CHAPTER 4
"Things taken for granted are the things, if not granted, causes us the biggest discomfort. Very often it's the neglected small things which form the biggest of shadows while walking away."
― Shahenshah Hafeez Khan
"So, like what you see so far?"
"It's really beautiful and quiet. How do they keep kids so silent?" Astrid looked around continuously as they both walked down the hallway, examining the environment of Vinedale elementary, every feature perfectly matching Harry's description. Right from the entrance at La Tuna Canyon Rd, the ambience was beautiful, green with a few trees standing above the neatly mowed lawn. The pathways to the various exits cornered with trimmed hedges, a blue-coloured stone at the main entrance holding the name of the school. The buildings weren't big, but just enough to hold the required facilities for an elementary school. The interior made the best impression.
The hallways leading to various classes as well as paintings, write-ups, and art-crafts displayed on boards, to exhibit the various artistic skills of the students. It already looked like the perfect choice to start Niel's schooling. She looked into the classes they passed by, marvelling at how an elementary school was able to maintain such silence, being populated with a bunch of very active toddlers and kids.
"Activities? It's quite easy to keep kids busy. We'll go to the daycare section first to…"
"You're not gonna pick up your daughter first?"
"We should get to the daycare first before I…"
"And keep the little girl waiting? Of course not. You'd said we were late already, right?"
"Yes, but, she can just wait for a few more…"
"Where's the kindergarten section? We are picking her up first."
Harry shrugged, "Alright, but remember, I did warn you about this. My daughter can be quite a handful."
"Please, she's just five, right? What's the worst that could happen?" Astrid smiled, as they approached the Kindergarten section to Zia's class. As every other day before, she was right in her spot at the door, searching earnestly for her father. Her expression immediately faded from worry to excitement when she saw him. It always warmed his heart that his presence always brightened up her mood, just like hers did to him.
"Daddy!" She screamed in joy and wrapped her arms tightly around his leg, Harry scooping her up into his arms.
"Hi, Princess."
"You're late, Daddy. I thought you weren't gonna come for me."
"Of course not. Daddy could never leave you waiting in school, have I ever done that?"
"No." She wrapped her hands around his neck in a hug, and Astrid smiled, watching them in silence.
"So how was school today, princess?"
"School was good, and I didn't mess up my pigtails today as I promised."
"That's great. Nana would be very happy to hear that."
"Good day, Mr Haddock." Miss Jeanie, Zia's class teacher walked up to them with her backpack in one hand, and lunch pack in the other.
"Who is she, Daddy?" Zia suddenly asked before he could reply to her teacher. He noticed her curious gaze on Astrid, who'd been watching them in silence.
"Hold on a sec." Harry said and took her belongings from her teacher, "Thank you."
"Zia, this is my friend, Astrid. She decided to join me to pick you up today."
"Hi, Zia." Astrid smiled, still holding up her gaze while giving her a little wave.
"Hi" She replied in a tone, much softer than the one she'd used to welcome her father.
"How was school today?"
"Good." She fluttered her gaze to Harry, a little shy.
"Aww, come on, you don't have to be shy. Come here." Astrid opened her arms, gesturing for the little girl to go to her. She hesitated, looking at Harry first until he gave a nod of approval.
"Go on, it's okay," Harry said before she leaned towards Astrid, who carried her, settling her on her right hip, while Harry talked to her teacher.
"You're pretty." Zia complimented out of the blue with a shy smile, taking strands of Astrid's long golden hair between her fingers.
"Aww, thank you," Astrid replied, a bit startled. "Well, you're much prettier, and you've got such beautiful hair. Did your Daddy put this up for you?"
"No, he didn't."
"Why? He couldn't fix your hair?"
"He kept pulling so hard and it hurt so much."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that, he probably doesn't know how to do it. I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you."
"I know, but my Nana fixed my hair."
"She did a great job. I love it."
"Can you braid my hair like my Nana?"
"Do you want me to braid your hair sometime?" Astrid asked, watching the little girl nod in glee. "Alright then, I would braid your hair next time."
Harry walked towards them after his conversation with her teacher was over and stretched out his arms towards Zia. "Come on."
Zia smiled and leaned on Astrid, in rejection of her father's offer. Astrid laughed at his reaction, placing her arms around his daughter. "Wow, that was quick."
