Harriette, Genni, Mayla, Katrina and Emelia finished spinning as Mr. Sun called them all down for a group game. Katrina and Harriette clinging to each other as they try to stumbley follow Emelia down. Mayla wasn't dizzy, she'd tried to spin it faster but after Katrina threatened to puke she'd been forced to slow down. She'd shuffled down the slide that Emelia had pointed out to ask Mr. Sun to wait for them a moment.
"Alright, Alright, girls I'm going to call the activity up to you so you can shout down if you want to join or not!" Mr. Sun called. Emelia leaned against the opening of a wall to shout down.
"Thank you, Mr. Sun!" Emelia called. Genni was already mostly recovered now too, but giggled as Katrina and Harriette stumbled into her, sending her toppling over which resulted in Harriette and Katrina losing all balance. The three a giggling heap for a moment each giving a thumbs up. "That sounds good! What activity are you planning?"
"We're going make…" there was a dramatic pause. "These! Flowers, I have materials set up for all of you, but once again no one has to play if they don't want to!"
"That sounds fun," Harriette said.
"That's a new one, I wanna try," Katrina said. Genni thought for a moment.
"Are my brothers playing something else or are there any other regulars doing anything else?" Genni asked, thoughtfully.
"Are any of the Weasley's or other regulars planning to do something else!" Emelia asked. She watched silently for a moment before turning to them. "Yes, Daniella and her siblings are planning to play house, and Ron and a few of the other kids are planning something with one of the climbing webs."
"Okay, I'll do the climbing thing, you guys can do the art," Genni said, satisfied. "You guys have fun with your flowers."
"Have fun climbing," the others said. Genni waved, heading to the slide.
"Ron! Genni wants to join your thing!" Emelia said. "Harriette, Katrina and I want to make flowers!" She called down.
"I'll make sure the three of you have a place at the table then!" Mr. Sun shouted back. "Alright! As for the rest of us, we're going to head to the tables to make the flowers." There was a bunch of noise from the other kids. Harriette and Katrina needed some help getting to the slide, but with some support from Emelia and each other and a little bit of crawling they eventually made it down the slide. The other kids were still settling down at the tables when the three made their way there. Arriving in time to still choose seats next to each other.
Mayla waved from the front of the playhouse before turning to animatedly talk to another girl who was probably a bit older than she was. Genni and her brother were up on the top of one of the climbing webs.
Emelia sat on one side of Harriette, Katrina on her side, and an older boy Harriette didn't know sat next to her. Mr. Sun stood to one side like a teacher and started showing them how to make the flowers. Harriette watched with rapt attention as he explained the processes.
"The pipe cleaners will act as the stem, you don't have to add construction paper, you can make the petals out of pipe cleaners too, but you can also use the cut out shapes to make flowers out of. You can use glitter glue, regular glue, you can add designs to your flowers, and if you want to make a different shape you can ask me to cut it out for you. Now, I'm going to make a full pipe cleaner flower, but again you don't have to do that. Alright so to make the stem you're going to want to use a few of them. Green would be the best choice, but blue could work too. If you use other colors your petals might not stand out as much though so that's what I'd recommend. Careful of the ends, sometimes they can be a little sharp, I checked but my skins tougher than yours." Some of the older kids giggled at the comment. Harriette focused intently on copying the motion to twist two green and a blue pipe cleaner together. "Now you curve the leaves like this, and you can use these to make the shape if you want. That's good." Mr. Sun was walking around helping kids make the flowers now. Mostly just watching as the kids worked.
"I'm Elison," the boy next to Harriette said. "Can you pass those pink cut outs?" Harriette nodded.
"Won't you get in trouble?"
"Nah, but thanks for checking in on me," Elison said. Emelia and Katrina had started a small conversation about a show Harriette hadn't seen but Harriette was fine with that. She could get to know Elison she supposed. "You?" He asked.
"Get into trouble?" Harriette clarified, she nodded. "Don't tell me okay." She whispered. And Elison laughed, then he tried to fight down the smile on his face and ask her to whisper back.
