Not so practically perfect

Deleted scene after Spoonful of Sugar

I saw American Idiot on Friday night and the idea for this chapter come about during watching that show specifically during the Boulevard Of Broken Dreams number. This is somewhat angsty and focusses on Winifred and her issues with being a model wife for George.. No Green Day lyrics are directly referenced and I own no characters from Mary Poppins

After Mrs. Brill informed her that no one was attending the tea party Winifred Banks decided to take a walk in the backyard garden to clear her head. For one reason or another she had an inkling that no one was going to come and had only wished that her husband would have listened to her when she said that these people were not her friends.

"Wherever has this marriage gone wrong and why aren't we as happy as we used to be?" She said aloud to no one.

She sat down on a bench in the garden and started to cry. At that moment she had never felt so poorly about herself because she knew that her husband wanted things in the household to run so smoothly. Even with Mary Poppins helping with the children everything seemed to be going wrong.

She suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder and saw Robertson Ay looking at her. Jane was clutching his hand. "Miss Jane wanted to talk to you m'am." With that Roberson Ay went back into the house.

Jane quietly sat down on the bench next to her mother.

"Did Michael & I ruin your tea party plans Mommy? We felt awful bad about what happened in the kitchen."

Winifred took her daughter's hand gently."Nobody is coming to the party. All the food preparation was a waste I'm afraid."

"We were naughty again, weren't we?"

Winifred nodded. "Things got a little out of hand that's for sure. Your father will not be very happy about what happened this afternoon I'm afraid."

"Why would you even invite people that don't know us well or like us over?" Jane looked curiously at her mother.

Winifred let out a frustrated sign. "Your father wants us to be associated with very high class people. I don't even understand why."

"Did you try to talk to him about that?"

Winifred nodded. "I did. He didn't seem to listen to me unfortunately."

"Did you talk to him yet about what we talked about when I talked to you & Ethel the other day?"

"No, darling, not yet."

Jane looked down at the ground and a tear slid down her cheek.

"Are you mad at us Mommy? We never mean to do things like this purposefully you know."

Winifred wrapped her daughter into a hug. "I forgive you and your brother Jane. I know it was just an accident.I love you sweetheart, I always will."

Jane softly kissed her mother's cheek. "I love you too Mommy."

As Jane was starting to head back into the house she turned around.

"Mommy, do you know how Mary Poppins says she is practically perfect in every way?"

Winifred nodded slowly. "Yes, why do you ask?"

"Well, do you think it is possible for someone to be practically perfect as she claims to be?"

Winifred shrugged. " I have not given that much thought honestly."

"Does Daddy want us to be perfect so that way we can associate with all those rich people he wanted you to invite over?"

Winifred was shocked at the magnitude of her daughter's question and did not answer right away.

" I never considered that before sweetheart but yes I think perhaps you are right." She finally responded after ten minutes.

"Why does he want to change us so we can fit in a particular view point of other people?"

Winifred sighed. "Ask your father that Jane. I haven't got an answer."

Once Winifred was alone again she considered her daughter's question.

Back when they were first married everything had been perfect for George and Winifred. Winifred remembered her wedding day so fondly and how at that time the future had been filled with so much promise. Yes, in the early part of their marriage and raising their children things had indeed been practically perfect. She had many dreams for her and her family. George's dreams seemed to be different as well as views about how the children should be raised. The stress of his job was certainly starting to show some strain on the rest of her family.

Winifred began to cry again because she began to realize how the job at the bank had turned George into a completely different person. It did indeed seem like she was headed down a boulevard of broken dreams. Her husband was trying to turn their family into something they were far from and the romance had certainly dissipated most recently. She has never felt more defeated or lonely as she did at that moment.

"Oh ,George for once why can't you just tell all of us that you love us?" She whispered again to no one.