"I'm a parent too, Harry. I'm pretty good with kids now."
"Zia, you're really gonna turn on Daddy like that?"
"I like her Daddy."
"But carrying you from school to the car and back home is our thing, remember?"
"I wanna be with her today."
"Hear that Harry? She wants to be with me." Astrid gave a sly smirk and walked past him out of the classroom and to the hallway. Harry smiled, trailing along behind them. "So where's the daycare section?"
"Down this hallway, towards the left."
"Why are we going to the daycare, Daddy?" Zia asked.
"Miss Astrid needs to talk to the teachers at the daycare centre, okay?"
"But are you not too old for daycare?" Zia asked again, causing Harry and Astrid to burst into laughter. Harry tugged gently on her cheeks, quite embarrassed.
"Well, it's clear who she takes after." Astrid teased.
"Hey, that's her mother, not me!" He exclaimed in his defence.
"You're right, Zia. I'm too old for daycare, but my son is going to be attending your school too, and I hope he can make friends as you do. I know you have a lot of friends."
She smiled. "Yeah, Nana said I should love everyone, and make new friends."
"Well, I hope Niel can make friends like you too."
"Who's Niel?"
"My Son."
"He doesn't have friends?"
"Well, not yet. He needs to go to school to make friends, right?"
"I can be his friend too, Miss Astrid."
Astrid's heart melted with joy. "That's so nice of you, Zia. You're such a sweet girl, I wish your daddy could be like you."
"Oh really? I get to be the negative topic of the day, huh?" Harry spoke up, with an exaggerated look of sadness and disappointment. They both ignored him, with Zia so invested in her conversation with Astrid.
"Daddy doesn't have any friends either. You're the first friend that he has."
"Zia!"
"You want to know why?" Astrid whispered, in an attempt to get a reaction from Harry.
"Why?"
"Because he's always afraid to talk to people."
"Yeah, Nana told me that too."
They kept laughing in whispers, with Harry watching in silence and shock. It was amazing the way Zia opened up to Astrid, and how quickly they got along. It was like the picture of how he'd imagined moments between Zia and Camilla to be if death didn't take her away from them. Astrid was a lot different from what he'd remembered years ago. She'd been so intolerant to kids back then, always nagging and complaining about her part-time babysitting job, but having a child changes one's perspective and attitude towards things, and children seemed to have a lot more value to her. He stared at Zia. He'd never seen her so happy, and it was a different kind of happiness, the one that he was sure his mother had been telling him about, the one that he could never give to her.
He snapped out of his thoughts, in an effort not to be selfish, or going down that route he'd been on for years. Astrid was his employee, his friend, and it couldn't go beyond that. He knew nothing about her life after he'd left Arizona and the circumstances surrounding Niel's father. He knew nothing about the reason behind raising her son on her own, the reason why she wasn't married to her son's father, and he also shouldn't ask. He was supposed to act aloof towards her love life considering he'd been part of it before, and not wanting to reenact that chapter of their lives.
Zia could be just as happy with any other girl besides Astrid. Introducing Heather to his daughter would be the next step considering she'd been so interested in knowing about her during her date...and if she hadn't changed her mind about him after messing up big time that day. Hopefully, she would still be interested in him, like Camilla was, despite his mother being the mastermind of their incidental first date ten years ago.
"Alright Zia, Miss Astrid needs to talk to some people in there, come on."
Zia leaned into Harry's stretched arms when they arrived at the door of the daycare classroom, with Astrid gently handing her to him.
"I'd be out in a few minutes, it wouldn't be too long."
Harry shrugged. "Please, take your time. We'll be here."
Astrid smiled, "Thanks again."
"Sure, anytime."
"Dad? Dad, where are you?"
"Astrid honey we are here!" Her father's voice echoed from the kitchen, she smiled when her son's voice echoed right after.
"Here, mummy!"
"What are you guys doing in the…" Astrid walked into the kitchen, spotting her son on her father's lap, both sharing a plate of lasagna. She shook her head, placing both hands on her hip. "Well, of course, this young man dragged you in here, didn't he?"
"Mummy!"
"Hi, Sweetheart." Astrid walked up to her son, placing a long kiss on his cheek. "Hey, Dad." She placed her arms around her father's shoulders, giving him a back hug.
"What, do I have to babysit two babies now?"
"Dad."
"How was your interview today?"
"It was good. I got the job and I start work tomorrow."
Her father gave her a quizzical glance. "Uhm...okay, that was...fast?"
"The CEO is actually an old friend from Arizona, so he was pretty sure of my credentials."
"An old friend, huh? Is this friend a guy, or a…"
"So what if it's a guy, Dad, what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing. What's the name of the company again?"
"Haddock Limited. It's actually an architectural firm."
"Haddock? I'm pretty sure that name sounds familiar like I've heard of the company."
"It's Harry Haddock, Dad, that's why it sounds familiar."
"Harry Haddock?" Mr Hofferson asked while Niel struggled to mouth the spoon containing a piece of lasagna which he was hesitating to give to him.
"You remember him, don't you?"
"Yeah, but he was your boyfriend, right? In your Sophomore year? The highly intelligent guy from your history class?"
Astrid blinked, actually shocked by her father's quick memory. "Wow, you remembered a lot better than I expected, is there a special reason?"
"You mean except the fact that he was the only guy you dated with my full support? The other airheads you kept squealing about were literally no match to him. He deserves to be remembered."
Astrid rolled her eyes. "Are you referring to Stanley?"
"Well, he is on the list, no offence." He placed another spoon of lasagna into Niel's mouth, trying to keep his divide attention between Astrid and Niel.
"None taken. You're not wrong, but the thing is...I really loved him back then, but I wasn't sure he felt the same. He was so different from every guy I dated before him, so I couldn't understand his kind of affection."
"So you broke up with him for that silly reason? And I had to bear the aftermath of that whole experience?"
"I didn't even break up with him, if I did, it would have made things a lot better. It was worse than that."
"Have some Lasagna, mummy." Niel lifted the spoon he'd now taken from her father towards Astrid who ate the contents, nodding in approval.
"Thank you, baby. This is so good, who made this?"
"Grandma Molly." Niel scooped another spoonful, placing it into her mouth.
"It's so good." Astrid nodded again after taking the second bite. "Did you say thank you to Grandma Molly?"
"Yeah," Niel said, wiping the end of her lips that had a stain of cheese and she smiled planting a kiss on his forehead.
"Look at my baby taking care of me before he's grown. I definitely have no problems in the future, you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because my baby is here with me, and he's going to take good care of me." Astrid gave him loads of more kisses on his cheek, causing him to giggle in response.
"How was his health and breathing today, Dad?"
"Honestly, I was surprised because I didn't fully believe you when you had said he didn't have any attacks for a week, but he was completely fine today. I'm so happy about this improvement, Astrid. I've never seen Niel so active and lively."
Astrid brushed strands of her son's blonde hair sideways and smiled. "I just hope that his healing is permanent, Dad. You've spent so much on my son, I don't want you to spend any more money on us."
"Astrid, that isn't the reason why Niel should be healed. He should be fine because he deserves to have a full and healthy life, okay?"
"Mummy, did you get a job?" Niel suddenly asked, making Astrid's heart burst. "Grandma Molly said you were gonna get a job."
"Yes, Sweetheart. Mummy got a job, and you know what?"
"What?"
"I also found a school for you, Niel. You're gonna start school very soon."
"Really?!" Mr Hofferson exclaimed, a lot more impressed and surprised than her son. "You've finally agreed to let him go to school? Who was it that convinced you when I failed to do so?"
"It's Harry, Dad. He even loaned me the money to start his registration at a daycare."
Her father raised his brow, giving her a suspicious glance that caused her to roll her eyes. "It's okay, Dad. There's nothing going on."
"You mean, he never moved on from you since then?"
"Moved on? He got married! Why on earth wouldn't he have moved on? It's not like I even deserve to be held onto for this long."
"So are you really comfortable working with him? I picked up some vacancy cards at my workplace when I heard you were looking for a job."
"Thanks, Dad, but I've already gotten this and it pays really well. Besides, rejecting it would only mean that I myself, haven't moved on."
"I just want you to be okay."
"I'm okay, Dad. I mean...which other jobs would have loaned me money to put Niel through daycare for a whole year?"
Her father smirked, "If he wasn't married, I'd tell you to ask him to drop by, so I could talk to him."
"Why would I ask him to drop by, Dad? He's my boss. Besides, he gave me the job because I was qualified for it, it has nothing to do with our past relationship."
