding hair is hard as it is, so trying to plait your own hair, didn't go so well. When she walked out in tears, because she couldn't do it, Harrison was the first to step in. (He'd basically been living there lately)

"What's wrong" he asked, taking her hand in his.

"It's stupid" she mumbled back.

"I promise I won't laugh at you" he reassured, and she smiled.

"I can't plait my hair" she said and he smiled.

"Hazel, you don't need to cry about that, I'll do it for you" he offered.

"You don't know how to do it" She complained.

"Hazel, I have a younger sister, of course I know how to braid" he replied. She smiled and wiped her eyes, before pulling him to her room.

He did her hair for her, and after that he did her hair the next day, and the day after that and the day after that and so on. Her father was the first to notice, and the day they were going to meet Lily, and Tom was stressing he especially noticed her hair.

"Who did your hair?" He asked, admiring her long fishtail plait.

"Harrison" she replied. Tom looked slightly taken aback at the answer, but he smiled. Harrison couldn't be there for their "meet" with Lily today, but it seemed that didn't matter, especially if he'd still put the effort in to do that for Hazel.

He made a mental note to thank Haz later.

_______________

Once again they met Lily at the same cafe.

She wasn't there, so they waited and Tom nervously played with his sleeves.

"Daddy, stop fidgeting" Hazel scolded. To stop her father from mucking about, she pulled herself into his lap. He smiled as she sat there. The bell rang which signalled someone had entered the cafe. Tom turned to see Lily. She walked over and pulled her chair out. Hazel made no attempt to move from where she was situated on her father's lap.

"Nice to see you again" Lily said, her voice full of sarcasm.

"Ok Lily, no need to be sarcastic. Darling, introduce yourself" He said to Lily first and then to Hazel.

"Hello, My name's Hazel....Hazel Holland and I'm 5 years old, what's your name?" Hazel started.

"Hazel?" Lily said, repeating her name. "You never told her about me?" Lily asked Tom.

"Oh yea, I told her about the mother who ditched her when she was 3 days old, of course I told her" Tom replied, his voice full of sarcasm.

Lily rolled her eyes, but turned her attention back to Hazel.

"Well, Hazel, My name's Lily" she said and Hazel nodded.

"Who are you?" She asked

"A-h-h, I-i'm y-your mother, you know how someone has a mummy and a daddy, well I'm your mum" she replied.

"No, I have two daddy's, I don't have any mums" Hazel replied crossing her arms.

Lily cast a glare at Tom.

"Not my fault you left her, is it?" Tom replied.

"No Hazel you don't have two dads, you have one mum and one dad" Lily replied.

Hazel shook her head.

"Well, what do you like doing Hazel?" lily asked.

"I like doing lots of things, like taking my dogs for walks, and going to the movies" she replied.

"That's great, Hazel, would you like it if I took you to the movies?" She asked.

"Nope" she replied. She moved in closer to her father and looked up at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

"I don't like this, dad" she whispered back.

"Alright, that's ok, we're going to go soon anyway" he replied.

"What did she say?" Lily demanded.

"That's between me and her" Tom replied.

"Ugh" Lily scoffed.

"Well, Hazel it was nice to meet you" Lily replied.

Hazel nodded.

Hazel's POV:

When Dad told me I had to meet another lady, I didn't expect her to tell me she was my mother and that I don't have two dads. She's never been there to plait my hair, or sing to me with her guitar, so I don't know why she expects me to think she's my mother. I'm young, not stupid. I don't like this lady, she's not very nice, and Daddy doesn't seem to like her, so why should I.

I'm lost in thought, when she reaches out with her hands and tries to pick me up. I squirmed away and hide in dad's chest.

Third Person

Lily reached over the table to where Tom was sitting to try and pull Hazel into her arms.

"What are you doing?" Tom asked,

"Just trying to hold my daughter!" Lily yelled.

At this point, Hazel was on the verge of tears.

"Hang on darling, Harrison's going to be here in a moment, you can go with him and then I'll sort this out." he said to her and she nodded.

"She clearly doesn't want to be held, so why would you try and do that" Tom said back.

Hazel got up and ran from her chair, but Tom wasn't worried, he knew exactly where she was going.

"Hey sweetheart" Haz said, pulling her up and into his arms.

"Right, so he gets to hold her and I don't?" Lily asked.

"She actually wants to be held by Harrison, if she had've wanted to be held by you I wouldn't have minded" Tom replied.

Harrison came and sat down with Hazel in his arms.

"Lily, I don't think you should try these things with her until she's comfortable around you" Tom said gently, trying not to cause a scene.

"Fine, be like that" she said, and then she smirked leaving.

"Oh god, Harrison she's going to do something now, I know it. That look, was the exact same one she gave me before she left" Tom said, his head in his hands.

"Come on let's go home" Haz said, taking Tom's hand and helping him up, while he held Hazel in the other.

The question was; what was Lily going to do?