"Don't worry," Elison said. "Won't tell a soul, cross my heart." And he did. Harriette had thought she'd gotten over the worry of getting in trouble with the Durley's. Mr. Sun had said he wasn't allowed to actually tell anyone that he'd actually want to tell. Mayla's grandparents would leave before the Durley's came to pick her up. If they did at all. She might actually have to walk back to the hotel. She'd memorized the route though so she wasn't too worried.
"So, what brings you here?" Elison asked.
"My relatives," Harriette said. "My Uncle wanted to celebrate my cousin's birthday here, well that's what he told my aunt, but I overheard him talking about some sort of conference." Harriette shrugged.
"That explains why there are so many newcomers," Elison said. "What do you think it's about?"
"Who cares? Why would it matter?" Harriette shrugged, twisting a wire leaf into her stem; she'd decided to add the leaves before completing the stem; she'd also leave a bit on top for the actual flower to be added.
"Oh, yeah, I guess it doesn't matter," Elison said. "Some kids just want to take after their relatives." Harriette made a face, then shook that thought off. Her relatives weren't bad, they kept her even though she was a freak, they'd given her a place to stay, they kept her fed even if they couldn't alway do that 'cause she was bad. They always talked about how expensive keeping a freak like her was. Surely those things were important, surely that meant they loved her, even just a little bit. "That's okay, I don't want to be like my parents either." Elison said. Harriette looked up at him, mind boggled that he'd say that. "My moms mean, and treats others badly. My dad always ignores it, or acts just as bad." Elison shrugged. "They send me here cause they don't want to look after me anyway. The only days I'm not here are Mondays and Thursdays, and that's only 'cause they hired a tutor to help me 'get a head' even though I'm already a head." He pouted. "I want to go outside and play with friends, or to do creative stuff." He shrugged. "They say those things can wait, but you can never be too far ahead. They say they'll increase the days I have to work if they're not happy with my grades. It's summer!" He threw his hands up in the air at that. "Sorry," He looked confused for a moment. "Don't know why I-"
"It's okay," Harriette put a hand on his arm. "I get it. My relatives aren't very nice to people either." Harriette hadn't really thought about how her uncle treated others, or how her aunt treated others. She was a cold, distant kind of rude, always talking about others when they weren't around. But Uncle Vernon was mean to people and then would talk about them like they were the ones in the wrong, despite him admitting more than once that he'd set them up to fail on purpose. Just for an excuse to yell. She'd thought for a really long time that was just how people were, but she'd listened in on enough conversations to know that wasn't it at all. Elison snickered.
"You're pretty good at that?" Elison pointed out. Harriette looked at her flower with a surprise. She'd added two leaves to the stem, but had set it aside to make the flower part, she'd managed to add a few petals to the flower part. She shrugged.
"I've worked with wires before," Harriette said. "These are a lot easier to bend." The two started chatting about their relatives. Elison's mom was a stay at home mom, despite that she was more interested in appearances than actually being a mom. His father had an important job, so he hired a cleaning service, and cooks. Petunia at least did do some of the housework at home. She'd once told Harriette that those who don't work don't eat.
"But when I'd asked about Dudley, she said he was different because he was her and Uncle Vernon's real baby." Harriette pouted.
"That doesn't sound fair," Elison said.
"Well I can't do anything about it," Harriette admitted.
"Yeah," Elison said. "We can't change the people who are supposed to be taking care of us." They commiserate over their unfair circumstances. Harriette feels a little better about it, not because someone else is going through the same thing, but because she was allowed to talk about it. She didn't have to worry about the Durley's finding out about her talking about them. She could just express her frustrations, her loneliness. She could also see how someone could feel the same way as she could without going through the same things.
They stopped talking about their families when Emelia and Katrina finished up their flowers and wanted to show them off. Harriette thought they looked cute, if not a little lopsided. She gave the other two girls a thumbs up.
