Get yourself together, Christy! Christina inwardly yelled at herself.
Even taking the hottest, would burn you to death shower she could, Christina couldn't stop crying. She did so silently, choking repeatedly on the anguished sobs she pushed back down. She wanted to be called Mommy! She wanted someone to call her that! A tiny part of her heart wished that she would still be Mommy today. That she wouldn't be Miss Christina. Her heart shattered into tiny pieces when that wasn't the case.
It's wrong, she told herself, I'm not her mother and never will be.
Eventually, she forced herself out of the shower, into the steam-filled room. Wiping at the mirror to see her face she begrudgingly realized that she was still crying.
Cursed.
Cursed.
Cursed.
Dressing comfortably in an oversized sweatshirt, perfect for the November chill, some dog printed leggings, and boots she still didn't feel okay. After forcing her long, wet locks into a suitable braid she slipped on her oversized lavender sunglasses and trudged to the kitchen.
"I have a headache," she declared, before quietly eating breakfast.
The older girls and Miss Grimwood knew better. Christina only had horrible headaches after prolonged exposure to garlic. I have a headache really meant I'm hiding tears and am upset. Normally, this happened after a horrific nightmare or she'd been reminded of her curse. While they didn't know what had done it this time they knew to tread carefully.
A dark fairy with negative emotions was a dangerous thing even if they were only sad.
…...
"Now girls, I know it's been forever since you've seen the cadets but do contain yourselves," Miss Grimwood declared as the boys walked over.
Shaggy chuckled as he watched the majority of the class bounce up and down with excitement. Valerie stuck to the shadows, narrowed eyes hidden behind black sunglasses. Sophie, on the other hand, was hidden behind his leg.
She was still so small for her age whereas he'd been taller than most.
"Sophie, look who's here," Shaggy nudged, picking the shy girl up.
"Percy!" Sophie squealed, wiggling out of her father's arms to hug the blonde-haired boy in the middle of the line.
"Hello, Squirt,"
"You know each other?" Dani asked what everyone was thinking.
"He's my big brother,"
The girls turned to Shaggy.
"Adoptive, big brother," he clarified.
"Oh,"
It was at this point the last cadet came running over apologetically babbling to Colonial Calloway.
"Flim-Flam?" Shaggy gasped in surprise.
The young boy turned, his surprise matching Shaggy's "Long time, no see," he chuckled humorlessly.
"I like thought you-"
"Went to study with Vincent, I did but I may have stepped on too many toes,"
"So he like-"
"Sent me here to clean up my act,"
Shaggy nodded, "Like, now that everyone's here, we can begin, to the starting line!"
…...
"Can't catch me!" Winnie teased the boys, rushing past.
"We can try!" Baxter retorted, tapping Tannis playfully on the arm when he passed her.
Sophie lagged behind, not because she was slow but because she was lost in thought. Something was wrong. Christina was sad and Sophie didn't understand why. What could she do to help?
"Hey, Shortie, go faster!" One of the cadets dropped back, punching Sophie in the arm.
"Ow!" Sophie whined, rubbing her arm.
"Faster!" he yelled in her ear.
Startled, she stopped, tripping over nothing. Hitting the ground she squeaked.
The cadet laughed cruelly, Valerie joining in.
"Sophie!" Shaggy darted over, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
"Ow," she hissed when he tried to help her up.
"You've skinned your knee,"
"It hurts,"
"I know, Go sit on the swing okay? Scooby will clean you up,"
Sophie did as she was told and patiently waited for Scooby to come back with the band-aids. As soon as her daddy had turned his back the cadet who'd caused her to fall jogged over with a malicious smile.
Clearly, they weren't going to get along.
…...
meanwhile, inside, Christina sat at her desk. She should have been reviewing her lesson plan but she was scrolling through her friends' social media pages instead, staring hopelessly at all the happily married and expectant couples. Nefera, newly engaged, and expecting her first child looked happy for the first time in years. She'd even messaged her to apologize and reconnect and while Christina was happy to have an old friend back it just put her stomach in knots.
Another marriage.
Another child.
Clicking to her own page she found herself falling down a rabbit hole of wedding and baby videos that she'd been tagged in.
These weren't the only things there but it was the only thing she had eyes for.
"Don't do this to yourself, Christina,"
Miss Grimwood stood across from her.
"Weren't you outside?"
"I was but I had a feeling,"
"And?"
