I was getting dressed for the meet the teacher event when I heard the doorbell go off. I would have made Marco get it but he was working with Samanta and getting her dressed. I finished buttoning my pants and walked down a flight of stairs. Through the glass in the door I could see someone in a tan coat. I could tell who it was from the coat.
"Well good afternoon Mr. Barba, what can I do for you today?" I asked him as I leaned against the door frame.
"Seeing as you had this meet the teacher thing tonight I thought I could come with and the after I could take you two lovely ladies to dinner?" Rafael asked looking down. For a second I thought he was staring at my shirt. It was a black short sleeve with a pair of ghost bees saying boo. It was a Boo-bee shirt...I thought it was funny when I bought it, anywho I followed his eyes and saw he was talking to Samanta.
"Oh can we mommy please?" Samanta asked in her black shirt with the words "We're all mad here." Scrolled across the front in purple with the Chessir cat's grin in the background of it. She had some blue jeans on, some black Mary Jane shoes and the ribbon in her hair was black and purple plaid.
"Yeah mommy please?" Rafael asked pouting along side Samanta. Uh oh double pout attack.
"Oh no this is not even fair! You know I have a weakness for cuteness!" I told them both and sagged down dramatically.
"Alright you two if we are going to do this we better get going." I tell them and go back into our brownstone to grab my keys and wallet. We locked up the front door and started the walk towards the private school I enrolled Samanta in.
*At School*
We walked through the doorway and slowly made our way towards the kindergarten classes. During the walk to the school Barba had been telling Samanta about his day, well a g rated version but they have been talking about what they did that day. We walked in and stood toward the back of the room.
Samanta saw some other kids and walked over to them to start playing.
"I am sorry for forcing my way into this..." He started but I interrupted his train of thought.
"Rafael if it really bothered me do you think you would of gotten within three feet of my daughter let alone my door? I enjoy spending time with you." I told him, smiling at how nervous he is acting.
"Very true." He smirked at me and turned a little to spot Samanta. She was talking to the other students in her class. Just then a woman with blonde hair and a pretty red sundress walked into the room.
"Hello everyone my name is Ms. Daugherty and I am the new kindergarten teacher." She introduced herself and heard all the children say hi.
Ms. Daugherty walked around the room talking to everyone, getting a feel for the parents and answering questions. When she got to Rafael and I she jumped right into her rehearsed monologue.
"Hello again I'm Ms. Daugherty and who are you the parents of?" She asked us.
"I am Samanta's mother, Luciana Battaglia and this is our friend? Rafael Barba." I answered and then realized that I didn't know where I stood with Rafael.
"So you aren't the father?" Daugherty asked.
"No I barged my way into this so I can take the girls out to dinner after." Rafael stated and smiled warmly at me.
I felt a warmth I haven't felt in a while spread through my heart. Rafael Barba was sincere and truly a sweet man to me and my daughter.
"An what do you do Ms. Battaglia?" Daugherty asked me.
"I am a voice actor." I answered her proudly.
"Oh. An you Mr. Barba?" Daugherty turned to Rafael on a dime. She was dismissing my job as if I was one of those twenty somethings who were "actors" all the while they worked as a waiter at a local restaurant.
"I am an ADA working the Sex Crimes Unit with the NYPD." Rafael replied.
In an instant I saw three other women and Daugherty light up a bit at that. The sharks knew that he was a lawyer and they were going to start circling. I was now regretting letting Rafael come with us.
Ms. Daugherty smiled at him in a way that screamed, "Please take me to bed and make me forget my name." I rolled my eyes and was about to say something when Samanta came running towards us.
"Rafael! Rafael! Have you seen the dress up chest?! It has cowboys and princesses!" She told him in pure joy.
"Oh it does?" He asked her with a smile on his face.
"Yeah come see!" Samanta told him and pulled him over to the chest. I gave her teacher a smirk and just walked calmly behind them. Samanta had gotten a cowboy hat on Rafael's head and she found a tiara that was bright yellow and squeeled happily.
"Momma you can look like Princess Celestia now too!" She said and motioned for me to kneel to her. I did as she asked and she placed the tiara on my head. When she was finished another little girl came up to me.
"You aren't Princess Celestia, she's a pony." The little girl said slightly confused.
I smiled warmly at her and stood up, I cleared my throat and spoke like Princess Celestia.
"That is true my little pony, but like all good cartoons there needs to be a voice behind the character. An I, Princess Celestia will always protect my little ponies with the elements of Harmony." I told her and held my head in a regal way. All of the children gasped and huddled around me.
I looked at the parents and they were all shocked that I was a favorite character of their children's. They had a newfound respect for me now that they knew that I had reliable work and was very well known. These snobs have no idea what they were in for.
