Rehearsals With You ✓

Chapter Twenty-Six: Invited

"Mom, I'm taking a break!" I shouted towards the kitchen after I handed the customer's change.

"What?" 

"Thank you. Bye!" I yelled. She probably didn't hear me but one of the girls/guys would tell her about it so it doesn't matter. I approached Alex, a college student who worked part-time here, just to make sure though. "Hey, Alex? Can you tell Mom I just went out to have  short walk at the park?" 

She smiled and said, "Sure."

"Thanks." I pulled her for a quick hug, "Bye!" And I stormed out of the cafe. I decided to help with taking orders and cashiering but I couldn't believe the amount of customers we have on saturdays. Couples went for coffee, students ordered to meet-up for group projects and some people come to hold meetings. Good thing I never had a saturday shift. I mean, I do visit on saturday sometimes but it's usually in the mid-afternoons, which is right now.

I took in a deep breath of fresh air as I neared the park. Some were taking a walk like me while some were actually headed somewhere. The sky was bright and blue, brightened by the sun as clouds hovered above. A few kids were playing at the park while I saw a couple, maybe a year or two older, just sitting at the swings, calmly talking. I smiled. They look cute together.

I looked for an empty bench and saw one under a tree. Perfect. I sat there for a moment, just taking in my surrounding. Until a little girl approached me. Her dark hair was up in a ponytail and she had a worried look on her face. "Hwello."

"Hello," I greeted softly while I helped her take a sit beside me. I watched her curiously as she held tight on her doll. This little girl shouldn't trust strangers that much. "Are you alone?" I asked.

"Nope," she answered. "But my brother got lost."

"Oh, your brother got lost?" I asked worriedly, thinking about the little kid that must be alone somewhere. "You think we should look for him?"

"No need," she answered and gave me a smile. "My brother will find me. He said to stay in one place if we get seperated," she said smartly, still stumbling on a few words.

I gave her a smile. Looks like brother isn't a kid after all, I'm gonna have to have a serious talk with him, I thought sorely to myself. What kind of guardian are you if you lost your kid, huh? An awful one, that's what. You don't know what type of people roam around the street these days. For all you know, a serial killer, or I don't know, a crazy woman could be walking among you right now!

I was internally fuming but I focused my attention on the kid instead. She wore a white dress designed with sunflowers and white doll shoes that have been stained with dirt. "So, how old is your brother?" 

"I don't know but he's a teenager," she told me. "You don't have to worry, he'll find me," she assured me.

"Can you tell me what he looks like so I know it's him when I see him?" So I know who to give an earful?

"Oh," she though quietly to herself and pouted. She's so cute. And smart too. Suddenly, she stood on the bench making me stand up to as I held her hands to make sure she doesn't fall over with her sloppy movements. "He's about nay tall," she held her hands up to show me. Her palms flat in the air, near my ear. She sat back down just as fast so I sat down back with her.  "And he has dark hair and grey eyes and he was wearing a black t-shirt today. There was something written on it, I can't remember. I forgot what his shoes are but he also wore dark pants," she described patiently, every now and then she'd take a breath and have a thoughtful look on her face.

"Well, aren't you smart young lady?" I complimented.

"Thanks!" She beamed at me. "My mom always said I'm a smart little girl," she said with a proud smile. I pinched her cheeks lightly and chuckled.