"I'm not sure about this Pep. Maybe we should wait a year, you know just in case." Tony tries to argue as he paced the kitchen back and forth. Pepper was as calm as ever, newspaper in one hand, coffee cup in the other. "Tony, she's going to start this year. She's going to end up jumping grades as it is. Let her at least start with kids her own age." Pepper calmly explains as the elevator dings, announcing an arrival and the two adults turn to smile at the five year old who skips into the room.
"Well, look at you. Aren't you dressed smart?" Pepper says with a smile as she scoops her little girl up into her arms. They both turn to look at Tony, wanting his input. He pushed back his concern to smile at them.
"I think…. You look so smart, you don't need school. You should just go straight to work with mommy." He says placing a kiss to her temple, causing her to giggle at him. "Don't be silly daddy. I've got to go to school." Abigail giggles, as Pepper placed her back on the floor. Tony ran a gentle hand across her head, a soft smile on his face as she smiled back up at him.
"You sure you're ready for school?" He asks softly and Abigail sighs annoyed, a perfect impression of her mother. "Daddy," She whines and Tony just smiles at that. "Okay, okay, you want to go to school." He caves and raises his hands as Pepper picks up her own stuff for work and he watches Abigail as she imitates her mother as she collects her stuff for school.
Tony stands there and smiles at them and picks up his own equipment and follows Pepper and Abigail into the elevator. "So what are you looking forward to most today?" Pepper questions as the three of them pile into one of Tony's cars. "Other kids." She comments and Pepper and Tony look at each other, Pepper is glad that she's so excited for other children, having had a pretty secluded life so far. She knew a few children her age, but this would be a new experience for her and Pepper couldn't be happier, knowing that their little girl was excited to get out into the world. Sadly Tony was totally opposite, he would prefer to have her kept in the tower, where she could be kept safe and protected.
They had known by the time she turned one that she was exceptionally bright and Tony was both excited and terrified by that fact. He hated that she would go through so much seclusion like he did, but he was also glad that she would be able to achieve so much, because of her knowledge.
When they started to discuss her schooling, Tony was pretty adamant that he wanted Abigail to be home schooled and to nurture her talents on his own, Pepper though was pretty adamant that she had to attend a regular school, she needed to be socialised around people and get to know people her own age. In the end we gave Abigail her own choice, knowing she was clever enough to understand.
She had decided that she would like to attend some school. So she spent 18 months attending a part time and then she was excited to start school full time, much to the concern of her father.
They spent most of the car ride, in comfortable silence, Abigail was watching the world around her as Pepper chatted to one of her assistants on the phone. Tony just let his mind wander off to worrying about his little girl, leaving his side for the first time. He'd been difficult enough when he had to leave her for three hours three days a week. So now this was going to be really difficult for him.
They pulled up outside the red brick building in upstate New York. It was expensive and well cared for, the place was covered in security, because of the type of people who used the school for their children, it made Tony feel slightly better about the place, knowing it was safe, but he was still worried for Abigail.
He and Pepper both got out and let Abigail out of the car. She hiked her bag up further on her shoulder and Pepper and Tony both took one of her hands in theirs and heads up to the main door of the building. "You ready?" Pepper asks and Abigail smiles brightly up at her parents as they push open the doors and walk her inside. A new adventure is about to begin.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed. Comments much appreciated.
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