School Days…a “Kimberly and Katie” story (F/ff)

Ó 2003 by Sampast

 

(Regular Disclaimers Apply)

 

Summer was ending.  Regina was getting excited about going back to work.  She always loved the beginning of the school year, the kids’ voices talking about their summer vacations, the new clothes she’d buy her own kids, just everything.

 

She had registered Kimberly for kindergarten.  Regina couldn’t believe Kimberly was five and starting kindergarten.  The program was full day, not like when she was a child.  Kimberly would take the bus to and from school.  And of course, Jacklyn would be there to take her off the bus.  They’d go home and have a snack at the end of each day.

 

As for Katie, Regina and Mark had had a tough time finding a place for her to go.  The public school only offered a half-day preschool program.  All the places that offered full day preschools were pretty far.  After much searching, they decided to put her at the public school so she could be near Kimberly.  Katie would go to the school’s daycare center til Kimberly got out.  Regina knew Katie would feel much better about going to school, if she had her sister around.

 

But while Regina was excited to get back to school, her girls were not.  When she sat down to tell them that school would be starting a week later, both girls shook their heads and insisted they weren’t going.

 

“What do you mean?” she had asked.

 

“I not going, Mama,” Kimberly said.

 

“Me either,” said Katie.

 

Regina was shocked.  “But Kimberly, you loved nursery school last year.  Remember your teacher, Ms. Martin?”

 

Kimberly nodded.  “Yeah, she was okay.  But Mama, I not wanna go.  I wanna be with you,” Kimberly said, putting her arms around Regina.

 

“Me too.  I want to be with you too, Mommy,” Katie said.

 

Regina smiled.  She loved having Katie call her mommy.  But right now she was anything but happy.  She looked at the two girls.  “Well, I’m sorry you don’t want to go to your school, but you have to.  Mommy will not be here; I will be at my school.”

 

“We’ll go with you,” Kimberly suggested.

 

“Yeah, we could be your helpers,” Katie said.  “I could help pass out papers.  I’m good at that.”

 

“No, baby, maybe your teacher at your school will let you help do that.  I have my own assistant at my school.”  Regina stood up.  “I’m afraid you two are going to have to get used to the idea about going to school.  We have a lot of shopping to do until we actually go, too.”

 

Regina thought maybe if she told the girls about all the new clothes, the school bags, and the supplies they would be getting, it would change their attitude about school.  But even after Regina showed them ads from the local paper, they were unimpressed.  They still both insisted that they were not going.

 

Mark sighed when Regina told him what the girls had said.  He was packing for his next business trip.  He knew it was bad timing, but it was his job.  He would be away for a month.  Regina was upset, but she knew Mark did what he had to do.  He had been there all summer with them, and she really couldn’t say anything now.

 

Just then Taylor toddled into their bedroom.  In her hands was Kimberly’s old schoolbag from the year before.  “I goin’ to school!” she said, smiling.  Regina scooped the two-year-old up in her arms.  She smiled at her husband.  “Too bad this one isn’t going to go to school.  She actually seems excited about it.”  Mark laughed.

 

Every day Regina sat with Kimberly and Katie trying to change their minds about school.  She took them to the store and bought them all their supplies.  They each got a new bookbag, a scissor, a ruler, some notebooks, pencils, a pencil sharpener, markers, crayons; many of the same supplies her own students would be buying.  Kimberly had picked out a Spongebob Squarepants school bag, while Katie had opted for the Tigger one.  She also brought them to the department store and bought them each a whole set of new clothes.

 

Even though both kids still resisted going to school, they seemed to have relented a little bit.  Or so Regina thought.  One afternoon, though, she overheard Kimberly and Katie talking.  She burst into the room and said, “What was that?”

 

The girls looked up at their mother.  “Yeah, Mama, Jayme around the block, told us all the things we could do to get out of going to school.”

 

“Oh, she did, did she?” Regina was steaming mad.  Jayme was a ten year old who lived around the corner.  She and her little sister, Pammy, often came over to play with the little ones.

 

A phone call to Jayme’s mother was all it took.  A few hours later, there was a note in their mailbox signed by Jayme.  It read:

 

Dear Kimberly and Katie,

   I told you a story the other day about the bus.  The bus driver wont let ya get off the bus.  Besides school will be way awesome.  Ya get to play with lots of kids and color and make all kinds of neat stuff.  They will take you on trips to the zoo, and the circus and all different places so ya ought to try it.   I got in big trouble for that stuff I tole ya.  So don’t try none of it.

