Light

6. Feelings

For that whole week, it was spent with Jack and the Banks' children in constant playful mode. Mary Poppins would always watch them but from a distance. Outside, the Banks sat on the grass beside Jack.

"Jack?" Annabel asked

"Yes?"

"Um... we've been wondering something for a while"

"And that is...?"

"Do you like Mary Poppins?" Georgie blurted out

"Georgie!" His older siblings exclaimed

"Isn't that quite a sudden question" Jack laughed

"Sorry" Annabel apologised while glaring at her brother "we were supposed to say it slowly"

"What? I didn't know..." Georgie pouted

"Do you?" John asked Jack

"Um..." Jack scratched his head "I don't know if I do"

"Is she fun to be around" Annabel asked

"Yes..."

"Do you always wanna hear what she says?"

"Yes..."

"Do you always wanna make sure she's alright?"

"Yes..."

"Do you always wanna be around her?" Georgie pitched in

"Yes..."

"It's confirmed." Annabel nodded "you do like her"

"Can't do much about it" Jack smiled sadly "I hardly doubt she likes me back"

"Is it because she's some strange magic being?" John teased

"Probably" Jack laughed

"Come on, Jack! You've got one week left here! Who knows when you'll see her again! Just tell her you like her" Annabel had a strange look of determination on her face

"Hmm..." Jack looked at the house "should I?"

"Yes. You should. If she denies it then at least you said your side of it" John stated

"Wait for the perfect chance, timing is everything" Annabel said

"You sound like you've done this before" Jack teased

"No way, I'm a girl. Every girl knows what a girl wants."

"Mary Poppins is a different type of girl though" Georgie laughed

"Right you are" Jack laughed

Just then, the sky began to cover up with dark grey clouds and small droplets of rain began to pour on their heads. Getting up from the grass, they hurriedly scurried back inside the house.

"Ugh rain" Georgie frowned

Mary Poppins watched them collapse onto the sofa one by one. She frowned at the sight of their muddy clothes.

"You're all awfully filthy"

Looking at their clothes, they grinned as they saw patches of mud scattered all over them.

"Hurry and take a bath now"

"Okay" the three charges upstairs, their footsteps heavily pounding the floors

"My my, one would think they were a bunch of elephants" Mary Poppins rolled her eyes "dirty ones at that"

"Kids will be kids, even if they're already teenagers" Jack grinned "I was like that too, my mother gave out to me a lot"

"I suppose so"

"What were you like as a kid?" Jack suddenly asked, curiously

"Me?" Mary Poppins paused, she had never thought about it before. Her childhood seemed like a long time ago now

"Can't remember?" He asked

"Don't be silly, of course I remember, just quite difficult to say because it would give away the era I was born in" she teased

"Ah, we wouldn't want that" Jack grinned even though he was still quite curious "you had a mother and father too I assume?"

"What is up with the ridiculous questions? Of course I had parents, how did you think I was born?"

"Knowing you, you could have come from anywhere" he laughed

"I had a mother and father, a lovely couple they were, they've moved on now"

"Me too" Jack stared in the abyss, reminiscing "I was quite young though. My father died when I was a baby and my sickly mother was the only one who raised me. After she died, I worked for Bert"

"Ah yes, Bert, a pleasant fellow"

"You were close with Bert right?" Jack tried to hold his tongue but failed, eventually asking the question anyway

"Yes of course, a pleasure to be around, I miss our days together, always so pleasant" she smiled

Jack felt a little pang of jealousy. Bert was a nice and wonderful man who taught him a lot of things, practically raised by him. Knowing that she was close to him made him wish that he hadn't asked that question.

"But of course, Bert has moved on and is living a life of his own, I don't expect him to continue following me around"

"I'd follow you around" Jack said suddenly at a slip of his own tongue

"Pardon?"

"I mean, you can always rely on me. I'll always be around if you need me"

"That's very kind of you to say" she smiled

His heart began to thump rapidly as he saw her smile. Irritated by his feelings, he couldn't bring himself to show her how he felt. She was sitting there, right next to him. It was the perfect moment to confess but his shyness overtook him and he failed to reveal it. Mary Poppins wasn't dumb, she could see Jack having a mini conflict within himself. Whether she caught on to his conflict is unknown but she was amused to see him tapping his foot vigorously and impatiently. The two sat on the sofa, side by side, not saying a word once again. They could hear the three siblings conversing upstairs but their voices were distant.

The rain continued to pour outside, not seeming as if it would end. Jack's battle within himself didn't seem as if it would end either. Awkwardly, Jack stood up.

"I should head off now, I'll be back tomorrow if you don't mind" he smiled awkwardly

Sensing his tension she gave him a warm smile "you can take my umbrella if you wish"

"No way, I couldn't"

"You'll get wet if you don't, you'll be back to return it tomorrow anyways"

"Well, if you don't mind"

Taking the umbrella, Mary Poppins handed it to him as he opened up the front door. Saying their goodbyes, Jack walked away full of regret. Sighing he walked down the muddy path slowly.

"That was pathetic" he mumbled

"Yes it was" the umbrella suddenly spoke

Looking at the handle Jack frowned at it "not helping".

"You've really got to be better than that" the umbrella teased

"And how? Do you have any helpful tips?"

"Nope."

Jack groaned "nice"

"You should do a romantic gesture" the umbrella suggested "how about a song? Some flowers?"

"I'm not sure if she's a fan of that" Jack sighed

"Do it now or regret it later" said the umbrella

"Helpful."