Sunshine and Rain

Chapter 9: Another day, Another Nickel

Their conversation came to an immediate stop as my eyes locked with the mother's. From this point on I just had to act natural, a complete oxymoron if you ask me but tant pis.

"Hi Mrs. Barette" a natural smile rode its way across my face.

"Hacim, HI, How are you? How is school? Everything alright?"

"Yes yes everything is fine, I'm actually doing pretty well I must say, Bless God right?"

"Yes child you are very right in saying that, He is good, amen, amen"

"And school is.....school you know?" I let out a small laugh. The girl's head was laying on the back of the chair, still looking at her mother. No problem. "I'm just doing the best I can"

"I know you are, I'm sure you'd do well"

After a few seconds of her looking at me, and I at her which felt like an awkward eternity, she continued.

"My goodness did I not introduce you to my daughter?"

Her head perked up.

"No...No you did not" I sat down in the row directly in front of them facing the daughter and continued "I take it you're the daughter?"

She smiled, she seemed to recognise me from earlier, "My name is Patricia" and then she blushed, and for a brief moment I felt something, I felt a little nudge in my chest but I couldn't identify what it was. It didn't matter it quickly went away and the conversation went on.

We talk for a while, the three of us, going back and forth, laughing, occasionally giving each other's advice but I suppose it was just Mrs. Barette and me who did the latter while Patricia just listened. I asked Patricia her age and she refused to tell me, even after I told her mine. I suppose she thought I was joking because she kept giggling and my time was almost up so I had to leave. I got up and bid them both farewell but before I walked off she spoke up.

"Hacim....I'm 14"

"Oh well that's cool I'm just older by a year" and with that, I left, my parents would be waiting for my brothers and me downstairs, hopefully I'm not the last one to arrive.

That was the first time I met Patricia.

"HACIM!!!"

"huh?" I shot out of my visions almost instantly and almost painfully. It was one of the sisters from church, sister Felix, calling me with her hands on her hips and an air of impatience in her voice.

"Goodness gracious would you stop daydreaming and grab a broom"

"Yes yes of course" I laughed rubbing the back of my head "my bad"

"Hmph... its ok just don't fall asleep on the job again"

"I wasn't sleeping I was-"

".....?"

"Yes ma'am"

I like sweeping, its a task that requires very little thinking so my mind can roam while my body works. That's exactly how I spent the next 3 hours, doing menial tasks that made me look like Cinderella in jeans. Patrice and I became good friends, it was a terrible cycle of events but in the end, we became great friends. I remember when I nearly cut her out of my life.

"Hacim!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming"