Chapter 3
**A New Chapter for Oliver**
The Kingston neighborhood had a reputation for being upscale, a perfect locale for someone starting anew.
Evelyn Greenwood was pleased with the two–bedroom apartment she rented. It had a spacious view and was decked out with brand new furniture. Even Oliver Baker’s little room felt cozy and inviting.
With Oliver’s help, she managed to do a thorough cleaning of the place.
After they finished, the sun had dipped below the horizon and Oliver was panting, mouth slightly agape, from all the work.
Evelyn settled next to him, beaming, “You did an amazing job, Oliver! What kind of reward do you want?”
He thought for a moment, dark eyes sparkling as he said, “I want a kiss from Mom!”
Without hesitation, Evelyn leaned down and placed a kiss on his chubby cheek.
Oliver’s face lit up, bursting into giggles.
“Are you hungry? I can take you out for something tasty if you’d like,” she asked, giving his little tummy a gentle poke.
“Yeah, yeah!” Oliver exclaimed, eagerly grabbing her hand.
Kingston boasted an array of culinary delights, but at his age, Oliver was picky about what he could enjoy.
Evelyn led him to a nearby food street, strolling through the vibrant stalls and picking up some delicious snacks.
They found a small table on the sidewalk to dig into their goodies.
Before long, Oliver became the center of attention, drawing in a crowd of onlookers.
Actually, it was Oliver, not Evelyn, who was the main attraction.
Every little move he made was sheer adorable, and people couldn’t help but be charmed.
A girl approached, her eyes shining, “Excuse me, can we take a picture with your son? He’s just too cute!”
“Thanks for the compliment! I can share some tasty food with you, but no pictures, okay?” Oliver generously offered her a
candied fruit skewer.
Rejection left the girl momentarily crestfallen as she looked at the sweet stick he held out. “But why not? I really want to remember this moment!”
“Because I have to eat delicious food with Mom! I don’t have time for pictures,” Oliver replied, still chewing on a piece of fried goodness.
The girl persisted, “I can wait until you finish!” She was clearly smitten with the little boy.
“We’re gonna eat all night! I really can’t stop for a picture,” Oliver declared seriously.
No one could eat that long, and it was clear he was denying her. She walked away, disappointed.
Ex–husband’s regret
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******
The others looking for a photo op dispersed as well.
With a smile, Evelyn bought Oliver a small tofu dish. “Hey, Oliver, let’s not eat too much or we’ll feel sick. After this, we should head home, okay?“.
“Okay!” he replied, nodding obediently.
After finishing up their tofu, Oliver and Evelyn made their way back home.
As usual, Evelyn read Oliver a bedtime story, watching over him until he drifted off to sleep before sneaking out.
In her study, she started sorting through Oliver’s enrollment paperwork.
The reason they had returned to Kingston was to set him up for school.
Kingston offered the best education resources in the country; she couldn’t let Oliver bounce around with her forever.
.
Morning broke with the shrill sound of the alarm.
Oliver was up too, diligently brushing his teeth at the sink.
It was a stretch for him, so he had placed a chair in front of the sink to stand on.
Evelyn whipped up two fried eggs and boiled noodles topped with a plate of vegetable sides.
After a hearty breakfast, they set out.
They were headed to Kingston’s most prestigious elementary school, Kingston First Academy.
Today marked the first day back at school and the perfect time for registration.
*
Evelyn packed Oliver’s documents in his backpack, holding his little hand as they walked to the registration area.
The reception teacher, upon seeing Oliver’s size, waved them away, “You must be in the wrong place, ma’am. The kindergarten is next door; this is the elementary school.”
“Actually, we’re in the right place,” Oliver spoke up, stepping forward, his little mouth breaking into a polite grin. “I’m here for sixth grade, so please sign me up.”
The teacher, a middle–aged man, froze in surprise.
In the midst of his astonishment, Oliver opened his backpack, revealing his documents along with a stack of completed
tests.”
“Look, I did these last night!” Oliver said proudly.
The teacher’s eyes widened.
The tests contained challenging problems meant for the school’s top students competing in national math contests.
“Did you really do these?” he asked incredulously.
Ex–husband’s regret
The others looking for a photo op dispersed as well.
With a smile, Evelyn bought Oliver a small tofu dish. “Hey, Oliver, let’s not eat too much or we’ll feel sick. After this, we should head home, okay?”
“Okay!” he replied, nodding obediently.
