Tamara

Inhaling a deep and calming breath, Tamara approached the little boy hesitantly, like someone approaches a wounded animal - carefully and calmly, making sure to smoothen her expression to one void of anger.

She tried, she really did. The boy took one look at her twitching face and started crying harder.

What now, it's not that bad? Is it?

Zeina calls you dragon lady for a reason you know, a thought in her mind mocked. You go all red in the face and be fuming from the ears and nose, quite the sight!

Shut up you! I don't look that bad! The kid is just overreacting!

"Stop your moping kid! I'm not going to hurt you."

The child's sobs didn't lessen. Actually, he looked like he's crying harder.

Bloody hell!

Remember when she said you'd make a good actress in a horror movie.

I don't look that scary, she gritted her teeth.

"There, there," she tried again, calmly, trying to clear her face of emotions.

Holy, moly, father of macaroni! He's just a kid! A kid you almost pummeled to his death! Hug him for heaven's sake! Do something! Her conscience scolded.

She immediately silenced the voice. If she let her conscience rise now, she'll be swamped with guilt. She needs to see if the child is hurt first and then she'll allow herself to get embarrassed and ashamed.

She walked toward him without him noticing her presence, she started caressing his small frame trying to see if he was hurt in any place as best as she could in this dimly lit alley.

He flinched and shied away from her but she wasn't deterred.

I'm barely touching him for God's sake! She thought angrily. I couldn't be scaring him now too?! Should I stop breathing as well!!

She noticed her phone discarded a few steps away, she reached for it and put it beside her to get some light and continued probing his ribs since he landed on his front.

"Stop squirming idiot!"

Thankfully, his face didn't take the burn of the fall and neither his head...his arms, however, were splattered with blotches of colors.

What? Did he fall that hard that the concrete painted his whole arms? She abruptly raised his ripped sleeves higher startling him, he squirmed harder trying to get away, but Tamara was determined. She noticed that the bruises look somewhat yellow. They're old ones?!

Nah! You must've bashed the kid badly! The bruises cant be old otherwise it won't hurt him as such. look he's bawling his eyes out like he wants to pop them out of their sockets! The voice in her head said.

If Zeina heard of this or Fannie...
Tamara shuddered at the thought.

Great! Now you've given that obnoxious woman a chance to tackle you with her venomous words. You'll be her hot new topic to tattle and whisper about during her tea meetings; Turning other women against you until she has a mop of angry, bloodthirsty mothers and grandmas chanting: "Off with her head".

You gotta love those overprotective, highly emotional, ragingly hormonal, and unconditionally loving mamas! Shaking her head.

"Kid! You alright! Stop trying to boil your eyes in tears and answer me! I swear, I'm not as crazy as I appear, er, maybe a tad bit...Haha!...But I said I won't hurt you," she cleared her throat when the child simply kept the running tap of his tears open.

Ugh! What do mothers do when kids start crying?!

Hmm...baby bottle if they're hungry.

No, he's too old!

A rub on their belly perhaps...

Hmm, isn't that a method to show your love for a pet!...but it could work, right?

She rubbed his tummy, but the child twisted out of her reach and his sobs rattled his whole body.

I guess it works on pets only! She shrugged.

Hmm...yup! I got it! A song! Kids like singing!

She cleared her throat and said," er, I am going to sing. You better stop crying!"

She coughed a few times and started.

I came in like a wrecking baaaaaaall.

I never hit so hard in loooove,

All I wanted is to -

she was about to continue but when she opened her eyes after losing herself in the rhythm, she noticed the boy's horrified stare.

She immediately clamped her lips shut and chanted in her mind repeatedly: Don't cry! Don't cry! Don't cry!

Suddenly, as if reading her thoughts, the boy burst into hysterical tears.

"Okay, calm down! I guess you don't like that song. I don't like it too. How about another one?" She stole herself and sang another song.

My song know what you did in the daaaaaaaaark!

So light them' up, up, up!

light them' up, up, up!

I'm on fire!

Oh, God! It's not working! She groaned and stopped singing.

She mentally huffed, I guess he doesn't like this one either. Shame, he's missing some good songs!

Okay, deep breath Tamara. No worries! You are not an expert in the motherly department and you clearly haven't gained an ounce of experience from observing mother-children relationships. No big fucking deal!

Who else might- oh, of course! Zeina! Sweet, compassionate, and kind Zan!

Yes of course! Zan is an orphan and she used to mingle with other kids, so she might know what to do!

She imagined Zeina in her head replying to her request, she would probably say something between the lines off, A good waking on the head would definitely stop the tear flow. They can't cry while they are unconscious right? Or tell him that if he doesn't stop the waterfall, the thirsty night creature will sniff his tears and come after his blood!

Okay! Maybe Zan isn't an ideal person to give advice on children. She is crazier than crazy! But no one can blame her, the girl had it rough! Being a bully used to be her daily job that she used to commit to a tee, but only to those who deserved it.

Okay, another idea...I need a fucking idea!

She kept chanting in her head. She was close to tears from frustration and she was scared someone would hear his voice and think the worst of the situation and her!

"You okay!" A moment later and a hesitant, small voice snapped Tamara out of her trance.

She looked at the kid in her arms, she didn't notice that her arms were wrapped around him in a comforting embrace. She looked into his big brown eyes and found him staring at her with fear. Her clever reply came out as: "huh?"

"I asked if you were okay?! You looked constipated!"

"I'm not! I just don't know how to deal with...you know: small, dependent, tantrum-prone, snot-nosed and piss smelling...beings!" She said the last word in a tiny whisper accompanied with a gulp.

"You mean kids."

"Yeah, those...them."

The child looked at her weirdly...not that he wasn't right! She felt utterly weird and nuts! Who doesn't know that children are also called kids!

Of course, she did, but her brain is lagging and going into moments of the absolute shutdown.

The child sniffed and wiped his tears and snot by the sleeve of his faded and torn shirt.

"So...you are not going to punish me for stealing?"

"Oh, I am definitely going to." She scoffed and her eyes narrowed on impulse as her mind recalled the fright he caused her.

She felt him stiffen, so she cleared her expression and monitored her tone. I don't want him to start that bawling episode again!

Thoughts, anyone?

Tamara you crazy woman! Who does that *LMFAO*

I love the song by FOB, Who else likes it? No one, just me...okay!

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I appreciate your feedback.

Later alligator :)

Love,

Eva