"What happened last night?"
"Sophie called me Mommy, she was half asleep but-"
"Is that so bad?"
"I'm not her mother,"
"Sophie has no mother figure I see no harm in being her Mommy,"
Miss Grimwood was gone before Christina could respond.
…...
Now that her leg was taken care of, Sophie was able to rejoin her classmates for the obstacle course that sprawled before them, taking special care to avoid Jake, the cadet who had hurt her. For a few minutes, everything was fine, she jumped over the low rise hurdles and twisted around the bright orange cones but Jake had hung behind, pushing one of the tall marker flags over as she came upon it. The thick white metal pole hit her in the head and knocked her down.
Shaggy about lost his mind, "Sophie,"
She screamed, blood leaking into her blonde hair.
"You pushed that on top of her!" Percy cried, shoving a sniggering Jake back.
"Did not!"
The cadets were hastily dismissed and shepherded back to school where they were forced to do a hundred and fifty push-ups for misconduct.
…...
"Oh my goodness," Christina cried when Shaggy rushed into the school, carrying Sophie who was still bleeding from the head, "What happened?"
"No time gotta get to the hospital,"
"Go, both of you," Miss Grimwood ordered.
Christina would have healed her herself but she was much too frazzled to do so. Instead, she hopped into the back seat with Sophie while Shaggy floored it, Scooby barely making it into the van.
"Let's take her to the clinic," Christina advised, holding a cloth to Sophie's head, "It's closer, they'll be able to help her faster than any hospital,"
Shaggy nodded, frantically changing direction.
Sophie meanwhile, clung to Christina with an iron grip, tears pouring down her face as she cried hysterically.
"It hurts,"
"I know but we're going to fix it, don't worry,"
Sophie continued to scream with pain, "Make it stop, Mommy, please make it stop,"
Mommy.
She's in pain Christina tried to reason.
Despite this, Sophie was very much awake and aware of her surroundings. But now was not the time to be worked up about a five-letter word. Christina had a little girl to calm after all.
She began to sing, hoping to distract Sophie.
Tale as old as time
True as it can be
Barely even friends
Than somebody bends
Unexpectedly
Just a little change
Small to say the least
Both a little scared
Neither one prepared
Beauty and the Beast
Sophie stopped screaming. Whether this was because of Christina's singing or the fact that her voice was giving out didn't matter. All Christina focused on was the blue eyes full of tears, looking at her desperately.
Ever just the same
Ever a surprise
Ever as before
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise
Tale as old as time
Tune as old as song
Bitter-sweet and strange
Finding you can change
Learning you were wrong
Certain as the sun
Rising in the east
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the Beast
No sooner had Christina finished did they arrive at the clinic. Christina was out of the van with Sophie before Shaggy had even killed the engine. Side by side the two adults raced inside, Shaggy's face twisted into sheer panic while Christina was trying to put up a calm facade for Sophie's sake.
"Christina-" Frankie started only to trail off when she saw Sophie, "Mom! Dad!"
In no time at all, Sophie was in an exam room.
But, there was a problem.
She wouldn't let go of 'Mommy'.
"Sophie," Christina tried to reason, "The doctors just want to look at your head, okay? It won't take long,"
"That's right," Shaggy agreed.
"No, I want Mommy to fix it!" she screamed when Shaggy tried to pry her from Christina's arms.
"Maybe you should call her mother?" Viktor suggested, not understanding who Sophie was referring to.
Shaggy tried again to pry Sophie from Christina but she wouldn't release.
"Like, do you need to do anything that like, requires them to be separated?" Shaggy questioned tiredly.
"Nothing appears that bad right now," Vivika decided, "We can do more extensive tests later,"
Even knowing they weren't going to be separated, Sophie still wouldn't let the doctors touch her.
"It hurts!" she cried, "Don't touch it,"
"Like, maybe if you tell her a story?" Shaggy whispered.
"Once upon a time..."
That did the trick.
…...
An hour and a half later, the trio returned to the school, Sophie with four new stitches and some medicine. Much to Shaggy's relief, she didn't have a concussion only 'a very nasty cut'.
Sophie climbed into her usual chair by the window and turned to watch the outside. She was surprised and nervous when a car arrived at the gates.
"Oh, good," Miss Grimwood speed-walked past, "Our newest student has arrived,"
"New student?" Webbigale questioned confusedly, peeking around the corner, "Isn't it late in the year?"