After finishing up their tofu, Oliver and Evelyn made their way back home.
As usual, Evelyn read Oliver a bedtime story, watching over him until he drifted off to sleep before sneaking out.
In her study, she started sorting through Oliver’s enrollment paperwork.
The reason they had returned to Kingston was to set him up for school.
Kingston offered the best education resources in the country; she couldn’t let Oliver bounce around with her forever.
Morning broke with the shrill sound of the alarm.
Oliver was up too, diligently brushing his teeth at the sink.
It was a stretch for him, so he had placed a chair in front of the sink to stand on.
Evelyn whipped up two fried eggs and boiled noodles topped with a plate of vegetable sides.
After a hearty breakfast, they set out.
They were headed to Kingston’s most prestigious elementary school, Kingston First Academy.
Today marked the first day back at school and the perfect time for registration.
Evelyn packed Oliver’s documents in his backpack, holding his little hand as they walked to the registration area.
The reception teacher, upon seeing Oliver’s size, waved them away, “You must be in the wrong place, ma’am. The kindergarten is next door; this is the elementary school.”
“Actually, we’re in the right place,” Oliver spoke up, stepping forward, his little mouth breaking into a polite grin. “I’m here for sixth grade, so please sign me up.”
The teacher, a middle–aged man, froze in surprise.
In the midst of his astonishment, Oliver opened his backpack, revealing his documents along with a stack of completed
tests.
“Look, I did these last night!” Oliver said proudly.
The teacher’s eyes widened.
The tests contained challenging problems meant for the school’s top students competing in national math contests.
“Did you really do these?” he asked incredulously.
Ex–husband’s regret
tests.
“Look, I did these last night!” Oliver said proudly.
The teacher’s eyes widened.
The tests contained challenging problems meant for the school’s top students competing in national math contests.
“Did you really do these?” he asked incredulously.
Oliver nodded.
The teacher turned to Evelyn, “This is remarkable! Is this truly his work?”
“Yes, I can assure you,” Evelyn smiled confidently.
She had always been proud of Oliver.
After a brief moment of silence, the teacher stood up, wearing a broad grin. “I can’t make this decision alone. Follow me; we’ll need to chat with the principal.”
Unlike his previous dismissive attitude, now he looked as if he might burst with excitement, his gaze glued to Oliver as if he were afraid he might vanish.
Evelyn and Oliver agreed and followed him to the principal’s office.
The principal, an elderly gentleman with graying hair, had a serious demeanor but softened significantly upon meeting.
them.
Initially stern, he couldn’t help but beam after challenging Oliver with some questions,
In that moment, he became like a grandfather, completely enchanted by the boy.
He personally handled Oliver’s enrollment request and escorted him to a sixth–grade class.
Oliver’s enrollment was a success, and Evelyn released a sigh of relief.
The school had a system for bus transport; there’d be meals provided in the cafeteria, so Evelyn just needed to prepare breakfast and dinner while dropping Oliver off at the bus stop.
Watching Oliver walk into his classroom, Evelyn expressed her gratitude to both the teacher and the principal before heading home.
The house felt tranquil, a little chilly without Oliver nearby.
Evelyn didn’t waste any time–she opened her laptop and began submitting her resume online.
By that afternoon, she received several calls for interviews from various companies.
The next morning, after seeing Oliver board the bus for school, she hopped on a different bus to attend her interviews.
Armed with her design portfolio, she visited several companies, where interviewers were impressed with her work.
To her surprise, she received offers from all of them.
Ex–husband’s regret
The house felt tranquil, a little chilly without Oliver nearby.
Evelyn didn’t waste any time—she opened her laptop and began submitting her resume online.
By
that afternoon, she received several calls for interviews from various companies.
The next morning, after seeing Oliver board the bus for school, she hopped on a different bus to attend her interviews.
Armed with her design portfolio, she visited several companies, where interviewers were impressed with her work.
To her surprise, she received offers from all of them.
After careful consideration, she chose to join an education organization as a tutoring instructor.
This job allowed for flexible hours, aligning perfectly with Oliver’s school schedule. She could be home by the time he got back.
On her first day of work, Evelyn and Oliver walked out of their apartment together.
The school bus arrived right on time, and Oliver high–fived her. “Mom, I hope work goes well!”
“Have a great day in class, buddy!” Evelyn replied.
Oliver nodded, excited and ready for his first day.
