Summer's end around the bend

[andhiswife]

If asked, Greta would insist that Saoirse's solo shopping mission was a rousing success. The lass had made it to the store and back, obtained everything on the list, and seemed terribly pleased with herself. All good things. But Greta hadn't truly appreciated how fussy other people would become over the whole affair. Granted, Saoirse looks younger than she is, but any child old enough to go to school would've been old enough to send on an errand back home. And they didn't have phones in the Village.

But Darrow is different. And while it rankled to hear people implicitly equate allowing her daughter a bit of independence with neglecting her, this may not be a culture war she can win by attacking it head-on.

So she adapts. There are things Saoirse can do in the countryside, where there are fewer people to potentially threaten her or decide she's in need of rescuing. And Greta's found that sending her for items in a shop is generally considered unobjectionable, as long as Greta herself is there, too, within earshot of any overzealous samaritans who might take it upon themselves to 'help.'

Today, she's taking advantage of some end-of-summer sales and picking up a few things for their expanded household: an extra set of bedsheets to add to the rotation, additional bath towels, that sort of thing. Saoirse is tagging along, and Greta can tell the lass is on the verge of boredom. "Here," she says, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial hush and bending to Saoirse's level, "why don't you nip over to the books section and see if they have anything good?"

It's only half a dozen rows away, and Greta's seen unaccompanied children loitering there before. No one should object to Saoirse being there, and if the lass finds a book she likes, it'll make the whole trip seem worth the bother.

Comments

[selkiesaoirse]

"Alright," Saoirse agrees cheerfully. She heads on over there, smiling pleasantly.

Going out to the store for Greta had been a wonderful experience. Saoirse had felt accomplished in ways she hasn't felt before. Sure, playing footie at school and winning was an accomplishment, but this had been wholly different. She'd proved something, to both Greta and herself, that she'd never known before.

There had been a few adults that hadn't seemed to like the idea, but even more that had, and at the end of the day, Saoirse had decided that how she and Greta felt was more important, anyway.

She looks up at the book selection, and frowns when she sees signs flaunting the start of school. She's barely gotten to enjoy summer, and already school is coming?

She pulls her coat close around her. And what about the students who heard her speak when she lost her magic? The start of summer had been a blessing. No more rude children, calling her a liar. And already, she feels the worry creep in. What if they think she'd been lying again? What if they try to hurt her coat?

What if they try to hurt her?

She turns away from the books and looks for Greta again.

"Mum?" she calls, voice trembling with uncertainty.

[andhiswife]

Greta keeps an ear out even as she continues to shop, though the most she expects to hear is the sound of some concerned adult asking Saoirse if she's by herself. Had that happened, she would have quickly made an appearance to dispel any misconceptions, and everything would have been fine. At worst -- if Saoirse actually felt threatened -- Greta would expect the girl to shout for her.

She definitely doesn't expect to be called for in the tone she hears, now, uncertain and unsteady. That's a rare thing to hear from Saoirse in any context, let alone one in which she'd already proved herself capable. Something must be wrong.

"Saoirse?" Her grip on the shopping cart tightens, knuckles blanching as she pushes it around the corner. And there's Saoirse, her coat clutched tightly around herself as if it might shield her from something. But she's alone. There's no sign of any other children -- or any other adults -- either lingering nearby or beating a hasty retreat. Greta abandons the cart and walks briskly over to her, still checking for trouble from some obvious outside source as she places a hand on Saoirse's shoulder and pulls her close to her skirts.

Still no one. But she can feel the girl trembling, even through the thick fur of her coat. Greta frowns, then crouches down to check the lass over. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

[selkiesaoirse]

Saoirse's chin trembles, and she looks at Greta with huge, watery eyes.

"Do I have to go back to school?"

To anyone watching, it might seem ridiculous. She's crying, pink-faced already, because she doesn't want to go back to school? But for Saoirse, the fear is very real, and she switches one hand to grip Greta's skirts.

[andhiswife]

... Oh, dear. Greta belatedly notices the 'Back to School' displays at the ends of the next few aisles, and her heart sinks. She'd meant to broach the subject soon, just waiting for the right moment. Now, she wishes she'd been a little less choosy about what constituted rightness. This all could have been avoided.