  Love you.  Maybe when I’m not grounded no more, we can play.

          Love Jayme

 

Regina read the letter to both girls.  “Now Jayme is in big trouble for what she told you two, so you had better not try any of it.”

 

Kimberly just nodded.  Katie said, “I don’t need to, Mommy, cuz I ain’t going to school.”

 

“You’re not, huh?”

 

“Nope, I going to work with you.”

 

Regina sighed.  This wasn’t going anywhere.  She thought maybe Jayme’s letter would help, but it hadn’t.

 

“Katherine Rene, we are not going to have this discussion again.  You are going to school and so is your sister, and you’re going to love it.”

 

“Nope,” Katie said.  “Asides, Mommy, you’ll need help.”

 

Regina tried to change tactics.  “Well if you’re so busy helping me, who’s going to help you, young lady?”

 

“I don’t need no help.  I can take care of myself.  Just like I did before I came to live with you and Daddy,” Katie said, sounding much older than her four years.

 

Regina looked at Kimberly.  She had gotten quiet listening to her little sister.  Regina went over and sat on Katie’s bed.  She beckoned Kimberly over and pulled both little girls close to her.

 

She turned to Katie and said, “Well, now I won't let you do anything for yourself anymore.  Daddy and I are here to help you, and Kimberly, too.  Now I’ll tell you girls what.  I have to go in to work tomorrow and set up my classroom.  You two can come and help me.  How’s that?”

 

Kimberly jumped up.  “Really, Mama?”

 

“Yes, really.”  Regina smiled at Katie.  “That sound good to you, too, baby?”

 

“Every day, Mommy,” Katie said.

 

“No, Katie, just tomorrow.  Next week you and your sister have to go to your school.”

 

“I HATE THAT WORD, NOOOOOO, NO! NO! NO!” Katie screamed. 

 

Regina looked at Katie.  “Katherine Rene, you lower your voice.”

 

“I DON’T WANNA GO TO MY SCHOOOOOL.  I WANNA GO WITH YOU!”

 

“All you’re going to get from that kind of talking, young lady, is a spanking.”

 

“No, I ain’t,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her.

 

Regina looked at Kimberly.  Her eyes were wide.  She hadn’t said much.  She was watching her little sister have a full blown-out temper tantrum.

 

Regina bent down to talk to Kimberly.  “I think your sister and I need to talk alone.  Go see if Jacklyn has a snack for you, sweetie.”

 

“Yes, Mama,” Kimberly said, reaching up to hug her mother tight.  She gave her sister a quick look and then away.  “And Mama? We can really come to work with you tomorrow?”

 

“Yes, sweetie,” Regina said smiling.  Kimberly smiled, too, and then left the room.  Regina turned Katie to face her.  “Now then, young lady.”

 

Katie turned away.  Regina pulled her back towards her.  “Don’t you shout at me, young lady.  You know better than that.”

 

“Den you better start listening to me,” Katie said.  She paused, then added, “And doing what I want.”

 

Regina was shocked.  She raised her eyebrows and looked at her daughter.  “Excuse me?”  She pulled Katie over her lap and smacked the bottom of her shorts several times.  “Don’t you talk to me that way, young lady!”

 

{Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!}

 

“Owwwww!” Katie cried.

 

Regina stopped spanking but did not let Katie up just yet.  “Are you going to continue to sass me and yell at me, Katherine Rene?”

 

Katie gulped, but then she said, “I don’t needa go to school.  I wanna go with YOU!”

 

Regina was not getting through to this little girl.  Well, she thought, if she couldn’t get through to her with talking, she’d try something else.  She raised her hand again and kept smacking Katie’s bottom.

 

{Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!}

 

Katie started to squirm.  She was getting mad.  “Owwww!” she cried.

 

Regina said, “You’re mad, huh? Mommy is pretty upset with you.”

 

“You won’t let me gooo!” Katie cried, trying to get off her mother’s lap.

 

“That's right I won't, and until you stop shouting at Mommy, you're going to be over my lap looking at the carpet.”

 

{Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!} {Smack!}

Regina wasn’t really smacking that hard, and Katie knew it.  But she felt helpless.  She started to cry in frustration.  “Oooo!”

 

“Are you ready to speak nicely to Mommy?”

 

Katie sniffed and squirmed.

 

“Is that a yes, Katherine Rene?”

