After The Last School Bell

The final bell of the day rang throughout the halls. Little Jane had already been ready and waiting with her school bag fully zipped up. Their teacher, Mrs. Lee, was smiling almost as wide as the little girl was as she closed the book that held today’s lesson. “Alright, class. That’s it for today.” Some kids cheered, others rushed to collect their belongings, but Jane was already out the door. Her tiny pennyloafer covered feet rushing down the seemingly endless hallway to the school’s front gate. And sure enough as soon as she arrived there a man stood outside a black sedan waiting for her. His arms outstretched and a charming grin plastered on his face. “Jane!” She eagerly jumped into his arms. “Uncle John!” The young man spun the girl around a few times before setting her down. “I guess someone’s ready to go.” Jane nodded her head up and down with so much force one could worry about whip lash. “Uh huh.” John held the car door open for her as he helped the little girl in. “Well, that’s just perfect since I have a surprise for you.” She watched the man smoothly get into the car and turn the radio on to her favorite songs. “A surprise!” She shouted with glee. He slowly pulled out of the school’s waiting area and back onto the main street. “Yes, but if your mom asks, it was your idea.” Her head went up and down voraciously again. “Okay.” The two bobbed their heads to the pop music until the car pulled to a stop in front of what looked like a very popular ice cream chain. “Ice cream!” John nodded his head and hopped out the car first. He ran around to get her car door for her. “Let’s go, princess.” The little girl hopped out of the car and took off. The poor young man ran to catch up with her at the ice cream ordering station. The pair got one cotton candy ice cream cone with all the sprinkles in the world and one coffee flavored in a cup before making it back to the car. John handed the cup of ice cream to the little girl. “Can you hold this for me while I drive?” She didn’t take her attention away from her own ice cream but reached out to take the ice cream from him. Jane spent the rest of the drive bobbing her head to her favorite singer and licking up as much ice cream as fast as possible. The car finally pulled up to the front of an office building.Standing in front of it was a very busy looking woman with a very anxious looking assistant. The two of them both seemed relieved by the arrival of their car. Jane quickly got out of the car and ran to the woman. John once again ran to catch up. The little girl was already launching into the tale of how they got ice cream together. In her own hands was now a tiny cup of coffee flavored ice cream. A sweet surprise treat. The woman looked up and away from her daughter to John. “Thank you for taking for the ice cream. And picking her up.” He scratched the back of his head shyly. “It’s no big deal. I know you were busy, Lilly.” The assistant next to her started to tap his watch impatiently. It was as if to him this conversation was already taking up more time than she could afford. “Still, you didn’t need to do it.” John smiled at her. “You know I’ll always be here to help.” Lily nodded her head and lifted the cup of ice cream. “That doesn’t mean you have to even be prepared with ice cream.” He gave her a playful wink. “I figured you could use the sugar pick me up right about now” Lilly took a small bite of her ice cream and her eyes looked as if they had rolled back into her head with delight. “You even remembered to get me coffee.” Jane besides the two of them let out a tiny shriek. “It’s melting!” The pair looked down to see what was left of the ice cream she had been rushing to devour become a dripping liquid puddle. John pulled out a pile of napkins from his pocket. When the little girl wasn’t looking he had stashed them away in the ice cream parlor. She happily lifted her face up towards him so he could wipe it off. Lilly watched the exchange warmly. Finally her assistant seemed to have enough standing there awkwardly. He coughed a few times before saying, “You have a meeting in two minutes.” Lilly sighed. “Right.” She leaned forward and gave John a tight hug. “I’ll see you later this week.” He hugged her back for a moment before letting go. “You know I won’t miss one of your dad’s backyard cookouts.” Lilly gave a final small smile before taking her daughter’s hand and walking back into the company building. Her assistant huffing and puffing all the way as they want. John’s eyes lingered on the mother and daughter as they left. His phone rang on the way back to his car. It was his mother. John sighed but answered. “Hey, mom.” Her voice seemed impatient. “I heard you canceled on Mrs. Reily’s daughter.” John rolled his eyes as he got back into his car. “There was an emergency at work.” A loud and full of disbelief phooey echoed from the phone into his car. “You just wanted to avoid another date.” He slowly pulled out from his parking spot and away from Lilly’s company. “I have told you not to set them up without getting my permission beforehand.” His mother scoffed. “And if I don’t set them up for you you will be alone forever.” John rolled his eyes and set his destination back to his own company. He did actually have work to finish for the day. “I’ll be fine, mom.” Silence hung in the air for a few moments before she answered. “So I’ll be seeing you at the neighborhood barbecue this weekend?” A smile broke out onto his face. “Of course.” John’s mother let out a small snort. “Well at least you’ll spend time with your father or a barbecue plate.” He found himself adjusting in his seat to get comfortable as he made his way into the city’s traffic hour. “I’ve got a call on the other line. I’ll see you this weekend.” His mother hung up the phone on him. The car’s sound system switched back to the pop music it was playing before. John now bobbing his head to the preteen wonder.