Post by Northern Ireland on Mar 1, 2011 0:03:31 GMT -6
It looked like a castle…. A big presti-indigenous castle… Tugging at the short skirt of her red jumper, Jennifer looked up at her Mama wondering if she would really have to stay all day. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate that they found something for her to do where she could have friends and playmates her own, well her physical age, but she was kinda scared. What if they didn't like her? Or maybe Mama, Papa, and Daddy would miss her? What if they wanted to play but couldn't cause they were all alone in the house for so long? They really only seemed to play one or two games that she couldn't play with them cause she was a little kid.... Maybe if they got too bored they would come get her? Nervously she reached out and clung to Mama's soft hand. It smelled like that lotion that made her smile. It must be a special occaison to Mama! Maybe they were really proud she was gonna make friends? Well now this was a cucumber! She didn't want to let them down....
"M-Mama? If you get bored or miss me... you can come get me okay?"
They were past the school gates where only the youngest and possibly newest girls were moving about in unladylike manners. Some girls were hugging and waving at friends while older teachers-ladies watched on with smiles, chuckles, or very few looks of disapproval. One lady seemed to have even a glare.... She shivered and pushed herself closer to Mama. The scent of hot spices seemed to help calm her... Thank goodness Mama had made her a special Spicy Yum-Yum Spanish lunch! She even promised to put in a sopapilla!
The warm but firm squeeze built up her courage as the steady rhythm of the beautiful heels her Mama always wore helped calm her heart. She could do this! The Argentine woman stopped them and lowered herself to the girl’s eye level. A spicy and earthy smelling hand brushed her bang to the side, she breathed deep to try and remember it. What if she needed to keep it with her? It would help calm her if she got too shy or scared… but school wasn’t supposed to be like those movies, so it probably wouldn’t be needed… Daddy, Mama, and Papa all seemed to think it was great for her to get to go to school….
"You'll be fine nina, I'll be back to pick you up around 3:30. You will be a good girl today and mind your manners, hm?"
Nodding wide eyed, North smiled trying to look like how some humans did when they were given orders by Daddy himself.
"Of course Mama- I mean yes Mama, I'll be really good and mind fem really really hardly.... but remember if you need me I'll be right here... Love you..."
She hugged the Argentine Nation and turned toward the slightly imposing cathedral-castle-like school.
"I hope you'll be good, or I might have to post-pone your piano lesson and I'm sure you wouldn't want that hm? Have a good day nina, I'll see you this afternoon."
"N-no I'll be really good Mama! You don't need to posterpone!"[/i]
She shook her head side to side rapidly, eyes wide as saucers with worry. The chuckle was lost on her.
“S-see you Mama..."
She turned trying to remember how the queen had once walked in front of her and attempted to mimick it as she was nudged to leave. She was soon following a group of girls behind the few teachers that were ahead of them, some kinder ones seemed to be moving to the back of the group to ensure none were left outside.
--------------------------
A silvery threaded brunette observed the children. Hard stone grey eyes creased heavily in a striking crow pattern. The severe frown added to the stern bun, stiff posture, and pristine black dress left the image of a living statue or perhaps a woman transported from the 40’s. The older woman was not pleased. They had given her an introductory class again... though the results she achieved may have shown that her method of etiquette lessons were far superior to those new-ideas some young women thought made good classrooms.. pish posh! The younger girls seemed to be a decent enough stock to start with... she'd break them of their fidgeting easily if they were placed into her most capable hands... though looking at the parents it was easy to see that they'd be quick learners... or at least be a lady by the end of the term. So many nice British parents... the few that only came with one luckily were just mothers so their fathers must be off working as men ought. She hoped the wives would keep to the right and not get into trouble without their little one to occupy their time... though some she could already see the glow of another soon to be little gentleman or little lady. She preferred that. And they all looked so pleasantly British... except for what seemed to be stragglers....
