"Hey Mommy!" Noah exclaimed as his mother let herself into the flat.
"Hey Sweet boy, how was school?"
"Good. We played baseball in gym class."
"Oh fun. Have you had dinner?"
"No Lucy gave me a snack when I came home."
"Hi Olivia." Lucy, Noah's childminder smiled.
"Thanks for today Lucy, How was Noah?"
"Good as gold as always" Lucy smiled.
"Would you like to stay for dinner Lucy?"
"I've got plans tonight. Thanks though. See you tomorrow Noah."
"See you tomorrow Lucy." Noah smiled. Olivia thought again how lucky she was to have a childminder like Lucy. Who didn't mind the long unpredictable hours and who Noah loved. Sometimes Liv would come home after a long day to dinner made and a tidy apartment and that was all Lucy. She and Noah didn't have anyone else. Liv had no family and Noah had a biological grandmother but she'd kidnapped him so Liv wouldn't allow them to spend time together alone. Occasionally Amanda Rollins Liv's colleague would take him but other than that it was all on Liv and Lucy.
"How does Chicken Fajitas sound for dinner." Olivia asked her son.
"Yay."
"Okay, go start your homework what have you got today."
"Math." Noah complained
"Okay make a start and I'll come help you after I've made dinner."
"Kay" Noah agreed and grabbed his backpack. Liv loved him so much. She couldn't imagine what Izabela's family were going through. Her son had been missing for a couple days and they were some of the worst days of Olivia's life. She couldn't imagine how it would have been for a couple of years. As she watched Noah chew the end of his pencil she thought how much he looked like little Izabela. She was over 4 years older than him but probably a similar height but lower weight, Noah was tall for six. When he shook his head and his light brown curls, bounced, just like Izabela's. Six, less than two years younger than Izabela was when she was taken.
"Hey Noah?"
"Yes Mommy."
"You know I love you right. That you're the best thing that ever happened to me."
"I know mommy." Noah said. "What's five threes?"
"Fifteen"
"What's three sevens?"
"Hey, stop trying to trick me into doing your math homework for you. We did the three times table last week. You know what three sevens is!"
"21?" Noah asked
"Told you you knew it, you're so smart." Olivia smiled at her son.
She read Noah a book. "Giraffes can't dance" it was one of his favourites. Good night sweet dreams." Olivia bent down and kissed her sons cheek. "Night night Momma" Noah replied sleepily. "I love you so much sweet boy."
Olivia stood in the doorway of her sons room watching him sleep. She loved her job but it had gotten so much harder since she'd adopted Noah. She knew all the dark truths that were in this world. Some days she just wanted to wrap Noah up in cotton wool and never let him out of the appartement. But that's impossible so all Liv could do was teach him right and wrong. How to be safe and shower him with love.
Olivia loved mornings with Noah. Now she was a mom she didn't get called out in the middle of the night so much anymore.
"Wake up sweet boy." She kissed her sons head who groaned. She dreaded to think of Noah as a teenager considering how much he already hated getting up in the morning. "Five more minutes mom"
"Well, I'm putting your toast in and if you don't get up soon it will get cold!" Olivia said but she was preoccupied thinking about Izabela. Sometimes she came home from work and forgot all about it but more often than not she had someone on her mind. She poured a glass of milk for Noah and made herself some coffee. She grabbed the Nutella and put it on the table then busied herself making Noah's lunch for him to take to school. PB sandwiches, a pack of chips, an orange and a cookie. "Mom, are you preoccupied?" Noah asked eating toast with Nutella.
"Preoccupied, that's a big word for a six year old. When did you learn that?"
"I'm not sure. I think Lucy said it and I asked her what it meant." Noah answered.
"And why do you think I'm preoccupied?"
"Because you gave me Nutella and you usually only let me have that on weekends." Noah told her, once he'd already eaten the benefits of his moms mistake. "Maybe I just wanted to give you a treat this morning." Olivia lied. "Now go get changed and wash your face. You're all chocolatey." She laughed while Noah scampered over to give her chocolatey kisses before going back to his room giggling. "It's pretty hot out Noah." She told her son so he wouldn't come out wearing winter clothes.
It took about 10 minutes to walk Noah to school. He was still young enough to hold his mom's hand on the way to school and he chattered happily to her. "Bye mommy. See you later." He smiled and kissed her then ran into the playground to play on the jungle gym with his friends.