I'm settling Sebastian back into his car seat in the hospital parking when my phone starts to ring. I check the caller ID to see that it's Daniel.
"Hey!" I answer the call as I close the door and get in behind the steering wheel.
"How was the appointment with Dr. Singh?" He refers to my 'post operation seven week' checkup that I just came out of.
"She checked my stitches and they've healed perfectly. Also, she prescribed some painkillers in case I feel any discomfort during the travel but otherwise I'm perfectly fit." I tell him.
"Congratulations!" Daniel says, making me laugh as I buckle in my seat belt, "What are you up to now?"
"I promised Hazel that I'd pick her from school since it's her last day and then we're going shopping for France." I reply.
"Alright. Have fun! See you at home." He says and I say goodbye before ending the call.
I turn in my seat to check on Sebastian and thankfully he's sleeping soundly. I head for Hazel's school and arrive ten minutes early. Instead of joining the pickup line I park the car and take out Sebastian's stroller.
When he's safely buckled in, I start for the school grounds. Parents are allowed on campus on the last day so I sit down at the same spot on the bleachers where Hazel and I sat down on the day of her PTM. A few minutes after the bell rings, announcing the end of school until next term the grounds fill up with students, parents and teachers.
I'm keeping an eye on Sebastian to make sure that he doesn't start crying from the noise when I spot Hazel walking up to me with some of her friends. I raise a hand and wave and she excitedly waves back.
"You brought Sebastian!" She squeals as she reaches us. She turns back to her friends and introduces them to her brother. They all crowd around the stroller and gush over the baby and I silently laugh.
"Emma!" I hear Mia call out.
"Hello Mia!" I say as she walks up, "Long time no see."
"Ben had been begging me to bring him over to meet Sebastian but work had me drowning." She says, smiling at her son who came over earlier with Hazel.
"Well, what do you think, Ben?" I ask him.
"He's really cute." Ben says shyly making Mia and me laugh.
"Have a fun trip to France and we'll definitely come visit once you get back." Mia says and then waves Hazel goodbye before leaving with Ben.
I also ask Hazel to say goodbye to her friends and once that's done, I start towards the parking with Hazel excitedly telling me all about her last day. But we've only walked a few steps when Mr. Elliot stops us.
"Mrs. Aaron! I'm so glad that I ran into you before you left." He says, clearly out of breath.
"Is there something you need me for?" I ask him.
"Yes, actually. The principal would like to have a word. And I see that you have your son with you. I'll have her join you here in just a minute. Can you kindly wait?"
"Of course." I say as he rushes off to fetch the principal.
"I didn't do anything wrong." Hazel looks near tears as she looks up at me.
I reach down and hug her, "Who said you'd done anything wrong?"
As promised the principal joins me a few minutes later.
"Mrs. Aaron! I'm so sorry to keep you waiting." She says, shaking my hand, "You see we have a request to make."
"Of what nature?" I ask.
"You see, we have never had an Under 10s Swimming Champion from our school but now that Hazel is this year's, we wish to sign her up for Nationals as the representative from California."
"What?" I ask, gobsmacked.
"We have been contacted by the organization that they want your approval to put down Hazel's name as California's representative in the Under 10s Swimming Nationals this August." She repeats, clearly eager to get an answer.
I'm at a loss of words as I look down at Hazel who doesn't understand what exactly we're talking about but her ears piped up at the word 'swimming.'
"I feel honored to hear of such an opportunity for Hazel but I cannot give you an answer without consulting with my husband and of course, explaining to Hazel." I tell the principal.
"No rush!" The principal waves off my concerns. "Please take your time."
She wishes us happy holidays and then walks away with Mr. Elliot. I lean against the stroller and let my brain process the fact that Hazel has been offered to compete at National level at the age of 4!
"Can we get McDonald's for lunch?" Hazel asks when we're back in the car.
"Of course we can. You just finished your first year of preschool!" I exclaim and Hazel claps for herself.
I turn around in my seat when I notice that Sebastian is awake and smiling. Hazel notices this too at the same time as me and squeals.
"Seb!" She's dubbed him 'Seb' ever since he came home from the hospital because she finds the full name too time consuming to say.
"We'll head to the mall, get McDonald's. Then I need to buy some things, okay?" I say and Hazel says 'okay' in reply.
At the mall, Hazel eats her Happy Meal and Sebastian sleeps giving me time to eat my Subway. After eating I hunt down rompers for Sebastian. Hazel helps me pick out a white, light blue, navy blue and dark green ones for Seb.
Next we visit stores to buy Hazel some new dresses since it's been a while that I was able to take her out shopping and she's outgrown most of her dresses in the last few months.
We decide to end the day with frozen yogurt. It's evening by the time I load the shopping and the children back into the car. So I call Daniel and he agrees to meet us at the frozen yogurt shop.
Over desert I catch him up on the principal's request and his widen.
"This is amazing!" He exclaims and then we explain the magnitude of this opportunity to Hazel whose eyes go wide as we finish.
"All of America?" She asks in awe.
"Yes." I nod.
"I want to do it! Please!" She pleads looking between us.
"There's no reason for us to say no then." Daniel says and I smile at my daughter who might be America's youngest Swimming title holder by the end of the summer.
8 more chapters till the story ends! :')
-T