Chapter 2: Poppy's Life Begins

The sound of an upbeat guitar strums as a female field mouse gets ready to start her morning. She put on a scullery maid dress and went into the kitchen to eat a cinnamon roll for breakfast. When finished, she washed her hands and washed a dirty plate and set it down with the other clean dishes. After that, she started to sing, seeing the clock read 7 AM.

7 AM, the usual morning lineup:

Start on the chores and sweep 'til the floor's all clean.

Polish and wax, do laundry and mop and shine up.

Sweep again and by then, it's like 7:15.

She stopped to glance on the clock, which now read 7:15.

And so, I'll read a book or maybe two or three.

I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery.

I'll play guitar and knit and cook and basically,

Just wonder when will my life begin?

Poppy started reading a book called Cinderella. As she read the story, she saw herself in the character because of the predicament she was now in, but as always, she felt better upon seeing the main character finally living happily ever after with Prince Charming and leaving her wicked stepmother and ugly stepsisters. When she finished reading, she added her new paintings to her collection. Hours later, she played guitar, knitted, and started to cook lunch.

Ding!

Poppy heard the oven make a ding sound, indicating that it was finished. She went into the kitchen, smelling the wonderful aroma of cheesy potatoes and grabbed oven mitts to pull out the Potato Au Gratin dish. She set it on the stovetop to wait for it to cool and closed the oven door to avoid letting heat come out. She went into the cupboard to grab a plate and a fork from the silverware drawer. Then, she forked the Potato Au Gratin onto her plate and once it cooled down, she began to eat it. When finished, she put it in the fridge once it cooled down and that they'll be leftovers for later. Finally, she resumed her song.

Then after lunch, it's puzzles and darts and baking.

Paper-mâché, a bit of ballet, and chess.

Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making.

Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch.

Take a climb, sew a dress.

Poppy washed her hands and dried them with a towel. Then, she decided to work on a puzzle, shot darts at a target, and she baked chocolate chip cookies. Later, she did some art, ballet, and played chess with herself. After lying on the floor, she stretched and did a sketch of herself with her father, who loved her. She then climbed up a window to see what the outside world looked like and after seeing nothing going on, she decided to sew a dress.

And I'll reread the books, if I have time to spare.

I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere.

And then I'll brush and brush and brush my hair,

Stuck in the same place I've always been.

And I'll keep wonderin' and wonderin'

And wonderin' and wonderin'

When will my life begin?

Later, Poppy decided to read Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Rapunzel. Then, she painted her bedroom wall and brushed her hair.

Finally, she ran toward a window to see if anything changed. Sighing, she watched birds fly by.

Tonight, lights will appear,

Just like they do in the fall season each year.

What is it like out there where they glow?

Now that I'm older, Mother might just let me go.

Poppy sighed once again when she heard the door knock and went to check who it was.

She looked out the window to see who it was. It was her mother with a boy about her age.

With an aggravated sigh, she let them in, anyway. "Hi, Mother and who is this?" she asked politely.

Her mother didn't answer. Instead, she checked her surroundings to see a perfectly clean house. "Oh, it looks lovely, Dearie," she said, noticing how clean the house was.

"Thank you, but I'm referring to someone next to you," Poppy said, trying her best to hide her irritation.

"Oh, this handsome man I found at the market? He wants to get to know you when we have dinner," her mother replied.

The gentleman in question had dark brown fur, with a light brown muzzle, dark hair, black eyes and nose, pink ear innard and pink tail, a purple jacket with a white vest, black pants, and dark brown shoes.

Poppy rubbed the back of her head. "I…uh…Oh, okay." She did her best to put a smile on her face.

…

This night was clearly not what Poppy had in mind. She toyed her fork, not bothering to touch her food.

"Poppy, this Potato Au Gratin is so delicious," Ms. Fieldmouse said.

"I made it myself, Mother," said Poppy.

"Oh, good job." Ms. Fieldmouse then turned to the boy. "My daughter's a good cook."

"Oh, wonderful," the boy mused.

"Thank you," Poppy said simply.

"And she did a good job cleaning the house."

"Well, I'd like her to be my wife. This beauty can cook for me, clean for me, and I'd like to have boys."

Poppy rolled her eyes at this, knowing that this is not the man for her and that her mother had the nerve to bring this boy into their home out of the blue when neither of them knew who he was. If Poppy planned to marry, she wanted it to be for love and to get to know a certain man in person before deciding whether or not to marry him. She finished cleaning for her mother and this was how she repaid her?

"I'm sorry, but my answer is no," she said with a frown.

Ms. Fieldmouse turned to her daughter, surprised by her behavior. "What was that?" To the boy, she added, "Forgive my daughter. Ever since my husband left and died, she missed him very much."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Ms. Fieldmouse."

"I've gotten done with chores, Mother and this is how you repay me? Bringing some random stranger, whom we don't know about into our home and you want him to marry me for my looks and I can stay home and clean and cook? No way! Ever since Father left, you've tried to hook me up with a bunch of men, who were just like Mr. Mole because you liked him."

"Mr. Mole is our neighbor," said Ms. Fieldmouse to the boy, who nodded.

"I see."

"They were a perfect match for you."

"No, they were the perfect match for YOU!" Poppy snapped, pounding her fist on the table. "Did you ever bother to ask what I wanted? NO! You assumed I wanted to get married when I wanted it to be for love and not just for my looks, cooking, and cleaning skills, which he and I can take turns doing!"

"I'd better go," said the boy.

"So soon? But we were just getting started," Ms. Fieldmouse lamented.

"Good luck marrying her off!" he retorted, storming out of the kitchen and slamming the door shut.

"Poppy! How dare you!"

"I told you they were strangers! You'll have to get to know them first before letting them in! Does anyone warn you about strangers? What about Father?"

Ms. Fieldmouse sighed. "Yes, he did and so did my parents."

"But you didn't listen to them! Instead, you let in strangers before knowing who they really are!"

Ms. Fieldmouse rubbed her temples in annoyance. "You sound like your father."

"Good! At least one of us does!" With that, Poppy turned to leave.

Just as Ms. Fieldmouse was about to walk away, those words stung her to the core.

Poppy made her way to her room when her mother snapped back, "Go to your room!"

Poppy groaned in anger and when finally made it to her room; she slammed the door.

…

"My mother forced suitors on me," Poppy said, slightly interrupting the story.

"Yes, she did," Jacquimo nodded and he continued narrating the story, "That night, Poppy couldn't sleep. Instead, she packed up her belongings for an adventure of a lifetime."

…

Meanwhile, when Poppy finished packing, she put pillows underneath her blanket, so her mother wouldn't know she was gone.

She was now dressed in her dress with a red top, reddish orange sleeves, turquoise skirt and a turquoise hair bow tied to the back of her blonde hair, and dark blue shoes. This dress was much prettier than those rags her mother forced her to wear.

The teenage mouse put on her green cloak, which matched well in the grass to keep herself safe from predators.

She quietly opened the door and stepped out of her room with her belongings, trying her best not to make a lot of noise.

To her relief, her mother was sound asleep as if nothing happened. Sighing with relief, Poppy snuck a few cookies and put them in her pocket.

Now that she had everything she needed, she took a deep breath and lightly closed the door behind her so as to not wake up her mother.

Once outside, she felt free in the fresh cool air breeze blowing, the grass and dirt beneath her feet, and the sound of crickets chirping in the night. Goodbye underground and hello higher ground.

AN: I altered the lyrics to the song "When Will My Life Begin?" from Tangled since lights do appear that night.