"no, not at all, please gather the others,"
Sophie watched the others through droopy eyes as they lined up, one reluctantly, to greet the newest arrival.
In shuffled a monster, she couldn't identify with bandaged wings, clutching a suitcase in her claw-tipped hands.
"Girls, this is Harper,"
"Hi!" Harper greeted cheerfully.
Sophie couldn't hang on anymore so she drifted off to sleep.
…...
"Christina," Shaggy knocked on her closed bedroom door, "Like, can we talk?"
The door opened so he slipped inside. Christina sat with her knees curled to her chest, clutching a coffee mug reading Fairy Godmother in disguise. Her face soaked with tears, stray hair stuck to her forehead.
"Are you okay?"
"No, I-I can't let her call me Mommy, it isn't right,"
"Like, I don't have a problem with it-"
"I-that's not it, Shaggy, I just can't let her go on believing that,"
"She isn't going to quit," Shaggy replied, sitting on the edge of the bed, "No matter how much you like, tell her to. Does it like, make you uncomfortable?"
"It-" she trailed off, staring into her mug.
"What?"
"Nothing," she shook her head, "Nothing,"
"Like, you know Sophie's mother wanted nothing to do with her?"
Christina looked up, startled, "But it's Sophie!" she exclaimed confusedly.
"Like, not to her mother, she showed up on my doorstep put Sophie in my arms and stomped away,"
"How could someone do that to their own child?"
"I like, think it was because Sophie was born transformed, fur and claws. That's why she left me, she can't stand monsters,"
"The nerve, I'd never treat my child like that,"
"I'm like, surprised you don't have any of your own, you're a natural with kids,"
Christina looked down again, "I...I can't, I'm...cursed"
"Cursed?" he dared to scoot closer.
"I don't get happily ever after, not like my friends, not like my cousins," she sighed heavily, "The curse the magic it comes from clashes with my powers so badly that I nor anyone else can remove it,"
"So, it hurts when she like, calls you Mommy because-"
"I can never be one,"
Tears were pouring down her face again.
Shaggy wondered what he should do? Leave? Stay? Talk? Be silent? He ended up resting a hand on her knee. When had he gotten that close? It didn't matter, not right now.
Christina needed a friend.
…...
"Hi!"
Sophie opened her eyes to find Harper looking down at her from over the top of the chair. Nervous she turned to the window again but Harper wasn't one to give up so easily, moving in front of the chair.
"What's your name?"
"S-Sophie,"
"I'm Harper,"
"W-what happened to your wings?"
Harper glanced at the bandages, "I had a scrape with some trees...and a rock...and a waterfall,"
Sophie didn't want to ask. It would be rude but...
"What are you?" she whispered meekly, afraid of upsetting the chatty girl before her.
"A harpy," she replied, "I'm somewhere between bird and girl, see?" she lifted her foot to show Sophie.
"You have feathers," Sophie realized, "And bird feet,"
Harper nodded, "And what are you? Human?"
"Kinda, I'm a werewolf,"
"Cool!"
"You're loud," Sophie jumped but now she was smiling.
"I know, Mama says I have to work on my indoor voice. What happened to your head? You have blood in your hair?"
"A flag hit me on the head, I had to get stitches,"
"How many?"
"Four,"
"Did someone knock it over?"
Sophie nodded.
"I'll make sure that doesn't happen again,"
"Why?"
"Because you're my friend, you want to be friends don't you, don't you?" Harper leaned in close with a grin and Sophie laughed.
"Yes,"
"Yay!" Harper threw her arms around the smaller girl, "Best friends, right?"
"Best friends,"
…...
A few nights later, Sophie woke crying from another nightmare. This time she didn't even try to be quiet she was so frightened. She ran sobbing down the hall, right into Christina's room, hurling herself onto the bed.
"Mommy! Save me!"
Shaggy jolted awake he had fallen asleep in Christina's chair again.
The lamp went on and there was Christina holding his trembling daughter.
"They're going to eat me!" Sophie wailed, drawing the attention of her classmates gathered in the doorway, "Do something, Mommy,"
"Go back to bed, girls," Christina ordered sternly, "Now,"
The girls shuffled back to their rooms, Tannis closing the door as they left.
"Sophie, I promise, the cats are not and never will eat you," Shaggy said, coming to sit beside them.
