“Do you think she’ll make time to see me? She probably despises me now. God, what have I done?!”

“What do you mean will she make time to see you? Of course, she would! I can’t guarantee that it will be easy from here on out but you’re finally taking the first step and that’s all that matters.”

“I just – it has been so long. I don’t know how she would react. I’m so terrified.”

“Look, you are her sister, no circumstance, not even your past, will ever change that.”

***

Roseanne has already spent an hour staring at the ceiling, thinking, and re-thinking things, repeatedly reminding herself that she already took everything into consideration.

“ Am I really ready for this?”

“ What if I mess up?”

“ What if I can’t play any tune, what if the kids don’t like my version of music?”

“Fudge! I guess I will never know the answers if I don’t try. You got this! Here’s to new beginnings Roseanne Park!”

Her self-encouraging scream session was cut off by a simultaneous doorbell and beeping sound from her phone.

Lisa: Is everything okay?

Now that was weird? What does she mean is everything okay? Maybe this message wasn’t for her, Roseanne thought to herself.

Christ, it’s a Monday morning and she already feels spent because of the constant decision-making that she has to do.

Does she open the door first then reply to Lisa?

She decides to do both.

Roseanne made her way to her door, opens it and proceeded to reply to Lisa’s weird text message without paying attention to the person standing right outside her door.

Roseanne hears an unfamiliar phone notification go off near her. This gets her attention as she finally decides to look at her seemingly ‘early Monday morning’ visitor.

She was greeted by a beaming smile and crescent eyes, jet black hair in a bob cut style and a sweet melodious voice emanating from a woman which the tiny beating muscle in her chest recognizes the most.

“Hi Rosie, good morning! Lisa your chauffeur is here!” Lisa animatedly bowed down and pretended to remove an inexistent hat from her head.

“I have a chauffeur now?” Roseanne asked, trying her best to hide a manic laugh that was about to burst due to Lisa’s unbelievably heart-racing antics.

“ Of course m’lady. It is my duty to you to your itinerary for today.” Lisa continued with her act.

“ Oh please Lisa, stop it. You know you don’t have to do that.” Roseanne must have been a con artist in her previous life, she’s trying to hide so many things. Now, she attempts to hide her shyness but her blushing cheeks isn’t helping.

“ Okay m’lady.” Lisa quickly agreed and was now reaching for a strand of hair that was dangling out of a perfect bun. “ but I really want to drive you to the centre today, you know, to show support on your first day Teacher Roseanne!” Lisa ended her spiel with a pout.

“You’ve been showering me with so much support recently Lisa. I can’t thank you enough.” Roseanne answered with a shy smile.

“Well, you can start by letting me drive you today?” Lisa winked and offered her hand.

“Oh gosh, you’ll never let up, will you?” Roseanne answered as she took Lisa’s hand, head shaking in amusement.

“If there’s one thing you need to know about me, Rosie. It’s that I go out of my way to show appreciation for the people that really matters to me. So yes, I don’t let up.” And with that, the Lisa wink fest isn’t stopping anytime soon.

“I-uh-I matter to you?” Roseanne mentally commended herself for being so brave today.

“Of course, you do, Rosie. You’re a special pers- friend to me.” Lisa the star of the Wink Fest, Miss I-don’t-let-up, found herself stumbling over words.  

The drive was quiet but not awkward. Small talk here and there. It was obvious that each of them had something that occupied their minds.

It was half past eight when the both of them reached the day care centre.

As they alight the car, Lisa rushed to Roseanne’s side and opened the door for her, offered her hand to support the woman.

Roseanne, remembering the I don’t let up moment, did not hesitate to take Lisa’s hand and let Lisa guide her as she alight the vehicle.

Mindlessly, they were holding each other’s hands as they made their way to greet Wendy at the entrance of the day care centre.

Lisa and Wendy greeted each other with their signature handshake. Wendy greeted Roseanne with a warm hug and an endless “I’m so glad you agreed, the kids are going to love you!”

As the trio made their way to the music room, Wendy decided to bring up a rather intriguing moment.

“ Ah Lisa, you are such a supportive friend! Look at you practicing holding hands with a teacher! Commendable acting! You should let the kids see it so they’ll know what to do when we need to go somewhere as a group.” Wendy pointed out with a smirk and an enthusiastic voice.

“ What? What are you on about Wan?” Lisa’s confused face and her voice screamed absolute cluelessness.

Just as Lisa was about to realize that she was holding Roseanne’s hand the entire time, Roseanne spoke with a shy voice.

“ Lisa.. you might be late for work. It’s 9 am already?” Roseanne squeezed Lisa’s hand.

“ Huh? No, yeah. I better get going. Yeah, clients.. So, uh - I’ll catch you guys later?” Lisa quickly shifted her stance and proceeded to put her now cold hands in her pocket.

