"Are you ready for the first day?" An man in his late 60's asked his new replacement. He had a trimmed peppered beard and stood about 5'7", sporting a happy smile.

"I'm well pr'pared." The younger by about 40 years said.

"Good to hear. I'm sure this will be a great experience for you." He replied as he packed up his brief case, hastily looking at his watch as soon as the clasps clicked closed on a messy stack of papers inside.

"I'll see you tomorrow bright and early!" He waved and left the room, leaving the very tall, very skinny, very Swedish kindergarten teacher to his solitude.

He sighed when acquainted with the new silence and slowly strode over to the desk that had his papers strewn about. He picked up the roster and skimmed over the names of his first ever kindergarten class. He tried to calm the bundle of nerves in his stomach at the thought of little children running, screaming and ruining his newly acquired classroom. He's never dealt with kids so young before. He was more trained to deal with high schoolers, but with this economy you have to take what you can get and make do.

Sitting in his chair behind his new desk, in his new room, he regarded the colorful walls and posters and sighed, yet again, wondering how exactly he's going to get 23 kids to like him.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

~Meanwhile

"Are you excited for school Peter?" Tino asked while holding hands with his son on their way home from the grocery store.

"No." The small little blond replied to his 'Mama'.

"Wha-? Why not?"

"Because you won't be there." Tino couldn't hide his smile, the warmth he felt in those words coming from his tiny son. He stopped walking and bent down to little Peter's level on the sidewalk.

"I wasn't there all the time when you were in preschool either but look at all the friends you made and fun you had without me there. Kindergarten will be the same except with different people and a new place. Think of it as a new adventure for you." He ruffled the little ones head.

"I miss Dad. . . Why isn't Daddy with us?" Tino sighed and turned his gaze to the ground.

"Because Dad has other important matters to attend to Peter. We talked about this remember? He'll come see you at least once every month."

"But why did we have to move?" Everything was all so confusing to the kindergartener and rightfully so. It's too young of an age to understand what exactly a divorce meant.

"Daddy and I need to be apart, but you and him don't so you'll still see him."

They stayed like that for a little bit until Tino felt the irritation in his legs from the position and rose back up to his standing height. Stretching out his legs a little he motioned for Peter to hold his hand.

"Come Peter, lets get home and I'll cook you your favorite and read you a story before bed. Does that sound nice?"

Peter nodded and took Tino's hand again, making their way home.