Growing up
Prompt: Fitz's first day of school (age 5 or 6) and Cru is surprisingly emotional seeing her baby boy growing up...
Smock? Check. School bag? Check. Food, water, handkerchief? Check, check, check.
Cruella sighed heavily as she finally closed the front door of the house. Everyone was waiting for her in the car, where she could clearly hear joyful loud voices coming from, but yet she seemed hesitant; that morning she was anxious and she needed a moment, actually not just in order to check that nothing was missing. However, as she casted a look at the display of her phone, she realized that she had no time left and so, she just shook her head and started to walk.
"Is everything alright?" Isaac asked her with a hint of concern, as soon as she sat on the driver's seat.
She just shrugged, not looking at him. "Why shouldn't I, darling? It's not me starting elementary school today!" she said, throwing instead a glance at the rear – view mirror, just to catch her son grinning with enthusiasm.
Apparently, she was the only one that was seeing also the negative side of the thing.
Seeing the noisy crowd of parents and students gathering in front of the Storybrooke united school, Cruella felt even more nervous. The simple idea of meeting those people, and actually abandoning her precious boy with them for a whole morning, was giving her chills. However, after leaving Anita at the kindergarten just like the previous year, she knew that there was no excuse left to use. Soon – actually sooner than she wanted – the bell rang, the doors opened and so the Heller family was forced to become a part of that crowd.
Basically moving by inertia, they quickly climbed up the stairs and reached the first floor, where they were all welcomed by the sight of a red door and a smiling teacher. Instictively squeezing her son's hand a bit tighter, the woman took some moments to consider the figure of the young man that was introducing himself as "Teacher Edward White". Long black curls, dark eyes and a quite vintage fashion... She had seen him before, but where? Suddenly, she widened her eyes in horror, as she finally remembered that same face serving her gin at The Rabbit Hole no longer than three years before…
"I guess it's time to go… So, are you ready Fitz?"
Isaac's voice recalled her attention back on her son and immediately the horror became another one. In response to the excited smile on the boy's face and the sincere one that her husband was offering, Cruella couldn't give anything but a long and sad look. She didn't know why, but she wasn't totally okay at allowing him his first real step into growth; maybe she wasn't the one who wasn't ready after all.
"Yes, be good for mommy, my little puppy" she decided to say finally, bending on her knees. "Everything will be alright…"
He nodded and gave her a knowing look. "Yes, mommy, I will be" he replied and it was like he was calming her actually rather than the other way around.
She nodded too and then surprisingly hugged him, holding him tight longer than expected, longer than probably she had ever held him before. When they broke apart, she finally managed to make a smile, even if her eyes were unusually full of unshed tears. She felt emotional, she felt melancholy and yet proud, she felt her mother material side burst into her chest; in that moment, she knew, she could have probably said something very sentimental and therefore very unlikely. So, instead, she just cleared her throat and chose to say the first kinda nasty thing that came into her mind.
"I recommend you, show them all how well you can write your name in cursive!"
It came out louder than she thought and some heads turned in her direction, giving her a glare. And when she proudly stood up again, she noticed that her own husband had the same reproachful look on the face too.
"What, darling? I remember you that you taught him that!"
They were back into the car since a couple of minutes so far, but yet Cruella didn't start to drive yet. Quite the contrary, at some point, she even removed her hands from the steerwheel and clasped them in her lap. Her body was there, but her look was empty, as obvious sign that her mind was elsewhere. Isaac, sitting at her side, tried to give her time and just glanced at her from time to time to check her possible change of mood; however, when it didn't happen, he finally sighed heavily and decided to break his silence.
"Is everything alright?" he asked then for the second time that morning, daring to place one of his hands on her joined ones.
Cruella was taken a bit by surprise, but was quick to cover it with a stubborn nod. "Of course it is, darling!" she replied, trying to act like always.
Her bad mistake was to look up at him though, realizing too late the shadow of sadness that filled her own eyes. For a moment she looked lost and unusually vulnerable; for a moment she willingly – but at the same time unawarily – offered that sight of her to him. Suddenly feeling ashamed, she sighed and looked away again, getting ready to speak up in order to find some kind of excuses.
"It's just that Fitz is growing up and…" And I'm losing a part of myself. "…And I'm growing old!"
Isaac's face softened immediately at that rare sight of her, but yet he couldn't help the teasing smile that formed on his lips. "You know you can't grow old, right?"
She widened her eyes and cursed herself, since she actually haven't thought of how weak her excuse could sound. "Well, it's everything alright then…" she whispered, shrugging slighty.
But, despite her act, a single small tear still rolled down her cheek. And she still didn't refuse the warm embrace her husband offered her.
Thanks to PMG for this prompt: you're right, this time of year required something like that!:) I hope you all liked to see once again a soft side of Cruella. By the way, I was really happy to see the reviews for the last chapter, they made my day, really:)
As always, don't be shy to send me prompts. I know I have already many and I do take my time to write, but the more ideas you give the more my inspiration is activated lol