There was a girl who was with an older sister who she knew to be...of the Irish... it'd be terrible to be stuck with one of the slow dears... and a family who must also share some foreign blood... what a pity... Her girls shouldn't have to deal with such ruffians from those other countries... really no class at all... then again some poor children had no choice to be mixed... With a huff she set her glare on what had to be a trained up hussy or trophy wife. Unless it was a very oddly dressed Nanny. Really her chest had to be fake! And to trust a child to such a... a.... Spanish woman! Did they want her morally crippled? If that poor dear were in her class she'd have to be extra vigilant-Oh and she calls the "woman" Mama! She most certainly hoped the woman was not her mother... mayhaps a mistress... or after the girls father's fortune... yes it had to be that... And the what was their word for it? Puta? The puta was daring to look at her and raise her eye? Revolting... With a sharp nod of her head she beckoned the few girls still saying goodbye to enter.
"Come now ladies, we mustn't be late now..."
--------------------------
Classroom scene WIP still
--------------------------
She slowly walked out the door, lagging behind the other students that stayed later. The older teacher didn't seem too happy... and she did something wrong the first day... She promised Mama she'd be good! Mama was gonna be so mad... Her hands hurt… When she got out the door, she almost couldn't bring her head up to see Mama. She paused before walking a bit faster, but still ladylike-she had to behave like a proper lady- and went up giving a weaker than normal hug, but didn't let go as quickly.
"Hi Mama... How was work?"
"Are you alright nina? Did something happen today?"[/b]
Humming softly, she closed her eyes and leaned against her Mama before smiling and looking up.
"No nofing's wrong... School was just really boring and not much fun... can we go home now?"
Mama was warm, even her eyes were warm. Nothing like Ms. Feckless.... She shivered a bit before backing up to reach for Eva's hand before pulling it back and smoothing her hair and clothes. She checked her hands to make sure they were clean. Cleanliness is godlynes...
"Mama, it's not good to be messy right? Or talk when it's not your turn?"
"Hm? What're you talking about dear?"
"Yeah I'm- Yes I'm- Yes I am feeling..." [/b][/i]
She nodded and smiled. It took a moment to find the proper word.
"Normal...?"
Biting her lip she looked up, unsure if she was being proper.
"Just learned a lot today... Can we go now? I have to make sure I don't mess up my uniform."
"Then why is it that you're stammering dear?"
“It must be cause I had to learn so much..."[/b][/i]
Jennifer smiled and shrugged as she went her way out.
--------
The woman sneered at the trampy nanny before nodding at the few older ladies she had taught the year before turning to reenter her domain. The little one was somewhat a decent beginning... but those fingers... and speaking out of turn... and for an Irish... She shook her head as she went to grade the assessment she handed out.
--------
"Oh really, and what did you learn today?"
"F...fat cleanliness is next to godlyness and you shouldn't speak out of turn... and um... you shouldn't argue w-wi-wif an adult...? Oh and not to do f-fi-f-f... actions sloppily. And I should practice so my lisp goes away.... Speaking clearly is important to be understood in fe world. Why do you fink Mr. Sweden doesn't practice speaking?"
"...I see, is that all you learned today? Mr. Sweden? Ah...See...I don't know him personally, so I wouldn't know.... Is all you learned about today was about manners?"
When she spotted the car, she stayed close and walked "lady-like" making sure not to run or skip.
"No, but fere's a whole class for it. I had to practice penmanship and some really easy stuff fat I already know cause Daddy taught me when it happened. I fink fe big assessment will be a really good score, but fe open ended questions were kinda hard.... A lot of girls looked ready to.... I really liked singing cause fey said I had a nice voice."
"Open-ended questions? Such as?”[/b]
Mama opened the car doors with a beep, letting her happily enter as her mother went to the driver’s side.
"Well if England should have ensured Spain not recover from fe armada... or how fe American revolution came about and prevention or how and if America could become a colony again... Oh and one about ofer Nations and trade and fe Great War and World War two... One I really liked was fe literature question! Who was a superior aufor, Shakespeare or Voltaire! And fings like fat. I fink she was more testing us to see who knew what, cause a lot of girls weren't seeming too confident... fough some finished only a couple of minutes after me.... I fink I wrote too messy fough....."
