Family Values – Part 7
19th August 2008
The alarm rang out in Lexie and Archie's bedroom at 6am. Tossing and turning they untangled themselves from their cuddle and Lexie hit the alarm off. Archie mumbled something and Lexie pushed the covers back and got up, she glanced across at the calendar and saw August 19th circled in a big red ring and with 'Girls first day of school'. That's when it hit her that her little baby girls were going to start school today.
"Arch wake up, it's the girls first day of school today" Lexie yelled shaking Archie's arm.
"Mmmm, what?" Archie replied still in half a slumber.
"Arch wake up, its Tuesday morning, we've got to take the girls to school today." Lexie repeated slowly.
Archie jumped up out of bed. "Really today?" he replied
Lexie laughed, seeing Arch excited again filled her with happiness. "Come on lets go see if their up" Lexie suggested
Archie followed Lexie down the hallway to their daughters shared room. Lexie opened the door quietly and peeked in, she glanced across to Kyla's bed but she wasn't there. Opening the door more, a smile appeared on both Lexie's and Archie's faces as they saw the girls both in Ellie's bed.
"Why do you think they keep doing that?" Archie whispered to Lexie
"I don't know, but its cute" Lexie replied walking over to the bed and sitting down on the side.
"Ellie, Kyla wakey wakey its morning, you've got to get up and ready for school." Lexie spoke gently stroking the girl's hair until they stirred.
Archie sat down on the bed as the girls started to wake up and Lexie went across to their wardrobe and got out two purple school jumpers and carefully ironed shirts with two grey skirts and laid them down on Kyla's empty bed. Then she got out underwear and white socks and added them to the rest of the uniform.
Meanwhile the girls had both woken up. "You all ready to go to school today girls?" Archie asked as Kyla climbed on to his lap.
"We going to big school today daddy?" Ellie asked
"That's right, now are you going to let mummy and me get you all dressed up ready?" Archie asked as the girls nodded in reply and raced over to Lexie.
After the girls were all dressed Archie stood back proud of his daughters, standing side by side infront of Lexie waiting for their hair to be brushed and put up. They smiled and each gave a little wave to him as Lexie looked up and flashed Archie a smile too, then carried on brushing the girl's lovely long brown hair.
As Archie and Lexie took the girls down for breakfast they met Paul and Isobel with Livia in the kitchen.
"Hi Paul, you here for breakfast?" Archie asked as he greeted his brother.
"Yep, thought we would come round to see the girls off on their first day" Paul replied as Isobel and Lexie conversed in conversation.
"Ok its nearly done if you all wanna go sit through in the dinning room" Ewan called over the various conversations.
As they all sat round the dinner table, Archie at the top of the table in his father's chair. Lexie to the right of him, followed by Ellie then Kyla. Paul sat at the other end of the table opposite Archie with Livia in the highchair between him and Isobel on his right. Then molly joined the table sitting on Archie's left. It had been a while since they had all had breakfast together, but as Archie sat at the top of the table, he was happy. Seeing his family all together and happy, sitting around him eating the various breakfast meals Ewan had cooked. He looked to the spare seat next to Molly and wondered in a couple of years time what it would be like to have another one of his children sitting down with them. Archie had kept reflecting what he thought the baby would be. In his mind he kept wishing for a boy, but somehow he knew it was going to be a girl again. Not that he would mind. He loved his daughters to bits, but the need to have a son there to follow on the Macdonald clan was taking its toll on him. He knew how important it would have been for his father to have a grandson, and Archie felt it was his duty to fulfil that want. Paul wasn't planning on having any more children as far as Archie knew, and he had, had a daughter and well Jamie never had a chance to have any children, so that left it Archie's duty.
As the breakfast plates were cleaned up, Lexie went to the kitchen to get together the girl's lunchboxes as Archie sat with his two girls in the library.
