September 22, 2020
"Bye Mrs. Porter!" One of the children said as they ran up to Sarah and hugged her.
"Oh, bye little Vivian! I'll see you bright and early tomorrow!"
Sarah watched as parents would pick up their children and drive off around the block. It was a routine she had grown accustomed, as well as waiting an extra five minutes for the last three parents to get their children. She had to wait for Peter's dad, Hope's mom, and for Aaron, Quinton's dad. Though, she didn't quite dislike waiting because she enjoyed talking with Aaron after her shift was over.
He's only a friend she would tell herself.
One by one, the parents showed up until it was just Quinton left.
"Well, I think I'm going to go to the coffee shop," Ross said. "I'll see you ladies there?"
Sarah and Jesse nodded their heads.
"I'll come with you," Cindy said. "I need the ride anyways."
They said their goodbyes to Quinton and left, leaving Sarah, Jesse, and Quinton in a dimly lit daycare.
"Doesn't she get a ride everyday?" Sarah asked.
Jesse raised and eyebrow at her and chuckled. "In more ways than one."
"Jesse!" Sarah said, trying to control her laughter.
The two woman laughed as Quinton sat on a bench in front of them, looking out the window.
"Any fun plans for tonight?" Sarah asked Quinton.
Quinton swung his legs back and forth and didn't look back to Sarah. "No..." He said. "Mommy is picking me up today to go see Gramma and Grampa."
"Oh that's exciting," Sarah said. "Where do your grandparents live?"66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RIjAqnlhi
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"They live in Arizona."
"Oh wow, they must have traveled a long ways to come see you and your mom."
Quinton shrugged his shoulders. "I guess."
Sarah figured that Quinton preferred to be with his dad vs his mom and Sarah felt she could understand. Both her and Edward were always loving and caring to their children but she still felt that Isaac, and possibly Lillian, liked Edward a little more. She understood though. After all, she couldn't help but feel like the mother busting her kids for reaching their hand in the cookie jar, whereas Edward was the cool dad who gave them the cookies. So, she figured that's how Quinton felt.
Sarah's boss, Katy, came down the stairs that led to her office and a few other extra rooms. "Where is your dad, sweetie?" Katy asked Quinton.
Quinton, once more, shrugged his shoulders.
"He's just running a bit late. He gets off work around this time and has to rush over here. I'm sure he just got held up or something." Sarah said.
Katy sighed. "If this boy's father can't show up on time, then he can find another daycare or I'll call the sheriff. This is ridiculous."
"Well I don't mind waiting a bit longer..." Sarah tried arguing.
"It doesn't matter. We need to get this place closed up. I don't need to be waiting even longer because the father is incompetent."
Sarah understood Katy's frustrations but felt the woman was too harsh with them. She was in charge of locking the place up after the daycare closed and, so, having to wait almost everyday for Aaron was likely getting to her. The woman also was the kind of boss who ensured the employees clocked in and out exactly when their shift started and ended and, so, she probably thought she had to pay Sarah even more. But Sarah didn't go overtime. She clocked out at five and was willing to wait for the children's' parents to show up, despite not getting paid extra.
"Well, Ms. Lange, I can lock down the place if you wish," Jesse said.
When Katy wasn't at work, Jesse was the person to fill in for her and do many of the things that Katy had to do.
Katy looked out the door, obviously wanting to leave. "Alright." She handed the keys to Jesse. "I'll see you two tomorrow. Make sure that boy's father knows he needs to start showing up on time."
"Yes ma'am," Sarah said.
Sarah stuck out her tongue at Katy as she exited the doors. "God, she's so nasty," Sarah said.
Jesse chuckled. "Yeah but it is what it is. The woman still has many more years ahead of her and I don't think she'll be leaving the daycare anytime soon."
"Unless she falls down those stairs," Sarah muttered.
"Oh, Sarah, you and your devious little mind."
Sarah smiled and saw Aaron's car pull up to the curb.
"Okay Quinton, your dad is here," Sarah said. The three of them walked outside to meet Aaron, who looked irritated and angry.
"Sorry I'm late. I..." He looked to Quinton. "Just a little hold up."
"It's alright darling," Jesse said. "We always love to hang out with little Quinton."
"Thank you," Aaron replied. His eyes matched with Sarah's before looking back down to Quinton.
"Hey, Aaron, would you like to go get some coffee with us?" Sarah blurted out.
He looked to her once more, his expression lightening up.
"Yes, you're more than welcome to join us. We could use some more men at the table anyways," Jesse added.
"Yeah, that would be great. I just need to drop off Quinton at his moms and I can meet you there?"
"That would be perfect," Sarah said. "It's just that place down Harker Street."
"Awesome, I'll see you there then."
Aaron and Quinton got into his car and drove off. Sarah watched them pull out of the parking lot and then met Jesse's eyes and saw her smirk.
"What?" Sarah said.
"You know what," Jesse said.
Sarah giggled. "He's just a friend."
"Just a friend, huh? I've seen that look in many young women, including Cindy. You ain't fooling me."
"No, really," Sarah said. "Aaron's just a good friend and I would never think to do anything with him. I mean, I'm married after all."
Jesse's look was one of uncertainty. "I understand dear but, from experience, you will need to make a decision on what you want. You have this one life so do whatever makes you happy."
Sarah smiled at her older coworker. "Well don't worry Jesse because Aaron is only a friend."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cindy and Ross were already sitting at a table with coffees sitting in front of them. Sarah and Jesse looked to each other and then back to Cindy, who was practically all over Ross. If it wasn't obvious before, it was obvious now that the twenty five year old was head over heels for Ross.
