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He tried to tell them, but they wouldn't listen. Being a child muffles your voice in the presence of adults. If only... The Perfect Solution.
His single mother, Catrine, loves him.
His aunt and uncle and cousins love him.
The teachers at his daycare center, the Perfect Solution, love him.
And someone in the shadows, watching, following and planning,
loves him so much she’s ready to destroy countless lives to have him
and call him her son.
Everyone loves three year old Brhin Teddi.
A terrifying look into the world of childcare, its weaknesses
and the terrible cost of those weakness.
"Is that your name?"
Brhin nervously tried to cover the entire elephant with the palm of his right hand, but had to resort to using both. Still he didn’t answer.
"You are such a cute little boy."
"Go 'way, lady."
Brhin muttered under his breath. He hated it when people he didn't know spoke to him. It felt strange and scared him. It always bothered him when grownups would bend down and talk in his face like he was a baby. Some people thought of him as shy, but he really just didn't like talking to strangers, especially when his mother wasn't around.
"May I help you?"
Ms. Franklin walked into the room carrying the snack tray. She put the tray loaded with opened cartons of milk, graham crackers, and fruit cups onto the table in front of Brhin, and turned to face the woman.
Swallowing the startled gasp that tried to escape from her throat at the sight of the large mole under the woman's eye, Stephanie looked down at Brhin. His lips were pulled in tight and he was tracing the shape of the elephant bearing his name with shaky little movements and a trickle of something crossed Ms. Franklin's mind. Before she could analyze the source of the feeling, the woman grabbed her attention by loudly clearing her throat before responding.
"That looks delicious," said the woman. She stood and smiled at the teacher. "He should really like
that."
Ms. Franklin smiled in agreement. "May I help you? Did you come to get someone?" She asked.
"Yes, I came to get Brhin."
Brhin's head snapped up and he examined the woman's face. He didn't think he knew her and he knew he wouldn't forget seeing a woman with a mountain under her eye.
"I've already signed him out and spoke to the lady in the office." She added.
"No you dinit come to get me." Brhin stated plainly. "I don't know you. My auntie is coming to get me."
"You just forgot, Honey." She rubbed his head gently.
"No I dinit."
Brhin swiped her hand from his head angrily and sat further back in his chair. He felt really afraid, a little angry and something was telling him not to go with the lady. Remembering the lesson he had just learned at Sunday school, he looked the woman in the face.
"The Holy Spirit is telling me not to go with you." He defiantly crossed his arms, successfully showing that he would stand his grounds.
“We don't want to talk about that kind of thing here, Brhin," The lady answered.
"My momma told me to do what the Holy Spirit tells me. If it feels wrong, don't do it. That's what she told me. I don't know you."
"And I'm trying to do what your mommy wants me to do." She knelt by his side. "Did you forget about McDonald's? We're supposed to go there this afternoon so you can play."
"We're not.” Brhin shook his head violently in disagreement. “My momma said it's too cold outside and anyway we only go there on cartoon day. I want my auntie." He turned to the teacher. "My momma said she is sending my auntie to get me. My Aunt Phae will say the password and I’ll go with her."
"I'm sorry, this is upsetting you Brhin," The woman attempted to rub his head again and he jerked back further. "But this was all arranged after you were brought to school. Your auntie is busy and your mom forgot to give me the password." The woman smiled sweetly at Brhin before turning to the teacher. "I guess it's because she is so ill. She's been ill and trying to fight it all week, probably the flu."
"No, I won't go." Brhin shouted and slapped his palm on the table. His little body filled with fear and anger sat stiffly in the chair.
Every argument Brhin gave to the contrary, the woman explained away. The teacher tried to stay focused on the conversation while keeping a wary eye on the activities going on around the room, but soon gave up. The children were pulling out containers and tossing out the contents of puzzle pieces, small toys and blocks. Irritably, she thought about how it would take the rest of the afternoon to clean the room and in exasperation, Stephanie removed Brhin from his chair and placed him in the woman's arms.
"Listen Brhin its time to go home. I have to take care of the other children. It’ll be all right. Soon you’ll be home with your mother and all will be well."
Placing a tight grip around Brhin's angry, struggling body the woman informed the teacher about his jacket.
"Black leather, zips down the front with an attached hood."
Crossing the room to the coat closet Stephanie reached in and removed the jacket from the hook bearing Brhin's name. A folded piece of paper fluttered unnoticed from his pocket and onto the floor of the closet. Before being carried out of the room Brhin tearfully begged the teacher to call his mother. The misery in his little eyes tugged at Ms. Franklin's heart and she took a step towards him. Nearing the woman's right shoulder, Stephanie watched the tears roll down Brhin's cheeks and a rush of doubt crawled up her spine.
"Ma'am? Maybe I..." she reached to remove him from the lady's grasp.
The woman interrupted her by abruptly sidestepping and walking towards the door, saying 'I can't stop now, I have to take him' as she walked out of the room. Increasing her pace, she rushed down the hallway and practically ran out of the double-glass doors.
Further Interviews:
- The Author Explains Premise of Novel
- Excerpt- Catrine
- Excerpt-Austin
- Excerpt-Brhin
- Interview with Catrine Teddi
- Interview with Austin Sanchez
- Interview with Brhin-Kristoffer
- Interview with Mona Boots
- Book Page on Smashwords
- Love and other Stories
- Excerpt: Confronting the Workers
- Mona Celebrating
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