Chapter 5 5

"Mom!!!" Sophia shouted as she got home, dropping her bag on the chair. She stood for a while, holding her tiny waist with her hand. When she could hear no response, she walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She took out a drink and gulped it down while opening her mouth widely as a sign of digestion.

"But where could have Mom been?" she murmured. She looked around the kitchen and strode towards the kitchen cabinet, opening the dishes. She found out that all the dishes had been washed. She moved closer to the other one behind the Gas and opened it up when she saw a well cooked stew with chicken in it.

She rolled out tongue and licked her lips, using her nose to savor the aroma coming inside the pot. She closed it back after a while when she noticed they haven't prepared anything to eat with the stew. "Oh! No" Sophia dragged her feet back to the sitting room and picked up her school bag.

She hurriedly went to her bedroom and locked the door behind her. She put her schoolbag on her study table while putting her glasses alongside the bag on the table. She threw herself on the bed, facing the ceiling with the tired look in her face. She turned around and around, envisaging her day in school.

When she was about to sleep for some time, she heard a knock on her door. "Who is that?" she shouted, then murmured when she heard no response "That must be Mom". Just as she was about standing from her bed, the person called out "Sophia". She jumped from her bed as soon as she heard that familiar voice. She knew already that it was her Nanny.

"Yes... Coming" she replied, rising from the bed. Sophia wears her slippers and walked to the door, opening up. She looked out and it was her Nanny, Mrs. Clark. She threw herself to her, hugging her so tightly. Mrs. Clark caught her on the way and rubbed Sophia's head with her hand.

"Where have you been since, Mrs. Clark?" Sophia said, with tears in her eyes. Mrs. Clark held her head up and looked closely into her eyes "Sophia darling... I'm very sorry for coming back late". This made Sophia got furious suddenly, thinking about how lonely she has been without her being around. Sophia moved backwards a little from Mrs. Clark, sobbing quietly until she hit head slightly on the wall.

Seeing this, Mrs. Clark ran to her with a pleading face. "Why did you leave me all alone since these days?" Sophia shouted. "I'm sorry, Sophia... I didn't know I'll leave so quick that day. If not, I would have informed you earlier" she said, putting her hand around Sophia's shoulder while trying to calm her down. Sophia kept on hitting her with her little hand when Mrs Clark was comporting her.

"Will you leave me again?" she asked, with tears wetting her eyes.

"I promise never to leave you alone again" Mrs Clark assured Sophia, patting her on the back. "Okay, Mrs Clark... I've been dwelling in loneliness since" she said, feeling a bit of happiness within. "You are not alone anymore... Sophia" she said, rubbing her head while drawing her closely.

"It's okay... That's good, Sophia" she calm her down, before she continued "So how was your first day of resuming for second term?" she asked, smilingly towards her.

"Not bad... It was superb, ma" she replied her Nanny. "I trust you" she said, blowing her kisses. She turned and walked into Sophia's room while looking around before she said "You just like decorating your room" she turned to face Sophia, who was smiling at her from afar.

"Aww... I do like it a lot because one of the things I valued mostly is Home" she said, with certainty in her voice. Just then, it was cleared to Mrs Clark about where she was leading that situation to so she further added "Have you eaten when you came back from school?" she asked, out of concern. "I have not eaten yet... I just drank the yoghurt I took in the fridge and I was about to take a nap when you came inside" she explained to Mrs Clark.

"Oh! Okay... Let me go and prepare you something to eat while you take a nap OK" she told her and Sophia replied joyously with "Yes ma". When Mrs Clark was about to turn to leave her room, Sophia noticed she hasn't seen her mother ever since she came back from school so she called her back. Mrs Clark stopped on the way, she knew what Sophia wanted to ask her around but she waited for her to talk before she could jump into conclusion.

"I haven't seen Mom... Where is she?" Sophia asked her. Mrs Clark moved a step forward to her, thinking probably she might be unhappy if she heard that her mother has traveled again.

"Your mother had to go an impromptu meeting" she tried to think of the appropriate words to us, before she continued "But she will be back soon". Sophia already knew that would be the response so she wasn't surprised when she heard. Though she had thought she would be around throughout today but her Mother had already left before she came back from school".

She was pained but not that much because she had seen her Nanny with her so things were normal for her still. "Okay, Mrs Clark" she replied, after series of thoughts in her mind. Mrs Clark patted her back slightly and said " Sophia, you can go and take a nap... I would have finished cooking before you wake up OK" she said while Sophia nodded affirmatively. She left her and went to cook in the kitchen when Sophia threw herself back on her bed. "It's been an hectic day" she said and yawned, using the back of her palm to cover her mouth.