"What if we decorated the playhouse with them?" Emelia asked. "We could leave our mark on the daycare forever, and kids who won't ever meet us will see them forever and ever!"
"Shouldn't we ask Mr. Sun?" Harriette asked. Katrina shrugged, raising her hand.
"Mr. Sun!" she shouted. "What if we made a flower garden for the playhouse?"
"That sounds," Mr. Sun paused. "Interesting." He looked over to the playhouse. "I think we could do that a little bit…" He seemed thoughtful. "It does sound really cute!" He clapped. Harriette hadn't noticed that he usually spoke sign language until she recognised one of the signs he used for the next part. "Alright, how about I get a box for you kiddo's to use for your little flower garden. Of course you can always choose not to add a flower to the pot! You can take it home or add it to the pot. Hey, if you participated in the flower making you can add yours to the flower box I'm going to add to the playhouse!" He called. Several of the kids who'd been there to start with had left, some in frustration but most because they were done and didn't want to continue. Now those kids and several who hadn't wanted to participate before were heading over eagerly, most following Mr. Sun to ask about the flower garden. Harriette chose to follow too.
"Can I help?" Harriette asked, as she caught up and they reached the storage closet where Mr. Sun had pulled the paged easels and some of the other things he'd gathered.
"Oh, that's not necessary, I can get it all myself," Mr. Sun answered, opening the door to start searching for the supplies he wanted.
"I want to help," Harriette clarified. "Can I?" Harriette tilted her head to the side. Mr. Sun was looking at her, several seconds passed. "I mean, if I'd be in the way-" Harriette started.
"Oh, no, no, no!" Mr. Sun said. "It's just- how about you carry this! Let me know if it's too heavy." He offered her a fairly small box full of foam. She nodded, picking it up.
"It's not heavy at all," Harriette reassured.
"Okay," Mr. Sun said, sounding a little nervous. "Okay, you can-I'll bring these." He said picking up the boxes that he'd grabbed, he'd added something else into one of them too, but Harriette hadn't really seen what. "Hey, look, this means I don't have to take two trips." Mr. Sun said. "Thank you." Harriette got the feeling that he probably could have been carrying way more without much trouble, but still warmth filled her chest and stomach at the thanks.
"You're welcome, it's not that much though," Harriette said, almost robotically.
"It's still very appreciated, Harriette," Mr. Sun said. "Alright! If your done with your flowers head over here." Mr. Sun call, putting the boxes down on one of the empty tables. The kids who were done, grabbed their flowers. Harriette put her box down, and Mr. Sun started putting the foam into the boxes. Sitting cross legged on the floor so the kids could hand him their flowers and talk about where they might want their flowers. Harriette stood watching, deciding whether she wanted her flower among the others. She decided that she did, it would be nice to have something of her here. She'd barely made the decision when Elison stepped next to her, and whispers shouted to be heard over the other kids but still not by anyone else.
"I brought your flower," He said, offering her the flower she'd made. She'd chosen sparkly pipe cleaner for some parts, but plain for others. The blue pipe cleaner and the red that she'd chosen as the outermost part were sparkly, as well as the pink and yellow she'd chosen for the center. She thought it would look pretty, and she felt like she'd been right.
"Thanks," She said, taking her flower, looking at him. The stem was just plain green pipe cleaner, and plain red loops to make up the flower. He hadn't made a center, but it was still impressively flower shaped. Emelia slid into place next to her, and Katrina right after her. Harriette noted they had their own flowers with them. Emelia's was pink, with a mostly blue stem. The petals were swirling inward with a brown puff glued on the top. She'd had to ask Mr. Sun for help with a hot glue gun for that part. Katrina's was fancier, pale purple pipe cleaner spread up her stem in sloops like a bottle brush flower. The ends were bent a little inward to give extra shape. Harriette thought it was pretty cool looking. She also made her leaves filled in. Harriette thought that was pretty cool. Mayla, Genni, Ron, and the girl who'd been playing with Mayla joined them soon after, showing off their own creations. The girl had two younger kids with her, and they were holding simpler flowers. Harriette thought they were cute. They got up together and Emelia asked if their flowers could be put together in one box, and grouped together closely.