"Hm, I see. So your teacher expected you to know such things even at your age? Messy handwriting isn't necessarily a bad thing though, just look at you're Daddy's."
"But Ms. Feckless said we should still be good at it... She said we're creamy crops and have good scenery... at least I fink fat's what she said... She seemed very m-she didn't like when a girl said we could just type... And she said she wanted to see what we know for fe test.... I... I don't fink it'll count too much...."[/b][/i]
She snuggled into the cool seat and buckled her own seatbelt carefully.
"Oh? And who is this Ms. Feckless, hm?"
"My teacher. She's gonna make us a lady even if some of us don't look promising. Can you cook and set fe table tonight?"
"Hm? What're you talking about hun? What do you mean by not looking promising to becoming la--...Hun, I was actually going to ask you to set the table tonight while I'm cooking dinner."
"Oh... well can't you do it? And cause a lot of girls were acting up in class and some were just bad."
"And why can't you do so Jennifer? Mm? How so?"
"Well cause fey wouldn't be quiet or fey were dirty and had fe uniform wrong... And one had to stand in fe corner after her test cause she talked back."
"...I see, though you never answered my first question. Why can't you set the table tonight, hm?"
"My hands are sore...."
She knew she was going to have to say why, but what if she got in trouble for it? She broke the promise… that was bad. It made her bad…
"I have something that might be able to help with that, why are they sore?”
“Well cause I did a lot with my hands....”
"Such as? I can't think of much that you would have to do that would make them sore in a day”
She didn’t want to tell her, but it’d be worse if she didn’t… and maybe if she didn’t say it all then it wouldn’t be so bad, and it’d be a white lie right? Cause then people would be in trouble and it would be her fault.
“Well I wrote all day..."
"That still shouldn't constitute for your hand being too sore to set the table."
“Well I had to scrub it..."
"You had to scrub what exactly?"
"My hands."[/b][/i]
She could feel them throbbing under her nails. Burning. But at least she didn’t earn the ruler… nobody needed that yet and she hoped no one would. Mama would understand why though, right? You couldn’t be messy to be a lady… Mama was never messy. She was always perfect.
"....And why did you have to do that?"
"Fey were dirty, and I kept getting fem dirty."
"But they don't have to be clean at all times, there are times when it's ok for you to dirty your hands. You don't have to go and clean them after every little thing."
"But you have to have clean hands to eat and so you don't blot your paper...."
"That may be, but you're not eating or using things involving paper all of the time."
"In class we do... and especially etiquette we need to be presentable... I'll set the table if you want... and I won't scrub so hard next time okay?"[/i]
She seemed mad… maybe she’d get grounded… She didn’t want that; she didn’t mean to be so messy. And she was one of the better students according to Miss…
"...I'll want to look at your hands when we get home, how hard exactly did you scrub them?"
"Too hard I guess... I'm sorry.... I'll do better tomorrow..."
"Alright, then how hard exactly is too hard?"
"I... there was a brush for us to use if we wanted... and I guess I just wanted to make sure... I... I won't do it each time tomorrow... okay?"[/i]
She looked out the window and hid her hands in her lap, face red. Lying was wrong… Daddy taught her that… Aisy taught her it even… and she still lied. What were they going to say when they found out? What was she going to do? She couldn’t just take it back. She already lied. She fidgeted and froze. Don't fidget it's not ladylike...
“…A brush?”
"Yeah like you get men-e-cures? I just did it too hard...."
"...A manicure shouldn't hurt though dear."
Maybe dinner would be a good distraction? Then she could stop…
"I did it too hard is all... What's for dinner?"
"...I can tell that you did, hm? Oh, I haven't decided yet was going to wait until after I got you. What are you in the mood for?"
"Um.... maybe.... um... can you make somefing Mr. Spain does? Tomato stuff? but spicy? Just somefing tomaotoey and spicy? Or um... anyfing really I guess...."