Sophie didn't seem convinced at all, burrowing her head as far as she could into Christina, whimpering endlessly.
One arm looped around Sophie, Christina leaned over rummaging through her nightstand drawer.
"Sophie," she whispered soothingly, "Do you want to see something magical?"
Shaggy could barely see Sophie's blue eyes through her mess of blonde hair but she was looking up at Christina expectantly.
Slowly with the utmost care, Christina lifted a small, beautifully carved box out of her nightstand. There was an intricately, carved key sticking from the side. Shifting her hands she began to wind. The lid lifted as a song Sophie knew all too well began to play. Set before an illustrated forest the mistakable figures of Aurora and her prince waltzed, round and round.
"Again?" Sophie pleaded when the music box closed.
"How about a story instead? You wanna help me read it?"
she nodded, her nightmare was forgotten for now.
When at last she was fast asleep Shaggy turned his attention to Christina, who was brushing the hair from Sophie's eyes.
"Thank you, Christina,"
"There's no need to thank me, I was happy to do it,"
"Like, still, I wish she like, hadn't woken you,"
"It's okay, Shaggy really, I used to sit with Tannis then with the twins when they visited, I'm used to it,"
"You're like, not ready to go back to sleep are you?"
"How can you tell?"
"Your hand," Shaggy nodded to Christina's free hand, "It's shaking, your hands shake when you're emotional or scared,"
Christina glanced at her shaking left hand, "Huh, never knew that,"
Shaggy stood, "I think a walk would do us both some good,"
Christina nodded her agreement, slowly she stood before pulling her quilt tightly around Sophie and joining Shaggy at the door for one of their increasingly regular walks.
…...
Saturday after breakfast, Valerie slunk to her room for a video chat with her father. She was all too happy to catch him up on the alarming events happening before her eyes.
"-and Christina adores her, Daddy," she was saying, "And the gym teacher too! They're always sharing looks and laughing!"
"Nothing to be upset about," Drew reassured himself, "Nothing can break mother's curse,"
Valerie didn't seem to hear him as she talked on, "And Sophie has nightmares. Every single night! It's so frustrating!"
"Nightmares you say?" Drew smirked to himself.
"She is such a little baby, Dad! 'Wah! The cat-creatures are gonna eat me! Wah!' UGH! It is so annoying, Daddy!"
The door swung open before either could respond.
"Time's up," Christina killed the computer with a snap of her fingers before shutting the door again.
Valerie kicked the wall on her way out.
Harper ran past, holding Sophie by the arm.
"Harper," Sophie pleaded, "Slow down,"
"No way! I'm going to dominate the boys at basketball today!"
"But Winnie said she would,"
"Eh, I accept the challenge,"
Their shrieks of laughter floated down the hall.
Valerie could almost gag but then she recalled what Harper had said.
Drake was here!
Slipping on her sunglasses she sauntered out of the school hoping to look cool as ice just in time to see the Gravedale bus pull through the gates. Once parked, the doors opened and the boys spilled out.
First, there was Syrus the son of Catty Noir and Pharaoh. A sphinx dressed in designer rock and roll clothing.
Next off the bus was Joey Jekyll
Great Valerie thought, A normie in a sweater vest, four eyes.
Gil and Lagoona's son, Jordan followed. Often referred to as Gil's mini-me for their uncanny resemblance. Unlike his dad, Jordan didn't require a helmet.
He was subsequently tackled by Webbigale.
Where is Drake?! Valerie inwardly yelled as she watched Frankie's son, Dennis exit the bus, sparking a bit in excitement.
Drake and Lupa's younger brother Fafnir followed with a sneaky grin.
Then finally, finally, Drake appeared.
"Stay out of trouble today," he was saying to Fafnir, ruffing his gold red-streaked hair.
"I know, I know!" Fafnir shoved him away only to be crushed by Lupa.
Last off the bus was the school's headmaster, Mr. Gravedale. A vampire with thick glasses and gray streaks throughout his hair, he wore a vest and tie with slacks.
Valerie's lip curled into a smirk. Today she would woo Drake.
…...
Sophie sat on the swing watching the boys as they chatted with her classmates. Harper had already challenged some of them to a game of basketball.
"Sophie!" Harper yelled, suddenly right in front of her, "You gotta play with us!"
"I dunno," Sophie responded, "I like to watch better,"
"At least come closer?"
Sophie shook her head.
"Why not?"
