Chapter 33- First Day of School

"Danny! Are you ready for school?" Sam shouted from the hallway.

Danny pulled his socks on and grabbed his new backpack that his Aunt Kristina made him. She seemed to be making good on her new business so far.

He pushed the door open. "Yeah, I'm ready.

Scout was sitting at the kitchen table, her hair already braided, and chewing on her toast.

Danny sat across from her and Sam set a plate of toast in front of him. He raised an eyebrow. "Soo… are you going to be a stay at home mom? Or…?"

Sam sighed sitting between them. "I don't know. There's really no use for a P.I. business here. At least not at the moment."

"Okay, well… I mean, there's nothing wrong with that if you do stay home," Danny said. "It just doesn't seem like you…"

"I suppose I could work for the police station. But they likely won't have a lot to do either, other than guarding Wyndemere and our street… if you can call it a street."

Danny grinned. "You could always call it the peasant village like Grandpa did before his coma."

Sam laughed and shook her head.

"Did Daddy go to work?" Scout asked.

Sam nodded. "He started early today. But that also means he finishes early."

Scout smiled.

"And that also means, that I'm taking you to school for your first day," Sam added. "And Daddy and I were talking. We thought we would take turns spending time with each of you this week. Today, I thought Danny and I could go for a swim in the pond after school. While the weather's still good."

Danny shrugged. "Okay, I guess."

"And you, Scout, Daddy has a surprise planned for you."

"Okay!" Scout said, grinning.

"And tomorrow," Sam said. "We'll switch. Scout and I can do something fun, while Danny spends time with Dad."

Danny sighed. He'll probably want to talk

"Then on Thursday, I'm going over to visit Willow," Sam said.

"I wanna see Willow," Scout whined.

"Well, you'll be seeing her everyday at school," Sam said.

"I want to see her too," Danny said.

"I want to spend some one on one time with her, just like I am with you guys. If she's not home by the weekend… then we'll discuss this again."

Danny frowned. "You think I'm going to scare her off even more."

Sam sighed. "I didn't say that."

"No, but you thought it."

"Listen, I want all of us together. But I also want you to be kinder to both of your sisters."

Danny took a bite of his toast.

"Once you're finished eating, I want to get going," Sam said. "Get there a bit early. Maybe you can come with me to see Willow and Scout's classroom."

"Okay," Danny said.

"But be nice to her," Sam said. "I mean it."

GHGHGH

The new schoolhouse wasn't that big. But that didn't surprise Danny. They tried to make it look modern, but it just didn't. It was made of red brick with an old-fashioned bell over the door since they didn't have much technology on the island.

A few parents were gathered with their kids outside, but it was still only 8:30am and school started at 9.

"Hi Sam," Lulu said as she stood with Rocco. She looked over at Danny and Scout. "Are you kids excited to start school?"

Scout nodded.

"Yeah," Danny said.

"Have you decided what you want to do for work?" Lulu asked Sam.

Sam sighed. "No. Have you?"

"Yes!" Lulu's face lit up. "I just spoke to Nikolas about it yesterday. I'm going to start an island newspaper. Or uh… newsletter since the only thing I could find at Wyndemere was an old typewriter. We can't seem to find a printer or even a camera."

Sam scratched her chin.

Lulu frowned. "I need a distraction. I'm going crazy thinking about Charlotte out there at V-Town… I hope the army comes up with a plan soon."

They passed by Robin with Noah, and Ava with Avery, then into the schoolhouse.

Willow's back was turned, and she was writing her name on the board with today's date.

"Willow!" Sam called out to her.

Willow set her chalk down and turned around smiling. "Hi!"

Sam walked over to her and squeezed her arm. "We were wondering if you can show us your classroom."

Her face lit up. "Yeah, of course. I mean, there's not a whole lot to see. I'm going to have the older students on the left. So, Aiden and Rocco with a few girls I haven't met yet. And over on the right…" She bent over a little to Scout's level. "I thought you could sit with Violet, Avery, Noah, and Jonah. And there's another little girl in grade 1 I was going to sit with them."

"It looks good in here," Danny said.

Sam smiled. "Yeah, the kids are going to love it."

"Why don't you live with us anymore?" Scout pouted.

Danny shifted his feet awkwardly.

Sam stroked Scout's braid. "Scout, honey… we talked about this…"

"It's okay," Willow said. "Scout, do you know how Drew's yours and Scout's daddy?"

Scout nodded.

"Well my dad is Jax and I want to spend some time with him and my sister, Josslyn too. But it doesn't mean I want to spend less time with you."

"But I miss you," Scout said. "And Mommy keeps crying."

"Scout…" Sam said, her eyes wide.

Willow opened her mouth to respond, when they heard the door open.

"Morning," Michael's voice announced his and Jonah's presence.

Willow walked over to them. "Good morning, Jonah."

"Good morning…" Jonah said softly.

"I hope you don't mind me dropping Jonah off a bit early," Michael said. "You see, I'm the new high school teacher."

Danny's eyes grew wide. "You are?"

"Yeah, I talked it over with Nikolas and Alexis," Michael said. "Can't exactly start a new ELQ here. So, we agreed I could try teaching…"

"I think you'll make a great teacher." Willow smiled and extended her hand to Jonah. "Jonah, I can show you your new desk. You'll be near Scout."

Michael ruffled Jonah's hair as he took Willow's hand.

"All right, Scout," Danny said. "I'll come get you after school."

"Bye," Scout said.

Sam kissed Scout's cheek. "I love you." Then she hugged Willow. "And I love you."

Willow smiled returning the hug.

Sam and Danny followed Michael to the high school side of the building where Elizabeth was saying bye to Jake, and Emma and Josslyn stood around talking (they wanted to make up a year or two of high school before they started working).

"Mom, you don't need to walk me here…" Danny groaned.

"But I want to," Sam said.

They looked over and Alexis was hugging Leo and crying. "This just feels so normal!"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Lex… Did you really have to walk me here?"

"Yes!" Alexis kissed his cheek. "Your father isn't able to right now, but you're my son too and I wanted to. I'm so glad we get to do normal things after being in the sewer for three years."

Sam and Danny walked over to them.

"That's exactly how I feel," Sam said, linking her arm through Danny's. "After being locked up in Ferncliff, we finally get to be normal."

Alexis wrapped her arm around Leo. "Exactly."

"Leh-ex…" Leo said again. "You're embarrassing me."

"Good," Alexis said. "That's normal too. You have your lunch?"

"Yeah…" Leo lifted a paper bag. "You swear you didn't make the sandwich?"

Alexis rolled her eyes. "I can make sandwiches… but no, the kitchen help made it."

"Good," Leo said. "I'd rather not be poisoned on my first day of high school."

"I hear you," Danny said. "My dad made my lunch. I wouldn't let Mom."

"Oh, stop!" Sam patted hit his arm.

Danny grinned.

Sam hugged him. "Have a good day. I love you."

After Alexis and Sam finally left, Michael rang the bell over the door and Danny and Leo headed inside with their classmates.