 

Katie nodded.  Regina stood her up and rubbed her bottom.  “I didn't even take down your shorts or panties.”  She looked into the little girl’s face.  “Now, are you ready to talk nicely to Mommy?”

 

Katie just glared at Regina.  She was feeling all mad inside and didn’t know what to do about it.

 

“If you're not ready, then Mommy can pull down your pants and finish spanking you.  Your choice.”

 

Katie pulled away from Regina and ran over to her closet.  She climbed in, grabbing one of her many Tigger blankets.  She went all the way to the back of the closet, clutching the Tigger blanket, sobbing.

 

Regina sighed.  When Katie had first come to live with them, they often found her crying in the closet.  But as the months went on, Katie rarely went back in there.  Regina was concerned as she sat and watching Katie crying in the back of the closet, clutching onto Tigger as if her life depended on it.

 

Regina decided to reach in and grab Katie.  She pulled her close to her, went over to the rocker and sat down on it.  She held Katie and said quietly, “Mommy does not like to spank you, Katherine, but you cannot speak to me that way.”

 

Katie held onto Tigger and sobbed.

 

“I love you very much, Katherine Rene.”

 

“Noooooooo!” the little girl shouted.  Regina looked at her, surprised.

 

“Why are you saying no to me? You cannot shout at me.  All it’s going to get you is a sore bottom.”

 

“You don’t love me,” the little voice said.

 

“What? Why not?” Regina asked, surprised once again.

 

“You don’t.  You gonna send me away.  Is why I gots new clothes.  You gonna send me awaaaaayyy!” Katie sobbed.  She tried to struggle out of Regina’s arms.

 

Regina started to cry.  She looked at Katie.  “Oh no, baby, I would NEVER send you away.”  Regina held the little girl tight on her lap, so tight she couldn’t move.  As the tears ran down both their faces, Regina tried to think of something to say that would reassure the little girl.

 

“Mommy loves you so much, Katie.  I would never send you away.  Ever!”

 

“Yes!” Katie insisted.  “New clothes and a backpack.  You gonna make me go away,” she sobbed.

 

Regina tried not to smile.  “No, baby, those are for school.  Just like the big kids.”

 

“No, you gonna put me on a bus, and send me far away.  Orphanage does same thing.”

 

Regina stopped.  She had no idea how Katie would know anything about an orphanage.  As far as Regina knew, Katie had never been to one.  She chose her words carefully.

 

“Katherine Rene, you listen to Mommy, and you listen good.  I bought you nice new clothes and a backpack to put all your school things in.  A little yellow bus is going to come and pick you and your sister up and take you to school.  At the end of the day, that same bus is going to bring you home again.  Jacklyn will be waiting for you.  Then Mommy will come home.  You’re not going anywhere else.”

Regina waited to let the words sink in.  Katie looked up at her mother, sniffling.  “You’re not sending me away?”

 

“Nope, never.”

 

“I thought you was.”

 

“Well, you were wrong.  You see, that’s why you need to talk to Mommy and let me know what you’re feeling,” Regina told the little girl.  “And you must learn to do so in a nice way.  No more shouting at Mommy, understand?”

 

Katie nodded, sniffling.  Regina got her a tissue and helped her blow her nose.  “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

 

“Apology accepted, Katie.”

 

“You still love me?”

 

“Always.  I love you very much.”

 

“I love you, too.”

 

Regina decided not to talk any more about school to Katie that day.  The next day both girls went with her to set up her classroom.  They had a great time and she tried to show them as much little girl stuff as possible, even though she taught third grade.  Regina even brought them to the kindergarten in her school and showed them around. 

 

“See? Isn’t school fun? You'll learn letters and numbers and songs and colors and shapes and lots more.  You'll go on trips and eat different kinds of cookies.  I bet you'll even learn to make cookies too,” Regina added, knowing that Kimberly would like that part.

 

“It sounds okay, Mama, but I still not wanna go,” Kimberly said.

 

“Well, Kimberly, I’m sorry, but you have to.  In fact, if you don’t go, the police will come and put Mama and Daddy in jail.  It’s a law; you have to go to school.  You don’t want Mama and Daddy to be in trouble, do you?”

 

Kimberly shook her head.  “No, Mama.”

 

Regina sighed.  She hadn’t wanted to scare Kimberly, but she was trying so hard.  She had tried everything she could think of to get the kids to be excited about school.  They left Regina’s school then, and she took them on a tour of their own school.  She showed them how their classrooms were right across from each other.  She showed them the playground.  They seemed to like that.

