A/N: Hello again, everyone. Get ready for an extra dentist trip because this chapter will be too sweet for words.
IF YOU GUESSED CORRECTLY, CONGRATULATIONS! THIS CHAPTER'S GOING TO BE ABOUT SÉRAPHINE'S FIRST DAY! (CLAPPING HANDS) YAY!
Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. The chapter starts off a few hours after the Labor Day party.
The Labor Day party at the Levingston-Winthrop estate was so fun that Séraphine and Isaac didn't want to leave; the same with the other kids there. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end until the next time.
Spencer sat in bed with half his lean body under the cotton-linen comforters and his head against the matching set pillows. Élise took a shower and did her nighttime skincare routine. He never really understood it; it was always cleanser, moisturizer, and sunscreen for him. At least not until Élise explained the absolute importance of a consistent skincare routine.
Élise walked out of her closet, clad in a pink paisley capri sleep set and stretching her limbs, tiptoeing to the bedside. She groaned when she bent her back.
"Ooh!" she let out a loud cry. "I can't wait for tomorrow!" she cheered, jumping like a tittering cheerleader. "I have my outfit picked out and everything!"
Spencer closed his book, Pale Blue Dot, by American astronomer Carl Sagan, had it on his concealed lap, and made a silly face. "It's not your first day of school."
"Still…" Élise shrugged her shoulders and placed her body under the covers. "I kinda miss being a kid; everything was less complicated."
She rested her head against the pillow and rolled her fingers together. "Our girl's starting her first day of preschool in less than twelve hours…"
"And counting…" Spencer added.
Élise giggled; she had her fingers pinching her nose bridge. "I swear, that girl has taken initiative for the past week."
Taking inspiration from an article on Scholastic, Spencer, and Élise prepared Séraphine for the first day. Séraphine had Spencer set her stuffed animals and dolls in a line in the playroom and pretended she was the teacher and they were her students. She sharpened a bunch of pencils, and Spencer commented that she'd have enough for the whole class. Séraphine wanted to take a bunch of school supplies in her new backpack, but Élise thought Séraphine should hold off until the first week of school was done. Spencer even helped Séraphine write her name, even making sure she had the acute accent in the first E, and he and Élise read a lot of books on the first day of school.
"It's that kind of inventiveness that's gonna take her straight to the top," Élise pointed her finger up and had her hand on her cheek. "And one day, she'll end up a success like moi." She ended that sentence with a smile.
"Or me, a child prodigy," Spencer winked.
"Mmm-hmm…" Élise snorted. "I wouldn't miss tomorrow for the world nor anyone's life…"
Their bedroom door was knocked on and swung open, and there was Séraphine, in a carmel pink and white jersey tee and matching woven twill pastel striped shorts sleep set, and her hair in a braid.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
"Hey, Fee," Spencer laid his book on the bedside when Séraphine approached his side. He scooped her onto the bed and positioned her between him and Élise. "What are you doing up?"
"Yeah," Élise played with her braid. "You should be getting ready for your first day of preschool tomorrow."
Séraphine slumped into the pillow and groaned, "I don't wanna go tomorrow…"
Spencer and Élise picked their heads up and looked at each other with concern. "Why?" Élise wondered.
Spencer agreed. "Yeah. A few hours ago, you were so excited, but now you don't wanna go?"
"No…"
"Oh, Fee…" Spencer embraced her closer to him. "It's okay to feel that way. And besides, there's nothing to be nervous about."
Séraphine whined again, "But what if I don't see any of my friends? Or what if I can't make a new friend?"
Élise tugged herself towards Séraphine. "Hey, kid. Sometimes making friends takes time, but you'll always have Ronnie, Blair, Victor, Aaliyah, and BJ in the same grade."
"And you know what we always tell you?"
Séraphine guessed, "Always say 'please' and 'thank you?'"
"Well, that. You never know what you're missing out on if you don't try new things. And…anything is possible."
Séraphine smiled with hopeful wisdom and hugged her parents. "I love you two."
Spencer and Élise embraced her back. "And we love you too."
The two parents managed to get Séraphine to sleep in her own bed again, and they went back to sleep in their own bed again. Their bodies turned away from the windows, and their room had a glowing, natural light from the sunlight sneaking through the voile curtains.
But that wasn't what woke them up, even when their bed was bounced on a couple of times by that same someone.
"Daddy…" it was Séraphine.
Spencer slapped his hand over his face. "Didn't mommy and I tell you to knock being coming in…" he said; he still sounded worn out and ready to go back to bed.
"I didn't want to wake you…" Séraphine replied innocently.