We'll see, just have to see what all we have and I'll see what I can do.”
"Fanks." [/b][/i]
The house was drawing near and they were parking. She waited a second as the car came to a stop before quickly fumbling with her buckle and hopping out to run and go hang up her uniform in her room carefully, even before the car was in park. She ran straight to change, not even offering a greeting to her Daddy. This was important! Once in her room, she meticulously inspected her hands before slowly undressing and hanging the entire uniform up to inspect it. It seemed okay…. Sniffing it didn’t show anything bad… She could wear it tomorrow if she made sure she just stood at recess, or asked to stay inside with Katie, Claire, and Mary. Frowning she wondered over why they weren’t allowed out with the other girls. Something changed on Ms. Feckless’ face when they read their greeting paper that didn’t happen with the other girls who got to go today.
Shuddering at the cold, she realized she had been staring at the cloth in just her panty! Quickly she went to her drawer and pulled out the long pajama pants Daddy gave her for Christmas and soft hoodie she accidentally borrowed from Uncle Alfred years ago. When she realized she had it the week later, she had been beside herself thinking she was a thief. It took a few minutes of her uncle’s reassurances to convince her it was a gift… It was one of her favorite comfort clothes, besides borrowing her Daddy’s fleece pajama pants and Mama’s pillow.
The soft materials were like a constant hug from two people who gave the best hugs in the world. Pausing a moment, she closed her eyes and imagined the hugs. Uncle Alfred’s were always so much fun! He would pick her up and spin her sometimes if she asked. He never went too fast or hugged too hard, even though he was super hero strong. And Daddy’s hugs made everything bad go away. Even if her own people were rioting and she hid, she always ended up in the warmth that never was silent. She loved that. Even if he never said anything, she could hear the ‘I love you’s’ and ‘I’ll protect you.’
Opening her eyes, she felt calmer than she had all day. It was time to go down, otherwise Mama might talk to Daddy about her hands… and she had to make sure they weren’t worried cause then they might find out about her lying… School wasn’t that great, but it had to get better right? And if they found out she lied, then they wouldn’t let her go back. With a deep breath she walked out of her room, making sure Sir Arfurkins was securely in her grasp. After today she deserved to be allowed to carry her Knight to dinner. She walked down the steps, heading toward the kitchen big smile on her face, though she felt ready to just lay down and sleep. School was hard work.
"M-Mama? If you get bored or miss me... you can come get me okay?"
They were past the school gates where only the youngest and possibly newest girls were moving about in unladylike manners. Some girls were hugging and waving at friends while older teachers-ladies watched on with smiles, chuckles, or very few looks of disapproval. One lady seemed to have even a glare.... She shivered and pushed herself closer to Mama. The scent of hot spices seemed to help calm her... Thank goodness Mama had made her a special Spicy Yum-Yum Spanish lunch! She even promised to put in a sopapilla!
The warm but firm squeeze built up her courage as the steady rhythm of the beautiful heels her Mama always wore helped calm her heart. She could do this! The Argentine woman stopped them and lowered herself to the girl’s eye level. A spicy and earthy smelling hand brushed her bang to the side, she breathed deep to try and remember it. What if she needed to keep it with her? It would help calm her if she got too shy or scared… but school wasn’t supposed to be like those movies, so it probably wouldn’t be needed… Daddy, Mama, and Papa all seemed to think it was great for her to get to go to school….
"You'll be fine nina, I'll be back to pick you up around 3:30. You will be a good girl today and mind your manners, hm?"
Nodding wide eyed, North smiled trying to look like how some humans did when they were given orders by Daddy himself.
"Of course Mama- I mean yes Mama, I'll be really good and mind fem really really hardly.... but remember if you need me I'll be right here... Love you..."
She hugged the Argentine Nation and turned toward the slightly imposing cathedral-castle-like school.
"I hope you'll be good, or I might have to post-pone your piano lesson and I'm sure you wouldn't want that hm? Have a good day nina, I'll see you this afternoon."
