"MAINE, this is Molly." Luisa introduced a young lady to her as she was coming down the stairs. She had put Periwinkle to sleep.

It's been a week since they came home from the hospital. A lot has happened. She went to court and got what they needed for her. A lot has changed, too. She can't go back to the post yet, Big Mike's order since she doesn't have anyone to care for Periwinkle. She can't take her to the post since it is not really conducive for the child so as the urgent care, since they both present a different kind of danger for the child. but she doesn't have a choice, since she couldn't find a suited babysitter for Periwinkle, so she chose the lesser danger, her office in the urgent care.

"Hi, Ma'am." Maine nods her head to acknowledge Molly.

"Hello. Sit down, please." She waved her hand to make her sit. Molly sat down quietly, while Luisa threw herself on the long couch. Maine shook her head.

"And you call yourself a dignified doctor of pediatrics and general medicine." Maine said waving her hand like the queen of England. Luisa stuck her tongue out to her.

"Please forgive my friend for being so ill-mannered." Maine faces Molly.

"Whatever, Maine. I got you a nanny for Periwinkle, what more do you want from me?" Luisa's dramatic reply. Molly giggled at their banters.

"That's the thing Lu, I don't want anything from you, Wink does, I don't." She comes out from the kitchen with juice packs and some crackers on the tray. She put it down on the table and lay her hand out to Molly. "Hi, Molly." They shook hands.

"Molly Magbanua, M'am. I'm a certified childcare provider. My CPR certification is up to date. I am also a BSEed graduate, specializing in special needs children." Maine stopped midway from drinking her juice.

"You're a teacher? What are you doing here applying for a nanny?" Molly looked down as if Maine had talked down to her. "I'm sorry, Molly. I didn't mean to sound off to you." She added, wanting to kick her own butt.

"It's okay, Miss. I haven't had the chance to take the teacher's board yet. I don' t have enough money to pay for all the fees let alone sustain my fare back and forth to the review center. I have to work still and share it with my mom." A likely story for everyone who came from a low income family. It is a sad thing but it's true. Maine's heart constricted. She can't stand hearing and seeing people in need, the government should do something about this.

"I made a full background check on her. Well, Mike did. She came from one of the tenements not far from here." Maine turned to Luisa and gave her a signal. Luisa winced. She knows she should have told Maine first before bringing someone in. What can she do? She got so excited and neglected that small but important part.

"Let me get some water." Luisa said. Maine got up, too. Luisa stood up. They went to the kitchen.

"What the hell, Lu? When are you going to tell me about this? You just sprung someone in my face just now!" Maine was talking in a controlled anger. A part of her that Luisa hasn't seen before. It's like Mamma bear mode on.

"Okay. Maine, can we calm down for a bit?" Luisa nervously uttered.

"I am calm, Lu. I am very, very calm. So you better give me a good explanation. Who is that girl out there?" Pointing straight out to the living room. Maine doesn't know why she is getting so worked up.

"Okay, Meng. Hear me out first." Luisa said swallowing the invisible lump in her throat. "When Mike heard that you are able to take Periwinkle home, he created an ad for babysitter/nanny. He specifically states there the need of CPR certification, must have an education background or at least still in college, whether it is high school or elementary. This girl has an associate degree in child development concentrating on special needs children." Luisa was trying to say it as fast as she could because she knows Maine will lose interest at whatever people are explaining when she's upset like this.

"Then? Why didn't you tell me this yesterday so we can talk about it first before bringing her here and to think she came from the tenement? You know what happened to me there almost five years ago. What if she remembered all that nasty stuff that I didn't do?" Luisa's heart sank as she heard what Maine had said. She realizes that the child custody may be in jeopardy. She didn't think of that.

"I'm sorry. But that's the thing, though. She was highly recommended by Alden, and besides, what's wrong with coming from the tenement, Maine? Are we being prejudiced now?" Maine turned to her so fast.

