Chapter 1
“You know you can’t keep on doing this, Ms. Gonzalez. We only allowed it before because we felt sorry for your situation.”
I lowered my gaze when I heard Mr. Sy’s words. I knew this day would come. I felt embarrassed because they had allowed me to bring Gersom, my son, to work.
I’m an art instructor at the University. This has been my job even before Gersom was born. Since it’s just the two of us now, I had no choice but to bring him to work with me. Fortunately, my son seems to understand. He doesn’t cry when I have classes. But lately, I’ve noticed changes in him. He prefers to leave the room when I have classes.
Earlier, while I was teaching, I heard him crying outside. It disturbed the nearby classes. So here I am now, in front of the Dean, to discuss what to do about Gersom.
“Sorry, Sir. I still don’t have anyone to leave him with.”
“I can help you find a babysitter for him.”
I forced a smile at Mr. Sy. He’s kind. He’s been trying to convince me to get a babysitter for a long time, but I’m hesitant. I’m afraid to leave my son with someone I don’t know. He’s already five years old. I also see that my son is somewhat independent because of our situation. I’m just really worried. Nowadays, it’s hard to trust just anyone.
“Alright. I’ll look into it.”
Mr. Sy sighed. “Anyway, I’ll give you two weeks to find someone to take care of my son. Or else, I’m sorry. You will need to find another job that will allow you to bring him. You understand me, right? It’s also for his safety.”
I nodded sadly. “Yes, Sir.”
After our conversation, I left Mr. Sy’s office. I couldn’t help but feel disheartened by what he said. How will I find someone to take care of Gersom within two weeks? I’m far from my relatives. I’m afraid to leave him with someone I don’t know. Above all, I’m Gersom’s only parent. Since I left home, I’ve been the one supporting him. I don’t need them.
I froze when I saw Gersom’s bag and jacket on the seat in the waiting area. I left him there because there’s a bench outside Mr. Sy’s office where I usually leave him. I suddenly felt nervous and hurried over. There was no one in the hallway, so I quickly exited the building. I asked every staff member and teacher I passed if they had seen Gersom, but they all shook their heads. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Gersom sitting on a bench next to a tree in the quadrangle. He had a girl sitting next to him, seemingly looking at something on his knee.
“Gersom!”
Gersom immediately turned to me. His eyes were red and his nose was runny. It was obvious he had been crying.
“What happened?! Didn’t I tell you to stay on the seat?”
Gersom sniffled. “S-Sorry, Mommy!”
I looked at his knee and gasped when I saw a wound there.
“Look what happened. I told you to stay, right?” I said softly as I gently touched his wound. “I was worried, Baby.”
Gersom sniffled again. “I-I’m sorry, Mommy. But ‘ate’ helped me.”
I lifted my head and looked to Gersom’s right. I locked eyes with the girl next to him. She was wearing a simple white t-shirt and pants. She had glasses on and an ID lace hanging around her neck. Judging by the folder and bag she was carrying, she was also a student at the university. She smiled at me. I was momentarily stunned and found myself staring at her lips. I didn’t know why my heart suddenly started beating faster as I looked at her. When she smiled, even her eyes sparkled. It felt like my mood lifted instantly because of it. I quickly looked away and took a deep breath.
“T-Thank you. Are you a student here?”
“Yes. Actually, I just transferred. I saw Baby Boy earlier, he tripped in front of the building. But he’s okay now. I wiped the dirt around his wound. It just stung a bit,” she politely explained.
I nodded. “Thanks again.” I stood up and grabbed Gersom’s bag. “Can you walk, Baby?”
Gersom nodded and grabbed my hand. Then he got off the seat and faced the girl.
“Thank you, Ate Yasmine!”
“Oh! You’re so cute! You’re welcome, Baby Boy! Take care always, okay?” she said, still smiling. She gently ruffled Gersom’s hair.
“Come on. Mommy still has things to do.”
I pulled Gersom’s hand. I heard Gersom say bye to Yasmine as we walked, but I didn’t look back and just pulled my son towards the parking lot.
