A/N: After writing for the secret Valentine's Exchange last month, this started brewing in my head.
Same universe as The Journey to Happiness, Branson and Crawley, Father and Child, Moving Forward, and Listening to the Wireless, but one where Sybil and Matthew live and Edith marries Sir Anthony in 3x03.
Unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: Not mine. All Downton Abbey characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV. I'm just playing with them.
Quin's First Day of School - August 1935
"Mama, must I go to school next week?" asked Quinlan, looking up from the coffee table where he was playing with blocks. His impossibly beautiful eyelashes blinking in innocence. Her middle child was the image of Tom aside from the eyelashes. If it wasn't for the ten-hour labour to bring him into the world, Sybil would have wondered if she had any part in his creation.
"Yes, you must, my darling Quin," said Sybil, who was nursing Cathleen. "You're five years old now and it is time for you to learn how to read and write and do arithmetic like Nora and Patrick." Quinlan was her sensitive, introverted child, who love nothing more than to be at home with his mother. Tom attributed this to the amount of time he spent with his mother in his early years after Sybil's hours were reduced at the Six Points Group at the start of The Depression.
Quin, ever quick, ran to get scrap paper kept in the kitchen along with a pencil and started writing his name on it. Meanwhile, Sybil switched Cathleen to the other breast and Aiden started to fuss. Once he was finished, Quin brought the paper to his mother. "But I can read and write, Mama. This says Quinlan." A slight toddler lisp could still be heard.
Sybil smiled at her young son. "Yes, it does darling, but you need to read and write more than just your name." At this juncture, Aiden's fuss became a full wail. "Quin, do you mind rocking Aiden for me?" Nora was at work with Tom. She had been offered an intern position at the Six Point's Group for the summer and Patrick was outside playing on the streets with the neighbourhood children, so Quin was her only help this morning.
"Yes, Mama." Quin dutifully went to gently rock the cradle that Edith and Anthony bestowed when they heard that Sybil was having twins and it was a Godsend since the babies would quiet down when rocked. "Hullo, Aiden. Mama needs you to be quiet, all right?" Aiden's wail quieted down to mere fussing for the time being.
Looking at her son rocking her youngest, Sybil was glad it was Quin who was with her. He had patience with babies and a knack to interact with them. Patrick, though older by three years, had neither the skill nor the inclination.
"But what else do I need to learn to read and write?" asked Quin, thoughtfully. He was a persistent child. Tom and Sybil learned early on that techniques that had distracted Nora and Patrick didn't work on him.
"Just about everything," said Sybil, who was putting Cathleen down on a large blanket on the floor, so she could feed Aiden. Her mother-in-law would have been horrified that the babies were on the floor, but Cathleen was the bigger twin and rolling everywhere now. It just wouldn't do to place her on the sofa beside her while she was busy with Aiden. "Please watch Cathleen and make sure that she doesn't roll off the blanket and don't step on it."
"Yes, Mama," said Quin, who moved himself to the edge to which Cathleen was closest and kneeled down on the blanket. After a few moments of quiet, he asked rather seriously, "Why can't I learn to read and write and other things from you?"
Sybil tried not to laugh but couldn't help but smile had her boy. "Because I don't know everything you need to learn."
Quin's eyes widened at this revelation. "Really, Mama? I thought you knew everything."
"I do know know more than you, darling, but not everything." Sybil adjusted Aiden who broke his latch. "Besides, don't you want to play with other children your age?"
Quinlan contemplated this for a bit. "I suppose," he said reluctantly. Moving closer to Cathleen, he pointed his finger at her. "Don't roll this way anymore, Cathleen." He then nudged Cathleen such that she was further from the edge. "Mama doesn't want you to roll off the blanket."
Cathleen made a noise at her brother that sounded suspiciously like a retort and then moved in a different direction.
Once his sister was safe, Quin thought a bit and then asked, "Why can't I have a governess like Henry and Alice and Emily and Felix?"
It took Sybil a bit before she could reply. Nora and Patrick have never questioned their lives, but Quin was very observant. Sybil was contemplating how to reply, when she remembered what Mary told her last week. "Well, Henry is going to start school next week just like you are?"
"Really, Mama?" asked Quin, brightening at the thought. "Will he be going to my school?"
"No, darling. I'm afraid not." Sybil moved Aiden to the other breast. "He's going to the boarding school that Ted and George attend."
Quin was crestfallen. He had hoped that his cousin would start school at the same time and the same place.
"Well, Patrick will be at the same school as you." Sybil hoped that this would assuage his fear.
After a little time to ponder the new information, Quin added, "But he won't be starting school like I will."
"No, but he'll be in a nearby classroom," Sybil offered. "Who knows, you might meet another little boy that you like."
"I suppose," Quin sighed. Seeing that his sister had rolled over to the other side, he shouted "No, Cathleen!" He then stood up and ran to the other side of the blanket to keep her in place.
That distracted Quin sufficiently to stop his questions, but Sybil knew that there would be more in the coming days. Later that night, when she reiterated the whole scene to Tom, he was sympathetic, but thought that school would do Quin some good.
The morning of the first day, Nora headed off to the secondary school with Tom, who would drop her off on the way to work. Patrick and Quin were ready shortly thereafter and Sybil, with the twins in a pram, walked them to the school. Patrick ran ahead when he saw some of his friends from last year, while Quin stuck closely by Sybil's side.
