Nick walked in to see Adalind crying at the kitchen table.
"Adalind, baby, what's wrong." He ran to her side, concerned something horrible had happened.
"The papers came in to get Kelly registered for preschool. My baby boy is growing up too fast."
Nick wrapped his arms around his wife and buried his head in her hair, in order to hide his grin. To see Adalind get so emotional over major milestones in most children's lives proved once again how very typical of a mother she was. It didn't matter that she was a powerful hexenbiest, when it came to her children, her emotions were just as vulnerable and helpless as any human mother's.
He had a sense that Kelly's first day of kindergarten was going to be a very eventful day, for everyone. And that he would be spending most of it comforting a crying Adalind.
Diana walked in. "Dad, she's been crying ever since the mail came in." The little girl announced. "Maybe Kelly should just be homeschooled?"
Adalind perked up at the suggestion but Nick spoke up right away. "We've talked about this. Kelly needs to interact with kids his own age. We want him to get to know different types of people. The only way that is going to happen is if he goes to public school."
"I know, I just hate being away from my sweet baby boy for eight whole hours."
"He hasn't been away from you for eight hours, yet?" Diana observed.
Changing the subject to get his wife's mind off of her future separation anxiety, Nick suggested, "I have the day off tomorrow, why don't we all go for school supplies?"
Adalind smiled gratefully at him. She hated the idea of going alone. She was sure she would be breaking down crying everytime she picked up something her son would need for school.
That night, when Nick tucked the kids into bed, Diana asked, "Dad, why does mom keep crying about Kelly going to school and you don't?"
Nick smiled at his step daughter. "Your mother is very sensitive. She loves you kids and doesn't like the idea of her babies growing up and not needing her anymore. I love you kids too, more than anything. But it doesn't affect me the way it does your mom. I guess maybe I like seeing you guys become more independent. But don't tell your mom I said that, or she will get upset with me." He finished with a chuckle.
"I can't wait to go to school." Kelly declared. "I'll make a lot of friends and play with them all the time." Then, sobering a little he said, "But I don't want to make mommy cry."
"Don't worry." Nick assured his son. "I'll figure out a way to make your mom smile."
Grimm
"I need a backpack and a lunch bag." Kelly insisted.
Adalind saw a backpack with a matching lunch bag, perfect for Kelly because he loved dinosaurs. When she pointed it out to him, he shouted with excitement.
She also found shoes with dinosaurs on them.
"Kelly will be perfectly coordinated for preschool." Adalind said proudly.
"No doubt our kids will always be the most fashionable, with you as their mother." Nick snarked.
"As I recall, there were more than a few people who said you were dressing better after we moved in together." Adalind observed.
"Funny thing, that. You wouldn't know what happened to my henleys and my old jacket would you?"
Adalind shrugged with fake innocence. They both knew she had been the one responsible for Nick's wardrobe change.
The truth was that Adalind had made Nick look a lot better. More sophisticated. More regal. More respectable.
Kelly seemed to be a miniature version of Nick, following in his daddy's footsteps and wearing what he would wear. Mostly jeans.
Adalind had always thought Nick looked better in darker colors and she found her son took after his father. Kelly was really just a miniature Nick. Never able to keep still, always curious about everything and the first one to walk up to someone and say hello, always eager to make a new friend. Adalind wasn't worried about how Kelly would do in school, with him being so much like Nick, he would no doubt make friends very easily.
The funny thing was, Diana also took up a lot of Nick's behavior. Like his sarcasm, his sense of humor, his habit of rarely staying still and his passion for finding the truth. Diana also seemed to like many of the same things Nick did, like drawing and anything with way too much sugar. Not that Adalind was complaining, except for the sugar loving part, though she was sure Sean was.
Grimm
The first day of preschool came, and as expected, Adalind was a mess. As she and Nick helped get Kelly ready for school, and he noticed her eyes were constantly red and shiny.
"My little boy is growing up too fast." She sniffled. As Kelly got on the bus, turned around and waved at his parents.
Nick hated seeing Adalind upset. But he knew of a way to get her mind off of her baby boy growing up so fast.
"Halloween is coming. I bet you and Monroe are about to be really busy."
Just like he thought, that perked Adalind up right away.
Nick was sure he might regret his suggestion when his home was overflowing with pumpkins, skeletons and various other things but for the moment he was happy to see a smile on Adalind's face.