"Now I want you two to know that daddy is always proud of you, I want you to do your best in school, but only what you can do ok, I want you to have fun" Archie told Ellie and Kyla.
The girls smiled back at Archie, not really understanding what he was saying but it had made Archie feel better telling them. He had felt that his father always expected more of him than Archie could achieve. He wanted to do things differently with his children, and he knew Lexie did too. They both wanted their children to have a better childhood than they did.
"All ready?" Lexie asked as the girls jumped up from Archie's cuddle and followed their mother out the door to the hallway. Lexie handed them each their coats as they put them on, while Archie helped buckle up their shoes. Archie grabbed the car keys and Lexie took the girls backpacks.
"Have a good day at school girls" Paul told his nieces as they stood ready to go.
"Me go too" Livia wined as she tried to follow Lexie out the door with her cousins as everyone laughed.
"Hey come here you little terror, your not ready to go to school yet" Isobel laughed as she scooped up her daughter in protest.
"Come here my darlings and give your grandma a kiss before you go," Molly asked as she appeared behind the crowd. Kyla and Ellie ran up to her fighting to get there first, Molly gave them both a hug and held them tight.
"Ok well we really have to go now" Lexie informed the others.
"Oh they grow up so fast" Molly commented watching her grand daughters exit the door and race each other to the car.
The village school was full of laughter and children's voices as the new school year began. Mothers and fathers stood chatting to each other as the older children greeted their friends again and the younger children stood huddled by their parents.
Lexie took hold of Ellie's hand and Archie took hold of Kyla's as they spotted Melissa and Ian with Jennifer and Elizabeth and wondered over to them.
Ellie instantly ran up to Jennifer and Elizabeth while Kyla hung back holding on tightly to Archie's hand. Archie noticed her looking around at all the children running and playing games on playground.
"You ok Kyla?" Archie asked as she stared up at him, holding her arms up to Archie.
"Pick me up please daddy" Kyla asked looking frightened.
Lexie gave a worrying glance to Archie, but he mouthed 'Don't worry' back to her.
A friendly looking teacher waved over to them, she tucked her brown wavy hair behind her ear and adjusted her glasses and walked over carrying a register and some folders.
"Hello I'm the new nursery teacher" the woman introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Archie Macdonald and this is my wife Lexie" Archie replied shaking the teachers hand. "And my daughters Kyla and Ellie"
"Nice to meet you all, I must say Mr.Macdonald, it is such a honour to be teaching your children here at the school" the woman answered beaming.
"Like any other children I'm sure" Lexie added as the woman smiled.
"Hello I'm Melissa Ashford and this is my husband Ian" Melissa joined in shaking the woman's hand. "And my daughters Jennifer and Elizabeth"
"Nice to meet you too, now while I remember, Jennifer is in Miss.Turner's class and the other three girls are with me. So if I can just put some name stickers on the girls jumpers, it will hopefully help me" the woman laughed to herself.
Lexie glanced across at Ian, he gave a half-hearted smile back, and Lexie guessed Melissa had got her way of having the girls separated.
"Now which one you is Ellie?" the teacher asked
"Me" Ellie spoke up putting her hand in the air and waving it about happily.
"Oh hello Ellie, now if we just put this sticker on you here, can you see it spells your name?" Miss Conrad asked.
"E!" Ellie answered putting to the first letter on the sticker.
"Yes that's right, E, it's what Ellie starts with doesn't it?" Miss Conrad smiled back at the young child. "And you must be Kyla" the teacher turned her attention to the other twin holding tightly onto Archie.
"Kyla reply to your teacher" Archie answered pulling her away from his shoulder to face her.
"Kyla can I put this sticker on your jumper?" the teacher asked again.
"No" Kyla mumbled into Archie's jumper.
"Come on Kyla, be a good girl" Lexie joined in trying to prise her away from Archie.
"If you want to be going in, Miss Turner will meet you at the door and show you to the classrooms" Miss Conrad spoke to Melissa and Ian.