Spencer rotated his body and groaned, rubbing his crusted eyelashes with his fingers. "What time is it?" he tried to get his phone without twisting his head to face the bedside, and when he finally did, he clicked it open and answered, "It's 6:55. Meaning…" Spencer stored his phone back on the mahogany table. "Mommy and I still have five more minutes…" he rested his head back on the pillow.
"But I don't wanna be late," Séraphine pouted her mouth. "It's my first day of school…"
Spencer smiled, picking his body up. "Oh, really?"
"Uh-huh!" Séraphine bopped her head.
He threw the duvets to Élise's side and scooped Séraphine off their bed. "Well, all…right, little girl," Spencer steered Séraphine out of the bedroom. "Mommy and I will be there. You go downstairs for breakfast, okay?"
"K-K!"
After Spencer closed the door, he snapped his head back, sped-ran towards the bed, and leaped onto the bed like a frog, even getting into a squat position when he kissed Élise's neck. "Élise…" he shook her shoulders and even lifted her silk pink quilted mask.
"Mmm…no, Spence," she mumbled, shrugging him off. "It's a weekday…"
"It's our little girl's first day of school," Spencer announced with a tease.
Élise removed her mask and tossed it aside. "It's the first day of school?" she grinned, flashing her teeth.
"Yup."
"Yay!" Élise cheered. She hurled the comforters back on the bed, but she nearly tumbled herself off and managed to stop herself from hitting the carpeted floor. "Our girl's first day is today. We should soak all this in while we still can since they're still small children because when they grow up and become teenagers, practically chasing them out of the house in minutes…"
"Oh." Spencer had a headrush just thinking of the children as teenagers. "Think our children will be those teenagers who wouldn't want to go back to school on the first day?"
"I wasn't." Élise shrugged. "Well, maybe a little during my middle school years."
"I sure wasn't either," Spencer replied before taking Élise's hand, and the two closed the door behind them.
"Whose first day of preschool is today?" Rose asked; she had her back turned away, focusing on what she was preparing and cooking on the stove.
Séraphine raised her hand like the exciting toddler she was. "Me-me-me!"
"In honor of your first day…" Rose sashayed to Séraphine and plated her breakfast in front of her. It was some of her favorites: two confetti pancakes, vanilla French toast with fresh berries, and a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.
"Thanks, Rose…"
Isaac folded his arms. "Aw…" he pushed his lips out.
Rose stroked his head when giving him his favorite oatmeal with berries for breakfast. "Don't worry, little man. You'll have her breakfast next year when you start school."
"Yay!" Isaac cheered just when Spencer and Isaac came in. "Mommy! Daddy!"
Élise cupped her hands on Isaac's face and kissed his face, making him giggle. Spencer saw the plate that had half of a dozen slices of toasted semolina bread on the granite countertops and picked up one. He then walked over to Séraphine's side while she was eating and asked, "What do you want for your lunch? Nuggets? A sandwich? Patties?"
"A sandwich."
Élise asked while getting a slice of toast. "What kind of sandwich? PB&J? Sun butter and jelly?"
"Caprese," Séraphine answered again and held her hand in the air again. "Oh! With chips, too, please?"
Spencer finished his toast and wiped his hands when he got to the refrigerator and pulled out a small white box. "And in honor of your first day of school…I got you a cupcake from Georgetown Cupcakes."
"Yay!"
After breakfast, the parents let the children shower and dressed them for the day. After her routine, Élise finished up her makeup (the secret to wearing makeup was to look like she wasn't wearing any), making her skin glow a bit, and her hair was sleek back. She looked like a boss lady in her white tie-neck blouse, pale pink linen blend blazer, straight pants, and slingbacks.
Spencer got dressed in a light purple classic Oxford shirt with a dark purple tie tucked into the waistband of his freshly ironed black pants, his favorite Converses, and polished his somewhat tousled hair.
Élise walked into Séraphine's room and could barely keep it together once she got there. Séraphine was dressed in a crisp white polo shirt, vintage khaki color twill skirt, pink Converses, and mismatched socks. She wanted to accessorize her curly hair herself, so she added a headband.
Élise swallowed hard. "You ready?" she whispered—if she had spoken any louder, Élise would have broken down in tears already.
"Uh-huh…" Séraphine bobbled his head.
Élise took a deep breath and mustered up, straightening her shoulders back just as Spencer came in with her lunch box that came with her backpack. "I got your lunch, drink, and a special surprise inside."
