Music and Stuff
"Alex, c'mon! I'm sure they're really really nice there!" I gripped his tiny little hand and tried my very hardest to drag him out of the house. He held onto the doorframe like his life depended on it. He obviously got those shy genes from me, but this was just going to daycare- what was so bad about that?
"You just have to try this today! Just one day, for mommy, please? And if you hate it that much I won't ever bring you back, I promise! Okay?" my son's hold on the house loosened and I picked him up. "Okay, good. I heard this daycare is really fun. They play games and sing songs and they even watch TV and play movies. Maybe they'll play Finding Nemo for you?" I locked the door, jumped in the car, and drove to school, coaxing the fear out of Alex as best I could.
"Rise and shine, princess!" I said as I puled off the covers of a very tiny little bed. She wouldn't budge.
"No one's here? Okay then, I guess I can take a nap in this bed." I jumped in the bed and pulled on the blanket. I heard a little giggle.
"Wait, is that princess Ashlyn I hear? Ahhh!" I tickled her and she surrendered to getting up. I picked her up and told her to go brush her teeth to get ready.
"Are we going to college today, daddy?"
"Yes we are princess, and then after, ill take you to get ice cream."
"YESSS! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER! THANKS DADDY!" Her tiny arms wrapped around my legs, which was about as high as she could reach.
"lets go, Ash, we cant be late." I scooped her up and ran all the way out of the apartment and into the car, leaving a trail of giggles the whole way. we started the 20 minute drive to our destination and about 15 minutes in, Ashlyn asked a very odd question.
"Daddy, where is our queen?"
"A queen? What are you talking about?'
"Well, you know, you always call me your princess and you're the king, but every king needs a queen, so where is yours?" this was a risky subject. Whenever Ashlyn's mom was brought up, I could feel the very thin ice below me cracking and threatening me the fall into the deep waters beneath it. So I tried to anser as simply as I could.
"The queen went on a trip to another kingdom, sweetheart, that's all."
"When will she be back?"
"She never told me, but as soon as she does, you'll be the first to know, okay?"
"Okay daddy. But can you tell me her name?" Think, Austin, THINK!
"Oh, look Ash, we're here."
That was close.
I checked my watch. 8:52. There is no way I was getting to my class on time after dropping Alex off. I rummaged through my purse, and speed-dialed Trish as the elevator continued is slow ascent upwards.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Trish. I need a huge favor."
"If it involves getting me out of work, I'm all for it."
"Okay, what your job today?"
"I'm working at the local college food court."
"Perfect. Right across the hall is my class. At like 8:57 or so, go in there and cause some kind of distraction so my teacher doesn't see that I'm late. Okay?"
"Yes captain. All systems go." she laughed, "Goodbye, Ally."
"Bye, Trish, thanks again! I love you!"
"Yeah, yeah, save it. Go get Alex to daycare."
I started to do my happy dance. Alex agreed to come, I wasn't going to be late to class; Everything was stating to work out. Until, that is, the elevator stopped to let more passengers on: a little curly blonde-haired girl holding hands with a blonde guy who were singing some song that I've never heard. A very cute guy, I might add. Okay, so maybe this wasn't so bad.
I stepped onto the elevator with Ashlyn singing our college song.
"We're going to school, yeah its so much fun! Now we're singing the college song. We learn about music and play some games, we come back tomorrow and do it again!" We belted out the lyrics and were just getting to the best part when the doors of the elevator closed and I could see the blurred image of a girl and a little boy in the shiny door. Yikes.
"oh, I'm so sorry. Its just that no one really takes this elevator, so its empty a lot, and we sing. Its kind of apart of our daily routine." I let a sloppy apology slip.
"No really, it's fine. I just didn't know which elevator to take, and this one was open so…"
An awkward silence clung to the air.
"So I gather you take music classes here?" I heard the girl say.
"Um, yeah. I major in music performance and… stuff. I'm also taking classes for music education. I teach at a local elementary school a bit, but I never got the proper education when this one came along." I picked up Ashlyn, and she giggled. Wait, why was I telling the random girl all about this… stuff?
"So she's yours?" she asked, and I nodded.
"Ashlyn, say hi to- oh I'm sorry, I don't think I ever caught your name."
"Ally Dawson. And this is my son, Alex." She motioned to the boy hiding behind her legs.
"Say hi, Ashlyn."
"Hi, Ashlyn." My little girl, stated, almost matter-of-factly, and the elevator erupted into laughter.
"I'm Austin Moon." I reached out and she shook my hand. "and you've already met my daughter. She's 3."
"So is Alex. Come on, buddy, say hi!" but the little boy just hid farther behind his mom. She picked him up, and he dug his face into her shoulder. "Sorry about him. He's just shy like his mom."
"You're shy?" I asked, perplexed. She didn't seem the type.
"Horrible stage fright. That's why I'm majoring in music songwriting… and stuff." She added the last part to mock me. I like this girl. "I can't perform so I just write the music. I'm working on getting a degree in business too, because my dad wants to give up his music store business. I don't want to see it happen, so I'd take over, but I don't know the first thing about running a store."
"What store?"
"Sonic Boom."
"Oh, I used to go there all the time. You can't get rid of that place."
"I'm working on it." She sighed, and then continued, as we stepped out of the elevator together. "So do you know where the college daycare is?"
"Yeah. You sending Alex there?"
"And he is anything but happy about it." I bent down to his level.
"Dude, you are going to love it there! Ashlyn cries when she has to leave everyday. They are really nice and do all sorts of fun stuff. A nice lady named Megan is in charge, but they have tons of other people there, like Cassidy, she likes to sing. And Dallas plays games on the Iphone with you, and Elliot makes the best arts and crafts. Trust me, it's the great." I felt Ashlyn tap my shoulder.
"Daddy, can Alex come with us?" I looked at Ally.
"As long as it's okay with his mommy."
"That would be awesome. I was gonna be late to my class other wise. Thanks Austin!" She bent down and kissed Alex on the forehead. "You be a good boy okay? Mommy will pick you up later, okay." She stood up and started to hurry off, but turned around quick. "Thanks again Austin. Maybe I'll see you around, in between music classes… and stuff." She smiled waved goodbye, and headed to class.
"Bye, Ally!" I yelled and waved. Then I grabbed Alex and Ashlyn's hands, and headed to college daycare.
I slipped into my seat in the 4th row of the music lecture hall. The professor still wasn't here. Perfect. It was exactly 8:57, so I texted Trish.
Abort mission :)
I got a reply just a second later.
You are such a nerd
I let out a little happy sigh as I put my phone away, took out my notebook and dated the newest page. I wonder what we are learning about today, I thought. I looked around the room, and the class was pretty empty, the few last stragglers filing in. At exactly 8:59, the seat next to me was still open, and there was still no sign of a professor. I heard someone pull out the chair next to me and I felt a whisper in my ear.
"Fancy meeting you here." And the blonde boy let out a small laugh, followed by a smirk, and then his eyes were focused on the professor who just arrived.
God, can that Austin guy get anymore perfect?