On cue, the gate to Christina's garden swung open and she emerged with a large pumpkin in hand.
"What are you going to do with that?" Harper asked, gawking at the size of the pumpkin.
"Well," smirked Christina, "I could turn in into a coach to take a princess to a ball or I could make the best pumpkin pie you've ever tasted,"
"With whipped cream?" Shaggy wanted to know rushing over from the makeshift basketball court having heard the words pumpkin pie.
"Of course,"
"Need any help?"
"Yes, please,"
"Can I help too?" Sophie begged. "Please, Mommy?"
"I think we've like, got it covered, Sophie," Shaggy replied gently, "Why don't you see if the boys will play hide and seek with you?"
"Okay," Sophie sighed.
Harper grabbed her hand, "It'll be fun," she promised, "Come on,"
…...
"One," Fafnir began to count.
The kids scattered.
Ducking behind the hedges, darting in the gardens they spread out.
Sophie ran in wide circles trying to find a good spot. Jordan and Webbigale were in the moat. Dani and Phantasma had disappeared from sight, Drake wormed his way under a bench, you couldn't see him if you weren't looking directly at him.
Fafnir was almost at a hundred and Sophie still hadn't found a place. Harper quickly grabbed her ankle and dragged her into a hidden hole in the hedge where she, Syrus, and Joey were huddled.
Poor Dennis was trying to hide behind a tree without catching it on fire, he was sparking so much with excitement.
Tannis was glued to the branches of the very same tree, hidden by the leaves which had turned color but not fallen. From her perch, she spied Lupa hidden in Christina's garden and Winnie in the farthest corner of the pumpkin patch.
Where did Valerie go?
…...
"It's cozy here, wouldn't you say, Drake?" Valerie cooed softly, tracing his jaw with her finger.
"It's very tight," Drake choked, "I-I don't think we should both hide here,"
"You're right" she replied, "But it's unfair to leave mid-game, agreed?"
"Yeah,"
"FOUND YOU!"
Valerie snarled at Fafnir's cheeky grin.
Drake took the opportunity to escape
but this wouldn't be Valerie's last attempt. No, she was just getting started.
…...
Later they were playing tag and Valerie crouched inside the hedge ready to strike. She counted in her head, waiting for just the right moment. When Drake was close she snaked her arm out and latched onto his ankle making him stop in his tracks.
"Tag," she smiled, sliding out of her hiding spot with her usual predatory grin.
"Um, you aren't it," Drake said, tugging his collar nervously, "Dennis is-"
"Then we'd better get going,"
She pulled on his arm but Drake didn't budge, "That's not fair to Dennis." he declared.
Sophie and Harper ran past. Well, Sophie was pulling Harper past.
"They're working together,"
"They're little kids." Drake yanked himself free of Valerie's grip and ran off.
…...
Another hour passed before the kids, sweaty and panting filed into the dining room for lunch. Winnie and Lupa were quick to claim the seats on either side of Drake with Dani taking the spot across from him. Slowly but surely the seats filled forcing Valerie to sit on the end by herself.
She fell into brooding contemplation while her peers chattered away.
I need a better plan.
…...
They continued their games until dusk. With nighttime looming Sophie was one of the first inside while Drake was one of the last, having taken it upon himself to make sure everyone was inside before the drawbridge went up.
"Tired, Dennis?" he chuckled, clapping the green-skinned boy on the back.
"Yeah," Dennis nodded, "Does Sophie ever slow down?"
"From what I've seen no-whoa"
Valerie was at it again, trying to yank him into the broom closet. But, Dennis who had noticed her continuous advances all day snapped. He wrenched Drake away from Valerie before letting loose on her, giving her a powerful jolt that left the smell of burnt hair lingering for weeks after.
"Dude, you've got to get that under control," Drake remarked, watching Valerie flee.
"That's why I have these," Dennis declared, tapping his neck bolts, "But she had it coming,"
"Mr. Gravedale won't be happy about it,"
Dennis shrugged.
…...
"Did you have fun today, Sophie?" Shaggy asked when his daughter appeared in the doorway, ready for her bedtime story.
"Yeah," she nodded, jumping onto Christina's bed, "We played tag and no one could catch me!"
"We saw," Christina giggled, "Do you want to read the story together?"
"Yes, please,"
Shaggy couldn't help his growing smile. The two took turns, reading a page each, turning the book so he could see the pictures.
