4. Potential
747 Words
Her favorite princess movie was Brave. In a world full of princesses and princes, leave it to Cissy to find a princess who not only didn’t need a prince to rescue her, as she didn’t want a prince and was the rescue herself.
So when they were walking down the street hand in hand, Cissy was on a full tirade:
“So her mother was turned into a bear… are there bears here, mommy?”
“Well, in the Mountains…”
“But we don’t live in Scotland.”
“There are several types of bears…”
“Do you think they were humans once?”
“I’m pretty sure they…”
“Look, mommy. It’s prince Li Shang.”
Summer almost tripped when Cissy jumped from Scotland to China just by looking through a window. A large dusty window. A man in a white robe was in there, practicing some moves with such grace that she felt mesmerized by it. He had a black belt on his waist and his moves were so gracious, so powerful, that remembered her of a panther. When he turned, she faced the same blue eyes she had bumped to at school.
His face opened in a huge smile and he strode confidently outside.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Her brain must have taken a leave of absence because all she could do was stare at him. His smile didn’t waver when he turned his attention to Cissy, who was looking at him with suspicious eyes.
“And who might you be, little one?”
“I’m Cissy, this is my mommy and you don’t look like prince Li Shang.”
“Well, that’s because he had to stay behind to take of…” he looked at Summer, seeming lost, and she mouthed “Mulan”. “Mulan” he added.
“But he is the best.”
“The best of us.” Blue eyes agreed with a wink. “I’m trying to be half as good as he is.”
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Aidan. Aidan Henderson. And you’re a little sprite, aren’t you?”
“I’m Cissy.”
He chuckled and looked at Summer.
“And you’re…”
“She’s my mommy.”
“Yes, Cissy, we’ve already covered that. I’m Summer.”
“Beautiful name.”
She rolled her eyes. Seriously? How cheesy was that?
A whole week had passed since they had bumped into one another and although she knew there was a new teacher, she had yet to meet him. Officially.
“So, I get you’re staying in Paradise Mountains?
“Well, for now I’m still at the inn. I’ve been checking some apartments, but this is the only one that really caught my attention.”
He turned to check the store behind him. Other than a dusty window, she didn’t see much. But for Aidan, it was everything.
“What do you see when you look through the window?” he asked casually.
“Dirt.” Answered Cissy and Summer blushed. She looked down to her daughter, in a warning, but Aidan laughed heartily.
“Yes, princess. But I see more than that.” And looking up to Summer: “I see potential.”
“Potential?” she echoed.
“Yes, potential. It can be a gym, or a dojo, or anything the heart desires.”
“And what does your heart desire?”
She had asked without thinking but when he looked at her, she blushed furiously. Great. Her foot was in her mouth. Again. Did someone distribute awards for the biggest fool in the world?
“Ice cream.”
Saved by Cissy.
Down on one knee, Aidan smiled warmly.
“ Is that what you want, sprite?”
“It is.”
He looked up, asking silently permission. When she nodded, a smile illuminated his face.
“An ice cream it is. What’s your favorite flavor?”
“Cookies.”
“Seriously? Mine’s chocolate. Do you know what they say about cookie flavor?”
“No, what is it?”
“That you don’t like to lose.”
“Who does?”
He laughed heartily at her answer and even Summer cracked a smile. She was used to Cissy’s sassiness but the truth was that the child’s ways use to disturb the majority of the adults that surrounded her. Cissy was precocious, way older than her five years old. She was observant and used to listening a lot and speaking her mind after processing everything she heard. If the answers were correct or not, well, that was another thing completely different.
She was the love of her life.
Aidan, however, didn’t seem disturbed by her constant questions.
“Mommy’s green.”
“Sorry?”
“Her flavor, silly. Chocolate chips with a green thing.”
“She means mint.” Translated Summer with a smile.
“Refreshing. Do you know what that means, sprite? That mommy tends to be very modest and prudent.”
“Really? What does that even mean?”
Summer laughed.
“Yes, Professor. What does that even mean?” she asked innocently. His smiled widened and although he was speaking with Cissy, his answer was for her mother.
“That she is someone very special and I’d like very much to get to know her.”
She was going to need a crowbar to take the foot out of her mouth…
- Writer