"N-no I'll be really good Mama! You don't need to posterpone!"[/i]
She shook her head side to side rapidly, eyes wide as saucers with worry. The chuckle was lost on her.
“S-see you Mama..."
She turned trying to remember how the queen had once walked in front of her and attempted to mimick it as she was nudged to leave. She was soon following a group of girls behind the few teachers that were ahead of them, some kinder ones seemed to be moving to the back of the group to ensure none were left outside.
--------------------------
A silvery threaded brunette observed the children. Hard stone grey eyes creased heavily in a striking crow pattern. The severe frown added to the stern bun, stiff posture, and pristine black dress left the image of a living statue or perhaps a woman transported from the 40’s. The older woman was not pleased. They had given her an introductory class again... though the results she achieved may have shown that her method of etiquette lessons were far superior to those new-ideas some young women thought made good classrooms.. pish posh! The younger girls seemed to be a decent enough stock to start with... she'd break them of their fidgeting easily if they were placed into her most capable hands... though looking at the parents it was easy to see that they'd be quick learners... or at least be a lady by the end of the term. So many nice British parents... the few that only came with one luckily were just mothers so their fathers must be off working as men ought. She hoped the wives would keep to the right and not get into trouble without their little one to occupy their time... though some she could already see the glow of another soon to be little gentleman or little lady. She preferred that. And they all looked so pleasantly British... except for what seemed to be stragglers....
There was a girl who was with an older sister who she knew to be...of the Irish... it'd be terrible to be stuck with one of the slow dears... and a family who must also share some foreign blood... what a pity... Her girls shouldn't have to deal with such ruffians from those other countries... really no class at all... then again some poor children had no choice to be mixed... With a huff she set her glare on what had to be a trained up hussy or trophy wife. Unless it was a very oddly dressed Nanny. Really her chest had to be fake! And to trust a child to such a... a.... Spanish woman! Did they want her morally crippled? If that poor dear were in her class she'd have to be extra vigilant-Oh and she calls the "woman" Mama! She most certainly hoped the woman was not her mother... mayhaps a mistress... or after the girls father's fortune... yes it had to be that... And the what was their word for it? Puta? The puta was daring to look at her and raise her eye? Revolting... With a sharp nod of her head she beckoned the few girls still saying goodbye to enter.
"Come now ladies, we mustn't be late now..."
--------------------------
Classroom scene WIP still
--------------------------
She slowly walked out the door, lagging behind the other students that stayed later. The older teacher didn't seem too happy... and she did something wrong the first day... She promised Mama she'd be good! Mama was gonna be so mad... Her hands hurt… When she got out the door, she almost couldn't bring her head up to see Mama. She paused before walking a bit faster, but still ladylike-she had to behave like a proper lady- and went up giving a weaker than normal hug, but didn't let go as quickly.
"Hi Mama... How was work?"
"Are you alright nina? Did something happen today?"[/b]
Humming softly, she closed her eyes and leaned against her Mama before smiling and looking up.
"No nofing's wrong... School was just really boring and not much fun... can we go home now?"
Mama was warm, even her eyes were warm. Nothing like Ms. Feckless.... She shivered a bit before backing up to reach for Eva's hand before pulling it back and smoothing her hair and clothes. She checked her hands to make sure they were clean. Cleanliness is godlynes...
"Mama, it's not good to be messy right? Or talk when it's not your turn?"
"Hm? What're you talking about dear?"
"Yeah I'm- Yes I'm- Yes I am feeling..." [/b][/i]
She nodded and smiled. It took a moment to find the proper word.
"Normal...?"
Biting her lip she looked up, unsure if she was being proper.
"Just learned a lot today... Can we go now? I have to make sure I don't mess up my uniform."
"Then why is it that you're stammering dear?"
“It must be cause I had to learn so much..."[/b][/i]
Jennifer smiled and shrugged as she went her way out.
