Saved By A Bully

Chapter 9 : Cake fight!

The next day, I woke with Emma was sitting on my chest. I have no idea how that one year gets to climb on me. She grinned and said with her pouty lips, "Mo...ommmyyyy." Kill me now. Good, God!

I was resisting the urge to bite on her chubby cheeks which looked like cotton candy to me. Then I remembered about that mail and jumped out from my bed with Emma in my arms. She was giggling to see me jumping with her like a crazy girl. I couldn't wait any longer to tell her why I am so happy.

Swinging her in my arms, I grinned at her and said, "Do you want to know why your momma looks so happy today?" She laughed and was mumbling something coherent. Her blue eyes turned brighter.

Sensing that she was interested to know what I wanted to say to her, I told her in a gushy tone, "Your momma got a scholarship from a school! Can you imagine it? Do you know you are my lucky charm, Emma? I love you so much, baby. Because you calling me mommy truly made my day. So, I decided to give a treat to you toning. What do you say? You and me on a date in a nearby pastry shop! I will let you have your favorite pastry there." I ranted out to her like there has no tomorrow. There was no limit to my happiness. My dream is coming true. I couldn't wait to tell aunt Nina and my boss in the restaurant.

Her eyes lit up as she heard the name of pastry. She was drooling while remembering the last month I brought her favorite pastries home. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my lips with a big smile on her face. She said with pouty lips, "Louuuuu u, mo...ueyyy." I grinned and kissed her all over.

After having our breakfast, I left home with Emma to give her to aunt Nina's home with her food. I told her about my scholarship when she said, "Congratulations, Ana. This is great news ever." She smiled while looking at Emma, she said, "Now we can spend more time together, Emma. Your momma is going to join the school and after two years you also have to go to school and make friends." Emma gave her a pout.

I pinched her cheeks and laughed softly. Looking at aunt, I said, "No, aunt. I don't want to trouble you anymore. So, I decided to leave her to a daycare where she- " She cut me off with a gasp, "Daycare! Are you kidding me, Ana?" She was staring at me in astonishment. I didn't know why she was looking so offended. For how long she will take care of Emma when I will be in school or my work? I don't want to bother her anymore. I nodded to her, saying, "Yes, I have seen and talked to a daycare center where- "

She again cut me off and scolded me, "No, you can't take Emma away from me, Anastasia. She is like my granddaughter and you are my daughter. It won't trouble me if Emma stays with me a few hours more. You do know I have no one at home and I am all alone here. Emma being here made me feel like I am no longer alone. I will take care of her, Ana. Please don't do this to me. I promise I will take care of her." She looked hurt which made me feel like I did the wrong things with her. She even didn't stop herself from bribing and threatening me. I couldn't help but agree with her that Emma will stay with her when I will be away from home. Giving her Emma's food bag, I left from there and drove toward the restaurant. 

Seeing me entering the restaurant, my boss stood in front of me with a stern expression on her face, "A certain person took my watch the last day. Now I can't see the time and tell someone if she or he is late."

Uh, oh! My eyes widened as I remembered I took her watch with me and forgot to repair that one. I gave her an apologetic smile and said in a meek tone, "I am so sorry, boss. I forgot to take that to the repairing center. But I promise to you that I will take that to the shop and give that back to you tomorrow." 

She huffed before nodded to me. She grumbled, "I want that tomorrow morning, Ana. I can't work without my watch." I frowned at her but nodded my head nonetheless. Then I left her to herself and went to change my clothes in the locker room. I went to the take orders but stopped when our manager told me, "Ana, go to the table no. nine and take the orders immediately." I nodded and went to that table.

As I raised my head to take the orders, I watched that group was the last day's rich kids group who were sitting and was staring at me with curiosity and something in their eyes which I failed to get that anyway. 

Clearing my throat, I politely asked, "Good morning, sir and ma'am. What would you like to have for your breakfast?" They snapped out from their thought and began giving me their orders. I noted down and excused myself before went to give that to the kitchen. I don't know why, but I feel like someone was watching me for a long time. I didn't dare to look back to see who that person was. I took their breakfast to their table and served them without looking at any one of them, but their gazes were on me only.

I was about to leave that table, one of them asked, "Do you work here for the whole day, Ms.?" I turned to look at who asked me that question and watched that girl was with sandy blonde hair and warm brown eyes, was looking at me with a soft smile on her face. She looked elder than the rest of the kids at that table. I forget to tell you there were some faces among yesterday's eight to nine boys and girls. 

I nodded to her, saying, "Yes, but not every day. I do morning shifts in general." She smiled and nodded.

Then I excused myself and left from there to the kitchen. When the time of leaving for home arrived, I went to talk to my boss who was in her cabin. Raising her head, she asked, "Ana, did you come to say something? You have to wait here for five minutes as I am checking some important files here. Please take your seat." "Sure," Saying, I took a seat and was looking around her whole cabin mindlessly.

When she was done, she asked with a sigh after pushing aside her files, "Anna, now tell me." I exhaled a long breath before saying, "I got a scholarship and I am going to attend school from tomorrow."