"Alden? Fireman Alden?" Luisa nodded smiling. "She was recommended by the man who thought so little of me, who called me pabida because I went up to the burning apartment to extract her. That is the man who will find fault at everything I do. He is the guy who, I don't know how, when, where, what and why, is so angry at my mere existence. He's the one that recommended her?" Luisa nodded again, not smiling even a bit. Now that she realized the second reason why Maine is so worked up, she blew a deep sigh.

"Okay. I got it." Luisa apologizes. "But also, don't forget, that he is also the guy you saved a few years back.?" Maine's shoulder dropped. She felt so tired.

"I need to go upstairs to check on Periwinkle. Just lock up behind you." She did not turn to look at Luisa and definitely not at the young woman. She can not stomach the look on that girl's face if she could see how disappointed she may have been from being rejected.

She lay down next to the sleeping child. She wondered what's going on in this little girl's mind every time she wakes up. Does she ever wonder where her mom is? Does she ever want to know what happened to her mother? Was she speaking before all this happened? Of course she does. She heard her called out for her mom a few times while crying before Capt. Escallion came to help her.

Then her mind wandered off to Molly, the young lady earlier. She's not prejudiced against her, she was just a little too cautious, that's all. If Big Mike had recommended Molly, she wouldn't say no. She'll take her in a heartbeat. She's over qualified to be just a babysitter for Periwinkle but she will be good for her knowing that she's too traumatized to speak, because of her degree.

Molly will be the angel she wants for her angel. The only downside for her is that Alden recommended her and that is a big red flag. Why? Why would he get out of his way to help her? Why would he find someone for her when he showed all signs of anger, hatred and disgust with her? Why?

She fell asleep thinking about the unthinkable matters that concerns Alden and his motive... and his lips. Damn!

SECOND week. In another week, she will be taking Periwinkle to Dr. Nuñez,she's hoping there's some changes on Periwinkle. She woke up with an awake child sitting next to her playing with her necklace. A necklace her grandmother gave her.

"Hi, baby." She kissed her chubby cheek and playfully pinch the other. Periwinkle giggled. Her eyes went big. This is the first time she saw her smile, let alone giggle.

She threw her arm behind her to reach her phone on the nightstand. She dialed Dr. Nuñez number. She didn't even care if it was too early in the morning.

"Hello?" A female's voice answered on the side. She sounds like she just woke up, too.

"I'm sorry, Jessica." She said. Jessica chuckled on the end.

"It's alright. I know you have something really important to say to call me this early." She heard a yawn from the line. She smiled.

"I'm really sorry, but I do have a new development on Periwinkle." She said so fast. Jessica fell into silence for a bit, then after a few moments she spoke again.

"Say that again? I'm sorry. I was trying to myself up." Maine felt guilty waking the doctor too early for her alarm clock.

"Periwinkle giggled." She went straight to the reason why she called her.

"Come again? Did you say she giggled?" Jessica repeated.

"Yes, she did." Maine answered excitedly. Maine heard a rustling sound on the other end.

"How? I mean, what happened? This is good news." Jessica said in a delighted tone.

"I woke up and she was sitting right top of me playing with my necklace and I gave her a kiss on her cheek and a pinch on the other after telling her good morning, that's when she giggled." Jessica laughed because she's all over the place.

"That is a good sign, Maine. Which means she is happy with you." Jessica said. Her voice now doesn't sound so sleepy anymore. "Look. How about you see me in my clinic today after lunch. I don't have any patients after that." Jessica added excitedly.

"Sure. I will take her to the mall to buy her a few clothes then we'll meet you there. Mango or ube?" Maine asked. Jessica was quick to answer.

"Ube." Jessica replied. Jessica knew what she's talking about.

"Ube it is." Maine bid Jessica goodbye and hung up.

She put her phone back on the nightstand and turned to face Periwinkle, who is now playing with the tv remote.

"Do you want to watch cartoons?" She sweetly asked her. Periwinkle nodded. It made her smile. You're going to be better in no time, Wink. She combed Periwinkle's soft thin hair with her fingers, she just sweetly smiled back at her again, that melted her heart more. She then picked up the remote control to turn the TV on for her and set it to PBS kids channel. Perfect timing, because Caillou is on.

