"Okay little man…" She said as she stood back up and patted him on his back. "After school where do you go?" She asked to see if he remembered.
"I get in the line for the aftercare program…" He said with a slight puffiness in his demeanor. "We've gone over it a thousand times…" He said irritated because he felt that she was treating him like a baby. He looked around as they were walking to the main building so that he could find his new teacher, Mrs. Goodrich. Once he saw her, he would then know where the line for class would be.
Spotting Mrs. Goodrich young Jayden excited said, "Okay mom you can go now…" as he released his hand from mom's grasp. Marla knew why he was trying to get rid of her and she only smiled at him.
Waving good-bye to him she replied, "Alright Jayden, I get it… You don't want mom to embarrass you…" She couldn't help chuckling to herself; he was truly adorable when he was trying to be a big boy. She quietly watched at her son's back and her smile grew even wider. How adorable did he look with his cute little 'Brave Little Toaster's' book bag strapped on his back.
"Make sure you sit down and listen. And be good." She admonished to him, thinking how at times he could be a hand-full. "Mommy loves you…" She couldn't help but saying and then once he turned around giving her a disapproving glare for those hastily spoken words, she covered her mouth.
"Oops, sorry…" She apologized still smiling underneath her hand that covered her mouth. Jayden had already begun running towards his teacher. Marla gave him once last look and then left to begin her own day.
"Morning Mrs. Goodrich…" He greeted the middle-aged Nun who was his kindergarten teacher at the Catholic school. He was beaming because he was first in line.
"Morning Jayden… Where's mom?" She asked.
"Oh she dropped me off. I'm a big boy. I could walk here by myself." He said making the elder lady smile at his proclamation.
"Why you most certain are, you got all the way from the parking lot to here by yourself." She encouraged him on making him feel even prouder that she had noticed. While they waited for the other children to arrive, Jayden started noticing that there were some children who were accompanied by not only a mother but some had a big burly man with them also.