A Time to Grow

The Wheels on the Bus

AN: Heyyy all, soo ya know quarantine life means extra time on your hands. I’m working from home and have been trapped in our “office” so that means I'm limited at what I can be doing soooooo guess who gets a random update. I’m hoping to get you all some more if there’s any of you still out there lol! Hopefully you’re all doing good, staying safe and staying home if you can during this crazy time.  I thought maybe we all needed a some fluff and somethings to take our minds off things

Addie - 11
Clara - 5

"Papa?" Clara asked from the backseat of the car as they came home from her gymnastics practice the one day. 

"What's up little one?" Maks asked immediately, hearing the nerves in Clara's voice. 

"I don't want to go to school." She said as her voice cracked. 

"Baby......" Maks said softly. A few weeks ago, they had gone to sign Clara up for kindergarten. She would be going to the same school as Addie. Addie was still there for two more years so they had hoped it would help with the transition for Clara. Clara had been extremely resistant to the idea however. On more than one occasion she had voiced her displeasure at the upcoming change in her life. This however was the first time that she seemed genuinely upset. In the past, she had simply stated that "No, I do not want to go to school." Then she'd move on with things like it hadn't happened. 

"I don't want to not be with you. I don't want to not be with Momma. I don't want to go somewhere without you. Please don't make me papa. Please." She said desperately. Maks looked back in the rearview mirror and could see her starting to panic and meltdown. 

"Sweetheart, can you take a deep breath for me. I'm going to stop and then we can talk okay?" Maks said as he realized they were near the park by their house. 

"No....home....please." She said as she tried to do what Maks had asked. He figured she probably wanted her lovies which were not going to be anywhere if they stopped. 

"Okay, we'll go home. We're almost there. Then we'll talk." He said gently. She nodded her head as the tears kept falling down her cheeks. Her breathing seemed to settle a bit and Maks focused on getting them home. Once they were there, he parked and went around to help her out of the backseat. Instead of jumping out however, she reached for him and wrapped her arms around his neck clinging to him tightly.

"I got you little one." Maks murmured, holding her tightly, he reached in and grabbed her gym bag and slipped it on his arm before heading into the house. 

"Hey....how was....oh did she fall asleep?" Peta asked as she seen Clara attached to Maks like a little monkey. 

"No. Actually...." Maks started but was interrupted by Clara's sob which made Peta look at the two in concern. 

"School." Maks said softly. 

"Ohhh."

"Papa, can we get Whiskers please?" Clara asked through her tears. 

"Alright love, lets go get Whiskers and then we'll head outside. Momma is going to come too okay? So we can all talk." Maks said as he rubbed her back.  

"I'm going to go tell Addie where we'll be. She's working on her English project." Peta said. Addie was taking an accelerated English program so she had a little bit of summer work. Maks nodded and headed towards Clara's room so he could gather her things before he headed out to the swing.

"Hey Buttercup." Peta said sitting down next to the two of them. Maks shifted and Clara slid between her parents. Her tears and sobs continued however as the realization of school had seemed to completely sink in.