On the Run

Chapter 15
On the Run

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Chapter 15

It was after 6 and John was sitting in the garden when he heard her calling, and went in to see Emmi walking form her room, obviously very wet her trainers not having held it.

“Oh poor baby, its daddy’s fault he should not have left you sleeping so long, but you looked so comfy”

Emmi whined “I’m so wet and my bed is all wet,sorwy daddy”

“Its ok sweetie, lets get you all clean and dry” taking her back to her room.

He slipped off the wet trainers and tossed in diaper pail, and took off her socks.

“You have a nice bath, and daddy will come wash your hair for you”

Emmi trotted off to her bathroom, whilst John laid out clean trainers and her pink ballet flats.

He washed and towel dried her hair for her, and took her wrapped in a towel and gave her the clean trainers, and then slipped the dress back on her, and the shoes on her feet.

“I should have woken you sweetie, daddy is sorry”

He brushed her hair, and put the yellow bow she chose in it.

“What would my princess like for dinner?”

John smiled

“Pizza what?”

Emmi smiled too

“Pizza with mushrooms “ she giggled

John looked mock stern

“Are you trying to clever with daddy?

Emmi said with a smile “No daddy pizza with mushrooms please”

“Ok sweetie, I will take one out of the freezer, and put in oven, you go play or watch TV”

Emmi went off almost skipping,

Once the pizza was in the oven, he went and whilst changing her bedding, he watched her playing with her dolls happily. He put the wet bedding in the laundry bag, thinking he was going to be doing lot of laundry.

He observed her as he changed her bed, how she gripped with whole hand, not with her fingers so much. He took a box of crayons and a colouring book out to the lounge area with him for later.

45 minutes later he called her that pizza was done, and she came and was put in her chair with a frozen bib, she tucked in hungrily, and had 2 bottles of juice as the pizza was spicy.

When she was done John wiped her hands and face and left her in her chair,he said

“You stay in there for a while, whilst I get something ready” He put the colouring book and crayons in front of her and said

“Here do some colouring to kill the time”

He went out into the garden, and out of sight, where he sat for 15 minutes. What he had for her out there was ready, but he wanted to see how her colouring was.

He came back and lifted her down, and took her outside where her new bike was sitting.

He told her to try it out but be careful as he put the pink helmet on her.

She pedaled it along the path and across the grass, obviously not as confident as she thought.

John had set the saddle a little high, so her feet barely touched the ground, so the training wheels came in contact with ground a lot.

He left her but still with her in view and went inside,

He looked at the coloring she did ,2 were barely started and were messy, the 3rdwas more complete, but lots of crayon outside the lines, obviously a child’s effort,

John wondered how much she realized how her motor skills had deteriorated, by the fact she has started 2 and given up, she had some frustration and awareness but that she had continued on the third showed acceptance.

John went out and said she play outside for 20 more minutes, Emmi was on the swing her bike nearby.

He said if it was nice tomorrow he would take her to the park on it.

John went back in and made himself a coffee.

He was sitting drinking it and watching a MASH rerun when Emmi ran in

“John, daddy there’s a police car in the drive!”

John went cold, but kept calm and told her to go to her room, till he called her.

The doorbell rang.

John looked out the window and saw a woman police officer at the door

John opened the door

“Good evening officer, what can I do for you?”

She smiled and said

“It’s not officer, I am off duty, I am Sophie Clark, and I am your neighbour, I just thought I would introduce myself and welcome you to the community”

John took a breath of relief and then answered

“I am John Sinclair. I just made a pot of coffee, please come in, and maybe I can pick your brains on this town?”

She said “That would be nice, but why don’t I go home next door, and change and then come back, and we can chat”

John said that would be nice, and he would make sure his daughter was clean and presentable, with a smile.

Sophie went off and said she would be back in 20 minutes.

John went straight to Emmis room, who had been eavesdropping.

John said it was all Ok, that actually it may be a good thing It would keep them on their toes, and a cop next door, would lessen any scrutiny.

Emmi was not sure, but seemed to trust John, her daddy.

“You stay here and when she comes back you can come meet her, she seems nice her name is Sophie,”

25 Minutes later Sophie returned this time in a nice short red denim dress, and had obviously put a little make up on.

John sat her on the sofa, and got her a coffee.