"We were beginning to wonder if you two were going to show up," Ross said jokingly.
Cindy paid Sarah and Jesse no mind, however. Her eyes were fixated on Ross. "Sorry, we had to wait a bit longer at the daycare," Sarah replied.
From then on, it was just the four of them chatting about the daycare - about some thing that Katy did or said that was mean and what children did what. Although, Sarah could argue it was her, Jesse, and Ross talking, while Cindy and Ross had their own conversations. She was a nice enough girl but she was, undoubtedly, obsessed with Ross.
It was only about twenty minutes later when Aaron showed up and even Cindy noticed. "Aaron!" Sarah said. "I'm so glad you were able to come."
"Me too. Sorry, I had to talk with Quinton's mom. You know how that goes."
From what he had told Sarah in the past, not well. They divorced on bad terms and seemed to fight anytime they came within a hundred feet of each other. Luckily, the two of them were able to work it out to where they were both allowed to see Quinton, although it must have been hard.
"No worries," Sarah said. "Did you want anything to drink?"
She noticed his hand shaking ever so slightly. Sarah could tell that he was upset and she imagined that seeing Quinton's mom must have resulted in an even bigger fight than normal.
Aaron waved his hand. "Nah, I'm just here to visit is all."
Sarah and her three coworkers looked to Aaron, whose face was pointed towards the table. "How's your sister?" Ross asked, breaking the silence.
"Fine, fine. She's doing well." Sarah looked down at her watch. "She offered to pick up my children today so I believe she should have just got home with them."
"That's nice of her," Jesse added.
"Why do your children stay at school until 5?" Cindy asked.
"Oh, well, Isaac usually is there until four thirty for band practice and waits the rest of the time. Lillian is on the swim team, which takes her till about five."
"Lillian is quite the swimmer, Cindy. You should see how fast she is one of these days," Jesse said.
"I don't doubt it," Cindy said. "Maybe I'll have to race her one of these days."66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzG5Dwo8eF
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Sarah smiled and looked back to Aaron who was still looking down at the table. She contemplated asking if he was alright but didn't want to embarrass him in front of the rest of her coworkers.
There was about another minute of silence, outside of the occasional sound of sipping and Cindy and Ross whispering into each other's ear and laughing.
"So, Sarah. Did the sheriff ever find out what happened at your house?" Jesse asked.
"Yes," Cindy said with a smug look on her face. "Did they ever find the scary Faceless?"
That seemed to grab Aaron's attention, who was now looking up at her.
"No," Sarah said. "I haven't actually heard anything."
"Well... That's disappointing." Cindy said. "You're the first person to report a Faceless sighting the the sheriff in months. Maybe the superstition is finally dying off."
"Did you think I was lying? I can promise you, Cindy, what I saw was very much real."
"No, no. I'm not calling you a liar. I just don't think that there's multiple Slender men roaming around the forest, I suppose."
"Slender men... that's really funny. I'll remember that if you ever find yourself and your children in danger."
"No, I didn't mean it like that, Sarah. I just... well... don't you think that you might have just been seeing thing?"
"No," Sarah said, her body tensing up.
Ross was the one whose eyes were looking to the table now. "I think we ought to head out." He said. "It's going to be getting late soon and I best get Cindy home."
Cindy's face was a bright red. Sarah could tell she was embarrassed from what she said but didn't care. It was insensitive and ignorant, even for someone her age.
"I'm sorry..." Cindy said, as her and Ross left.
Jesse looked to Sarah, whose face was equally as bright red. "Don't worry about it dear. I'm sure she didn't mean it."
"Yeah, well, I don't know," Sarah said. "I think I'm going to go ahead and leave as well."
"Okay," was all Jesse said. She stood up with Sarah and gave her a tight, reassuring hug. She was the kind of woman that Sarah would have loved to have been her mother. Things could have been different with someone as caring as Jesse in her life.
"I'll see you tomorrow, honey."
Sarah said her goodbye and Aaron followed after her. They stopped outside the front doors and looked to each other.
"Sorry about that," Aaron said.
"You don't need to be sorry about it. You didn't say it," Sarah replied.
"No, I just meant... Sorry for not sticking up for you. I... my head wasn't in the right place. I wasn't really even realizing the situation."
"You don't need to stick up for me Aaron. I mean, maybe I am crazy. Maybe it was just something I saw that day, I don't know. Maybe I'm just crazy."
"You're not crazy, Sarah. I believe you."
She gave a small smile and looked to her car. "Thank you."
They both looked off before looking back to each other. "Well, thanks for inviting me. Maybe next time I can be a little more talkative."
He was about to leave when Sarah said, "Wait."
She walked up to him and looked over to her car once more. "Do you want to take a little trip with me?"
"A trip?" Aaron chuckled. "A trip to where?"
"I want to go back to my old house."
Aaron's little laugh died down as he realized Sarah wasn't joking. "You're serious? Don't you think it's a bad idea to go there? It could be dangerous."
"Well I'll have you to protect me," Sarah said, pushing against his arm.
"Well... I... I don't know how to really fight back against Faceless."
Sarah pulled out her key ring and pressed the unlock button. "I'm sure you can give them a run for their money. So?"
Aaron's face looked between her, her car, and his car. He sighed and rubbed his nose bridge. "Fine," He said. "But I don't want to be there for too long. After all, it is going to be dark soon and you know what they say about being out in these forests for too long."
Sarah giggled. "Well, didn't you know? It's all a superstition."
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