Maybe This Time

Chapter 1 – She

Bette walked into the preschool of her daughter, Jolene. The little girl was holding her hand tight and looked scared. It was the first day of school for the 3-year old. Bette would pick her up at noon but to Jolene, that seemed like a life time. When they got near the iterance of the playground, Bette’s daughter began to pout and got tears in her eyes.

“I don’t want to go, mommy.” She whined. Bette sighed and stopped walking. She bended through her knees so she was on the same level as her daughter.

“Sweetie, it’s going to be fine. You’ll make a lot of friends and you’ll have so much fun. I’ll be here to pick you up at lunch time and then we’ll watch a movie together, okay?” She asked her little girl. Jolene looked at her mother and nodded, that didn’t sound so bad. Bette held out her hand again for her daughter to take. Hand in hand, mother and daughter walked to the playground.

Bette was glad she took a day off to make her daughter’s first day go as smooth as possible. She walked with Jolene through the school gates and there they had to say goodbye. Jolene turned to her mother and couldn’t help but cry. Bette hugged her daughter close and said it would be alright. A teacher, who saw the scene, and who was used to it, walked over. She squatted down next to the little girl, whose head was still buried in her mother’s hair and neck.

“Hello, little girl, do you want to go play with the other kids? I’ll go with you so you’ll not be alone” She asked with a sweet voice and Southern accent that made Bette feel something she hadn’t felt that strong. Ever.

Jolene looked up and into the sweet eyes of a woman she didn’t know.

“Do you promise?” Jolene asked.

“I promise.” The teacher said and stood up. She held her hand out to the little girl and nodded with her head, in an encouraging fashion. Bette also stood up when her daughter let go of her neck, and she looked at the blonde beauty in front of her. The teacher smiled at Bette, the brunette’s breath caught in her troth.