Sophie drifted off before the end of the story as usual.
"I like, don't think we should move her if that's like, okay with you?"
"You're right," Christina nodded, "Just in case,"
Christina slid from her bed, putting her book back on the nightstand as she went.
"Walk?" Shaggy offered.
"Please,"
…...
Sunday morning dawned crisp and cool. as the pale sunlight wormed its way through Christina's lace curtains Shaggy woke with the inexplicable feeling that he was forgetting something. He was stumped but nonetheless rose from the chair which had become his unofficial bed and looked around.
Sophie was still sound asleep, snuggled next to Christina while Scooby laid beside the wolves on the rug.
Stepping over the slumbering animals Shaggy shook Sophie awake.
"Morning, Daddy,"
"Morning," he smiled, "You like, wanna surprise Christina with muffins for breakfast?"
"Yeah," Sophie nodded.
He scooped her up and ambled to the kitchen only to receive quite the surprise when he entered the dining room.
"Grandma! Grandpop!" Sophie wiggled from her father's grasp.
"Hey," Sugie poked her, "What am I? Chopped liver?"
"Aunt Sugie!"
"What are you doing here?" Shaggy yawned, trying to clear the haze from his sleep-addled brain.
"You didn't forget your birthday, did you, Son?" Sam chuckled.
That was it!
"My goodness, did I miss something?" Christina yawned, shuffling into the kitchen, silently thanking herself for getting dressed for the day.
"Mommy!" Sophie flung herself at Christina, "Guess what, guess what,"
"What?" Christina asked, returning the hug.
"No nightmares,"
"Awesome!"
"I'm sorry," Stacy coolly interjected, "Mommy?"
Shaggy had to act quickly, "Mom, Dad, Sugie could I like, speak with you?"
…...
Once in the other room, Stacy spoke, "You let her be called Mommy?"
"Yeah," Shaggy replied, "Sophie wouldn't stop if you told her to anyway,"
"You are a parent, put your foot down-"
"I'm not stopping her, Mom!"
"Why not?"
"Because-because Sophie needs a mother and-"
"And what?"
"I love Christina!"
Stacy sat down in shock.
"Shaggy?" Sugie gasped.
"Sophie only recently started calling Christina Mommy. Like, she did it one night when she was sleepy and then the next morning she was back to Miss Christina but at night like, she'd be Mommy again, and it kept happening until-"
"She was Mommy entirely?" Sam finished.
"Exactly and I like, can't think of someone more deserving of that title," he glared at his mother.
"Well," she huffed.
"You can't judge her, Mom, you haven't even been properly introduced,"
"Out of curiosity," Sam calmly said, "What makes you believe Christina deserves to be called mommy?"
Shaggy smiled knowingly, "Come see,"
…...
"Can we finish the story?" Sophie asked as Christina sat down with much-needed coffee.
"Of course," Christina grinned, "If you'll get the book,"
Sophie returned with it moments later. The book was so big compared to her that she didn't see her family with their backs against the wall.
"Ah, here we are the dragon," Christina flipped through the pages.
Sophie began to read with Christina guiding her.
"The...prince...raised...his...sword,"
Page by page they took turns until they finished.
"That's my favorite story,"
"I know," Christina nodded, "Now what do you want for breakfast?"
"Daddy and I wanted to surprise you with muffins,"
"Really?"
"Yeah,"
"That's very sweet of both of you,"
Shaggy stepped into the dining room with his family following, "You knew we were there,"
"I work with kids, I learned to listen,"
"Can we please make muffins now?" Sophie pleaded.
"Actually we wanted to take you and daddy to breakfast, is that okay?" Sugie asked.
"Can Mommy come too?"
"I couldn't," Christina said hastily, "I have work-"
Sophie looked positively heartbroken.
"Come with us," Shaggy said softly.
"But I-"
"Please?" he interrupted, lightly touching her arm, "It'll be fun,"
She caved, "Fine but you two can't go anywhere in your pajamas,"
…...
Sophie bounded into the living room, pushing her hair from her face as she went. No matter what she tried it always ended up in her eyes.
"I think it's about time you got a haircut,"
"No, Grandma, no haircuts!"
"But, Sophie you can't see,"
"Yes, I can,"
"No, you can't,"
"No, haircuts!" Sophie cried.
"Like, what's this about a haircut?" Shaggy questioned, emerging from the hall.