They didn’t talk about school any more that weekend.  Every time Regina or Mark tried to bring it up, one of the girls changed the subject.  They both finally decided to drop it.  Once Monday morning came, they would have no choice but to get on the bus and go.

 

Regina, of course, couldn’t be there, because she had to be at her own school, but Mark stayed to see the girls off on the bus.  Both of them were wearing jeans and fleece shirts, as it was a cold, crisp September morning.  It was way too cold for this time of year. 

 

In their hands, they each carried a little lunch box.  Kimberly had the matching Spongebob Squarepants one, but Katie had wanted the Blue’s Clues one.  She figured Tigger wouldn’t mind, since he was on her back.

 

As the bus rode away, Jacklyn, Mark, and Taylor all waved.  Then Mark went into the house and called a limousine to come get him to take him to the airport.  He hoped the girls had a good first day.

 

Jacklyn tried to stay busy with Taylor all morning, but she was so nervous.  She wanted to know how both girls were doing in their respective classes.  She glanced at the clock.  It was 11:30.  Katie was probably eating lunch now.  Her class would be ending and she’d be going to the daycare.  Now would be a perfect time for Jacklyn to pop in.

 

The nanny bundled Taylor up and headed out.  First they stopped at the preschool class.  She peeked in the door and saw Katie putting away blocks in the block corner.  She looked so happy.  Jacklyn couldn’t help but smile.

 

Next they went across the hall to the kindergarten.  Jacklyn scanned the room but did not see Kimberly.  The little girl was probably in the bathroom; she would wait.  But after fifteen minutes, when the nanny still could not see Kimberly, she got worried.  She decided to knock on the door.  She hadn’t planned on staying this long; Taylor would need lunch soon and then a nap.

 

The kindergarten teacher came to the door.  “Yes?” she asked.

 

Jacklyn held up her pass from the office and told the teacher who she was.  The kindergarten teacher looked surprised.  “I’m sorry,” she said.  “Kimberly didn’t come to school today.  We assumed she was sick.”

 

“Sick?” Jacklyn asked.  Speaking of sick, suddenly the nanny was not feeling well at all. 

 

Holding Taylor, Jacklyn went back to the office.  Nope, no one had seen the little girl.  They couldn’t get a hold of the bus driver as he was out doing other runs.  There was nothing to do but call Regina at her school.  Jacklyn hated to do it, but she didn’t know what else to do.

 

As she walked to the pay phone, Jacklyn saw a little touch of red dart out from the playground.  She looked out there.  No kids.  It was too cold.  Kimberly had a red jacket, but Jacklyn thought maybe she just imagined it.

 

Then Taylor said, “Wook, it Kimmie!”  Jacklyn turned and this time she knew she was not seeing things.  It was Kimberly.  She was sitting in the play mouse hole, her little head peeking out.  She saw Jacklyn and made a run for it.

 

Jacklyn told Taylor.  “Stay right there.  Don’t move.”  She went out the door and ran through the playground, shouting, “Kimberly Nicole, you freeze!”

 

Kimberly gave her nanny quite a workout but Jacklyn finally caught up.  She grabbed the little girl and swung her around, planting half a dozen smacks to her jean-clad bottom.

 

{Swat!} {Swat!} {Swat!} {Swat!} {Swat!} {Swat!}

”You are in so much trouble, Kimberly Nicole.  What on earth were you thinking?”

 

Kimberly sniffed.  “Owwww!” she cried.  “That hurt.”

 

“There’s a lot more where that came from, young lady.  Wait til your mama hears what you did.”

 

Kimberly froze.  She thought about her nanny’s words and got scared.  Her mama was going to kill her.

 

“Let’s go.  We need to get the baby home.”

 

“No.  I wanna stay at school,” Kimberly whined.

 

They walked into the school.  It felt nice and warm.  Surprisingly enough, Taylor had actually stayed where Jacklyn had left her.  Jacklyn turned and looked at Kimberly.  “You want to stay at school now?” she asked.

 

Kimberly nodded.  As bad as she thought school was going to be, it had to be better than a spanking from her nanny.  Especially since she knew for a fact, her mother would be spanking her again that evening.  “Puh lease?”

 

Jacklyn wasn’t sure what to do.  She looked at the little girl.  “You promise you’ll stay in the classroom?”

 

Kimberly nodded again.  “I promise.  I’m sorry I ran away from the bus driver.  I won’t do it again.  Puh lease?”

