Hide & Seek

Chapter 2
Finger Painting

Chapter Description: John is having a lovely morning at nursery but shouldn't he be at work?

II

The young brunette woman knelt down in front of John as he tried to sort out his thoughts. She seemed to read the befuddled look on his face as separation anxiety and sought to assuage his fears by assuring him in a sweet sing-song tone, “Don’t worry dear mummy will be back soon to take you home. Now you’re going to have some fun here with us.”

John looked quizzically at the woman, the fact that she was kneeling on the floor to be at eye level with him, the tone of voice she used, even her choice of words all seemed incredibly wrong to John.

“I’m Miss Dunn. What’s your name sweetie?” she asked, distracting him from his muddled thoughts.

“Johnny...er...John,” he replied, unsure even of how to say his name correctly.

Miss Dunn took his hands, slipping his delightful red mittens off. “I don’t think you’ll be needing these dear, I think it would be quite hard to play in your snow suit.”

“I put my hands in da mittens all by myself,” John suddenly announced. It seemed very important to tell the pretty lady this, so she’d know how clever he was.

Miss Dunn smiled indulgently down at him, “Well you are a clever little boy aren’t you dear? They are very nice mittens and I’m sure you’ll have them on again soon enough.”

John’s previous doubts evaporated as the nice woman heaped praise on him. He sat still while she removed his shiny red wellies and his snow-suit. The next thing he knew she’d picked him up under the arms and lifted him to her side. It was dizzying to be up so high, but exhilarating at the same time. For a few moments, John felt like he was actually flying. Miss Dunn carried him into a large playroom filled with exciting toys and other children. John couldn’t believe what he was seeing! The toys were so cool, he wished he had toys like this when... when he was a little boy.

John wasn’t sure why but at that moment he felt certain he was a little boy a very long time ago. But didn’t that mean he was supposed to be a big person now?

Miss Dunn plopped John down on the carpeted floor amidst a group of toddlers his age. With his mind again a mess John sat on his bottom and stared at his hands, his tiny pudgy fingers. There was something amiss here, but...

“Hello there Johnny!” a pretty young blonde woman chirped, again disturbing his thoughts.

John gazed up open mouthed at the woman, trying to come up with a reply. But he was distracted by her brilliant green eyes. For some reason he felt incredibly shy around strangers. The young woman leaned down and pointed at the overalls he was wearing. “That’s a nice teddy bear you have on your overalls. I’ve never seen one sewed on like that before. Your mummy must be good with a needle.”

John looked down at the fuzzy teddy on his clothes, brushing it with his hand curiously. It was so soft and comforting to touch and there was something about looking at it that made his head feel all tingly and silly again. He couldn’t help but grin at the fuzzy bear. The memory of the big teddy with the pretty eyes filled his mind and he looked up at the pretty woman and announced “I gots a biggah teddy at home.”

The pretty lady ruffled his hair. “Well we have lots of teddy bears and other cool toys to play with here. So I think you’re going to like it here with us,” she assures.

John was overjoyed, he loved playing and he could stay here all day if he liked it, that’s what mummy said. There was something different about this lady though, and now John knew what it was. “You talk funny,” he declared.

The woman chuckled and told him, “That’s because I’m not from around here. I’m from a tiny little country all the way on the other side of the world. It’s called New Zealand and I am called a Kiwi.”

John couldn’t help but giggle, what a silly name she had! “You Kiwi!” he told her between giggles.

“No, no,” she chuckled again, “my name is Abbie. I’m Abbie the Kiwi.”

John nodded with understanding. “Abbie da Kiwi,” he repeated.

“Exactly sweetie.”

John grinned; he was such a clever boy and now Abbie the Kiwi knew it too.

“You and me have to stick together Johnny because we’re both new here. I just started this week and you just started today, so we can look out for each other, okay mate?”

John nodded seriously, he felt very big to be looking after a grown-up. He was a bit upset when Abbie then got up and left him alone on the floor. He wanted attention, he wanted her to watch him play! He was starting to get really upset when she returned carrying a bunch of white sheets. John was proud he knew what colour white was. Abbie set about putting these white sheets over the other children and John saw that each had little holes for their heads and arms to stick out. Finally Abbie reached him and ordered, “Arms up.”