"Yay…" Séraphine grabbed her lunch box by its purple handle and practically ran out of the bedroom. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"
Spencer chuckled, but his smile diminished a bit when he saw Élise wiping her eyelashes and sniffing her nose. "You're okay?"
"Mmm-hmm…" She inhaled again and strolled out of the room with her head held high and congregated poise. Spencer knew Élise was holding back on her emotions. It was good that he always carried a mini package of tissues in his satchel.
"Look!" Séraphine pointed to the WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PRIMARY SCHOOL CAMPUS sign outside the semi-tilted window. She sat in the middle between her parents.
"That means we're getting close," said Spencer with his one arm around her shoulder.
"Mmm-hmm…" Even though Élise still presented composure, he felt her hand shaking though her body was trying its hardest not to feel that way.
The tremendous gray brick-and-white-cream paneled modern architectural building looked just like it did on the school's website and brochure. The weigelas blossomed. The parking lot was filled with polished-looking teachers, anxious parents, and enthusiastic children itching to go inside. Yellow school buses shuttling groups of children.
The Suburban's engine shut off. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Séraphine was getting more impatient by the second, springing like the seat cushions.
Spencer got out from his side first. "Hold on, little trooper," he strode behind the vehicle and opened the door. Séraphine hopped out first, then Élise, who brushed off her shoulders for any lint.
"Come on! Come on! Come on!" Séraphine immediately took her parents' hands and dragged them into the building.
"Slow down there, little girl," Élise definitely didn't want to break a heel or, worse, twist her ankle.
"Easy there!"
Just like when they registered to apply Séraphine back a few months ago, Spencer and Élise knew WIS was everything it hoped it be. The interior was modern and bright. When they got to Séraphine's assigned classroom, it was light-filled and roomy, filled with cubbies, a giant screen in the corner, and loud chatter amongst the parents giving their loving hugs and goodbye.
And also, everyone saw some familiar faces.
"Maeve! Bobby!" The parents waved to their friends.
Séraphine gasped. "BJ!"
BJ flapped his hand. "Hiya!"
"How is everyone?" Maeve and Bobby gave Spencer and Élise a hug.
Soon a slim woman in her mid-to-late thirties, about five-seven in height with a light tan complexion, blue-green eyes, blonde hair that reached to her broad shoulders, and clad in a peach color top with a whimsical paisley skirt that went to her knees and brown low heels approached Spencer and Élise.
"Hello, you two," she had a Latina accent and a wide white smile. "Pleasure meeting you again."
"Ms. Ortiz."
According to the school's faculty and staff directory, Ms. Maritza Ortiz's family hailed from Latin America, had a master's degree in education, and spent the last decade teaching elementary school. She had even volunteered and tutored overseas.
Ms. Ortiz squatted with her hands on her knees to Séraphine's height. "Hello again, Séraphine."
"You remember me…" Séraphine blushed.
"I make it my business to know my little students," Ms. Ortiz replied before straightening up. "Now, I bet it's time for you parents to say your goodbyes."
Élise dreaded this part. "Oh…okay…"
"Of course." Bobby and Maeve went to say their goodbyes to their son, BJ. Spencer bent to Séraphine's size and gave her a hug first—he sensed Élise still needed a little time to get herself together.
"Have a good first day. And be a good girl."
"Okay, Daddy," after the two pulled back, Spencer gave her a long loving kiss on her temple. "Mommy…?"
Spencer mentally pushed Élise forward, and she got on her knees. "Fee…" she sniffed twice and sighed. "My little girl…uh…"
Séraphine just pulled her mother into her teeny arms, kissed her forehead, and whispered, "You have to be strong, ma…"
When Séraphine said that, Élise wanted to just break down and cry. She croaked when the two faced again after pulling back. "I love you; you know that?" Spencer helped Élise up steady on her heeled feet.
"It's hard on the parents, I know," Ms. Ortiz comforted the parents with her words. "But your children are in good hands with me and my teaching assistant, Ms. Torres," she waved her hand to herself and her assistant teacher, a woman with golden skin complexion, dark hazel eyes, wavy black hair; her yellow floral dress went to her knee, short pink cardigan, and had white flats on.
Ms. Carla Torres recently earned a bachelor's degree and is currently working towards a master's.
"Well, we better get going," Spencer physically dragged Élise out of the room, but once out the door, Élise turned for a quick second and saw Séraphine was already getting acquainted with the teachers.
"Oh…" once she saw Séraphine wave again, Élise felt the waterworks coming.
"I figure you'd need these," Spencer pulled out a tissue from his bag and gave it to Élise, dabbing her eyes and blowing her nose into it.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter...