"Mum" Caroline turns around, "Yes Flora?" Flora puts her school bag on the kitchen bench. "Mum, I got teased again today" Caroline looks up at the roof, holding back her tears. A ten year old should never have to put up with this, Flora had already been through enough in her young life, Caroline thinks. She turns to her daughter, taking her in her arms. "You know what sweetie, you are as strong and resilient as what I am" Caroline's mind then switches to headmistress mode "Tell me the names, and what they each said" Flora looked at her mum "mum, do you have to?" Caroline smiles and nods. "They just teased me because you don't look like me, and that I don't have a dad like they do" Caroline knew that sending Flora to a expensive private school there would be problems like this. Caroline can't wait for Flora to start at her school, that way she can keep a closer eye on Flora.
Caroline has found it difficult to raise Flora on her own. The original plan fell through from the start. The plan where it was meant to be Caroline & Kate raising the child together, deciding together where she will be going to school, so on and so forth. Instead Caroline had to do it all on her own. And more. "Mum, could you tell me more about my mum, well my other mum, please?" Caroline's thoughts was interrupted by her daughter. "Well, sweetie firstly your mum was beautiful, she had these brown eyes that I'd always seemed to get lost in, she had this amazing smile, that whenever I saw it I knew that everything would be ok, she was nice, nice as in, she was never mean about anything, and she was kind, caring and very loving, she loved you so much and couldn't wait to hold you in her arms…" Caroline trails off at that moment; she can feel the tears running down her face. Just thinking about Kate does that to her. "You remind me so much of your mother, in so many ways" Caroline kisses her daughter a top of her head, "Right kiddo, dinner is ready, go and wash up while I dish up" And she watches her daughter run off.
"Flora, you still haven't given me those names yet" Flora sighs, its at this moment that Caroline can see Kate in her daughter's eyes. "Brandon, Colton, Jamie and Elsa" "Ok, Right" Caroline makes a mental note of the names, for when she talks to the head teacher in the morning. "So how was your piano lesson this afternoon Flora?" "Yeah, fine mum, I'm getting better" Caroline smiles. Although Caroline is not musical, she knew that Kate would of wanted Flora to take some sort of music lesson, and Caroline knew instantly that piano was the right music instrument for Flora. As Caroline was cleaning up after dinner "Flora do you have any homework?" Flora nods, "We have to do a family tree" Caroline laughs, she remembers having to do this with the boys, but back then it was a little bit easier than now. Flora pulls out the worksheet and tries to hand it to Caroline (who has wet hands) "Hang on, how about you read it to me" Flora gives Caroline the run down, with the words 'this is the children's work, not the parents' sticking in Caroline's mind.
Caroline and Flora sit at the kitchen table across each other. "Right, we'll start at the bottom, you, and work our way up, does the work sheet mention how far back we need to go?" Flora nods, "To our grand parents" "Ah, that makes it a little easier for this family" Caroline replies, Flora writes her name on the bottom of the piece of paper 'Flora Grace McKenzie-Dawson' and then Caroline instructs her to draw a line above her name. "Right then draw a horizontal line across the page, just a small one, yep that's perfect, and hanging off each end will be Mum and I" She watches Flora write Caroline Elizabeth McKenzie-Dawson and Katherine Abeke McKenzie-Dawson "wow, so neat Flora, well done, right now, do some dotted lines off my name, yep perfect, that is where Uncle John's name goes, remember his last name is Elliot, with one T, and then a line going down, yes, perfect, right that is where your brothers go, William first and then Lawrence" Caroline looks at the paper, it is already starting to get full. "What next mum?" Flora asks. "Right lets go up from me, where we'll look at Gran" Flora draws her lines "First I'll put Gran" she says with a big smile, writing Celia's name. "Mum, where do I put Granddad?" Caroline thinks which granddad is she talking about? "Which one Flora?" Flora looks at her mother confused. Alan, Flora was never really told about Caroline's father Kenneth. "Right, Alan, well he comes off Gran on this side, because we have more information for him" Flora writes Alan Buttershaw. Caroline nods in approval. "The other side of Gran" Caroline points, "that is where my dad goes, his name was Kenneth" she watches as Flora writes the name.
"Who is next mum?" after Flora had finally finished Caroline's side of the family so Caroline then explains Kate's side of the family, once Flora was done, "Right, Flora your done" Caroline says with an exhausted smile "Time for bed" Caroline says while checking her watch, she can't believe it took a hour and a half for all of that. Flora cuddles Caroline, "Are you going to come up and kiss me goodnight mum?" Caroline nods, "I'll be up soon, don't forget to brush your teeth" Flora runs out of the room and up the stairs, meanwhile Caroline cleans up the table from all the pencils and textas, and heads upstairs to Flora's bedroom.
Caroline walks into the room and looks around 'This room really needs a repaint' she thinks to herself as she sits on Flora's bed. The room won't get a repaint, Caroline knows that because Kate painted the room, and Caroline wants to keep the room as it is. "Mum, you look sad" Caroline looks at Flora "I'm just tired sweetie" Caroline stands over Flora, fixes her bedding and kisses Flora on top of her head "I love you so much Flora" "Love you too Mum" Caroline walks to the door, and stands there as she watches her daughter fall asleep. 'She is so much like Kate' Caroline thinks to herself as she closes the door.
"Beverly, I need the phone number of Flora's school" "I'm onto it Caroline" Caroline can't believe that many years later Beverly is still working for her. "Here Caroline, and did you want a cup of tea?" Caroline nods, and types in the school number. "Hello, this is Caroline McKenzie-Dawson, Flora's mum, can I please talk to Mrs Smith?" "Please hold while I get her Mrs McKenzie-Dawson" "It's Doctor" but the phone had already gone quiet. "Dr McKenzie-Dawson, how are you, I understand you want to talk to me about Flora?" "Mrs Smith, yes please, Flora came home last night after her piano lessons a little bit upset, all because four of her classmates were bullying her about her family and the way she looks" Caroline looks at a photo on her desk, of herself and Kate on their wedding day. "Names, oh, yes, I have them, Brandon, Colton, Jamie and Elsa, they teased her about how she doesn't look anything like me and that she doesn't have a father either" "Well, Dr McKenzie, children can be cruel, you should already know that" Caroline rolls her eyes, she has dealt with a lot of bullying during her time as head teacher, but this time it is her daughter, Kate's daughter; and Caroline would do anything to protect that little girl. "It's bullying, you and I both know that Mrs Smith, and I want something done about it!" Caroline has met Mrs Smith on many occasions, and hated her from the beginning. Flora had been at that school longer that what the head teacher had been, Caroline had considered moving Flora, but decided against it because she knew how happy Flora was at this school. "I'll talk to the students in question, tell them to leave Flora alone, is that all?" "Yes, thank you" Caroline hangs up the phone, glad that she didn't get too angry and kept her cool.