It was afternoon when her phone rang, vibrating on the desk where she had placed it. Tina moved swiftly to answer the call, positioning the phone to her ear. "Hello, Sally, what's going on?" she greeted, her lips curling into a small smile.
"I'm doing well, Tina," her friend replied, "but there's a little issue."
"What's that?" Tina asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she focused on the conversation. She noticed the unease in her friend's voice.
"I won't be able to pick Jude up from school for the next few weeks," Sally explained.
"Why not? What happened?" Tina inquired, confusion lacing her tone.
"I have a family matter that requires my attention. I'm sorry, Tina. I won't be available to pick him up," she said regretfully.
"No problem, Sally. You've been a huge help so far," Tina reassured her. "I'll handle picking up Jude myself. Just make sure you're okay."
"Yes, I'm fine, really," Sally responded. "I just wanted to inform you."
"Alright, thanks, and take care," Tina replied before ending the call. She sighed, her brows furrowing as she contemplated her next steps. Sally had been assisting her by picking up her son, Jude, from school, as it was quite a distance from her workplace. Tina didn't want to leave the restaurant; every cent she earned was crucial for her son's well-being.
After contemplating for a while, Tina walked into the bustling dining area, her eyes searching until they landed on Annalise, who was sitting while facing the window, staring at nothing in particular.
Tina exhaled, placing her hand on her hip as she approached her.
"Are you exhausted already?" she teased, noticing Annalise jump and then relax upon seeing her.
"I was just taking a break," Annalise replied defensively.
"How many breaks have you taken today?" Tina laughed lightly. "I know this is new to you, and I don't expect you to be a workaholic. Are you good now?"
Annalise shrugged nonchalantly. "What's up? Why are you here?"
Tina straightened her posture, ready to assert herself. "I need you to pick up my son from school. After that, you can head home and start dinner. You won't need to come back here; I'll finish up and get home later tonight," she instructed.
"Oh," Annalise's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Can you do that?" Tina pressed.
Annalise bit her lip, hesitating. "If it's too much trouble, I'll just pick him up myself," Tina said, about to turn away.
"I'll go," Annalise finally agreed. "But will it earn me extra? Taking your son home and preparing dinner wasn't part of our initial agreement."
Tina assessed her carefully. "Fine, we can work something out," she conceded.
Annalise nodded, clearly aware now of what she was getting into. "Where is this school?" she asked, and Tina excused herself momentarily. She returned shortly with a piece of paper with the school's details and some cash for the fare, handing both to Annalise.
"Alright," Annalise affirmed, taking the paper.
Tina patted Annalise on the shoulder assertively. "See you both at home," she said, and Annalise nodded, removing her apron before heading out.
Annalise flagged down a taxi, thrilled to be momentarily free from the restaurant chaos.
She thought, finally, an opportunity to recharge. The window was rolled down, and the breeze washed over her as the driver maneuvered through traffic. She closed her eyes, embracing the serenity.
After a while, the driver announced, "Ma'am, we've arrived."
Annalise already dozed off, her head bent to the side and her loud snore pierced the driver's ear. "Ma'am" he called, loudly this time.
"What? Oh!" she exclaimed, disoriented. Annalise looked around her with a hazy vision, her brain registering what was going on around her before her lips parted and she recalled what she was here for.
She quickly shook off the sleepiness as she came down from the vehicle. She paid the driver, and then watched him speed away.
Turning on her heels, she faced the towering school in front of her.
She squinted her eyes at the sight before her. The children began rushing out, some into their parents' arms and some running into their caregiver while some were walking in groups. She narrowed her eyes, wondering where the little guy she was supposed to fetch is.
"I don't even know his name," she muttered to herself. "How am I supposed to find him without knowing his name? I only saw him briefly last night!" She thought to herself.
Just as Annalise stood under the sun, deep in thought, a frantic voice called out, "Sister Ann!" She looked up to see someone racing towards her as he exited the school gate.
"Annalise!" he yelled, and though she initially frowned, her eyes narrowed in curiosity as he reached her.
To her surprise, he hugged her legs. "What are you doing?" she demanded, her tone firm. She released herself from his hold at once.
"Did my mommy send you to pick me up? I don't see Aunt Sally!" the little boy exclaimed. Annalise took a moment to assess him; he had brown hair and brown eyes like his mother, coupled with a round face.
"Yes, your mommy asked me to pick you up. Let's go. Who is Aunt Sally?" she inquired bluntly.
"Aunt Sally is the one who usually picks me up," he replied, glancing around before returning his gaze to her. "Looks like she isn't here today," he added, his lips pouting. "But you can take me home too," he insisted.
"That's why I'm here anyway, let's go quickly. The sun isn't pleasant on my skin," Annalise stated, beginning to walk away.
"Annalise!" the boy called out, and she turned to face him, her eyebrows raised. "What?" she asked, her tone direct.
"You're supposed to hold my hand so I don't get lost or taken away," he insisted, rushing to her side. He slipped his small hand into hers.
"Like this, let's go home now," he said with a smile brimming on his lips, while Annalise simply blinked at him.