Rudimental - These Days (feat. Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen)
"That was school for today! Let me guide you to your parents" I said to my class as they went to grab their backpacks. The school bell rang as I was already guiding my class outside, to where their parents were waiting. "See you tomorrow miss!" some of my pupils yelled whilst they ran off to their parents.
One of the girls, Sarah, kept standing beside me. "Sarah, where's your grandma?" I asked her, which made her look up at me with tears in her eyes. "I don't know miss" she said as tears started flooding down her cheeks. I picked her up and tried to comfort her with a hug. "Come on then, we'll go inside and wait for her" I said as I carried her inside, back to the classroom.
"Moooooom" I heard my son Oliver yell in the hallway as he made his way to my classroom. The door swung open and revealed my 7-year-old son. "Hey honey, take a seat. We've got Sarah with us today, her grandmother wasn't here yet to pick her up" I told my son as he took a seat at one of the desks and took his homework from his backpack.
About 15 minutes later, Oliver and Sarah were playing some educational game together as I was checking my class's homework. My head shot up as the door swung open. I could not believe my eyes. "Daniel?" I almost whispered in disbelief. The smile he was wearing disappeared when he saw me. He was staring at me flabbergasted which made me quite uncomfortable. "Lost your tongue?" I asked him with a blush on my cheeks. "Well... Uh.. No but.. I just didn't expect you here?" he said questioning.
"I work here, actually. You can come in if you want" I told him. Daniel walked into the classroom and saw Sarah and Oliver play together. "Is she good with other kids?" he asked me. I frowned but answered his question anyway "yes, she is. Actually, she's one of my best students." Daniel stood next to my desk, still watching the two kids. "I'm sorry I was late, my meeting ran late" he apologized.
I turned my head towards him, a confused look on my face. "What do you mean?" I asked but then suddenly it clicked in my head. Ricciardo. "Is she your daughter?" I immediately asked him, to which he only nodded. In the meantime, Sarah had noticed her father and ran up to him. He picked her up and spun her around. I could only look at Oliver while I processed the information. Not only did I have his son, but I also taught his daughter in school.
"What if," he put Sarah down on her feet again, "you and me catch up, while enjoying a drink. Tonight." His question caught me off guard. I turned my head towards him and nodded subconsciously. "Good" he said as he checked his watch. "We have to go. Here's my number, text me your address" he gave me a business card with his phone number on it. I nodded once again as my head was still processing all the information. "I'll see you tonight" he said and winked at me, as he walked out of the classroom with Sarah.
"Mom who was that?" Oliver asked, walking towards my desk. "Someone from my past" I mumbled as I packed my stuff, throwing everything hastily in my bag. "Come, we're going home" I said as I stood up.
~
I had texted Daniel my address and immediately received a text back. 'I'll be there around 8PM - Daniel'. After I put Oliver to bed, I tidied up my place. It wasn't the neatest but it worked. And, he had to accept the fact that not everyone had such a luxurious life as his. As I put the last things of Oliver back in the closet, the doorbell rang. I hurried my way over to the door and opened it. I was met by the huge smile of Daniel. "Come in" I said as I stepped aside, making way for him.
"Nice little place you've got" Daniel noted as he looked around the place. "Thanks," I said, "it isn't much but it works. You can sit down, I'll grab some wine." Daniel sat down on the couch as I walked to the kitchen, returning with a bottle of red wine and two glasses.
After chatting for what felt like hours, Daniel confessed "I thought you'd end up with my last name." He laughed but his laugh soon faded into a sad smile. "Well, I actually did" I said as I took a sip of my wine. I got up, walked over to my desk, where I had my documents stationed, and pulled out a map. I walked back to Daniel and handed him the map. His face was filled with confusion.
He opened the map and read the first page, his eyes growing wide. "No,- This can't,- What, really?" he stammered which made me laugh. He took his focus back on the map once again, carefully reading Oliver's birth certificate.
Oliver Noah Ricciardo
8th of May, 2014
City of Perth, Australia
"But I raced in May" he stated. I nodded. "Calculate back," I suggested, "if you go nine months back from May 2014 you'll end up in August 2013, and that was the summer we broke up." His eyes grew even wider when realization hit him. "Ooooh that was our last time!" he said, finally understanding it.
His attention went back to the map as he browsed through it, showing him all sorts of pictures of Oliver when he was young. Suddenly he looked up at me with a pained look. "How could I ever leave you" he mumbled. I shrugged at his question and sighed. "If I knew, I wouldn't have left you. I would've taken care of you two" he rattled, regret lingering in his voice. I immediately shook my head and laid my hand on his shoulder.
"You couldn't know" I reassured him. "But-" he started but I cut him off. "No buts, ifs and maybes. It happened, nothing can turn back time in order for you to be there. The only thing you can do is be here for him now. If you make it known to him or not, you can be in his life and watch him grow up if you want to." The huge smile Daniel almost always wore, returned with every word I spoke. "I want to be there" he admitted whilst he laid his hand on my hand, that still was positioned on his shoulder.