"Alright then, if you say so." Her father placed a piece of beef in her mouth which she took nodding in approval. "I just wanted to thank him, that's all. You should have told me about your plan to put Niel in school, I would have helped you with that."
"Dad, It's okay...It wasn't a free gesture anyway, it's a loan from my salary."She wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned on his shoulder. "Besides, you've done enough, Dad. It's time I help you out. I should be the one taking care of you."
"You know I'm not complaining, right? I'm your father and I would always cater to your needs, no matter how old you get."
Astrid snorted. "I'm not even that old."
"Here mummy, have some water." Niel raised his cup towards Astrid, and she took it, planting a kiss on his forehead.
"Thank you, baby." She took a drink from it before passing it back to him.
"Do you want some water too, grandpa?"
"I've got some here son, it's okay."
"Niel, you didn't give me a reaction? I said you'll be going to school soon."
Niel looked at her, eyes beaming with excitement. "Really, mummy?"
"Yes, baby."
"So, I'm not going back to the hospital, ever?"
Astrid looked at her Dad, lost for words as her heart dropped instantly. It was a question she wished she could answer, a promise she wished she could hold him tight and assure him of. As much as she really wanted to, his condition was still fragile and he hadn't fully recovered. If they weren't careful, he could still get infected again, being vulnerable to diseases of fellow bearers. Staring into the beautiful green eyes of her little son, trying to avoid the little pipe beneath his nostrils to aid his breathing, she watched his eagerness for a slight hope and assurance that he would be given a chance by his health to live a normal life. She didn't care about the threats of his condition, he was going to give her that hope, at least to ease herself of the guilt.
She brushed her hand through his shaggy blonde hair, lowering herself on her knees to his level.
"I'd already promised you that, right? Do you want me to promise you again?"
He nodded, his attention away from the meal he'd been so focused on previously, and now on her. She stroked his cheek, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes.
"You're not going back there, Niel. You're gonna be with grandpa, mummy, aunt molly and aunt Heather. You're gonna go to school and make new friends."
"Friends?"
"Of course, honey. In fact, I met a little girl today who wants to be your friend."
Niel nodded with excitement. "Yaay! And I can share my toys with her too?"
"Of course, I'm sure she'd love to play with your toys." Astrid kissed his forehead, wrapping her hands around him in a hug. She looked up at her father who'd been watching them in silence.
"You're an amazing mum." He mouthed.
She extended her arms further, so that they were around both her son and her father, hugging them tightly. "And you're an amazing Dad."
"I know."
"Good morning, Sir."
Astrid placed a cup of Starbucks coffee she'd gotten this morning after dropping off Niel at her Dad's. Although her morning was a bit hectic joggling getting Niel ready with his health facilities, she'd been able to successfully drop him off at her Dad's who lived a miles away from her and still get to work before Harry did.
She'd discovered the list of meetings and presentations scheduled for the day, and Harry spent time going through them the previous day. Despite the fact that she'd gotten this job because of Harry, she still had to work hard to prove that she was worthy of her position, and not giving him a chance to doubt his decision of recruiting her for the job.
Standing before Harry, with her desk all set up, as well as little notes on her list board, stating the various activities scheduled for the day along with their various timings.
He stared at her, in shock of her punctuality, considering the responsibility of her son's illness and well being.
"Harry...just Harry is fine."
"Well, that doesn't sound too professional, does it?" Astrid placed the coffee in his grip. It was decaffeinated, the only preference of his that she could remember, one that she hoped hadn't changed over the years.
"Your staff call you 'Sir', I hope that can apply to me as well."
Henry smirked, looking down at the coffee cup. "Alright then, I uh…"
"It's decaffeinated, I know."
"Thank you." Harry walked to his seat, trying to evade this strange awkwardness between them. The previous day was fine, they'd spent almost the entire day together, right before he dropped her off at her father's. She'd gotten along so well with Zia, who didn't stop talking about her for the entire night.
She also seemed so professional and willing to keep their friendship, as well as their history away from the business, so why couldn't just loosen up and do the same?
She must have noticed that he wasn't addressed by his name by anyone in the company like every other CEO and the fact that he made an exception for her, spoke volumes. He was definitely embarrassed by her reaction to it. In his company, she was Astrid Hofferson, an employee. She wasn't his childhood crush, his highschool sweetheart or his ex-girlfriend, she was his secretary, he was her boss, and they had to keep it that way on or off work.