Noticing the k-drama like scene in front of her, Wendy decided to save the both of them from the ruthless cheek burning moments.

“ Don’t worry Lily, I got it all covered. Our dear Rosie here is in good hands.” Wendy assured as she put her hand on Roseanne’s shoulder.

“ I know Wan, you have my number right? Just in case anything comes up?” Lisa semi-shouted as she almost ran towards the hallways to save herself from further embarrassment.

“So, Miss Charming.. Are you ready to meet the kids?” Wendy now focused her attention on the fidgety blushing woman beside her.

“ I guess I am, I’m really nervous.” Roseanne almost whispered.

“ You don’t have to be, I just know you’ll do great! Louis adores you, I’m pretty sure the other kids will feel the same way, don’t worry.” Wendy continued to assure Roseanne.

“ You’ll be there with me, right?” Roseanne asked, eyes b with hope and a hefty worry.

“ Every step of the way ma’am.” Wendy responded with a comforting smile.

***

Roseanne’s worries were completely out of the picture when she met the kids. Each one of them was enthusiastic to meet their new teacher. Each one of them was eager to learn and enjoy music, each one held their instruments as if their lives depended on it and their new teacher, like a shepherd guiding her flock, singing songs and making music as they go about their journey.

Roseanne immediately warmed up to them; something Roseanne wasn’t able to feel for a long time. Warming up to someone. Having someone around her.

The kids were like a breath of fresh air, the aura inside the daycare centre for the entire day was conducive to sunrise rising through the remnants of dawn, a mark of a new day. A butterfly, finally breaking out of its cocoon, spreading its newfound wings, bright and lovely colors marking the start of a new life. This was Roseanne’s first day and she couldn’t be any happier.

Wendy texted Lisa during their breaks and happily reported that Roseanne is a natural and as expected, the kids fell in love with their new teacher. Wendy also took the opportunity to friend and sent another message saying that as per her observation, someone other than the kids at the centre was definitely in the process of falling in love with the new teacher as well.

***

“Thank you for such a wonderful day Wendy. I couldn’t have done it without you.” Roseanne sighed as she bowed towards Wendy.

“Please, it was all you Rosie! This was all you..” Wendy waved her hand dismissing Roseanne’s claim.  

“I’m just so happy to have spent time with the kids. I could get used to this you know.” Roseanne smiled dreamily.

“Definitely Rosie, by all means, please do so. Now off you go, a certain someone is waiting for you.” Wendy is back at again with the teasing.

As Roseanne made her way outside the music room, she noticed a woman looking through the posters and artworks of the kids in the hallways.

The woman looked uptight, fashionably dressed, intimidating.  

“ Hi, can I help you with anything?” Roseanne curiously walked up to the woman.

“ Are you a teacher here?” The woman with cat-like eyes astounded her.

Roseanne was taken aback for a bit, she was contemplating if she should just call Wendy and ask for help.

She chose to continue on with her brave streak and was about to answer in the affirmative when the woman spoke again.

“ I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I was just looking for the one who manages this place..” The intimidating woman started to speak again, and all Roseanne can focus on are her weary eyes.

Roseanne immediately thought of Lisa.

“ Ah, Lisa.. I can call her for you, she might be on her way here now. We can wait for her outside.” Roseanne smiled softly at the woman.

“ Oh, on her way? Here? I-uh, I’ll just drop by some other time. Thank you, Miss.” The woman with such strong features suddenly had a change of demeanor, she bowed and started to walk away just as Roseanne was about to ask her name.  

“ W-wait, Miss.” Roseanne was unable to get a hold of the woman as she seemed to have wanted to leave the centre immediately.

Roseanne was every bit of confused, she was about to call Lisa and inform her of the woman that she just met, when someone startled the wits out of her.

“What’s up Teacher!” Lisa whispered in her ear as she grabbed Roseanne’s shoulders.

“Oh my gosh Lisa, you will be the death of me!” She screamed at Lisa and smacked her arms.

“We’ll see about that” Aaand the wink fest is back.

“I was about to text you, I met a woman, she was looking for you but I think she had other matters to attend to? She said she’ll drop by some other time?” Roseanne the topic changer strikes back.

“Huh? That’s weird, might be a client? Anyway, on to important matters, how was your first day?! Let’s talk about it over dinner, yeah?” Lisa spoke so fast and with so much enthusiasm.

“Oh dear, do I have any other choice Miss I don’t let up?” Roseanne quipped.

“I guess not m’lady. Come along now, we have so much to discuss!” Lisa grabbed Roseanne’s hand, almost bouncing with excitement as she guided her new favorite teacher at the daycare centre towards her car.