Chapter 117 - How to be a good mum?

"Lily! Look! Look!" Adrien squeaked while his little hands had grabbed her arm and shook it vigorously.

"What is it, sweetie?"

With his little finger he pointed to the big screen. Blinking back to reality, Lily looked over and put the brochure about Marien kindergarden aside.

"No, they will hurt Anne-Marie?" Whimpered the toddler. His eyes were glassy as he stretched his arms up in the air and silently demanded Lily's embrace.

Gently she pulled the teary-eyed boy onto her lap and kissed him on the forehead. "Everything will be all right."

"Noooo! Look there is a crocodile." Adrien cried, rubbing his nose against her check. A stab flashed across her cheek. She gritted.

The bright colors were flickering on the screen. On a pool of water, she saw a little girl swimming unconscious on a wooden box. A ring of fire lashed around her, while a fat crocodile was already lurking in the depths. Tense orchestral music was seething in the background. Lily had not really followed the plot of the kiddy movie. She thought that a film with a talking dog would be child-friendly.

Soothing, she was reaching down to ruffle Adrien's soft hair. "Look, Addy! Charlie will save her."

Cautiously he lifted his head off her chest. Peeking curiously at the TV screen once again.

His eyes became all round with amazement. "Wow!" He cried out. While the dog saved the girl from drowning.

Adrien blinked, his cheeks a little flushed, eyes wide as he starred in astonishment on screen. Now she could actually feel relaxed again after the toddler finelly was leaning back and watching the show.

Lily picked up the brochure of the catholic Marien Kindergarden again and immersed herself once more in the literature that Alexandre had brought her. She needed to decide upon a kindergarten for the little one. But to be honest, she had no idea what was important. What preschooling would do for Adrien. She lacked the necessary experience.

Suddenly becoming a mother was a challenge. Crucial questions about education and care were new territory for her. Lily still had a lot to learn. Which is why her laptop was ready to use on the coffee table and always at her side was the Internet as her loyal advisor.

She was surfing in parent forums, child development cycle pages and educational online journals. But still she felt helpless. The more she dealt with the important issues of raising children, the more question marks danced through her mind. There was not even one person she could pray to for advice. After all, only a handful of people were aware of the secret concerning Adrien. And this people didn't know more about parenting than she did. So hope were to get books like "Parenting For Dummies" or "Mum's Survival Guide". Her new agenda for the week was: trip to a bookstore! It seems it took more than love to be a good mother. She felt like motherhood had to be studied at university to manage the job successfully.

But Lily was just a career changer who had somehow gotten the job, but had no idea what she was even doing.

Suddenly, she heard voices coming from the hallway. Pretty early for Alexandre, she thought, and was about to put the brochure aside when the door swung open and an elegant woman in a short-sleeved purple body-con dress with a flat collar stood in the frame. For a moment her eyes widened in astonishment. However, she quickly got rid of all emotions on her flawless face.