"Would you look at her hair?" Stacy said, "It needs to be cut, it's in her face,"
"NOOO," wailed Sophie, "No haircuts,"
"Mom, you know how I feel about haircuts," Shaggy attempted to reason, sitting beside his mother.
"That was one bad experience," she countered.
"Yes, but look what it's done to Sophie, baby steps, Mom,"
Christina glided into the room and was subsequently tackled by Sophie who was convinced someone would try and cut her hair. She knelt down to meet Sophie's eyes which were steadily filling with nervous tears.
"Wanna know a secret, Sophie?"
"What?"
"I don't like haircuts either,"
"Y-you don't?"
"Nope," Christina released her braid to show Sophie just how long her hair was, falling to her mid-back, "Now, would you like me to pull your hair back so it's not in your face?"
"Can it be like yours?"
"Sure,"
Stacy watched dumbfounded as Sophie let Christina fix her hair, neatly pulling it into a fishtail braid that matched her own.
"How'd she do that?" Sugie poked Shaggy in the ribs, "Sophie doesn't let anyone but you touch her hair,"
"She trusts Christina," Shaggy replied simply, watching with a lopsided grin.
Sugie jabbed him in the ribs to snap him out of it.
…...
At Breakfast, Sophie squeezed between Shaggy and Christina who both watched her with gentle smiles.
They don't like me Christina thought watching Shaggy's parents as they became wrapped up in a conversation with their son. Why should they when their only grandchild was referring to a stranger as Mommy?
Mommy, the name still hurt though not as much as before.
Much to Christina's surprise, Shaggy grabbed her hand under the table.
Were her hands really shaking that much?
"So how do you like school?" Sam was asking Sophie.
"It's fun!" she squealed, wiggling.
This of course caused Shaggy to release Christina's hand as his arm and been laying across Sophie's lap.
"What's your favorite class?" Sugie prompted.
"I like reading," Sophie giggled.
"Who's your teacher?"
"Mommy,"
Christina felt her face flush as Sophie pressed into her side with a happy grin.
"Like, Christina got Sophie to stick with a bedtime routine," Shaggy declared happily.
"Really?" Stacy blinked in surprise, "How did you manage that?"
"One of the older girls scared her so I read her a story to calm her down and the next night she wanted to hear it again, it just became normal," Christina brushed it off.
"And they finish it in the morning," Shaggy added.
Sophie tugged on his sleeve, "When's the food coming?"
"As soon as they make it," Shaggy replied.
"But, I'm hungry now,"
"She's definitely your daughter, Shaggy," Sugie giggled.
Sophie crossed her arms with a pout.
"How about a game, Sophie?" Christina suggested, "To pass the time?"
"Tag?" Sophie questioned hopefully.
"No,"
Sophie's smile soured.
Shaggy watched their exchange with the same goofy lopsided smile.
His family was slowly coming to realize this was often how he watched Christina. With a hopelessly smitten look unless she was looking at him in which case he tried to compose himself.
"I was thinking an inside game instead," Christina flipped Sophie's child menu over and sketched a tic tac toe board with a pen, "And if our food hasn't come by the end I'll give you something to munch on, okay?"
"Okay," Sophie nodded, "I'll be X's,"
With Sophie's attention elsewhere, Shaggy resumed conversation with his parents and sister.
Well, he tried to anyhow but it seemed the three had become much more interested in Sophie's game, even cheering her on in hushed tones.
The food arrived before the game was even over.
…...
The rest of the day was spent in the living room of the school where the family chatted away while Christina stayed in her classroom doing work. It was only as the shadows stretched long across the sky did she emerged. Sophie was at once attached to her leg.
"When's dinner?"
"As soon as it's made,"
"You're cooking, right?"
"Yes," Christina nodded, "Would you like to help me?"
"Can I?"
"Of course,"
…...
An hour later Shaggy herded everyone to the dining room only to discover a feast fit for a king. Behind his back, Sophie and Christina had strung paper chains and twinkle lights.
"Do you like it, Daddy?" Sophie asked hopefully,"
"I love it, Sophie,"
"I helped Mommy," she bragged.
He hoped help didn't mean she got underfoot but judging by the look on Christina's face that wasn't the case.
"Let's eat,"
…...
Okay, there was going to be more but this was getting rather long. On the plus side, I conquered 22 pages. I'm slowly building to where I was!
Please, review!
