When Gabriella walked into the daycare centre that afternoon, she noticed that there was a mother and daughter hanging around the door and seeing that Amy and Lindsey weren't going to help, she figured she'd do it herself. "Hi, is there anything I can help you with?"
The lady looked hesitant for a second but spoke. "My daughter is starting here tomorrow but we decided with Jenny that she'd spend the afternoon today to get used to the classroom and her peers before she spends a full day. Are you a teacher here?"
"I'm a senior but I volunteer in this class everyday." She turned her attention to the little girl. "What's your name sweetheart?"
"Addison." She responded shyly.
"Well it's nice to meet you Addison, my name's Gabriella and I help Miss Amy and Miss Lindsey look after your class in the afternoons. How do you feel about coming to this class?" The little girl only shrugged in response. "Excited? Nervous?"
"Nervous."
"Well that's ok, we'll have some fun and play with some new friends, how does that sound?" Addison nodded. "Ok then, would you like to say bye to your mommy and we'll go meet some new friends and she'll be back before you know it."
The mother scoffed. "We don't use that baby language. Goodbye Addison, I'm leaving now and I will pick you up in a few hours."
Gabriella's eyes widened at her response but quickly hid her expression as the girl responded. "Goodbye Mom."
The senior turned around and was about to talk to the little girl when she saw Charlotte standing a few metres away anxiously, she noticed the way the girl looked up at her hesitantly, silently asking for permission which made Gabriella inwardly sigh. She smiled gently at the three-year-old and nodded for her to come over, her heart filling when she jumped into her arms. She placed her on her hip and kissed her temple. "Hey Charlie, how's my favourite girl." Charlotte leant her head on Gabriella's shoulder. "Do you want to meet a new friend of mine?" She nodded hesitantly and the senior placed her onto her feet, kneeling down so she was at the same level as the two girls. "Addison, this is my friend Charlotte. Charlie, Addison is new to your class and she'll be starting tomorrow."
"Hello." Addison greeted shyly.
"Hello." Charlotte responded after some coaxing from Gabriella.
Seeing the hesitance, the senior spoke. "Ok girls, what would you like to do? We can go draw or play play doh with some friends over there."
"Maybe we should draw because Charlotte has a cast on her arm, it might be hard for her to play with play doh."
Gabriella smiled at the girl. "That sounds like a great idea." She turned her attention to Charlotte. "What do you think Charlie, do you want to draw?" Charlotte nodded silently in response making the senior inwardly sigh but she smiled and took the girls over to the table where there were three other children. When they sat down, she spoke to the group. "Hey everyone, this is Addison, she's going to be joining your class. Would you like to introduce yourselves."
Each of the children smiled at the girl and introduced themselves: "Kye / Maya / Riley."
Riley turned to Gabriella. "So Addison will be in our class?"
The senior smiled. "Yes she'll be here tomorrow for the whole day, she's just come in today to meet everyone." When the other kids went back to drawing, she turned to the little girl. "Do you have a nickname that you'd like to be called or do you want to be called Addison?"
"My mom makes everyone call me Addison but I like when Dad calls me Addy when Mom doesn't know."
"Would you like us to call you Addy too?" The little girl nodded. "Alright then sweetheart."
The children all continued drawing whilst chattering amongst themselves when Gabriella felt a tug on her shirt and Charlotte looking at her nervously. Seeing that the girl wasn't going to talk, she leant down so the three-year-old could whisper to her. "Can I sit on your lap?"
"Of course you can Charlie." She said, pulling her onto her lap. She could feel the tension from the little girl and knew she was very much out of her comfort zone being around her classmates. She leant down and whispered to her so that the other kids wouldn't hear. "I know that being around the other kids makes you nervous but I'm so proud of you and I know Daddy will be too." Charlotte nodded and leant back against Gabriella, rubbing her eyes. "Are you tired Baby Girl?" The little girl nodded and the senior rubbed her back.
Addison's voice got the teen's attention. "Is Charlotte ok Miss Gabriella?"
Gabriella smiled softly at the little girl. "She's alright Addy, she's just a little tired. And you don't have to call me Miss Gabriella if you don't want to, you can call me Miss Gabi." The senior smiled when the girl nodded but missed the way Charlotte looked down.
The moment was interrupted by Kye talking to Addison. "We don't like Charlotte, she always hogs Miss Gabi."
Maya and Riley nodded, the former responding. "No one else gets Miss Gabi."
Gabriella could feel Charlotte getting uncomfortable and inwardly sighed when she got up and tucked herself away in the quiet corner. She noticed Addison get up and follow the girl before she turned to the other kids. "That wasn't very nice."
"But she does." Kye argued.
Gabriella went around to the three kids and knelt to their level, gently explaining to them. "I know I've spent a lot of time with Charlotte since I've been here but that's not her fault. She's just a bit more shy when it comes to making friends so it's taken her a little longer. I'm sorry that you feel like I've only spent time with Charlotte and I'll make sure to spend some more time with all of you so that you feel like it's fair, ok?" They all nodded. "Now what you said to Charlotte wasn't very nice. It was very hard for her to come up here and try and make friends so I think we should go over and say sorry."
"Yes Miss Gabi." They all responded.
Meanwhile
Charlotte tucked herself into the corner on one of the cushions and pulled her knees up to her chest. A few seconds later, she saw Addison sit down beside her. "I'm sorry they were mean." Charlotte nodded slowly and hugged her knees closer. "Don't listen to them, I like you."
"You do?"
Addison smiled. "You're my first friend here."
Charlotte smiled and was about to talk but she noticed the three children with Gabriella standing next to them, making her whimper. The senior knelt down beside her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's alright Sweet Girl, Kye, Maya and Riley have something they want to say to you."
The three children responded. "Sorry Charlotte."
The little girl looked down. "It's ok."
Seeing this, Gabriella turned to the trio. "That was very nice, thank you. You can go back to drawing or play something else if you'd like." Just as she was about to turn to Charlotte, she saw Addison's mother and sighed. "I'll talk to you in a second Baby Girl, Addy's mom is here so she has to get going, do you want to say bye?"
"Bye Addy."
The new little girl hugged her, making Gabriella smile. "Bye Charlotte." Addison walked with Gabriella over to her mother. "Hello Mom."
"Addison." The mother greeted before turning to Gabriella. "How was she?"
"She was great, she met a few of the other kids and drew for the afternoon."
The mother nodded, looking at her daughter. "Did you make some friends Addison?"
The little girl nodded. "Charlotte's my new friend."
"Alright we're going home now so say goodbye to your teacher."
"Goodbye Miss Gabi." The mother cleared her throat and the little girl looked down. "Goodbye Miss Gabriella."
The senior smiled sadly. "Goodbye Addison, I'll see you tomorrow." After the little girl left, she went and sat back down with Charlotte where the toddler crawled into her lap. "Are you ok?"
"I don't like the other kids."
Gabriella smiled sadly. "I know, I'm sorry Baby Girl but it'll get better I promise. I know the other kids weren't very nice today but did you like Addy, was she nice to you?"
Charlotte nodded. "Addy was nice, she said I was her friend."
"That's really good. I know it's hard but I think that you and Addy will be very good friends soon."
"Ok Gabi."
She smiled. "It'll get better, I promise. I love you Charlie."
"I love you Gabi."