John complied right away and Abbie helped him put on the white sheet. As he got his head through he asked, “Why sheets?”

“They’re smocks sweetie, so you can finger paint and you won’t ruin your smart clothes. Your mummy would be very upset if you got paint all over that nice teddy bear she made for your overalls.”

John knew she was right. He didn’t like the smock, it was uncomfortable to have on, but mummy would be upset if he ruined his clothes and he wanted to be a good boy like she told him to be. Soon John had forgotten all about the silly smock, he had his hands covered in brilliant blue and red paint and he was creating great works of art on the canvas paper he was given. A generous amount of paint was on his face and in his hair too, but mummy would wash that out. Maybe he could have another bubble bath like last night...

It hit him with a rush. The memory of what happened last night, what mummy...Valerie, did to him. But it was all so hazy now. His life to this point felt like a very vivid dream; like it was real but he wasn’t sure. Maybe he was imagining it all. He could see certain images, maybe memories, in his mind, but there was no detail. All he was certain of was that he was a big boy. He was wearing big boy underpants after all, he could feel the soft cotton briefs around his loins. He was also sure that Valerie wasn’t his mummy, she was his girlfriend, that wasn’t pretend.

For several minutes John sat there collecting his thoughts and trying to remember more while all around him other toddlers happily smeared paint all over their papers and themselves. Luckily for him the caretakers all seemed to be busy with cases of paint in the eyes and other mishaps and he was left alone. It seemed the longer he sat there the clearer his mind became and he began to grow more aware of his surroundings. He realised how ridiculous he looked sitting there with his hands covered in paint. He glanced down at the paper before him and no longer had any clue what he was trying to create there, it just looked like a swirled mess of colours. He shouldn’t be here playing on the floor of a nursery, he should be at his office! What had Valerie done to him?

“How you getting along there sweetie?”

John was startled as Abbie suddenly appeared next to him looking over his ?artwork.’ “Oh my, what a pretty picture you’ve made, why I bet you’ll be the next Van Gough, Johnny!” she exclaimed in a sugary sweet tone that made John cringe.

John gestured for Abbie to come closer. After what happened this morning he wasn’t sure who he could trust but if he did nothing Valerie would be back in a couple hours and he’d be done for. He had to hope that she’d believe him. Abbie leaned in close and John whispered, “I’m not really a little boy Abbie, I’m a gwown-up... grown-up.”

Abbie smiled. “Oh so you’re a grown-up eh? That’s too bad, ?cause grown-ups don’t get to have juice and biscuits after painting.”

“I don’t care about juice, my girlfriend did this to me. I’m really twenty-four and I work for an insurance company as a claims adjustor.”

Now John could see that he’d gotten through to Abbie. She sat there in seemingly stunned silence. “Are you playing a game Johnny? Did your mummy tell you to say those things?” she finally managed.

“No, I told you Val isn’t my mummy, she made me wittle, I mean little, and you have to get me out of here before she shows up.”

Abbie looked John up and down before furrowing her brow and asking, “Why haven’t you said anything until now?”

“I was thinking like a little boy till now. I dunno why but now I can think like a big person again. Um, well mostly anyway. I was all lost until... Oh my God!” he squeaked in his little voice.

“What?” Abbie gasped.

“The smock. It covered over my clothes and that teddy bear. That has to be it. I need new clothes, quick!”

Abbie looked worriedly at John.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I just can’t believe this is all for real. I keep waiting for someone to jump out and tell me I’m on camera.”

John pleaded with her, “Look this is real, it’s not a joke, you have to get me new clothes and call the police before Valerie gets back!”

John breathed a sigh of relief as Abbie got up and rushed away. Now he just had to hope she was fast enough. He was having visions of Valerie showing up and sweeping him away in the pushchair, him powerless to resist until he was cheerfully cuddling that damned teddy with his mittened hands. Abbie was on her way to rescue him; now all he could do was wait.