Pulling off his coat, he quickly scanned through the events scheduled today.
"First meeting of the day...retrospective with the production department." Harry started, interrupted by Astrid.
"Then a meeting with the project manager at twelve, and another meeting with the finance department by two," She completed.
Harry stared at her in disbelief, slipping his hands into his pocket with a smile. "Well, I see you haven't changed either. Thanks for the effort."
"What effort? I'm a secretary, I should know all about your schedule, right?"
"Right."
"Well, Mr Johnson is waiting for you, I'll just tell him when you're ready to meet him. He'll be with you shortly."
"Now is fine, send him in."
"Alright."
Harry watched her leave his office with an uncontrollable smile on his face. It had been twelve years, but she somehow looked younger and even more beautiful. She was so different from her alter-ego, the personality of that 'perfect' cheerleader. She seemed a lot happier and content. The source of her joy could be from her son, but it was nice to see the difference, the one he wished he'd seen in high school. Although her qualification was above her current placement, she was still willing and diligent to her work without any complaints or requests. He knew it was all because of Niel, the fact that she was willing to go lengths for the sake of her son was admirable. Whether it was putting their past aside or retaining their new kindled friendship, he was going to help in whatever way he could.
Astrid walked out of Harry's office, closing the door gently behind her as she leaned back, trying to calm her tensed nerves. This was her first day of work after four long years, she was even more anxious than she'd expected. She placed her hand over her chest, feeling the usual speed of her heartbeat.
"I'm your secretary, I should know about your schedule, right?"
The cringe!
Really Astrid?
There was the idea of being proactive, and then there was her attitude this morning, overdoing this whole 'secretary' thing as a way to make up for how she treated him in the past. It was just too much.
She'd thought that working with Harry would be a lot easier, considering the fact that they both passed their breakup, but she didn't expect the burden of guilt that overtook her after he dropped her off at her father's the previous day. It kept her up all night thinking and wondering if her past unlucky relationships stood as karma for that. Although they were older, and he didn't seem to dwell on it, it still haunted her, hoping she could make up for that selfish cheerleader that hurt him so many years ago.
'You don't have to make up for anything, Astrid!'
Harry was definitely the matured type, willing to help her despite all that. Besides, he gained a relationship that was a lot better so she didn't have to feel sorry for anything.
She was the one who walked into his office, looking for a job and she had to find a way to make things less awkward between them, especially when they weren't up to a good start. She went to set up his first meeting, hoping to have to talk to him a little less today and not having to construct her words in a way that wouldn't sound 'forced' or 'awkward' whenever she did.
"Mr Johnson? He's ready to see you now." She said politely, uttering the production manager into Harry's office. Plopping into the swivel chair, she checked her phone for the incoming text she'd received from her father.
'Wishing you a successful and productive day of work.
~ From a very concerned father'
Astrid smiled, amused at her father's concern to the idea of working with her ex. Unlike most teenage girls, Astrid had such a close bond with her father to the extent of involving him in the matters of her dating life. Her father had been her closest friend, her companion, her counsellor, especially when it came to the boys in her life. He always gave his honest opinions without taking away her freedom to choose, and the reason why she'd been hurt countless times in the past, was because she never listened to his advice.
Her father remembered Harry so quickly even after twelve whole years of their breakup in highschool because Harry was the only guy he'd actually approved of, even if it was the shortest of all her previous relationships. Harry had quite a bond with her father instantly, as they both had similar personalities and shared a lot in common.
Although it should have been an assurance in his intentions towards her then, she'd assumed it to be his 'responsible' and 'mature' nature that caught her father's attention.
Meeting him again, especially as a single father, would spark up the hopes of her father towards her getting back with Harry. It was the reason she consciously excluded telling him that Harry was a widower and a single father.
'Wishing you a less stressful day at work and an early retirement, I love you too.'
Harry dropped into his seat after ushering the project manager out of his office after a successful update meeting on the designs for their latest project, checking the time on his wristwatch. It was already two o'clock!
How had the time gone by so fast? He was already late to pick up Zia from school and had to hurry to catch up with time. He couldn't stand her waiting for him after his promise to consistently be on time to pick her up. Closing the files on his table, he slipped his wallet into his pocket and picked up his coat from its hanger, hoping that LA traffic would be merciful enough to save him from being late.
