Chapter 1 – Meeting You
"Excuse me," said a soft voice, a child's hand tugging at the end of her skirts for attention. Susan looked down severely; ready to scold the next child. She stopped short when she saw the dark hair falling into very familiar grey eyes.
"What is it?" Susan said, more gently, hoisting the child in the air. She couldn't recall who the little girl resembled. Was she in one of her classes?
"Da is looking at you a lot," the child giggled. "He doesn't want to come in."
"What's your name, young one?" Susan smiled gently to her, but inwardly she groaned. Was it another single parent trying to catch her eye? Little Raymond's father took months to get over his infatuation. It was sweet, but wrong, of him to bring a rose to her every morning of class when he dropped Raymond off.
"Lily," the said girl replied.
"Well, Lily, you can tell your daddy that it is Parent's Day, so he can talk to your teacher about what a good girl you are."
Lily giggled again at the praise, and then turned more solemn. She raised her arm to point out of the rain-washed window. "I don't want to go out, Miss Susan, it's raining! Tell Da to come in, please."
That was shy to the extreme. It was freezing cold outside. Maybe her father was a businessman taking a call. She knew those sort; having courted with them not too long ago.
"Oh all right, but only this once."
Susan put the child down. "Stay here." She grabbed her black embroidered umbrella, one of the few remnants from her societal days that were still usable.
She opened the front door, and walked cautiously in the car park. Her grip on the umbrella handle tightened in the unforgiving wind. She could hardly see in the pouring rain – she wondered why the parent was still standing out in the rain rather than go into the warmth with the other parents. "Hello?" she called out. "Are you Lily's father?"
There was a man standing oddly stiff by a car. He wore pressed pants and a vest for the occasion. Susan couldn't see his face – it was blocked by the umbrella held at an askew angle.
"My name's Susan," she said professionally, not forgetting her manners. "Your daughter is waiting in the classrooms for you, sir. Please come in."
At the sound of her voice, the man's grip on the umbrella loosened considerably. The umbrella gave way, before the man deftly snatched the handle and held it properly over his head.
"It's a long time since I've seen you."
Edmund's grey eyes met hers levelly.
Susan looked at her younger brother, all grown up, in shock. After the train wreck, she only had minimal interactions with him amidst the condolences from friends. When Edmund had recovered fully, physically at least, he was whisked to university. She lost all contact with him then.
"You- you-" she faltered.
"I never took you to be a kindergarten teacher," Edmund continued, but his voice was flat as if he was talking to a stranger.
"Why not?" Susan said, lifting her chin. What right did he have, talking to her like that? "I like children, and I'm very good with them. Speaking of which, your daughter is still waiting for you. You ought to come in."
Susan turned around, but stopped again with sudden realisation. Edmund wasn't old enough to have a daughter. Was he?
Married?
She had lost track of the number of weddings she had been invited to. It was typically the biggest parties in town – elaborate, flamboyant and very, very expensive. To think that she had been clueless about her own brother's wedding.
Susan turned to face Edmund again, this time glancing down at his fingers. They were pale, calloused hands, knuckles white from gripping the umbrella too hand, but most importantly bare.
Not willing to jump to conclusions, Susan simply drew herself to her full height to muster dignity. "Are you married, Edmund?" Susan asked, knowing how out of place it sounded.
"No."
Edmund stared at her, quiet, challenging. Susan only gave a slight frown. Good breeding, and too much pride, prevented her from continuing the bare resemblance of a strangers' conversation. She nodded at him to follow her. She walked briskly ahead.
The reason why Edmund was standing in the rain was because he had caught sight of Susan the first time in about five years. She was crouched at the doorway of the one-storey kindergarten house, at the outskirts of the town, helping a child to his feet. She had grown her hair long again. That was the only thing Edmund could register about his sister, before he felt tight pains in his chest, as he did when he remembered his family.
His family was now pleasant memories, with a strong legacy and an unwavering pillar of support eventhough they were no longer around. He heard much talk about Susan in university still, her high-society days still not over back then. Only about a year ago, after his graduation, did he realise he stopped hearing about her.
So this was where Susan was hiding from the prying eyes of the rumour mill. He wondered why she had so drastically changed her lifestyle.
There was nothing to do but follow his sister, the stranger.
A/N: If interested in the story, pls review so I know if I shld continue... Thanks.