Early to bed, early to rise as little Aimee starts preschool in the Maria Montessori School. It became a daily routine for both Emily and Aimee to wake up pretty early. Emily would bathe Aimee first, dress her up for school, make breakfast, then give Aimee to eat before going to take a shower herself and prepare for work. Noticing how hard Emily works, Freddie decided to chip in his help into the morning routine by making breakfast for everyone before going to take a shower and prepare for work.
One morning, as usual, Emily woke up early to prepare Aimee for school but didn't find Freddie on the bed sleeping so she assumed he'll be in the bathroom. On getting to Aimee's room, Aimee wasn't on her bed either making Emily confused.
"Where could she have wandered off to?" Emily asked no one in particular. She walked into the bathroom to see if she was there and she was there, with Freddie. For a quiet moment, Emily stood by the door of the bathroom, arms folded, and watched how Freddie poured water on little Aimee and how the girl kept giggling and playing around, splashing him with the water. Emily found the scene quite amusing, how blessed she felt for having such a beautiful family.
"Mum!" Aimee squealed on sighting Emily making Freddie turn to see her by the door. He had some white foam on his face which made her burst out laughing. Aimee, without knowing why Emily was laughing, joined in the laughter. Freddie was a little confused why she was laughing.
"Darling, why are you laughing?" Freddie asked staring at Emily. She only pointed to the mirror "See for yourself" Emily said still laughing.
"Whoa..." Freddie said after seeing the foam on his face and hair then he laughed also.
"I'll take it from here" Emily said getting Aimee out of the bath and wrapping a towel around her.
"OK" Freddie said and left immediately making Emily chuckle. That's the time he's tried bathing Aimee and that seemed like the last time he'll ever try to do it again.
Grandma Elizabeth comes to visit once in a while to see her little cheerful grand-daughter with her delicious apple pie. Sometimes during the week, sometimes at weekends, but whenever she came around, she was very helpful to the couple. If she came around during weekdays, she'd help in preparing little Aimee for school and if she was around during the weekend, she would stay with her while Freddie and Emily spent time together outside.
"Grandma, can we go watch TV ?" Aimee asked grandma Elizabeth one Saturday night as they sat on the veranda of the apartment.
"Sure thing, we will but first look at the stars, aren't they just so beautiful?" Grandma Elizabeth said looking up into the sky.
"Yes, grandma, they are, they are so shiny and far" Aimee said smiling, also looking up into the sky.
"You see that star?" Grandma Elizabeth said pointing into the sky.
"The shiniest one?" Aimee asked.
"Yes, that star has been there for a long time. Let me tell you a story" Grandma Elizabeth said.
"Yay! Story time!" Aimee squealed.
"Long time ago, in a far away land, there lived a very beautiful girl who was loved by all and favored by God. She was a good girl with a good heart..." Grandma Elizabeth started.
"Oh, was she a princess?" Aimee asked.
"She was more than a princess, she was God's beloved and that means she was the princess to the King of kings and her prince charming was already going to marry her . The date and the wedding was fixed and they did get married with all the happiness filled in their beautiful hearts. Soon after, the beautiful and kind princess gave birth to a beautiful baby boy who was the greatest prince in his time and on that same day, this big shiny star was born to signify the birth of greatness" Grandma Elizabeth narrated to dazzled Aimee.
"Wow "Aimee whispered as she looked at the shiniest in the sky.
"Grandma... " Aimee called.
"Yes, little angel" Grandma Elizabeth answered.
"Do I have my star in the sky too?" Aimee asked staring at her with her bold eyes. Grandma Elizabeth just smiled and stroke her brown hair.
"Yes, Aimee, every child born under the sky has a shiny star high up in the sky" Grandma Elizabeth said smiling warmly.
"Come, let's go inside so you can watch some TV" Grandma Elizabeth said and held Aimee up so they can go inside the house.
Most times, Aimee would come back school and narrate everything to Emily about what she learnt and how she played in school with all her friends. She told Emily about her first friend in school on her first day of school and how nice the girl was to her.
"Mum, Marie is a very nice girl, I like her" Aimee had said one day while dressing her up after a warm bath on a weekday.
"Really? She's in your class?" Emily asked fixing a bow tie on her head in front of a mirror.
"Yes, mum, we learn together, every day" Aimee said.
"I hope you are nice to her too?" Emily asked.
"Yes, mum, we eat lunch together" Aimee said.
"That's nice, sharing is the best thing to do, Aimee" Emily said then turned Aimee to herself.
"Now give mum a high five" Emily said and Aimee does so.
"Now a low five..." She said to Aimee.
"Now give me a high ten... That's my little angel" Emily said snuggling her cute cheek.
At school, in her class, Aimee has a lot of friends but she was closest to Marie. They did almost everything together and sat side by side in class.
Daisy - Miss Morgan, Aimee's classroom teacher likes her too. She is average height, slim, young blonde lady with dimples. Her hair was always neatly packed into a ponytail. Daisy loved children a lot and is quite a cheerful and kind lady. As an unmarried lady, Daisy hopes to get married someday, give birth to her own children and have a nice family, as it is the dream of most ladies.
Jasper attends Maria Montessori School too but he was a senior to Aimee. Jasper who is Lewis and Maya's son and the future of the Horace winery, was not a nice boy. He was more of a bully to other of the mates and the younger ones too. But to Aimee, he seemed to be nice. Sometimes, he would come to Aimee's class and played with her a little before leaving.