"Sir, the finance department is ready with the budget for…" Astrid rushed in files in one hand, and a pen in the other. She stared at him, a bit startled that he was leaving the office so soon. "Uhm...are you moving the meeting, Sir?"
"The meeting was set for two o'clock?"
"Uhm...I was informed that you had moved it to two o'clock today. Is there a problem with the arrangement? I could fix it."
Harry sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I have to pick up my daughter from school. It's already getting late."
"Oh, that's true." Astrid immediately glanced at her watch. "It is two o'clock."
"It's not a daycare where I can leave her till the meeting ends, I have to pick her up."
"Alright, I'll just push the meeting again."
"I'm afraid you can't do that. This is the deadline set for the final budget of the project, we need to set the proposal for the clients today. We are behind time already."
Harry sat down, picking up his phone. "It's okay, I'll just phone in her school that I'll be late, the meeting shouldn't take more than an hour."
"But you'd get there by four, she would be devastated."
"It's alright. I'll explain why I couldn't be with her, I'm sure she'll understand. I can even phone my driver to pick her up instead, It'll be fine."
Astrid watched him in silence dial in a number on his phone before she stopped him. "Wait. What if...I pick her up? I also need to get to the school to finish up Niel's registration, so I could use that chance to help."
Harry looked up from his phone, staring in disbelief. "Is that...okay with you? You know that's not part of your job, right?"
"You helped me get a school for my son yesterday, and covered the cost for a year. This is the least I can do in return."
Harry pulled out a sticky note from the stack case, scribbling down his house address, as well as the school address on it and hoping it would make it a lot easier to find her way. "Here's my address, as well as the address of the school. I don't live too far away from her school, so you wouldn't have a problem catching up with time."
"Alright." Astrid looked up from the paper she'd scanned for a few seconds. "I'll get back to work in no time, sir."
"No, that wouldn't be necessary. You need to take care of your son, at least for the rest of the day."
"But my shift isn't done yet. You would still need me to..."
"It's okay, Astrid. You wouldn't make it back before four o'clock anyway, and your shift ends by five. Take the hour off, I'll handle things back here."
"Okay, then...Uhm...I'll, see you tomorrow, sir."
"Harry, your shift is over." Harry smiled when she turned to go. "Astrid?"
She turned back when she heard him. "Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"It's no big deal, Harry. I'm sure that you would've done the same for me."
Astrid flicked her trafficator on, turning into the next street while trying to divide her attention between the road and the GPS. Although she'd been to Vinedale high the previous day, she still had difficulty navigating through to school, her tension also due to an added effort to avoid being later than she already was. She sighed in relief when she spotted the sign that held the name of the school, signalling her arrival.
It was a check of her first mission even if she was still burdened with navigating Harry's home. She'd just glanced briefly.
He lived in the upper east side of Los Angeles, the part that she'd never been to since she and her dad moved in years ago. It was no surprise Harry lived in such a place, considering how successful Haddock limited was, as well as his wealthy childhood. His wealth wasn't a new change or something that surprised her, he'd always been envied back in highschool into a lifestyle that was no match to his personality because he'd chosen to be responsible. He'd also been used a few times as a source of sponsorship to parties, a few that she'd masterminded, but looking back now, karma sure didn't know how to let things go.
She unplugged her seatbelt after pulling her gear to park, pulling her keys out of the ignition. She wasn't sure of how his daughter was going to react to her presence and the sudden change of plans. Although she had an instant bond with Harry's daughter, she still felt a little nervous from the possible disappointment that could arise from his absence. She was going to try to be as cheerful as she could, to make the little girl feel more comfortable.
She headed into the building and towards Zia's class, remembering the exact direction she and Harry had taken. She approached the door to Zia's classroom and saw her at the same spot at the door, anxiously peeking through the glass, possibly looking out for Harry. Astrid waved immediately when she caught her gaze and an instant bright smile extended through the corners of her lips, making her sigh in relief. She was just as elated as she was the previous day, even without seeing her father.
"Hi, Zia!" Astrid smiled when she extended her hands up, asking to be picked up. Astrid lifted her up without hesitation, settling her on her hip.
"Hi, Miss Astrid. You came with Daddy, again."
"Daddy couldn't be here to take you home today. He says he's really sorry about it."
"It's okay, I'm not mad at him."