Harriette was a little confused why but didn't comment on it, and Mr. Sun didn't either, agreeing to the request. Harriette noticed Emelia wasn't even the only one who'd asked. Mr. Sun chose the box, he whispered to them that it was mostly the regulars anyway. So they arranged their flowers together. The younger kids on the outside since they were simpler it made all the flowers look better. Mr. Sun had recommended it, and he'd been right.
After that Mayla and the girl she'd been playing with offered to have them play house. It must have been clear that Harriette had no idea what that was, because they assured her they'd teacher her how to play.
"I'm Danielle by the way," the girl said. "This is my little sibling Damie, and Tatortot."
"Tatortot?"
"It's a nickname," Danielle said. The older of the two kids waved to her.
"What's her actually name?"
"They don't have one," Danielle joked. "C'mon!"
"Isn't Mr. Sun going to be working with the house?" Harriette asked.
"Yeah, but we'll stay out of his way when he does come," Danielle said. A sound hit the intercoms.
"Katrina, your parents are here!" Mr. Sun called. "I'm sorry guys, I work on the flowers again in a second I gotta fix Katrina's hair before she can go home."
"Awe, that's lame!"
"Why you gotta fix her hair?!"
"It's complicated," Mr. Sun said. Katrina waved to them.
"Bye, see you later maybe?" she said. "I come on her from Thursday to Saturday." She explained. "Will you be here?" Harriette nodded, glad she'd be able to see Katrina again. "Good, I'm glad." She waved then headed over to Mr. Sun.
"That sucks," Elison said. "Its' Stupid her parents won't let her do her hair like that." Elison said.
"Sometimes parents are so dumb," Emelia complained. "Welp, we're playing house right, so we'll need a Mummy and a Daddy."
"The house could have two Daddies, or two Mommies," Elison said.
"That's a allowed?" Harriette asked. Elison nodded.
"Yeah, of course," Mayla pointed out. "You're allowed to be a girl, and girls are allowed to like girls and boys are allowed to like boys." Mayla acted like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I didn't know that," Harriette said, voice soft and a little frustrated. "My aunt and uncle made it seem like a boy and a girl had to get married!"
"Well they don't!" Danielle said.
*Another scene that I'm not sure you even want me to write… IDK.*
Harriette was teaching Genni, Katrina and Emelia were watching too, how to make a spider web like pattern with a sting they'd tied together. Harriette had watched someone play the game somewhere and had figured it out on her own somehow. And now she was teaching Genni. Emelia was actually pretty good, and she actually knew what the whole game was called and how to play it, and Katrina was really good at not getting her hand caught. But they both agreed that Harriette was really good at making the strings make shape. So, when the man called and Genni had to get up Harriette's hands were to busy to actually wave, but Genni had wrapped her into a loose hug.
*Another scene that I'm not sure you even want me to write… IDK.*
"Weasleys," called a young man with red hair at the door.
"Bye-bye Harriette, I'll see you tomorrow okay!" Genni shouted. Harriette nodded, smiling.
Harriette was almost disappointed when it was time for her to go home. She was sitting with Mr. Sun across from here, adding more pages to her spider booklet. Drawing pictures of each spider, Mr. Sun described them to Harriette, then around that Harriette would write notes around it. Mr. Sun added little lined pieces and even offered to let Harriette have a few stickers.
"I thought you didn't know anything outside the pizzaplex," Harriette said after a moment of adding color to the drawing she'd been making of a Celaenia excavata; or a bird dropping spider.
"Oh, we're allowed access to a very specific system that contains a lot of information about interest topics," Sun said. "Since children can have a wide range of interests. But I think it's managed by the company or a subsidiary. Whatever the case may be, the information is company approved. It also hasn't been updated in a while. I might have been the only one using it." Harriette looks up at that.
"Why do they do that?" Harriette asked.
