Chapter 15 Left alone

Today's routine was a bit different for Genevieve and Ivy. There was a slight change in the timing of kindergarten. Instead of a morning session, the little kids were called in the afternoon. The children were going to be given classes on dance today on the request of some of the parents.

Every parent wants their child to be creative and graceful. Hence they had requested the school to teach their children skills like dancing, painting, or playing a piano in their initial years so that they develop liking for it and induce a hobby.

However, the dance teacher was available in the afternoon today due to which it was an afternoon session. Hence it was informed to the parents to drop their children at school in the afternoon and were requested to pick them up in the evening at 5 pm.

After the dance session was over and it was 5 pm, parents started coming one by one to pick up their children. The teachers had to wait back until all the children had got into their vehicles which were sent to bring them home. This was necessary to ensure that the little ones reached home safely. Soon the noisy playground of the kindergarten became absolutely quiet. Just one cute little girl was left behind whom no one had come to pick up today.

"Why hasn't the driver uncle come yet?" Ivy asks her two teachers who were sitting on a bench beside her waiting for someone to pick her up.

Linda glances at her watch and tells Genevieve, "Her car is the first one to arrive daily to pick her up. I will call Ivy's mother to check what is the matter".

Genevieve nods and takes Ivy to play over the swing to divert her mind.

After the call, Linda informs Genevieve, "Her mother will be coming to pick her up. But she might get late. She has requested us to stay with her until she arrives".

Genevieve glances at Ivy who was enjoying playing on the swing. "No problem. I don't think she is missing home", she says with a smile.

When she notices that Linda wanted to say something more but was hesitant, she asks while squinting her eyes, "What are you thinking? Why do I feel that you want to say something?"

Linda looks at her and says, "Actually, I…"

Genevieve crosses her arms over her chest. "Am I not a friend to you that you can't share it with me?" She asks, narrowing her eyes.

"Actually, I had to go home early today as guests would be arriving. But Ivy..." She says while looking at the little girl.

"Then why are you still here? Go home right now", Genevieve insists. She holds Ivy's hand and says, "I am with her. Don't worry".

"We will have fun, right?" She asks Ivy.

"Yes", Ivy replies excitedly and jumps.

"Go home, Linda. I will take care of her", Genevieve says to convince her.

"Okay. Take care", Linda says, giving a shallow smile. "Bye, Ivy", she says to which Ivy waves her hand and goes back to play on the slide.

Meanwhile, Juliana was cursing herself while sitting in her room at home. She was attending a meeting in a conference which she couldn't avoid .

"We will take a ten minutes break", she declares and mutes her microphone and turns off the camera.

"How can I forget this? The driver had taken a half day today", she mumbles while placing her hand over her forehead.

When Linda called her, she realised that the driver had already left for his home in the afternoon and hence either her or Justin needed to go to pick her up. She was upset after she received the call and cursed herself for forgetting such an important thing.

"My little baby might be waiting for someone to pick her. Oh! Ivy...I am so sorry, baby", she whispers.

Suddenly, she picks up her phone and dials a number.

"Hello, Justin", she says while panicking when the phone gets connected.

"What is the matter, Juliana?" He asks with concern while raising up from his chair. He was scanning through some files in his office cabin when he received her call.

"You need to go and pick Ivy right now", she says restlessly.

"Where is the driver?" He asks with knitted eyebrows.

"He had asked for a half day. It was my mistake that I forgot about it", she says in a low voice.

"Ivy had her school in the afternoon session today and now she is alone there. All the kids have left. However, her teacher is waiting with her", she explains.

"I am in an important meeting which I can't leave. If you are not busy, can you please pick her up?" She requests him.

"You don't need to request me. She is my niece. I will bring her home. Don't worry", he says with a smile.

Juliana smiles with satisfaction and hangs up, after which she returns back to her conference meeting.

He takes his coat from the backrest of his chair and rushes to the parking lot. The sun was setting slowly and the sky would turn dark soon. He was worried for his little niece whom he thought would be scared to be alone at the kindergarten. He immediately started the engine of his black Maybach Mercedes and drove at lightning speed to reach kindergarten at the earliest.