Singles Club

the one where her dreams changed

I think dreams change as you get older. Everyone wants to be a doctor in high school, but then you start learning more about your options and passions. I never ended up being the doctor I so confidently thought I would be. Not because I couldn't, but because I found that there are other ways of doing meaningful work that didn't require years of schooling. 

I found my passion for teaching. I became a preschool teacher and a nonprofit health policy employee on the side. By day I would teach children, and by other days, I would work at a nonprofit for cancer research. I couldn't give up medicine so easily. 

Growing up had changed a lot more than my career choices. I lost weight and joined fitness clubs, started wearing my contacts every day, and decided that being feminine wasn't being weak. I liked dresses and makeup and putting effort, and honestly, I was disappointed that young me didn't realize the power of femininity. Every girl has that phase.

I was walking to work, holding my coffee when I saw a line of children under six in front of the building. I jogged up to help my coworker, Ricky Pickett, open the door to let them into the warmth of inside. I laugh as a group of kids clutches my legs as I try to wiggle the key in the door. 

When the door finally swings open, the swarm of kids runs into the room. I shake my head and push my collar-bone length hair behind my ear. I sign in each kid and greet each parent like every other day before heading to check the daily calendar. Ricky helps each kid unpack their backpacks into their cubbies and collects lunches to be put away.

"Okay, everyone! Let's sit in our assigned seats. It's almost time to play with blocks" I call out from the computer. I notice that there's going to be a new student joining us around noon and make a mental note to fix some space for them.

It's around noon when I am passing out lunches to the remainder of the kids. The babies' formulas are being prepared per each mother's instructions by Anne Hadid, our third coworker. I hear the front door jingle and hand out the last bag before walking over to greet the guest.

I jog up to see a blonde woman with a little two year old wrapped around her legs. She's wearing an expensive pantsuit and is on the phone while simultaneously trying to pry the child off her with her free hand. I clear my throat to get her attention, and she immediately sighs with relief and hangs up the call.

"Hi, I'm Jaanu Kaur," I introduce myself to the mother, and she smiles at me before introducing herself and her son.

"I'm Katherine, and this little guy is Arav."

I bend down, so I'm eye-level with the shy little boy. He has light brown hair, deep brown eyes, and light skin touched slightly by son.

"Hi, Arav. I'm Jaanu. Do you want to go play with the other kids?" I gesture to a group of kids playing with blocks in the middle of the room.

Arav looks at his mom for approval and runs to the group when he sees her smile and nod. I stand back up properly and walk over to the desk to hand Katherine all of the paperwork. She fills it out and informs me that Arav's father will be picking him up before she leaves for the day.

The day goes by quickly and my once ironed sundress is wrinkled and has a new green paint stain lining the bottom of it from the kids' grabby hands. Every kid usually gets a hug before they go home, and preschoolers really aren't the cleanest kids. The kids leave one by one after their parents' check-in with any of the staff. I wait with the two years olds as their parents line up and I check them off the roster.

An attractive man about my age comes up in line. He seems familiar even though I don't think I've seen him before. I look up quickly and look back at the roster to ask him who he's here to pick up, but I don't have to. 

Little Arav runs towards the figure squealing in delight. "Papa!" The man chuckles and turns to leave as the boy climbs up his body and into his arms. 

I call out after him. "Excuse me, sir? I need to check your ID and check him out!"

As Arav's father turns, I drop the papers in my hand. In front of me is someone I hadn't seen in ten years: Sunny Patel. I could recognize those eyes anywhere. They are eyes I stared into. Eyes I loved. My heart hammers as he moves to find his ID. I realize he doesn't recognize me- I knew I looked different, but I didn't realize how much I'd changed.

Arav runs to help me collect the papers, and when he looks up at me, I realize he has his father's eyes. I smile tightly and thank the boy before grabbing the ID to check it. I avoid looking up into Sunny's face. The ID checks out and I smile at his photo- he looks much younger in it, more like how I remember.

"Something funny, Miss?" His deep voice interrupts my thoughts. I almost cry- it's a voice I haven't heard in so long, a voice I didn't realize I missed.

I shake my head and hand him his ID before turning around to rejoin the remaining kids.

"Excuse me? I didn't get your name!" I hear Sunny call out, and I curse internally. This could have been so funny.

I turn around and finally look up to face him. His face morphs as the realization hits him. First shock, then confusion, then happiness.

We both say at the same time, "Jaanu."