"They- the company probably doesn't want Moon and I to get any weird ideas, or something," Mr. Sun waved it off. "That looks so good! It's so accurate." Harriette felt herself grow warm. That's when a knock came.
"Oh, I guess that's your uncle," Sun said. Looking around the daycare as if another child would just appear. Harriette was the last child there. Sun sounded almost as disappointed as Harriette felt. Harriette shuffled, her plushies into her overstuffed backpack.
"Can you keep this here, just for tonight even?" Harriette asked, looking down at her homemade booklet. "I'll-I'll be here tomorrow, and probably the rest of the week." Harriette shifted.
"Oh, of course I can keep it safe for you," Mr. Sun said. "I'll make sure nothing happens to it. Harriette gave Mr. Sun a shy smile, before frowning, pulling her backpack onto her back and standing. She rearranged herself as if to stall for time. Another knock on the door caused the girl to flinch. Harriette looked up to Mr. Sun, who despite having a permanent smile painted on his face looked sad and regretful.
"I'm sorry, Harriette, it's- it's time to go," Mr. Sun said. "I'll see you tomorrow." He tried to put some cheer in his voice. Harriette found it weirdly comforting that Mr. Sun was just as sad to see her go as she was sad to leave. They walked to the door together. Mr. Sun putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Bye Mr. Sun," Harriette said. "I'll see you tomorrow." Harriette forced herself to smile at that. Then schooled her expression to something neutral and disinterested. Mr. Sun opened the door, and Uncle Vernon grabbed her arm. She waved over her shoulder as Uncle Vernon dragged her away, Mr. Sun waved back.
Uncle Vernon dragged Harriette through a convoluted route of hotel corridors to avoid her being seen by anyone. Harriette was used to him not wanting her to be seen. She waited patiently, she expected him to drag her into the bathroom of his and Petunia's shared room, that's what he'd done on every trip they'd had to stay at a hotel since Harriette could remember. She only remembered maybe one, but she from the conversation she'd overheard she'd guessed there had to have been more than the one. Instead he knocked on a door, Harriette's heart hammered in her chest for the moment it took for Dudley to answer. Relief relaxing her shoulders, she almost let the breath she'd held out in a rush, catching it just in time.
"Are you sure you want it in with you?" Uncle Vernon grumbled.
"I can handle it," Dudley said. "I'm a big boy after all." He added. "You've taught me how to deal with things after all." Dudley continued, stepping aside so that Uncle Vernon could drag Harriette into the room after him. He shoved her toward the bathroom. Harriette nearly stumbled but managed to catch herself without touching anything.
"Go on get in there brat," Uncle Vernon growled. "Call us if that thing causes any trouble."
"w-I'll be fine, Dad," Dudley said. Vernon ruffled Dudley's hair. Harriette tried not to think about having her own hair ruffled. "I'm sure you will, you're such a grown up boy.' Vernon said. Harriette tried not to think about receiving a compliment like that from someone. Freaks don't get compliments. They don't get gentle hair ruffles. Hairriette ducked into the bathroom to cover up the sniffle. She didn't need Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to love her. She crouched down against the door and pet her own head. But it reminded her of Mr. Moon braiding her hair, gentle hands working knots out, and braiding. Harriette remembered Emelia taking her hand and leading her around. She remembered her plushie dolls that Dudley and Granny Nova had given her. She touched the bracelets the other girls had made for her.
She only listened to them enough to know when Uncle Vernon left the room. Harriette stayed in the same position. She was fine. She had friends. She didn't need her Uncle and Aunt to except her. She was fine. She teared up. She was fine. She'd had a good day, she didn't even get yelled at today. There was a knock on the bathroom door.
"Harriette, wanna watch tv with me for a while?" Dudley asked. Harriette wiped the tears from her eyes. Smiling.
"Yeah," Harriette said. Dudley was being nice to her now. She could do this. Harriette stood, opening the bathroom door.
Day two... Maybe let me know if you want me to continue giving all the details of the day, or would rather just have me move on?