Team8s and Counting

66. A New Student, A Familiar Face

Bookmark peeked out from behind her mother again, studying Gaty with cautious curiosity. After a moment, she tentatively reached out her hand, as if testing the waters. Gaty smiled warmly and let bookmark hold onto her.

"Welcome to our class, Bookmark," Gaty said, her voice soft and reassuring. "We're going to take good care of you and make sure you feel happy and loved."

Book smiled, glad to know that her little girl was in safe hands, "be good for Ms. Pickets sweetie! Mimi will come get you later!"

Bookmark smiled, feeling a lot more comfortable around Gaty.

Despite this, Bookmark was still quite shy throughout the day. She often had to sit with her while Lampy took care of the other students.

As lunch time approached, Gaty could not wait to tell Saw about Bookmark when they ate lunch in the teachers lounge together.

"Saw, you are not going to believe who the mother of my new student is!" Gaty said.

Saw raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Gaty's excitement. "Who is it?"

"It's Book," Gaty replied, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and compassion.

"No way!" Saw said, her eyes widening in disbelief. "I didn't think she would ever come back to Goiky."

"She's back in town with her daughter, Bookmark. Apparently, they've been through a lot since they left."

Saw's expression softened, understanding dawning in her eyes. "Poor thing. I remember how tough Book had it back then."

"Yeah, but she's trying to turn things around," Gaty added, admiration evident in her tone. "And Bookmark, she's such a sweet girl, just really shy."

Saw nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'm glad they found their way back here. And I'm glad they have you to look out for them."

As they finished their lunch and prepared to head back to the classroom, Gaty couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude. Despite the challenges they faced, she was grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of her students.

After lunch, Gaty returned to her classroom. She found Bookmark sitting quietly at her desk, her eyes fixed on the book in front of her. Gaty approached her with a warm smile, knowing that building trust and confidence would take time.

"Hey there, Bookmark," Gaty said softly, taking a seat next to her. "How's your day been so far?"

Bookmark glanced up at Gaty, her expression guarded but curious. She mumbled something unintelligible, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her book.

"That's okay," Gaty replied gently. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you, okay?"

Bookmark nodded, a small spark of relief flickering in her eyes. Gaty reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, a silent gesture of support and understanding.

Together, they spent the rest of the afternoon in quiet companionship, with Gaty gently guiding Bookmark through their lessons and activities. And as the day drew to a close, Gaty couldn't help but feel a sense of hope blossoming within her. It was in times like these that, despite wanting to teach at a higher education level initially, she knew she was meant to work at the preschool; to be the one who looked out for all these little kids.

At the end of the day, Price Tag had come to pick up their daughter.

"MIMI," Bookmark shouted, excited to see her parent.

"Hey there champ," Price Tag said, "how was your first day?"

Bookmark's face lit up with a bright smile as she rushed into her parent's arms. "It was good, Mimi! Ms. Pickets is nice, and I made a new friend."

Price Tag exchanged a grateful glance with Gaty, silently thanking her for making Bookmark feel welcome. "That's great to hear, sweetie. I'm glad you had a good day."

As they made their way home, Gaty couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment knowing that she had made a positive impact on Bookmark's life, even if it was just for one day. And as she watched them leave, she felt a renewed sense of purpose in her role as a teacher.

......................................................

More of the other members of the BFDI cast are making their way into this story! I'll definatley say Book, Pricey, and Bookmark are more then just a one time occurrence ;)

Also, If you we're wondering, "Mimi" is just a gender neutral term for "mama" or "dada" that I figured would suit Pricey! I think it's pretty cute!

Anyway, I'm pretty excited to see you guy's reaction to the next chapter, so I'll catch you all then!

- Sunny