She Can Call Me Mommy

Jane brought Chloe directly to the coffee table for the cheesecake she promised, only to get horrified to see it crushed into tiny pieces! The once inviting slice with blueberry toppings and red cherry on top was not only deformed but almost pulverized.

"Ajie! What happened to you? "

Ajie smiled wickedly and placed a hand in her shoulder. "I'm sorry, dear. I have the habit of tearing whatever is in my hands whenever I am in deep thoughts. "

To his surprise, Jane laughed out loudly. "What makes me so funny? "

"I can relate. There was even a time when I realized I had torn an important document." She looked up and smiled, setting aside her sense of awkwardness for a while.

Ajie felt something like a feather brushing his heart. He felt tickled and happy that Jane was herself once again.

"There was also once when I have torn a paper bill intended for my school allowance for the whole month. " Ajie's eyes sparked in amusement as he recalled the incident.

"What did you do? "

"Nothing. I endured the whole month of being deprived of snacks and viands for lunch. "

"What a pity! " As Jane laughed again, her eyes wandered over to Chloe, who sat quietly on the chair with teardrops in her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, baby! " She exclaimed as she regretfully hugged her, feeling sorry for having her forgotten for a while.

"I'll get another slice. " With this, she hurried off inside a room, and when she came back, she already had a food tray in her hand.

Leaving Chloe on the table who was then beaming with happiness, Jane gestured for Ajie to follow her. 

She sat behind her desk and turned on her laptop.

"For a while. Let me finish this, " she said without looking up as her fingers started to dance over the keyboard.

After a while of waiting, Jane finally handed Ajie the evaluation report. 

The latter hurriedly ran his eyes towards the impression, and his jaw dropped upon reading it.

"Based on my evaluation, I have assessed Chloe to be a 5-year- 6-month- old girl whose skills in some areas assessed are within and beyond age-expected levels but fell below age - expected standards with language-based skills. These deficits may be attributed to a Borderline or Mild Intellectual Disability, a developmental disability with significant limitations in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behaviors as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills."

Ajie looked up with furrowed brows after reading a portion of the assessment. "What do you mean by this? I don't understand at all. "

Jane watched his reaction closely, and her heart was likewise torn to see that gloom his eyes.

"It means that some areas in Chloe's intellectual development are beyond and within expected levels. It means that in certain areas, her intelligence is beyond an average child of her age level, but in some areas, she is also slow. " She paused for a while, allowing Ajie to digest everything.

"Some areas prove that she is behind by two years and a half, especially in language-related skills. She is already five years old and six months but she speaks like a three-year-old. "

"What are the factors which cause her deficiencies? " Ajie stared at her without blinking.

"It is unknown, but family history, physical and emotional trauma may be the contributing factors. " She explained carefully, choosing the right words that would not offend him further.

"Is it medically - related? Do her illness, and two surgeries can likewise be contributing factors? "

"We really can't tell. "

"What should I do? "

"There are tests she needs to undergo, which is Psychometric Testing. " Jane paused and looked straight into his eyes to ensure that he would absorb everything she would explain.

"Psychometric testing is an integral component of the comprehensive evaluation and ongoing management of the child who struggles with schoolwork. The assessment will determine Chloe's abilities, disabilities, and learning styles for appropriate educational placement. It may include a determination of his intellectual potentials using a standardized test of intellectual functioning. The information gained from this testing can be used for better instruction to meet Chloe's specific needs. "

Ajie never felt afraid in all his life than that moment. His heart was shattered to know that his daughter would not grow up as a normal child. While his intellectual capacity

was above average, his child suffered the opposite.

"What else? "

"She needs a school which offers an Individualized Education Program which, fortunately, Beautiful Haven is offering. Such school addresses a child's personal need and adjust to the child's learning capacity. We do not move to another topic if a child still doesn't understand it. Unlike in regular school where the teacher moves forward to another topic regardless of a child's degree in understanding."

"If a child is a fast- learner, then she can go fast without the need to wait for others. If a child is the opposite, then he can stay in a certain topic until she/he can be ready to move forward."

Ajie just nodded silently; his gaze remained nailed to Jane's eyes.

"Perhaps, you will now understand why I am opening up this kind of school. It's because my heart goes out to these kinds of children. I want to help them. I want to be the channel of their transition into a normal and independently - functioning individual."

"Wow, Jane. A toast to your dedication and advocacy!"

Jane ignored him and went on. "The next best thing to do is family support. Talk to her always and introduce everything she is holding and watching. Introduce situations where she is encouraged to talk and explain."

Ajie's turned red at the mention of family support. He may be around, but his time was limited. He may be loved so much by her grannies, but she didn't have a mother.

"We are guilty of this. While I am busy with my studies and work, Allie has also disappeared. There's no one else to be blamed than us. "

Jane stood up in pity for the man she secretly admired for years. Unfortunately, his worries were never related to her, and for sure, what he was thinking now was not about herself but Allie. Nevertheless, she stood up beside him and rubbed his back.

"Don't worry, Jie. I will hire the best occupational therapist to handle her.

I'll make sure that her learning methods would be fun. Aside from that, I will give time to her every day."

"Occupational therapists (OT) can help kids with various needs to improve their cognitive, physical, sensory, and motor skills and enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment." 

To her surprise, Ajie laughed out loudly after her serious explanation.

"Do you allow yourself to be a mother image to Chloe? "

Jane quickly replied sincerely as well. " Why not? I would love to. From now on, she can call me 'mommy.' "