--------
The woman sneered at the trampy nanny before nodding at the few older ladies she had taught the year before turning to reenter her domain. The little one was somewhat a decent beginning... but those fingers... and speaking out of turn... and for an Irish... She shook her head as she went to grade the assessment she handed out.
--------
"Oh really, and what did you learn today?"
"F...fat cleanliness is next to godlyness and you shouldn't speak out of turn... and um... you shouldn't argue w-wi-wif an adult...? Oh and not to do f-fi-f-f... actions sloppily. And I should practice so my lisp goes away.... Speaking clearly is important to be understood in fe world. Why do you fink Mr. Sweden doesn't practice speaking?"
"...I see, is that all you learned today? Mr. Sweden? Ah...See...I don't know him personally, so I wouldn't know.... Is all you learned about today was about manners?"
When she spotted the car, she stayed close and walked "lady-like" making sure not to run or skip.
"No, but fere's a whole class for it. I had to practice penmanship and some really easy stuff fat I already know cause Daddy taught me when it happened. I fink fe big assessment will be a really good score, but fe open ended questions were kinda hard.... A lot of girls looked ready to.... I really liked singing cause fey said I had a nice voice."
"Open-ended questions? Such as?”[/b]
Mama opened the car doors with a beep, letting her happily enter as her mother went to the driver’s side.
"Well if England should have ensured Spain not recover from fe armada... or how fe American revolution came about and prevention or how and if America could become a colony again... Oh and one about ofer Nations and trade and fe Great War and World War two... One I really liked was fe literature question! Who was a superior aufor, Shakespeare or Voltaire! And fings like fat. I fink she was more testing us to see who knew what, cause a lot of girls weren't seeming too confident... fough some finished only a couple of minutes after me.... I fink I wrote too messy fough....."
"Hm, I see. So your teacher expected you to know such things even at your age? Messy handwriting isn't necessarily a bad thing though, just look at you're Daddy's."
"But Ms. Feckless said we should still be good at it... She said we're creamy crops and have good scenery... at least I fink fat's what she said... She seemed very m-she didn't like when a girl said we could just type... And she said she wanted to see what we know for fe test.... I... I don't fink it'll count too much...."[/b][/i]
She snuggled into the cool seat and buckled her own seatbelt carefully.
"Oh? And who is this Ms. Feckless, hm?"
"My teacher. She's gonna make us a lady even if some of us don't look promising. Can you cook and set fe table tonight?"
"Hm? What're you talking about hun? What do you mean by not looking promising to becoming la--...Hun, I was actually going to ask you to set the table tonight while I'm cooking dinner."
"Oh... well can't you do it? And cause a lot of girls were acting up in class and some were just bad."
"And why can't you do so Jennifer? Mm? How so?"
"Well cause fey wouldn't be quiet or fey were dirty and had fe uniform wrong... And one had to stand in fe corner after her test cause she talked back."
"...I see, though you never answered my first question. Why can't you set the table tonight, hm?"
"My hands are sore...."
She knew she was going to have to say why, but what if she got in trouble for it? She broke the promise… that was bad. It made her bad…
"I have something that might be able to help with that, why are they sore?”
“Well cause I did a lot with my hands....”
"Such as? I can't think of much that you would have to do that would make them sore in a day”
She didn’t want to tell her, but it’d be worse if she didn’t… and maybe if she didn’t say it all then it wouldn’t be so bad, and it’d be a white lie right? Cause then people would be in trouble and it would be her fault.
“Well I wrote all day..."
"That still shouldn't constitute for your hand being too sore to set the table."
“Well I had to scrub it..."
"You had to scrub what exactly?"
"My hands."[/b][/i]
She could feel them throbbing under her nails. Burning. But at least she didn’t earn the ruler… nobody needed that yet and she hoped no one would. Mama would understand why though, right? You couldn’t be messy to be a lady… Mama was never messy. She was always perfect.
"....And why did you have to do that?"
"Fey were dirty, and I kept getting fem dirty."
