The Perfect Solution-A Suspense of Choices Read Online Free PDF Page A

the cots and asked him if he were ready for his snack. Taking note of his affirmative nod, she looked around in confusion. How was she supposed to get the required snack when no other adult was around?
    Frustrated by activities of the entire day, Stephanie shook her head. Shrugging her shoulders and knowing that she would have to leave twenty-odd children unsupervised, Stephanie walked out of the room. There was nothing else she could do.
    Brhin was still tracing the elephant when he heard footsteps approaching the classroom's door. He hoped it would be his auntie. Smiling expectantly, he looked towards the door. Neither of the two women entering the room resembled his auntie, so he resumed his tracing. Startled by one of the women stooping to his eye level, Brhin paused in his tracing.
    "That's a cute elephant," she said.
    Not recognizing the voice, he continued tracing the pattern on the table and didn’t answer.
    "Is that your name?"
    Brhin nervously tried to cover the entire elephant with the palm of his right hand, but had to resort to using both. Still he didn’t answer.
    "You are such a cute little boy."
    "Go 'way, lady."
    Brhin muttered under his breath. He hated it when people he didn't know spoke to him. It felt strange and scared him. It always bothered him when grownups would bend down and talk in his face like he was a baby. Some people thought of him as shy, but he really just didn't like talking to strangers, especially when his mother wasn't around.
    "May I help you?" Ms. Franklin walked into the room carrying the snack tray. She put the tray loaded with opened cartons of milk, graham crackers, and fruit cups onto the table in front of Brhin, and turned to face the woman.
    Swallowing the startled gasp that tried to escape from her throat at the sight of the large mole under the woman's eye, Stephanie looked down at Brhin. His lips were pulled in tight and he was tracing the shape of the elephant bearing his name with shaky little movements and a trickle of something crossed Ms. Franklin's mind. Before she could analyze the source of the feeling, the woman grabbed her attention by loudly clearing her throat before responding.
    "That looks delicious," said the woman. She stood and smiled at the teacher. "He should really like that."
    Ms. Franklin smiled in agreement. "May I help you? Did you come to get someone?" She asked.
    "Yes, I came to get Brhin."
    Brhin's head snapped up and he examined the woman's face. He didn't think he knew her and he knew he wouldn't forget seeing a woman with a mountain under her eye.
    "I've already signed him out and spoke to the lady in the office." She added.
    "No you dinit come to get me." Brhin stated plainly. "I don't know you. My auntie is coming to get me."
    "You just forgot, Honey." She rubbed his head gently.
    "No I dinit."
    Brhin swiped her hand from his head angrily and sat further back in his chair. He felt really afraid, a little angry and something was telling him not to go with the lady. Remembering the lesson he had just learned at Sunday school, he looked the woman in the face.
    "The Holy Spirit is telling me not to go with you." He defiantly crossed his arms, successfully showing that he would stand his grounds.
    “We don't want to talk about that kind of thing here, Brhin," The lady answered.
    "My momma told me to do what the Holy Spirit tells me. If it feels wrong, don't do it. That's what she told me. I don't know you."
    "And I'm trying to do what your mommy wants me to do." She knelt by his side. "Did you forget about McDonald's? We're supposed to go there this afternoon so you can play."
    "We're not.” Brhin shook his head violently in disagreement. “My momma said it's too cold outside and anyway we only go there on cartoon day. I want my auntie." He turned to the teacher. "My momma said she is sending my auntie to get me. My Aunt Phae will say the password and I’ll go with her."
    "I'm sorry, this is upsetting you Brhin," The woman attempted to rub his