The Private Nursery

            Aom Amm saw little Sushar stepped slowly to the main entrance of the nursery. Her face wasn’t as bright as usual. It was almost a week that girl came to school drived by the chauffeur. Her Papa, Kimhan Jittaleela was nowhere to be seen. Aom Amm started to wonder where Kim has gone to.

            “Morning dear.” Aom Amm greeted the little girl at the door.

Apparently little Sushar looked up to her with a faint smile on her face. “Morning Mummy.” Little Sushar responded to Aom Amm after she made sure that no body would hear that she called Aom Amm as her Mummy.

            “How are you today?” Aom Amm knelt down to the level of Sushar’s height just enough that she could see the girl straight into her eyes.

            “I’m fine.” The little girl nodded but still, she didn’t wear the usual cheerful expression on  her face.

            “What makes you so sad in the morning? Where is your Papa? I haven’t see your Papa these few days?” Aom Amm blurted the long kept curiosity inside her chest. She noticed that Kim didn’t drive or even fetch Sushar from school for almost a week but she didn’t even interested to know the reason until this day.

            “Papa has gone for a business trip. Papa hasn’t come back yet.” Little Sushar sighed. Aom Amm saw the little one played with her fingers as if she is thinking so deep in her mind.
 

            “Oh, no wonder.” Aom Amm nodded knowingly. “Do you miss your Papa?” Aom Amm brought her palms to the little girl’s soft cheeks and caressed them softly.

            “Very much.” Little Sushar’s eyes held a deep pool of sorrow. Parting from Kim must be a hard thing for this girl. She is overly attached to Kim as Kim is the one and only parent she has.

            “Mummy, don’t you miss Papa?” Little Sushar suddenly asked. The question struck Aom Amm’s heart for a split moment.

            “Urm.. Well, let’s get in dear. The class will start soon.” Aom Amm tried to avoid herself from answering the little girl. Did she miss Kim too? She doesn’t even sure about it.

*****

The class went smooth as usual but not for Aom Amm. Since the beginning of the day until now, her  mind was filled with the question that little Sushar asked her this morning. Did she miss Kim too? Why did she even bother to think about it when there’s nothing between her and Kim? She threw her gaze to little Sushar who is playing with a few of her friends at the school’s yard. Time moves so fast today. The kids are waiting for their parents or guardians to fetch them. As the time goes by, one by one of the children went home until the only one left is the little Sushar. Bored and gloomy, she sat alone at the bench waiting for anyone who will fetch her later.

            “Sushar, dear.” Aom Amm walked to the little girl’s sitting place and took her seat adjacent to her.

            “Yes, Mummy?” The little one took a glance to Aom Amm and then redirected her gaze to the gate of the school. She is really waiting for somebody to fetch her right now.

            “Who’s gonna fetch you today?” Aom Amm asked.

            “I don’t know.” Little Sushar shrugged and pouted her lips followed by a deep sigh from her.

            “Your chauffeur?” Aom Amm guessed, trying to look to the little one’s face.

            “Uncle Zee said that Uncle will fetch me. Uncle promised to take me to toys store.” The little Sushar pursed her lower lips and purposely crossed her arms in front of her chest, showing her grumpy expression.

            “How about you spend your weekend with me?” Aom Amm doesn’t even know how she capable of saying such suggestion to the little girl. Today is Friday which means the weekend’s ahead.

            “Really?” Little Sushar  jumped from her seat and stood rooted to the ground with her eyes gazed to Aom Amm brightly. The suggestion came from Aom Amm is sort of a new energy to electrocuted her gloomy mood to life.

            “Yup.” Aom Amm can’t help from giggling. The little girl was just too excited yet glad that she could spend time with her.

            “But Mummy you have to ask Papa first. Papa said I can’t make any requests or troubling  you.” The little girl sat back to the bench, realeasing her heavy sigh again.

            “Your Papa said so?” Aom Amm was a bit surprised with it. Kim is controlling Sushar. Did she mean to distance the little girl from her?

            “Yes. Papa said I shouldn’t trouble you.” Sushar said. “And Papa said, Teacher Aom Amm is not even my Mummy whom I could always cling around.” She added with a sound of sadness in her voice.

            “I see.” Aom Amm looked away. The statement  that came out from the girl’s mouth hit Aom Amm’s heart to the deepest. She just felt hurt with it. Is it true that Kim tried to distance the little girl from her?

            “Anyway, do you want to spend your weekend with Mummy?” Aom Amm tried to sound cheerful.

            “Of course, Mummy!” The little girl jumped happily with the idea.

            “Let me text your Papa first.” Aom Amm said and grabbed her phone.

“Sorry for disturbing you but I want to ask your permission to take Sushar with me. I mean, will you allow her to spend her weekend with me?” Aom Amm typed the message and sent it straight away.

After a few seconds her phone bipped signalling a new text message received. Thankfully it is from Kim.

            “Are you sure with it?” Aom Amm read the reply.

            “Yeah. I will take a good care of her. I promise.” Aom Amm convinced Kim.

            “If you said so, then alright. I hope she won’t burden you.” There come another reply from Kim.

            “She’s a good girl. Anyway, thank you for trusting me. I shall take a good care of your daughter.” Aom Amm replied the last one text.

            “How is it Mummy?” Little Sushar gropped to Aom Amm with her fullest hope.

            “Your Papa said yes.” Aom Amm smiled.

            “YES! YES!” The little girl jumped happily again.

            “But before that, let’s inform your Uncle Zee about it or else, your Uncle couldn’t find you.” Aom Amm chuckled and eventually created another text message to Zee, informing her that she will take Sushar with her.

****

On the way to Aom Amm’s place

            “Shall we drop to the nearby supermarket first?” Aom Amm stole a glance to the little girl beside her at the passanger’s seat.

            “Mummy going to cook?” Little Sushar has a wide smile on her face.

            “Exactly.” Aom Amm touched Susha’r nose with the tip of her finger. “You’re so clever.” She said which caught the little one to giggle and flushed.

            “I love your cook, Mummy. Seriously.” The little girl said.

            “Well, we shall have a special dinner tonight. We call it Mummy and Sushar girls’ night.” Aom Amm jested. The little Sushar smile grew even wider with it. Never does she think, she would have that oppurtinity to have a time bonding with Aom Amm.

Supermarket

            “What do you want to have for dinner, dear?” Aom Amm asked to little Sushar as they walked along the atriums of the supermarket, strolling around as Aom Amm didn’t even make up her mind for the menu.

            “I would love to taste your western cook, Mummy.” Little Sushar grinned her toothy childish smile.

            “Urm, that’s sound good.” Aom Amm nodded. She’s more than expert in preparing any kind of western meal.

            “Aom? Is that you?” A male’s voice greeted them from the back. Apparently both of them turned to look to the person.

            “Van?” Aom Amm uttered the name with a bit sound of shock in it.

            “Woah, that’s really you Aom.” Van walked much nearer to Aom Amm and Sushar. The man didn’t bring any company with him. It is just himself alone with a basket of groceries.