Chapter

Of all the times she was told not to interrupt when someone was talking, this is the time she regretted doing so.

"Mom?" asked kloe wide-eyed after a long pause, she remained reluctant as if she was having an internal struggle trying to decide between advancing towards her or shouting for help.

Meanwhile, she examined Serena completely. The fact that she had said that she was her mother was still lightning a spark of disbelieve in her eyes. well after all she was a stranger, it would have been a lot to ask her to throw herself in her arms she was probably waiting for the right moment to run away.

On the other hand, Serena felt very uncomfortable under the strange gazes of the four little girls but despite everything she decided to smile. Probably there was the most forced smile of her life.

Now the situation would perfectly pass for an abduction.

"Mom?" she uttered again as the anguished face gave way to one of joy, it was as if time had run its course after the tense pause, the girl ran towards her who looked surprised and without being able to move, in an instant, she was hugged by kloe that snuggling against her stomach sporting a big smile on her face.

"You finally came, mom," she said in a whisper and Serena had no choice but to finally reciprocate her tight embrace.

She let her hands go through her hair vaguely and gave the other girls a cold look. A persistent need to protect the child in her arms took possession of her, and she knew that no matter past sorrows she had had with her boss, she wouldn't be able to blame kloe, she simply couldn't hate her.

"I ..." She looked at the two girls in the background who were still looking stunned, it gave the feeling that seeing Kloe's mother was having an encounter with a ghost "I've been working but am ... already ... Am already here".

"Why did you take so long?" Kloe asked with her eyes bright, she looked at her like a fantasy being, something that she never seemed to be able to achieve.

And again Serena found herself wondering what had become of Kloe's mother, maybe ... she had never met her and that is why now she believed it to be anyone, at least she seemed to be alive judging by her hopes that she could return.

But she wasn't her mother.

Doing this has definitelybeen a terrible idea and she hadn't thought of how she will explain it to her boss when they'll return to the office, everything seemed to be taken from a novel based on a psychotic; she had gone to pick up her boss's daughter and had not only told her that she was her mother but that she had acted as such. Good grief, this didn't look good at all. But deep down, she knew the reasons for her behavior, she knew it since they had called her by her name. And yes, she wondered if her daughter was waiting for her in the same way, if she asked people where she had gone, why she had left her ... she wondered if her daughter was going through the same thing as Kloe.

"I've ... had a lot of work," she smiled at her and stroked her hair. She was not her mother but that did not imply not being able to get her out of this predicament. "you can leave" she dismissed the two extremely self-conscious girls and held kloes hand "here, now you and I are going to go find dad" she handed her the pink box and the flowers "give me your backpack, I'll take it for you.

"Okay," she took off the backpack with some difficulty and handed it to her with a smile from ear to ear "thanks, mom".

Serena slung the small backpack over her shoulder. She wondered if her father knew that other girls were picking on her. A flare of anger invaded her, he surely had no idea of it, the great Mr. Holmes had so much work that he could not check how her daughter was doing when entering between the walls of the private college.

At the end of a long journey, the driver had to open the door for them since as the streets and time passed, Kloe remained so hugged to her that now she was carrying her asleep and the truth is that even Serena had to make an effort not to end up snoring. Going down the main road at lunchtime and after work was torture for anyone's patience.

Today there were made two days in which her schedule was being abused, she hadn't had lunch and they were arriving twenty minutes before the time of departure from work, Serena accommodated Kloe better and entered the elevator. on her way the few remaining people who saw them looked at her strangely even Kim who was at the elevator doors was amazed.

Serena had to make an effort not to end the urge to hit him and just before she lost her composure she picked up her bag and started to leave the office.

"Maybe she doesn't have children, but I know how she would have to raise them," she faced him again, "did you know that there are girls who are picking on her?" She observed the palpable surprise on Elliot's face-she was afraid of it-she turned and left without knowing what to do about it.

"Serena, what are you doing with ... Don't tell me you are still working ... "she asked, stunned, leaving her room to pass with the dead weight she was carrying -Mr. Holmes is in his office.

"Thank you." She walked right into the office, her boots echoing down the hall. She was angry and worried at the same time, when Kloe woke up she would ask for her and the joke she had maneuvered would be discovered.

"Mr. Holmes," she said in a greeting mode, she just burst into the office. The aforementioned looked at her from his desk. he had taken off his coat and tie, leaving buttons undone.

"Why did it take you so long?" He added while staring at Serena who went to the sofa of the living room in the corner to let Kloe rest.

" There was ... traffic jam and the show lasted longer than expected," said Serena crossing her arms, she had something bothering her at the back of her mind and she head to spit it out "I think you should keep track of how things are going with Kloe in school from time to time" she stood in front of his bureau.

The look of her boss could kill right now, he gently drank his shot of scotch. However, he didn't say a word but he looked at her letting her know that he was on delicate ground. But Serena cared little, she was a girl and she was not going to let the matter pass without being heard for a change.

"I know ... You are a very busy man, but children need attention and dedication" Serena continued sounding more critical than she would have wanted "And I know that she does not ..."

"Estimate," interrupted her boss. "You Estimate, you don't know a thing. And if you think you do, wouldn't it be a little early to trust the results for the one time that I have entrusted you my daughter".

"So maybe you shouldn't have entrusted her to me, all you had to do was the small sacrifice of going to see Kloe's performance," Serena snapped coldly, just as she has expected, he wouldn't see the reason even if it was his daughter.

Elliot got up from his seat and glared at Serena. "Do you have any children? Miss Jean" he asked ironically without realizing the wound that those words opened "I supposed it" he smiled without humor "when you'll have children you will know the offense that is caused when someone who doesnt know anything of the field tries to teach you a lesson".

Serena had to make an effort not to end the urge to hit him and just before she lost her composure she picked up her bag and started to leave the office.

"I might not have children, but I know how what it takes to raise them," she faced him again, "did you know that there are girls who are picking on her?" She observed the palpable surprise on Elliot's face "I supposed it" she turned and left without knowing what to do about it.