"Really? He was so worried you were gonna be sad."
"I'm not, because you're here!"
"Aww.." Astrid leaned in for a hug. "You're so sweet. I'm gonna take you home to your Nana, okay?"
"Okay."
"Hi, Maam, we just got a call from her dad." The teacher handed Zia's backpack to Astrid. "By the way, she got a full score in the spelling bee quiz, please let him know about her qualification for the state competition."
Yup, she was definitely Harry's daughter. "I would, thank you."
"You got a full score at the spelling bee quiz?" Astrid started when she'd left the classroom, with Zia still placed on her hip.
"Yeah, Daddy studied with me all weekend. He promised to get me a new BMX bike if I got into the competition. I really wanted a new one."
"I didn't know you were so smart. I'm really proud of you." Astrid tapped under her chin with a smile. "Maybe I should get you a gift too, you deserve one."
"Can you make my hair look just like yours?" Zia asked, running her fingers through Astrid's golden locks, staring in admiration.
"Honey you have beautiful hair, why would you want it to look like mine?"
"Because I don't like pigtails."
"You don't? But your Nana…"
"She thinks I like them, but I really don't."
Astrid snorted in disbelief. "So why don't you tell her that you don't like them?"
"Daddy said I shouldn't let my hair down when I go to school, so Nana puts up pigtails and ponytails, but I don't like them."
"Why did he say that? Isn't it okay to let your hair down?"
"I don't know." Zia pouted, tugging on the ribbon that held up her long pigtails. "Please tell him that I like my hair down, Miss Astrid."
"Okay, I'll tell him," Astrid replied. "But I want you to know that it doesn't matter if your hair is up, or down, if it's in a ponytail or pigtail, you are beautiful, Zia. I'm sure your daddy tells you that all the time, right?"
Zia smiled, "Yeah."
"But I promise to tell him, okay?"
"Okay. Would you help me practice for the spelling bee, Miss Astrid?"
"Of course, I definitely want you to win," Astrid replied, heading out of the building and towards the parking lot. "I'll visit you often and help you practice, alright?"
"Thank you!"
"Sure." Astrid pressed the button of her keys as he walked down to her car and settled Zia in her son's car seat. "Is it too tight?" She asked buckling Zia in but noticing that it seemed a little smaller than her.
"No, It's okay." She replied as Astrid patted her hair with a smile. "It's my son's, and he's a lot younger than you."
"Niel?"
"Wow, you remember his name?" Astrid placed her backpack and lunch pack beside the car seat. "I told him about you, and he wants to share his toys with you."
"Is he coming to school tomorrow?"
"No, he'll start school next week." Astrid closed the door, heading towards the front seat.
"But he wouldn't be in my class?"
"No, honey. You're two years older, so he's in daycare for now." She looked at Zia through the rear mirror who was watching her with a smile. "What?"
"Are you my daddy's girlfriend?"
Astrid snorted, almost choking in discomfort. "No Zia, why would you ask that?"
"I heard Nana talking about you last night. You were his girlfriend before he met my mummy." Zia replied.
Astrid blinked in disbelief, unsure of how to react and reply to this. She hadn't expected Harry's mother to even remember her, let alone make her the topic of the day. Astrid couldn't understand which was more disturbing, the fact that Harry's daughter questioned her relationship with her father or the fact that she was going to meet his mother again in a few minutes, after twelve long years. She hadn't really considered this when offering to pick his daughter, neither had she considered being stuck in this situation when she walked into his office for a job. It was very awkward, having to relate with his family after their past, but she had no intention of revisiting that and hoped that his mother would react positively to her presence the way Harry did.
"I was your daddy's girlfriend, but that was a long time ago, Zia. Your daddy loves your mummy, okay? And I'm just his friend."
"That's what he told Nana."
"And he's definitely right." Astrid plugged in her seatbelt, still taking quick glances at her through the rear mirror. She definitely looked intimidating for a five-year-old, throwing questions at her while watching her with an expression that made her wonder if she'd heard a lot more than this. She caught Zia's stare again, letting out a nervous laugh to conceal the sudden tension created by a little kid. "What, do you have another question?"
"Yea."
"What is it, Zia?"
"Do you believe in Santa?"
Astrid smiled, plugging her key into the ignition. "Well, I used to, but not anymore."
"Why not?"
