Muriel peered around the door to Bianca's office.

"Have you seen the time?" she asked.

Bianca looked up at the clock in her office. It was after five thirty, definitely time to stop and collect Gabby from play-tots. At least Marissa would be collecting Miranda and AJ from Opal's.

"I hadn't… but thanks." she said putting down her pen.

"No problem." said Muriel with a grin as she left Bianca to pack up.

…

"Sorry I'm late." said Bianca to the staff of the nursery as she came through to collect Gabby.

"Not at all." said Sally, the head crèche leader, "Gabby has been keeping herself very busy at the art table."

"Mommy!" cried Gabby, running up when she saw her.

"Are we ready to go home?" Bianca asked.

"Can I bring my picture?"

"Of course you can." said Sally, "I'll go get it while you mommy helps you put your coat on."

The teacher wordlessly pulled out a chair for Bianca to help her with dressing her daughter and then headed off to the art corner to get Gabby's picture.

Bianca grabbed Gabby's coat from the hook, took the proffered seat and put down her crutches.

"Come on let's get you dressed, it's cold out and we don't want you to catch a chill."

Gabby happily stuck out her arms so her mommy could pull on the sleeves of her coat one at a time.

"So did you have a good day?" Bianca asked.

Gabby nodded.

"It was all big kids today so we did big kids' stuff. We all did selfish portraits."

"Self-portrait." corrected Bianca. "You mean you drew a picture of yourself."

"I dw-ewed myself as a pwin… no… prrr-incess." said Gabby, carefully remembering her 'r's but not getting it completely right.

"Drew..." said Bianca. "Well, I can't wait to see it."

"Miss Cullen said I should be an ar-trist." said Gabby. "But I don't want to be an ar-trist I want to be a princess!"

"Can't you do both. You are getting really good at drawing your fishes." said Bianca as she buttoned up Gabby's coat. "Princesses have other skills, you know! Ariel is a fantastic singer; Belle reads books; Tiana cooks; Cinderella was great at housework; and Rapunzel was definitely an artist!"

"Maybe." said Gabby, thoughtfully.

"If you become an artist you will be just like Rapunzel!"

"Maybe." said Gabby again but Bianca suspected Gabby would rather be like her favourite princess, Ariel, and be better at singing.

"Here you go." said Sarah hurrying back with a drawing in her hand.

It really was a good picture. Gabby had definitely improved from her blobby get-better-pictures from a year ago. It was her, clearly in the same outfit she had worn for the princess pizza party, but she had done it perfectly with five fingers on each hand and a big happy smile on a cute symmetrical face.

"Do you know what; I think your teacher is right? You are definitely an artist." said Bianca pulling a hat on over Gabby's head while Gabby carefully took her picture from her teacher. "That picture is going straight on the fridge when we get home!"

Gabby smiled happily.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, honey."

"…If I'm an art-er-ist..?"

"Artist…" corrected Bianca, "This time you're using too many 'r's"

"…If I'm an ar-tist..?" repeated Gabby, hissing the 's'.

"Yeah?"

"…I can really be a princess too?"

"Sweetheart," said Bianca as she led her youngest daughter from the classroom. "You are a Kane woman. You can be whoever you want to be!"

"And mommy… mommy… mommy?" cried Gabby as she merrily skipped down the hallway beside her mom.

"Yeah, honey?" said Bianca with a grin.

"Can I be princess for Halloween?"

"Halloween." gasped Bianca, "I'd forgotten about that!"

…