"Honestly, Emily, you should do something with your hair."
The blonde blinked. "What? I barely even have enough for a ponytail."
Marianne walked up to the younger girl and put her hands through her hair. "That's ridiculous, you have plenty. Besides there are a lot of cute styles for people with medium length." She smiled. "Maybe I could put it into a French Braid for you?"
The little girl nodded, but didn't look thoroughly convinced.
"Of course, I can," she laughed as she sat on the couch, "if you can get a hair brush and a few hair bands."
Emily went to get the needed materials while subconsciously smoothing out the ripples on her light pink dress, then crawled up on the older woman's lap.
She started brushing out all the tangles, occasionally asking if it hurt or giving exasperated glances at the blond woman next to her when they were especially bad.
"Yeah, I don't think this will work," the English woman said quietly when she tried to part her hair out into small pieces.
Marianne gave her a sharp look. "Alice, it will. Do you have no confidence in my skills?" She turned down to the little girl in her lap and continued working.
…
"It's already been half an hour! How is it taking this long? She's been asleep for the past ten minutes."
"Beauty takes time, Alice. And you should be watching. Maybe you can learn something and stop with those pigtails already. You look like you're six."
She had hold back her growls. "It's more practical and you know it."
…
"Okay, there, dear, you're done." She touched the sleeping child's shoulder to try and rouse her.
The other woman leaned over, "Oh, it actually doesn't look that bad."
"What do you mean it 'doesn't look that bad'?" She almost shouted before sighing. "You should still go and get a mirror for her, though."
"Fine," she said as she marched off to the bathroom.
…
"I do look pretty!" The little girl exclaimed as she looked at her reflection.
"You do," the French woman smiled proudly. "Is there any chance you want to wear something like that to school?"
Emily nodded excitedly.
"Okay, I should teach Alice how to do that, too, shouldn't I? Then you and Madeline could match."
She smiled again, as if remembering the other girl's existence. "Where?" Marianne pointed toward the living room. "Thank you!" she called behind her.
…
The English woman looked at her astonished. "Emily's usually such a rebellious troublemaker. How did you-?"
She smirked, "I told you. All you have to do is reach out and make a connection. Maybe I should refer you back to Parenting 101."