The Perfect Day for Murder

The Perfect Day for Murder.
“Mom!” Michael called from his bedroom. “Mom!” he called again a few moments later “I’m coming Michael” here we go again I thought as I made my way to his room which was just two doors down from mine. “Yes?” I replied as I poked my head in through the bedroom door “Will you tell me a story please?” he asked. I knew it. “Okay but only one, and then you’ll go to sleep. Okay?” I told him “Okay.” He said brightly. Then as if on cue Bree and Joy poke their heads out from under their blankets and look at me expectantly. “What kind of story do you want me to tell tonight?” I asked them “A romance!” Bree my oldest child yells. “No!” Michael complains. “I want an adventure story.” Joy my second born finally decides. “Well I want a magical story” After thinking for a few moments I began their nightly story. Joy and Bree snuggled deeper into their Winnie the Pooh bed sheets. As Michael grabbed his favorite stuffed animal Dinosaur and hugged it tighter.
“The end…” I glanced over at Michael who at the moment was snoring softly. Then over to Joy who was rolling over in her sleep and sighing contently. And now I finally checked on Bree… she was the hardest to get to sleep out of the three even though she was the oldest. I stood real still hoping that this time she had actually gone to sleep, “Bree, are you awake?” no response. Yes! Tonight was a success. I quickly and quietly headed toward the door and exited the room being careful not to step on anything on my way out. Even though my life isn’t perfect I still have it pretty good I have my three angels.
Bree, Joy, Michael, and I live in Salt Lake City, Utah in a four bedroom house. It was September and school starts tomorrow, at least for Bree. Bree is six years old. She has blue eyes, blond hair, and the most adorable smile in the world. Joy is five and has sandy colored hair, blue eyes, and dimples. Last but definitely not least is little Michael who is three. Although they are related Michael is completely different from his sisters, he has green eyes, red hair, and freckles sprinkled across his nose and cheeks. My name is Amy Grant I am a thirty four year old single mom. Brian, their dad left this summer said that he’d had enough, well his loss, Michael, Bree and Joy were gifts. I work at the school Bree will be going to, Sand Springs Elementary School; I am the third grade teacher. So when Bree goes to Kindergarten tomorrow I will teach twenty five third graders in the morning and Martha Bowman will teach the afternoon students. Martha has been my best friend since elementary school we met when we were in first grade and we have be friends ever since. Martha is married to a man named Connor, they are the perfect couple. I don’t think that they have ever had a fight. Since they can’t have children they are planning to adopt the adorable baby girl that they have been fostering for the past year and a half, she hasn’t known anything else since she is only two. Her name is Silvia and she is so sweet she is like a poster baby; she has the blonde hair blue eyes and the biggest dimples I have ever seen.
“Come on Bree or we will be late for school!” I had to be at work by eight and it was seven twenty with at least thirty minutes of driving to get there. “Coming!” she calls as she bustles down the stairs. “Come on Michael and Joy we have to get down to Aunt Martha’s so Mommy can go to work.” There eyes lit up at the sound of “Aunt Martha’s” name they just love her. They both grabbed their coats and went out of the house leaving the door wide open as usual. “Wait for me!” I called as I grabbed my bag and coat, “Bree come on, we have to go.” I turned around expecting her to be watching cartons or something but she was all ready. But she was looking down with tears falling down her cheeks. “Bree, what’s wrong?” I walked over and got on my knees so I was her height. She looked up at me and replied “I don’t wanna go to school.” She flung her arms around my neck and started to sob. “Why not?” I replied suddenly alarmed, she had been so excited the past few weeks and now she was sobbing in my arms. “Because…because you won’t be…be…there…” she stuttered. My heart ached as she spoke the words that I had been keeping to myself. “Oh, baby its okay. I’ll see you when you when school is over and Uncle Connor is going to come and get you when home.” I paused before continuing “I know that daddy won’t be there this year but… Uncle Connor, Aunt Martha and I will be there for you always. Okay?” I gently pulled her back so I could look at her, and the tears slowly stopped and she asked “Promise?” I gave her a big hug before saying “I promise.” She gave me a big hug and kiss before saying. “Let’s go Mom or were going to be late for school!” I glanced down at the watch around my wrist and with a lurch I realized that it was seven forty five, I was going to be late again…oh well.
“Come on Joy. I said as I unbuckled Michael from his car seat. “I’m coming.” She said as she slid out of the car and on to the rough gravel road. “Let’s go.” I said as I grabbed Michael and Joy’s hand. The three of us walked to the front porch of Martha’s beautiful house. I quickly knocked on the door and within twenty seconds Martha opened the door and ushered the two kids into the house. “Thanks Martha! You’re a lifesaver.” I said as I hugged Michael and Joy good by. “Be good you two. Okay?” I asked them they both nodded at me in agreement. “I will be here to pick them up sometime around three thirty. If that’s okay with Connor.” I said to Martha as I stood up. “That’s fine Connor will be here until five and I will be back around four twenty.” She replied as Michael and Joy ran over to Connor who had just entered the room. “Bye! I’ll see you later.” I called even though they didn’t reply I knew that they heard me. I ran back to the car and clicked my seat belt into place as I twisted the keys to start the engine. It was eight thirty seven; school started in twenty three minutes, and I still had at least another fifteen minutes of driving I would need a miracle to get there on time…
“Mommy, will we make it to school?” Bree asked as we drove down the black road on our way to Layton. “We will be fine.” I told her, I hoped I wasn’t lying to her when I said this even though I was sure we would make it. “Come on!” I hollered at the windshield. There was a dump truck in front of us doing ten below the speed limit. I pushed on my horn and the driver seemed to get the hint for he sped up. Only then did I notice that he wasn’t speeding up I was slowing down. I pulled the car over to the of the freeway to see what was wrong I hoped out of the car and I took one quick glance and I knew I had a flat. “No!” I screamed, as I kicked the deflating tire, then pulling my foot back in pain because I kicked too hard. Why does this always happen to me! And to finish up my good morning it started to rain.