He told her he was a single father who was looking after his daughter after his ex-wife died. How he has not been there as much as he would have liked for his daughter, but now he was making up for it.

He told her he been in industrial equipment sales and had travelled a lot, But now he had quit,to look after Emily, and help her through the difficult time she is having.

Sophie said

“Well this is a very supportive community, almost too much sometimes “She smiled

She told him she was divorced, and no children, she had liked having the children next door to her.

John called Emmi to come meet Auntie Sophie

Emmi came out seemingly shyly

She and Sophie talked for a bit, Emmi relaxing as she did.

When Sophie asked her about school, Emmi looked at John and said she did not go, that she had left her old school.

John said he was thinking of home schooling till Emmi was ready to go back to proper school.

Sophie looked doubtful but said nothing.

John looked at the time and told Emmi she could stay up late as she had overslept her nap, and to go play in her room and he would come put her to bed.

“Bye auntie Sophie” Emmi said lisping and saying sothee as she went to her play room.

John explained to Sophie that Emmi was experiencing some issues after the loss of her mother such as bedwetting and thumb sucking, and that her therapist had said to indulge them, not try to confront them at this time.

That she was very advanced in some ways, yet regressed in others.

Sophie said that her aunt was on the local school board, and that a lot of them frowned on home schooling, but that she would talk to her aunt.

If not there were two schools in the town.one the state elementary school. And a private catholic girls school.

John said they were not catholic, and Sophie replied laughingly they will take any girl who parents can pay the fees, which were high.

It was actually a very good school, but she was biased as she went there, and she was sort of Lutheran.

John said

“Well that’s something to sort out once settled, and as far fees ,her grandfather left a trust to cover her education. At the moment it’s the mundane things, it’s harder than I thought just cleaning up, shopping, and doing laundry” He laughed

Sophie said

“as I said it’s a supportive community, I have lady who comes to clean my house twice week, I am sure she would do for you as well. Also there is a laundry service based on the edge of town>they pick up and deliver once a week”

Sophie now added “And as I work shifts I am home a great deal, and am happy to help out in any way, I enjoyed babysitting the girls sometimes”

Sophie also gave him the number of a local teenager who had a babysitting service who was reliable.

John offered a drink, and asked her to wait while he put Emmi to bed, said she was welcome to watch TV or peruse the book shelves.

He took a bottle of warm formula and went to Emmis playroom and said it was bedtime.

As he undressed her he whispered that it was Ok about Aunt Sophie, she was very nice and would be a big help.

He tossed her training panties in the laundry hamper, along with her dress, before lifting onto the changing table and putting two diapers on her, with a third folded as a soaker, then the plastic panties over them. Lastly a Barbie nightie which he attached her paci to.

He said she should go say good night to Auntie Sophie, and carried out to her

“Night night auntie Sophie, it was nice to meet you” she lisped

Sophie smiled back and said

“Sleep well Emmi, I am sure you and I will be good friends”

John took her back tucked her up in her new Barbie bedding and gave her, her bottle”

Once it was all gone, he kissed her good night, turned out the light, made sure the nightlight was working and left closing the door.

He and Sophie sat talking for another hour about things, he got information and numbers for several things, such as the school board, and the admissions or the girl’s school. He explained that he was not sure of her educational level as she had bounced from an English school to one Canadian school, then another as her mother was, well flighty.

Sophie invited him to a get together at the local community centre the next night that it would be a good place to meet some locals, and chat informally with her aunt from school board.

John said he could not leave Emmi home alone, and Sophie said she could sort that out, she could call Marie the babysitter right now, and set it up?

John hesitated but knew it was inevitable anyway so said go ahead.

Sophie called her and it was set up Marie would come at 6:30 so John could leave at 7PM

John and Sophie chatted about things, how he had job lined up at car dealership, but it was open ended as to when he started. Sophie about she came to be a police officer, and how it was a nice low crime area. She also told him that he must get Emmi registered for Amber alert, just come by the station.

After time passed Sophie left promising to come by to take him to the community event.

John spent the evening watching TV, and before he went to bed, he checked Emmi and gave her another bottle

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