August 1956

Just before Labor Day, Carol and Therese took Rindy shopping for all her supplies. Carol could easily tell how nervous Rindy was about starting at a new school, making new friends, learning a new route to and from school each day, and having to wear a uniform for the first time. Rindy might not have been excited about the uniform, but Carol certainly was. One less thing to have to worry about every day between she and Therese being at work at all and only getting to household chores after six o'clock most nights.

While Carol was an expert with the clothing side of things, Therese was definitely an expert in regards to the school supplies. She and Rindy picked out a red plaid book bag, bright yellow pencils and pencil case, orange pencil sharpener, pink erasers, a blue cotton-covered binder with plenty of loose-leaf paper, and Rindy's favorite, a round tin of forty-eight crayons. Rindy was excited about all her school supplies; previously, she had never had the opportunity to go school shopping. Florence had usually just come home with items from a list her father had supplied, without ever giving Rindy any input as to what she wanted or what colors she might like.

Getting Rindy into the preferred school of their choice was another matter altogether. It was already rather late for fall admissions, but Carol was able to pull a few strings thanks to some friends of friends of friends around town and enroll Rindy in a co-educational private school. Harge had given approval to the choice in school as well before he passed, arguing Rindy was better off with a bunch of silent Quakers after three years of nothing but squabbling back at the Aird residence in New Jersey.

Since Rindy's move to the apartment and Harge's funeral, Carol had taken leave from work, at least until Rindy started school again. Carol and Rindy spent everyday together during the summer, the first time she had actually been able to do that since Rindy was four. It did not necessarily make up for the past three years, but it was the best start they could hope for. They would spend the mornings shopping, berry picking in the backyard, swimming at the beach, or going on little day trips together until the early afternoon when they would come home to rest and start getting dinner ready.

Therese had enjoyed the half-day Fridays at the office during the summer months. It afforded her some extra time home with Carol and Rindy, either staying in the city or heading up to Greenwich for a weekend by the pool. Originally, Carol proposed she and Rindy go up to Greenwich alone, and Therese stay in the city. There was no chance that Therese was going to spend any precious time away from Carol and Rindy, so she endured the forty-five-minute train ride each way so they still had their family dinners together and never had to go to bed or wake up alone.

It wasn't until the third week, some time before the end of July, after a long, hot day and after what seemed like an ever longer train ride from Grand Central to Riverside station, and Rindy scampering to the door to greet her that it suddenly hit Therese.

This was the quaint life she had always thought of when she imagined family.

Therese joined Carol when she got home, reclined on the sofa with her head in Carol's lap as they watched dusk fall outside. "Sometimes, this summer, I feel like your 'little husband.' I mean… " Therese took on a more serious tone, "I know I'm not your husband, just, you know what you see on television with the father, mother, two-point-five kids, and white picket fence, and then the dad strolls in from work waiting for his brandy and slippers."

Carol brushed away a curl from her face and looked at Therese with an equal sense of laughter. "Sounds like we're only missing the faithful furry beast."

"I feel badly."

"And it's far too hot for slippers this time of year."

Therese wiggled her bare toes in response to Carol's comment. "I'm being serious!" Therese playfully smacked up at Carol's arm. She paused and angled her head more into Carol's lap. "I don't want you to feel like you used to."

"Therese, it was never, ever anything remotely like this."

"Really?"

Carol nodded and reached down to stroke Therese's hair. "I do everything because I love you, not because of an obligation. You're not an obligation." She began to casually twirl the ends of it between her fingers. "We need to get you a haircut. You and Rindy."

"I need a haircut?" A little voice came from near the couch.

Startled, Therese began to sit up with worry about Rindy seeing her there like that, but Carol kept her arms securely around her, encouraging her to relax and not move away. "No, baby, stay." Carol said quietly. It wasn't as though Rindy had never seen Carol embrace her or vice versa, but this was so blatant and so casual that it wasn't merely a greeting or a farewell. Therese didn't understand how Carol could be so blasé about it. Children always had the knack for popping up in the most unusual of places or in the most inopportune moments, Therese thought. "You're hair is getting scraggly, little one." Carol pointed out to Rindy.

Rindy pulled a little strip of her hair forward so she could see it. "It is not!"

"Is too." Carol retorted, gesturing to the ends that Rindy held out in front of her. "When was the last time you had a haircut?"

"Um… " Rindy looked up at the ceiling, trying to recall when. She couldn't tell and shrugged, but Carol had immediately noticed that it had been a while.

"I'll make an appointment for Friday afternoon when Therese gets home from work."

With just that short exchange, Therese realized how much they had grown into this comfortable little family. A small, normal family with chores, errands, things like booking haircuts and dentist appointments, mundane, everyday things that only a few years before would have just been something she did on her own without a second thought. Things that before never directly impacted anyone but herself. Now, in their little cluster, there was the three of them and it wasn't so lonely anymore.

Wednesday, September 5th, 1956

7:25 a.m.

Carol's first day back at the furniture shop.

Rindy's first day at her new school.

Therese's first day trying to get an eight year old ready to go to said new school. Therese never knew mornings could be so very complicated.

"Looking mighty sharp there, Miss Aird!" Therese exclaimed as Rindy walked into the kitchen in her school uniform carrying her red plaid book bag filled with all of her fancy new school supplies. Rindy blushed, dropping her school bag next to her chair, and saddled up to the table next to Therese for her breakfast which her mother had prepared for her. Therese was nursing her second cup of coffee, nibbling on a strip of crispy bacon and watching Rindy sit down, placing a napkin across her lap before reaching for her fork.

While Rindy and Therese sat at the table eating breakfast, Carol scurried around the apartment gathering her things for work. Two months absence had resulted in Carol falling out of step with her typical morning routine, and typical morning routine that used to just be about her and Therese.

With Rindy, there was making sure her face was washed, hair brushed, breakfast eaten, homework completed, and lunch made. The difference was that this time around, instead of it just being herself or the lackadaisical Florence, there was Therese to help. There was an odd sense of contentment settling in for Therese as well, seeing Rindy there with them as they got ready for the day. Things were falling into place for the three them.

Or perhaps it was simply that Rindy was older. She wasn't the little four year old who sat in Carol's lap to have her hair brushed; she was more independent, more settled with doing things on her own than Carol had anticipated or even remembered. Rindy never needed to be reminded to put away her toys or brush her teeth. She could pick out her own clothes, help around the house, and pick up the mail from the doorman downstairs. The years apart from her daily life had probably made her feel that touch of disconnection, but Carol planned on doing her utmost to make sure Rindy knew every single day that she was wanted and loved by herself and Therese.

"Alrighty," Carol sighed as she strolled into the dining room, taking a swig of coffee from Therese's mug, "who is going to take this little pumpkin to school today?"

Rindy looked up from her plate, giggled, and pointed to both Carol and Therese.