I jogged over to the car to get in and call in late for work when a silver sports car pulled in next to me. I heard the engine click off as a man climbed out of the front seat. “Are you okay?” he asked as he closed his car door, “Umm…yeah, I got a flat.” He looked at me sympathetically and replied “Do you have a spare?” and being me I wasn’t prepared for this sort of thing. So I unwillingly answered. “No…” he put his hand above his eyes to keep the rain out of them while saying. “Where are you headed?” he asked politely, “Layton,” I replied quickly. I was starting to get cold. “Well… I’m headed there now so if you want I could give you a lift.” My eyes widened in surprise as I replied “Really?! That would be great, but do you have room for my daughter? She’s in the car still.” He smiled broadly before continuing “Yeah, I’ve got room.” Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I was saved! “I’ll go get her. Okay?” I told him as I headed towards my car. “Okay and I will clear the back seats.” He replied as he headed to his sports car. As he drove we talked, at first it was awkward but as time went on we both seemed to relax. His name was Lakota Forono. He had lived in Arizona since he was four and then decided to move up to Utah this summer because of work. He worked as a therapist in Layton and he was headed to work as well.
“We’re here.” Lakota announced as we pulled into the Sand Springs Elementary School, with five minutes to spare. “Thank you so much!” I said earnestly as I opened the door and got out of his fancy car. “It was nothing.” he replied as he did the same. I went over to the other side of his car and helped Bree get her seat belt off. “I was just wondering.” I looked up at him before saying “Yes?” he shook his head. “Never mind…” I glared at him. “What?!” I was starting to get annoyed “Well…Would you Saturday?” he mumbled so low that I missed parts of it. “Sorry I missed that. What?” he took a deep breath before saying. “Would you go to dinner with me this Saturday?” he said slowly. What!? Why was he asking me out? I’m a kindergarten teacher who couldn’t afford the bumper sticker on his car and he was asking me!? “Uh…” I paused and my instincts took over. “Yeah! That would be great!” I replied enthusiastically. He looked up at me with a look of total joy in his eyes. “Really?! That’s awesome!” he replied as he bent down and swooped me into a bear hug. “I’ll see you at seven thirty Saturday night. Okay?” I was now in complete shock. “Yeah okay.” I replied. He then grabbed a piece of paper out of his coat pocket and wrote down his number. “This is my cell and work number okay?” I nodded. He tore off the page and handed me the pen. “Would you write down your number as well?” I nodded again. Man I must look like an idiot “I grabbed the pen and wrote down my ten digit phone number and then handed it back to him. “Great, I’ll give you a call later. Okay?” I finally managed to find my voice. “Sure, okay.” He smiled at me again his perfect teeth blinding me with their whiteness. Suddenly a big breeze picked up and the mop of brown curls was swept to the side of his head. Only then did I notice what he was wearing, he had a light blue sweater on with a pair of cream khakis. “See you later he said as he climbed into his car and closed the door not waiting for my response, which was good, because I didn’t have one.
At last the clock said three, I could go home. I walked to my car that the car service had brought; along with a knew tire that is. I grabbed my keys from my worn leather jacket and unlocked the car and was about to climb in when I notice that there was a bouquet of red roses in my seat along with a note. It read…
Dear Amy,
I hope you enjoy the roses!
You’re Friend,
Lakota Forono
I could feel the heat rising in my face, even though I had dated before, I had never received a flower bouquet. I got into the car and plopped down onto the seat. I couldn’t believe it! I had someone who was interested in me! I haven’t dated since Brian and I split up but, who knows, maybe he’s the one. And as every girl does when they have something to talk about I called Martha.
“No way…No way!” Martha exclaimed as I finished relaying the events of the morning. “I know! He even brought me a bouquet of roses!” Martha shook her head back and forth slowly before saying. “Well it looks like I’ve got some work to do.” I was lost. “What do you mean?” I asked. “I mean, I’m not going to let you dress yourself! We are going to go in a shopping spree!” My eyes flew open and I gasped in horror. “No! Martha no. I have plenty of clothes that I can choose from that are perfectly fine…besides I don’t have time, I promised the kids that I would go to the lake tomorrow afternoon.” Martha glared at me “Well Connor can take them.” I shook my head “No I-” Martha interrupted me “No you don’t you just don’t want to go with me…” she turned away. “It’s not that! Not that at all!” I took a deep breath before continuing “You know how much I hate shopping…and I’m not into the dating thing either…but he asked at a time when I wasn’t thinking. I normally would have said no.” she turned around with a look of total anger in her eyes. “You have been asked out before! And you didn’t tell me!” Oh crap. “I- uh-you-I-” I looked at her and stopped midsentence. “Well since you didn’t tell me about all the other dates that you could and should have had I’m going to make you look like a freaking beauty queen.” I started to interrupt her but thought better of it. “Don’t even try and tell me no.” I raised my hands up in retreat. “Fine you win!” She smiled smugly at me before saying. “We leave at ten o’clock tomorrow.” Ten o’clock came way to quickly…