When they were nearing the school, Quin suddenly asked, "What if the teacher doesn't like me, Mama?" His eyes were wide and looking up at his mother.
Sybil stopped the pram and lowered herself to Quin's level and took his free hand in hers. "I know the teacher will love you. How could anyone not, darling? You are so polite and quiet and helpful."
"Do you think so, Mama?" asked Quin, looking at the hand his mother held.
"I know so, darling," said Sybil. "Would you like me to find your teacher for you?"
Quin nodded. "Yes, Mama."
With a kiss on his cheek, they started walking toward the school again. When they arrived at the gate of the schoolyard, Sybil approached the teacher welcoming the children at the schoolyard gate. Patrick was already in and playing with his friends. "Hello, This is Quin's first day of school. I was wondering who his teacher might be?"
"Hello," the teacher replied with a smile. "That would be Miss Bowen. She's right over there in the green skirt, talking to another parent." She pointed to a young woman with brown hair in a bun, chatting to a parent.
"Thank you," said Sybil and pushed the pram toward the teacher.
On their approach, the parent finished speaking to Miss Bowen and the teacher smiled at Sybil and Quin who were approaching her.
"Hello," said Miss Bowen, smiling at Quin, who returned a shy smile.
"Miss Bowen?" asked Sybil, holding out her hand.
"Yes, that's me," said the teacher, taking Sybil's hand to shake.
"I'm Sybil Branson and this is Quinlan." Sybil moved Quin closer to his teacher. "This is Quin's first day of school and he's a little apprehensive."
"Hello, Quinlan or do you prefer Quin?" Miss Bowen bent down to his level.
"Quinlan, please." Quin said in the smallest voice.
"Well, Quinlan, I'm Miss Bowen and I will be your teacher this year." She held out her hand for Quin to shake.
"Hello, Miss Bowen," said Quin, taking her hand to shake. "Are you going to teach me how to read and write?"
"Yes, I will," said the teacher. "And a number of other things as well."
"I already know how to write my name." Quin boasted proudly.
"You do?" asked Miss Bowen. "That's wonderful! Did you want to meet one of your classmates?"
Quin nodded.
Miss Bowen stood up, looked around and called out, "William, Can you come this way, please?"
A tow-headed child looked up from where he was playing and ran over to his teacher. "Yes, Miss Bowen?"
"This is Quinlan," said the teacher. "Can you introduce him to the other children in the class?"
"Of course." William smiled. "Come Quinlan. We're playing tag and Eddie is it."
Quin looked at his mother as if to ask permission.
Sybil smiled. "Go on. I'll see you after school."
Quin grinned and moved to hug his mother's legs. "See you later, Mama."
"Bye, Quin." Sybil blew a kiss to him before he ran off. Turning to his teacher, Sybil said, "Thank you very much, Miss Bowen. Quin is my shy child."
"They're all a little shy on their first day," said the teacher surveying the yard. Looking at Sybil, she asked, "Is he your first, Mrs. Branson?"
"No," Looking around for Patrick, Sybil spotted him near the tree in the yard. "My eldest is in secondary school and Quin's older brother, Patrick, is by the tree in the brown trousers. Neither of them were so apprehensive on their first day."
"I see," said Miss Bowen with a smile. "Well, I'm sure that Quinlan will do fine. We'll see you at three in the afternoon."
"See you then, Miss Bowen." Sybil then pushed the pram toward the gate to head home.
When the dismissal bell rang, Sybil was waiting with the pram by the fence just outside the gate. Children started streaming out of the school soon there after. She spotted Patrick first, who was chatting with a friend.
He waved at her and ran over. "May I play at Gordon's, Mama?"
"Do you have any homework?" asked Sybil. Patrick was notorious for remembering he had homework too late in the evening.
"Not on the first day," said Patrick with a grin.
"Very well," said Sybil, who leaned over to kiss her son on his cheek. "Be home by five to help with dinner."
"Yes, Mama." With that Patrick ran off to go with his friend.
After a little while, Quin could be seen coming down the steps with William. Seeing his mother, he parted ways with his friend and ran to her. "Mama!"
"How was your day, Quin?" asked Sybil, who was looking at Quinlan who had attached himself to her legs with a hug. "It was good." Quin looked up at Sybil from his position. Releasing her, he added, "When Miss Bowen taught the ABCs and I knew it all, she asked me to write the first ten letters on the blackboard."
"That's wonderful!" Sybil tousled his hair. "Do you want to come back tomorrow?"
Quin nodded vigorously. "I like school."
"I'm glad to hear that. Let's head home."
Later that night, when Tom came to bed, he asked about Quin's first day of school. He had attended a meeting on behalf of the Six Points Group that evening and had missed the conversation at dinner. "How did Quin do on his first day?"
Giving her husband a kiss before he settled in bed, she said, "He did very well and wants to go back tomorrow."
"Is that right?" Tom took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss, much relieved that the first day of school went well for their middle son.
"His teacher, Miss Bowen, is very nice." Sybil ran her hand over his cheek, covered with five o'clock shadow, and brought his face to her so she could kiss him.
When he broke the kiss, he replied, "I'm glad to hear. I know that you were worried about him."He then started to nuzzle his wife's neck.
Sybil sighed with pleasure. "I'm not worried anymore."
"Good," said Tom, who then proceeded to start unbuttoning her nightdress.
The Bransons then promptly moved their focus on one another's pleasure instead.
Finis!
A/N2: Thank you for reading. I'll add to this series when the mood strikes. Prompts welcome!