"But they don't have to be clean at all times, there are times when it's ok for you to dirty your hands. You don't have to go and clean them after every little thing."
"But you have to have clean hands to eat and so you don't blot your paper...."
"That may be, but you're not eating or using things involving paper all of the time."
"In class we do... and especially etiquette we need to be presentable... I'll set the table if you want... and I won't scrub so hard next time okay?"[/i]
She seemed mad… maybe she’d get grounded… She didn’t want that; she didn’t mean to be so messy. And she was one of the better students according to Miss…
"...I'll want to look at your hands when we get home, how hard exactly did you scrub them?"
"Too hard I guess... I'm sorry.... I'll do better tomorrow..."
"Alright, then how hard exactly is too hard?"
"I... there was a brush for us to use if we wanted... and I guess I just wanted to make sure... I... I won't do it each time tomorrow... okay?"[/i]
She looked out the window and hid her hands in her lap, face red. Lying was wrong… Daddy taught her that… Aisy taught her it even… and she still lied. What were they going to say when they found out? What was she going to do? She couldn’t just take it back. She already lied. She fidgeted and froze. Don't fidget it's not ladylike...
“…A brush?”
"Yeah like you get men-e-cures? I just did it too hard...."
"...A manicure shouldn't hurt though dear."
Maybe dinner would be a good distraction? Then she could stop…
"I did it too hard is all... What's for dinner?"
"...I can tell that you did, hm? Oh, I haven't decided yet was going to wait until after I got you. What are you in the mood for?"
"Um.... maybe.... um... can you make somefing Mr. Spain does? Tomato stuff? but spicy? Just somefing tomaotoey and spicy? Or um... anyfing really I guess...."
We'll see, just have to see what all we have and I'll see what I can do.”
"Fanks." [/b][/i]
The house was drawing near and they were parking. She waited a second as the car came to a stop before quickly fumbling with her buckle and hopping out to run and go hang up her uniform in her room carefully, even before the car was in park. She ran straight to change, not even offering a greeting to her Daddy. This was important! Once in her room, she meticulously inspected her hands before slowly undressing and hanging the entire uniform up to inspect it. It seemed okay…. Sniffing it didn’t show anything bad… She could wear it tomorrow if she made sure she just stood at recess, or asked to stay inside with Katie, Claire, and Mary. Frowning she wondered over why they weren’t allowed out with the other girls. Something changed on Ms. Feckless’ face when they read their greeting paper that didn’t happen with the other girls who got to go today.
Shuddering at the cold, she realized she had been staring at the cloth in just her panty! Quickly she went to her drawer and pulled out the long pajama pants Daddy gave her for Christmas and soft hoodie she accidentally borrowed from Uncle Alfred years ago. When she realized she had it the week later, she had been beside herself thinking she was a thief. It took a few minutes of her uncle’s reassurances to convince her it was a gift… It was one of her favorite comfort clothes, besides borrowing her Daddy’s fleece pajama pants and Mama’s pillow.
The soft materials were like a constant hug from two people who gave the best hugs in the world. Pausing a moment, she closed her eyes and imagined the hugs. Uncle Alfred’s were always so much fun! He would pick her up and spin her sometimes if she asked. He never went too fast or hugged too hard, even though he was super hero strong. And Daddy’s hugs made everything bad go away. Even if her own people were rioting and she hid, she always ended up in the warmth that never was silent. She loved that. Even if he never said anything, she could hear the ‘I love you’s’ and ‘I’ll protect you.’
Opening her eyes, she felt calmer than she had all day. It was time to go down, otherwise Mama might talk to Daddy about her hands… and she had to make sure they weren’t worried cause then they might find out about her lying… School wasn’t that great, but it had to get better right? And if they found out she lied, then they wouldn’t let her go back. With a deep breath she walked out of her room, making sure Sir Arfurkins was securely in her grasp. After today she deserved to be allowed to carry her Knight to dinner. She walked down the steps, heading toward the kitchen big smile on her face, though she felt ready to just lay down and sleep. School was hard work.