As the little girl watched, she thought. So far, she and Periwinkle have a good set up at the moment. She goes to the hospital and she brings Periwinkle with her, even if it's just in her personal office and playing with her or Gerald or Luisa, since there's no real emergency patients that the three of them need to be there at the same time. The question is, what if she needs to work at the post? She just closed her eyes tight.

She got her phone to call Luisa. She'll swallow her pride for the child. Periwinkle's interests are far more important than Alden issues with her, if there is an issue between them.

Maine thinks that Alden is beyond mad at her for no real reason. The anger she saw in the young man's eyes was as if she was a murderer, as if he was saying that she had killed someone close to him. Maine seemed to be terrified at the thought. She can't kill a fly nor can she even kill a cockroach, let alone a human being. It's preposterous!

Alvin's crying face crossed her mind. She closed her eyes tightly, then a realization struck her. Periwinkle has the same set of eyes as him. She knows it very well. She had the chance to speak with him while he up on the ledge and after he fell.

"Hello, Maine?" She was a little startled as Luisa suddenly spoke on the other line. She coughs a bit to clear the imaginary lump on her throat.

"I'm sorry for what happened last week I was just caught off guard, that's all. " She knows when to apologize and she knows when to bow down.

"I'm sorry too, Maine. Mike and I may have gotten so overly excited that's why we did it what we did without even consulting you first." Luisa apologizes. She was about to speak, but Luisa just kept going. "Alden is not the only one with recommendations. Conrad and Bernie also sent three young women. Allan sent one, too, but not really. He was so upset because Daisy insisted on coming when she heard him talking to Tracy." Her storytelling continues.

"It's okay, Lu." She answers. "I don't mind now." She added.

"Molly is just so smart at the interview and the way she talks to everyone that she passed with flying colors from us all." She expresses. Maine can hear the fondness in her voice. She fell into thinking. Well, maybe I had misjudged her and her connection with Alden. She thought, then she stopped a bit and backtrack at Luisa's entire story.

"Wait. What do you mean by all of us? Who was there? " She asks. She knows that Big Mike is there because it's kind of given already. Who else was there?

"Me, Gerald, Mike and all the firehouse boys. Alden was there, too." She smiled. If that was the case then what else can she worry about?

"Well, if that was what you told me before, I wouldn't have to finish the conversation right away the way I did." She was somehow laughing while saying all these. She suddenly pulls her phone away from her ears as Luisa squealed on the other line. "I wish she wasn't insulted by what I did. I am so embarrassed." She continued on. Maine Luisa giggled. She's such a kid. She thought of her friend in her mind.

"Oh, I don't think so. She looked fine to me when she left and besides, she said the same thing you said and you're right, I sprung things on you. I didn't give you a heads up." Luisa replied. Why does she have this feeling that at any moment her friend will drag Molly back into her house?

"Bye, Luisa. I need to get Wink ready for Jessica." She said to her and ended the call. She turned her phone off and slid it back in her pocket

She got up to get ready fast while Periwinkle was so absorbed at what she was watching on TV. She then gets Periwinkle a nice pink colored top with small flower drawings on it and a denim romper. She picked up the white sandal that Gerald bought her before she came out of the hospital. Maine loves what she's doing. After getting all her clothes ready, she picked her up to give her a quick bath.

"Let's go and get you a nice bath." She kissed Periwinkle on the check, she giggled. Maine loved the sound of Periwinkle's giggles echoing in her room. It seemed like her house came to life.

After the bathing and all the giggling and splashing and more giggling, they are done. Of course, her bathroom looked like a tornado came in and caused havoc, she didn't care. Clothes and water and bubbles and soap are all over the place. She ignored it for now.

She wrapped her with the towel and brought her to her bed. After all the giggling and changing and more giggling and brushing Periwinkle's hair, another fit of giggles echoed in her former hallowed walls.

Maine's eyes stung a bit. She shook the feeling of joy and contentment for now. She needs to get her to the mall to get her some more clothes and to meet up with Jessica.

Yes, I am your Mommy now.

__________
End of TPA 15: Mommy

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💖 ~ Ms J ~ 💖
04.02.20

The Periwinkle Affair
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August 26, 2019