She made me startled when she squealed out, "You got scholarship! From which school? I am very happy for you, Ana. And don't worry about the work. You can do waitressing her from 6:30 to 9:30 from Monday to Friday and the other two days I hope you don't have any problem doing overtime here. What do you say?" I sighed in relief before nodding to her with a smile on my face. She was aware that I work in a mall in the afternoon. She never makes a fuss about me or others are doing another job besides waitressing in her restaurant. She is very considerate about this matter. I, we all like and respect her even more for it.

I told her I got to the same school where Regan is studying. She looked pleased with that and told me to keep going. Later I left the restaurant and drove home. I decided to take Emma with me to the mall in the afternoon for my work. I took her there a couple of times and left her in the children's section to play with other kids. The other employees and the customer who come for shopping during sell, they generally leave their babies in that section. The guards and volunteers are very strict and trustworthy there, so it is very helpful for us to do our work without any issue. Emma loves to play there with the other kids which is a kind of relief. But that never gives me a relief of her being with unknown people there all alone. My anxiety and worry for her take the best of me. I wish there was someone who would help me with it.

I dressed her first before I did mine before leaving home. I was in a black hoodie, so she was. I made her wear sneakers before placing her on my bike with her helmet on. I wore my helmet before sitting behind Emma and drove off toward the mall. Emma was giggling as the cool breeze was hitting on her face while I was driving. She was making a sound from her mouth after holding my hands as if she was driving that Scotty of mine. Entering the parking lot, I stopped my scooter and left after taking Emma in my arms. No one can see her face in the way I dressed her with time. In the mall, I directly walked toward the children's section with Emma's bag on my back. Seeing the main lady in there, I sighed in relief to her in the charge that day. She smiled at us, saying, "Look who is here? The little mommy with her one-year-old toddler." 

She calls me little mommy and my Emma a toddler. I feel offended by that. I am not little for god sake.

I didn't talk back to her. I smiled before giving Emma to her and also her backpack. I was about to say something, she beat me in it by saying, "I have everything in her bag. If she is hurt or needs me, please call me anytime. I will be here soon. Please don't let a stranger come closer to her or any kid who would look like he is about to kiss my toddler. I don't want any random guy to steal my daughter's first kiss." 

She knows me. Damn it! I pressed my lips in a thin line and looked away from her. She was giving me a look of disbelief and judgy eyes. She added dramatically, "Jeez, what will you do Emma when you will go to school? I have a feeling your momma will never let you kiss let alone marry anyone in your life. She is single and she wants you to be single." I was torn in between laughing my arse off and kicking her butt.

I gave her a scornful gaze, and snapped at her, "She is just one year old, Gina. What makes you think I will allow anyone to kiss my baby? Anyone? Her one smile is enough for anyone to fall for her. Do you think after knowing that I will let anyone come and kiss her? No, Gina. My baby will kiss the one whom she wants after twenty-five years. Okay?" Her eyes widened in horror. My Emma was looking back and forth as she didn't get what we were talking about. Gina looked like she got a heart attack or something like that. She gasped, saying with her eyes bulging out of the socket, "Twenty-five? Y-you can't be serious."

I frowned. I opened my mouth to talk back, when I heard someone said, "I can't see if there has any problem with it. As a mother, I also want my baby to have his first kiss with someone to whom he will fall for later." I turned around and watched a woman who is holding a three years old boy in her arms. Bending down, she made him stand, and told to Gina, "Please take care of my son until I return after my shopping." 

She left that section before Gina could say anything. I looked at Gina who only rolled her eyes and whispered, "That kind of mother really doesn't care about their babies. Look, she didn't even bother to register her son's name here before leaving in hurry. Now if her son, unfortunately, goes missing from here, she wouldn't leave us before dragging us to the police station." She is right though. That little boy didn't care about his mother's negligence and went toward the corner where the other kids were playing together. She jabbed her finger toward me and said in a harsh tone, "Don't be so mean to your toddler, Ana. As her godmother, I will save her from your cruel decision on her." I rolled my eyes on her before leaving that section after kissing Emma and registered her name and my contact on the list. 

While working in the clothing store, I was counting how many hours were left for me to join my new school. I didn't realize how much time has passed when I was busy folding the clothes and keeping them in the exact location from where our customers told us to show them. They made me show twenty dresses only to choose to buy one. I swallowed down my anger before began accepting their demand and was showing them the dresses with putting a fake smile on my face. I huffed when I left that mall after taking Emma from the children's section. While putting a helmet on her head, I asked, "Did anyone kiss you, Emma?" She shook her head in denial, saying, "Noooooouuuuu, Moo...moooyyyy." And I trust her. 

Starting the engine, I said, "Alright, let's go for a date in the pastry shop, Emma." 

I laughed before drove off toward the pastry shop. Luckily the shop was still opened when I entered there with Emma. There were a few pastries left on the plate in which only two strawberry cakes has left among them. She loves that flavor besides chocolate. Looking at the staff, I said, "Pack me two strawberry pastries." "Two strawberry pastries, now." A male voice said the same thing at the same time as me which made that counter staff awestruck and I froze there. I turned around and found a boy in leather was standing with his green eyes fixed on that worker. Is he seriously going to buy the pastries which I ordered? I frowned. I looked at that worker who was looking back and forth between that guy and me. "What are you waiting for?" That guy and I asked the same question at the same time again. 

I looked at that guy only to find him glaring at me. What the hell?