"Kyla come on," Lexie asked again trying to lift her away from Archie.
"No, I don't want to go" Kyla replied throwing her arms back.
"Lex be careful," Archie added. "Come on Ky, be a good girl for daddy, come on Ellie's waiting for you"
"Come on Kys" Ellie tucked on her sisters leg.
"Why don't you come in with her and maybe she will be ok?" Miss Conrad suggested.
Lexie gave a worrying glance to Archie and took Ellie's hand and followed Miss Conrad in while Archie followed with Kyla.
Inside the children were all having a look around the classroom with their parents but Kyla still wouldn't come away from Archie.
"Come On Kyla" Archie said again lifting her away from him but she burst into tears and started yelling.
"Mummy why is Kyla crying?" Ellie asked her now tearful mother.
"She doesn't want to leave daddy that's all pet" Lexie replied "Why don't you see if she will come with you?"
"Kys, come with me" Ellie spoke to her sister.
Archie had managed to put her down but she clung onto his leg. "No I don't wanna go, I want to stay with you daddy" Kyla screamed.
By now some of the other parents were giving Archie and Lexie sympathetic looks.
"Why is it only us?" Lexie whispered to Archie.
"Shh don't worry, it will be ok" Archie replied
"Clearly she's not ok Arch!" Lexie answered frustrated herself and upset. came over again. "Still no luck? Why don't I just take her off you, if you leave quickly I'm sure she will forget all about it in a while, and Ellie's here for her too" she suggested
"Mebbe it's the best idea Arch?" Lexie answered
"Ok then, you ready to go?" Archie replied
"In a minute, hang on" Lexie answered. "Ellie sweetheart come here" Lexie called
Ellie ran over to Lexie and Lexie pulled her in for a hug. "Be a good girl at school ok, and mummy and daddy will be back soon to pick you up, and look after your sister for me ok?" Lexie asked
"Ok mummy" Ellie replied giving Lexie a kiss.
"Love you" Lexie answered
"Love you too mummy" Ellie replied as she ran off again.
"Kyla calm down sweetheart, look mummy and daddy are going to be back soon to pick you up, you stay here with Ellie and have fun ok. Love you" Lexie tried to tell Kyla who was still crying.
"Mummy don't go" Kyla wined crying.
A tear fell down Lexie's cheek and she turned and walked away from Kyla as took Kyla off Archie while she continued to scream and Archie walked away and put his arm around Lexie as they left the classroom.
"Lex don't worry, she'll be fine, shes got Ellie there at least" Archie comforted Lexie as they got outside.
"I know Arch but she was so upset, do you think we really should have left her?" Lexie asked
"Well we've done it now, the teacher said she would call us if she got really bad" Archie answered "Come on lets get home"
Later on…
Lexie and Archie arrived back at the school at 12.10 as the bell went children started running out of the school to the playground for lunch. Ellie and Kyla were only on half days at the moment, so along with all the other new comers parents. Archie and Lexie stood waiting.
All the new school children came out carrying various paintings and with their backpacks on their backs and running up to greet parents again. Lexie looked out for her girls, she saw Jennifer and Elizabeth come out and she waited until the last few came out then she spotted Ellie and Kyla. Ellie was holding Kyla's hand and they came running across to Archie and Lexie.
"Mummy, mummy look!" Ellie shouted to her as she thrust a painting into Lexie's hands.
"Wow that's beautiful Ellie, well done" Lexie answered kissing her on the head.
Kyla ran right into Archie's arms and he gave her a big cuddle. "Did you have a good time?" Archie asked
Kyla nodded and showed Archie the painting she had in her hand.
"Wow look at that, that's great Kyla" Archie answered kissing her as well. "See Lex, you had nothing to worry about" Archie answered as he gave his wife a kiss and gave the paintings and backpacks to Lexie as he picked both girls up as they giggled and returned to the car.