Or, if nothing else, they could have had this conversation somewhere more fitting than the middle of a box store.

Greta tsks, mostly at herself, and lifts a hand to Saoirse's cheek, gently wiping her tears away with the pad of her thumb. "You don't have to go back to that one," she says first, getting right to the heart of it. Or what she presumes is the heart of it. She doesn't think Saoirse would be this distressed over the mere thought of summer ending, but perhaps she ought to double check. "You're worried about what the other children might say, now that your voice is back for good?"

[selkiesaoirse]

"They were so mean the last time," she reminds, as if Greta could have possibly forgotten. "I don't want it to be bad again. No one wanted to be my friend, 'cause they all thought I was a liar." And she's not a liar! The tears fall a little harder, and she hides her face in Greta's belly. "Please don't make me go back," she pleads, voice muffled into the fabric.

[andhiswife]

Well, this is terrible. Greta strokes Saoirse's hair, and catches a sympathetic look from another woman with children in tow. Saoirse doubtless isn't the first child to have a public cry over being sent back to school, though she might have better reasons than most to be so distressed.

"What if we found you a different school?" she asks, keeping her own voice calm and level. "One with different children, who wouldn't know about how your voice has come and gone? That might be nicer, don't you think?"

[selkiesaoirse]

Saoirse takes a moment to think about that. The idea isn't terrible, she supposes. If the other students don't know she used to be mute, then they won't call her a liar. And they won't try to bully her about it.

But they might wonder why she's wearing a beautiful coat all the time.

Then again, nobody else minds.

"With new kids?" she asks. "And no bullies?"

[andhiswife]

Saoirse pauses, evidently considering, and Greta allows herself a glimmer of hope. They don't have to make any hard and fast decisions here, and it's a conversation Thomas should probably be a part of, too. But if she can at least get the lass in a more positive frame of mind until they're all back at the cottage, that'll be enough to be getting on with.

"With new kids," she confirms. "And hopefully no bullies. I'm afraid I can't promise anything there, because some children can be cruel for no reason at all. But," she crouches down to put herself on Saoirse's level, one hand fondly cupping her cheek, "I bet we can find a place where the teachers are better at stopping bullies."

[selkiesaoirse]

Saoirse nods. She's always grateful when Greta talks to her like a grownup. She likes hearing the truth, even if it isn't always as pretty as a story.

"I hope so," she agrees. Her voice is still watery, but she uses the cuff of her coat sleeve to wipe a stray tear away. Her chin wobbles a bit more, but she bites her lip to steady it.

[andhiswife]

"Here..." She pulls Saoirse into a warm, reassuring hug, and presses a kiss to her temple. "It'll be all right. I'm sure we can find someplace that you'll like."

She leans back, hands on Saoirse's shoulders, not wanting to coddle her too much when she's clearly trying to get ahold of herself. "Maybe, when we get home, we can start looking up different places, and seeing how they sound. We don't have to do it tonight, but if you want to, we could take a look."

[selkiesaoirse]

"I think I'd like to do that," she says once she's got her tears more under control. "I don't like that school at all." But, she thinks, she might miss her footie coach.

She wipes the last of her tears away and looks at Greta solemnly.

"I'm sorry for crying," she says.

[andhiswife]

"All right," Greta replies, keeping her voice low and even. "We'll do it. Maybe we can get Thomas in on it, too." Though he isn't Saoirse's guardian in an official sense -- something they probably ought to change, actually -- this still seems like a conversation he ought to be part of.

At the apology, she runs her hands down Saoirse's arms, and clasps her hands warmly. "I'm sorry for not talking to you about it sooner," she says. "We were all enjoying summer so much, and I didn't want you worrying about this when you should have been having fun." She lets out a soft sigh. "But that meant it snuck up and scared you. Of course you were upset."

Really, this all could have been avoided if Greta hadn't put off bringing up school. They could have had this conversation weeks ago, at home. "Can you forgive me for that?" she asks. "I'm sure I can forgive you for crying."