"Because I figured out that my dad was Santa all along. He would sneak on Christmas eve after bedtime and place my presents under the Christmas tree."
Zia crackled, "Did you catch him doing that?"
"I did. I didn't tell him about it, and just called him my Santa clause."
"Do you think my daddy does the same thing? Because I don't think that Santa clause can fit through the chimney. Even if he does, he's gonna die because of the fire."
Astrid smirked, "I wish I was this smart when I was your age."
"But what about Christmas wishes? Do you think my daddy can grant Christmas wishes?"
"I'm sure your dad loves you so much that he would grant your Christmas wishes as long as you make a list, and as long as you've been a good girl this year."
"What if he doesn't want to?"
Astrid glanced at her, a bit puzzled. "Why wouldn't he want to?"
"I don't know." She shrugged and immediately switched the topic. "Can I have ice cream?"
"Sure! I'll stop over and get you one, okay?"
"Thanks, Miss Astrid!"
"You're welcome, Zia."
Harry was definitely right about the timing. It took her much longer than she'd expected, trying to navigate her way through Beverly Hills, the part of California she'd never visited. Harry had claimed the distance was bearable, but it had taken half an hour to arrive from Vinedale, with an extra quarter for the stopover. It was probably the reason why he'd insisted on her taking the hour off. Getting back to work would probably leave her an hour till the end of her shift, so it was thoughtful letting her off, as it would give her time for grocery shopping before picking up Niel from her father's.
Her step-mother, Molly had been a great help in caring for Niel in her absence. Being knowledgeable about his health as a nurse, she'd taken days off work because of her son, monitoring his health and giving her positive feedback. It was becoming a burden that Astrid didn't want to impose on her. Niel was her responsibility, not her father's and most certainly not Molly's.
She finally arrived at Harry's driveway with a confirmation from the GPS, glancing through the environment, her jaw, dropping. She knew Harry was wealthy, but this was just unbelievable. For someone who had such wealth and status, she had to applaud his humility. Although it was her first day at the company, she'd noticed how humble and calm he was to all staff, treating them with equal respect. She noticed how it fueled their loyalty and commitment to their work, and how it also built her diligence, even from the first day. It was an admirable value he'd had since high school, but it was impressive how he'd stuck to those values till now. It just made her realise how much of a fool she'd been for not realizing his worth and true intentions back then.
She peeked at Zia again through her mirror and noticed she was asleep. The little girl must have been exhausted from school. She stepped out of her car, heading to the back seat and unstrapped her from the seat, scooping her gently into her arms without waking her.
With her backpack, on the other hand, she climbed up the steps of the porch of the mansion and rang the doorbell.
The door opened to a vaguely familiar face which she'd been terrified of having to meet again, with memories clouding her mind. It was Harry's mother.
Astrid froze, trying to shield her tension with a smile. "Hi, Mrs Haddock."
"Astrid?" An instant expression of shock on her face. "It's Astrid, right?"
Did Harry forget to inform his mother about her arrival? He just made her situation more awkward than it could have been. "Yes, I uhm...I picked Zia from school, ma'am."
"Oh please, call me Vanessa." His mother gently took Zia into her arms, both putting an effort not to wake the sleeping child. "You...used to call me Vanessa, remember?"
Astrid looked down, slightly embarrassed, "Well, I did have a reason to."
"You still do." She replied. "Thank you for doing this."
"Of course." She passed her backpack to her. "Something came up at work, I couldn't leave her waiting for Harry. I'm glad she wasn't disappointed when I came, instead of her dad."
"Why would she be disappointed? She couldn't stop talking about you last night."
"Really?!" Astrid exclaimed in shock.
Vanessa nodded. "Harry isn't the one to bring home female friends. She overreacted to it."
"That's...great to hear. I told my son all about her too."
"You have a son? Wow, I feel so old knowing that you both are married already."
Astrid bit her lower lip. "Uhm...I'm...not.."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"
"It's alright. I almost forgot that this little genius was selected for the state spelling bee competition for kindergarten."
"She was? Oh wow, Harry would finally get her that bike she'd been asking for."
Astrid smiled, "She's so smart, she really takes after Harry."
"She does." She nodded.
"It was really nice to meet you again, Vanessa."
"Same. I hope you can visit sometime, or have dinner with us. Zia would really love that."
"I would...definitely."