Soon after, Aimee began to know other students from other classes aside from hers. On the playground, she played see-saw with Marie and others too. And there was the swing too. She sit and let Marie push the swing then she push for Marie too. School was a fun exercise as she learnt the alphabets, ABC... and numerals, 123... in different ways. Daisy used different fun techniques in teaching them so the children would learn easily.
One day, on one of the benches in the play ground, Aimee sat down and was waiting for Marie to come so they would eat lunch together.
"Hello" A blonde boy with blue eyes said staring at Aimee.
"Hi" Aimee replied, staring at the boy too, he didn't look familiar at all.
"May I sit here?" The blonde boy said.
"Yes, sure" Aimee said moving her bag away.
"Thank you" The boy said and sat. Aimee stared at him while the boy was very quiet.
"My name is Aimee, what's your name?" Aimee introduced "My name is Clive" The blonde boy answered.
"OK, Clive, I'm here to wait for my friend, what about you?" Aimee said. Clive looked away sad.
"I don't have friends" Clive said sadly
"Aww... But why?" Aimee said.
"I don't know, others don't want to be my friend, my grandpa says it's because I'm too quiet" Clive explained
"Huh... Sorry about that Clive, I would love to be your friend" Aimee said and Clive lit up.
"Really?!" Clive said and Aimee nodded.
"So I have a friend now?"Clive asked.
"Yes" Aimee said.
"Yay! "I'll go tell grandpa I have a friend now" Clive said excitedly.
"Friends share lunch, would you like to share lunch with me?" Aimee asked already holding her lunch box.
"Yes, I'd like to" Clive said smiling.
Aimee opened her lunch box and shared her lunch. Marie joined them and they played till it was break over. When it was time to close, Emily came around in the car to pick Aimee up, she hadn't signed Aimee for school bus yet.
On getting there, Emily saw Aimee seated at her usual waiting spot but with a company. She was with a blonde boy who didn't look familiar and they were playing. Emily honked the car and caught Aimee and her friend's attention. Aimee excitedly jumped up and ran to her mum's car after waving Clive goodbye.
"Hello mum" Aimee said after entering the car.
"How's little Aimee doing?" Emily asked smiling.
"I'm fine mum" Aimee said as Emily fixes her seat belt over her.
"What about your friend?" Emily asked looking out the car at the blonde boy who sat still and quietly.
"He's waiting for his butler" Aimee explained.
"OK, let's go then" Emily said and started driving.
At dinner that day, Aimee seemed extra happy as she ate her food. Everyone noticed it. Grandma Elizabeth too was there so she too noticed it.
"Thank you mum, I'm full" Aimee said excitedly.
"You are welcome baby, now go to your room dear" Emily said and Aimee dashed away to her room.
"Isn't Aimee seeming a little more excited today?" Freddie said to both Emily and grandma Elizabeth.
"Yes, the girl's a happy feet today" Grand Elizabeth added and Emily nodded.
After dinner, grandma Elizabeth went to Aimee's room to prepare her for the night. When she entered, she saw Aimee sketching something on her art book. Aimee seemed to be a child with good artistic skills. As grandma got closer to her, she sat down on the bed close to her.
"What are you drawing Aimee?" Grandma Elizabeth asked
"A picture of me, Marie and Clive" Aimee replied, focused on her art book.
"Oh, you have a new friend?" Grandma Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, I do, grandma" Aimee said still focused on her sketch.
"Done!" She squealed and showed grandma Elizabeth what she had drawn.
"Wow, this is beautiful, Aimee. Now give grandma a high five" Grandma said and raised up her hand then Aimee struck it with her tiny hand.
"Now, tell me about your new friend" Grandma said.
"He's Clive and he has hair. He looked so sad today and said he has no friends... Grandma" Aimee called.
"Yes, Aimee" grandma Elizabeth answered.
"Do people quiet people?" Aimee asked.
"Hmm... Why do you ask, Aimee?" Grandma Elizabeth asked not sure why Aimee asked.
"Clive said his grandpa told him that he's too quiet, that's why he doesn't have friends"Aimee explained
"Do you feel like Clive is too quiet? "Grandma Elizabeth asked
"No, grandma, though he doesn't talk much, he looks OK to me "Aimee said and added a shrug with her shoulders.
"Sometimes, it's not always about what people say that should matter but what you know is true, that's what counts. If his grandpa says he is too quiet then maybe that's what he knows to be true about Clive. He's working on his observation but you should work on yours, OK?" Grandma Elizabeth explained and Aimee nodded.
"Now, let's get you prepared for bed "Grandma Elizabeth said held her as if to carry her.
At school the next day, during break, Aimee sat on a bench in the play ground with Clive. Daisy just bought ice-cream for Aimee and Clive so they were both holding it. Jasper walked to where they sat and collected Clive's ice-cream then threw it on the floor.
"My ice-cream!" Clive exclaimed and stood up to look at the ground but Jasper pushed him so he would fall. Aimee who watched widened her bold eyes and stared at Jasper who folded his arms.
"Why did you do that Jasper, that's not nice ?" Aimee said and Jasper scoffed then walked out of the scene. Aimee squatted beside Clive and told him not to cry. She helped him up and gave him part of her ice-cream.
Aimee and her special friend sat down and played till the break was over.