 

Jacklyn sighed.  “Well, all right, but don’t think you won’t be in trouble later, young lady.”

 

The nanny walked Kimberly to the door and straightened things out with the teacher.  She knew Kimberly’s bottom would be straightened out later that day with Regina, as well.

 

At 3:30, Jacklyn stood with Taylor at the front window.  She hoped against hope that both girls would get off the school bus.  She knew Kimberly wouldn’t dare repeat the same awful offense twice in one day.  Jacklyn smiled as she saw Kimberly helping Katie down from the bus.  They came running into the house, shaking off their jackets, and setting down their school bags.

 

“And ice cream, and red hearts,” Katie was saying. 

 

“Yeah, well we had pretzels, and built with blocks.”

 

“Yeah, me too.  Hi Jacklyn,” Katie said, hugging the nanny tight.

 

Jacklyn smiled and hugged the little girl.  “How was preschool?” she asked.

 

“Oh, it was fun,” Katie said.  “And it was really cold, but we went on the playground.  But just for like ten minutes.”

 

Jacklyn looked at Kimberly.  “And you? Did you have a good time too?”

 

Kimberly nodded.  Very slowly she went over and hugged Jacklyn.  She whispered, “I’m sorry for this morning.”

 

“I know, sweetie.  I’m afraid you will be even more sorry later when your mama comes home, though.”

 

Sighing, Kimberly nodded.  She was afraid of that.  She had tried not to think about it all afternoon.  And if truth were told, she had actually had a lot of fun.  Maybe school wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

 

The girls had a snack and then went to watch some television.  Neither of them had any homework.  Kimberly might get some but not until later on in the school year.  If Katie got any, it would be something simple like finding a picture in a magazine or something.  The girls were heavily into a cartoon show when they heard their mother come home.

 

Katie looked at Kimberly and exclaimed, “Mommmmmy’s home!”  Before Kimberly could react, Katie jumped up and ran to the front door.  “Mommmmy!”

 

Regina put down her school bag and scooped both Taylor and Katie up.  She hugged and kissed each of them and then put them back down.  She looked around quickly and then asked Katie, “Where’s your sister?”

 

Katie pointed.  “She’s in the den, watching T.V.”

 

“Hmmm.  Well, did you have a good time at school today, sweetie?”

 

“I had fun, Mommy.  You were right!” Katie admitted.

 

Regina smiled.  She didn’t want to say ‘I told you so’ but if the shoe fit, “I knew you would love it, baby girl.  Tell Mommy everything you did while I go put my things away.”

 

Katie followed Regina all around the house as she unpacked her school bags and got some stuff ready for the next day.  She met Jacklyn in the kitchen and gave her a hug.  While Katie stopped to breathe, Regina asked, “What’s up with Kimberly? She didn’t come to greet me.”

 

Jacklyn sighed.  She did not want to have to tell Regina what Kimberly had done.  “I think you’d better ask her.”

 

“Uh oh.  Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?” Regina asked her nanny.

 

Picking up Taylor, Jacklyn made herself very busy while Regina went to find Kimberly.  She was not in the den where Katie said she’d be.  Regina walked up to Kimberly’s room.  The door was closed.  She knocked.

 

“Come in, Mama,” Kimberly said sadly.

 

Regina walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed.  She regarded her daughter, who was standing in the corner, facing the wall.  “Kimberly? Did Jacklyn tell you to stand there?”

 

“No,” she said to the wall.

 

“Turn around and come over here then, please,” Regina commanded.

 

Kimberly walked over to her mother slowly.  She looked at her and burst into tears.  Regina pulled the little girl close to her and held her.  “Oh my goodness.  What happened? Did you get in trouble at school today?”

 

“Not exactly, Mama.  But you’s gonna be real mad at me when I tell you.”

 

“Well then I guess you had better tell me, young lady,” Regina said.

 

“I gotted off the bus when it pulled up at school and insteada goin to my class, I runned and hided in the playground,” Kimberly said.

 

“You hid in the playground? And didn’t go to class?” Regina repeated, correcting the child’s grammar.

 

Kimberly nodded.  “Yes, ma’am.”

 

“I bet the teacher was pretty upset with you, huh?” Regina asked.  “That isn’t like you, Kimberly.  Why would you do that?”

 

Kimberly explained how she was found and by who.  Regina thought to herself that it explained why Jacklyn didn’t want to tell her.  “You still didn’t tell me why you would do that, Kimberly Nicole.”

 

She shrugged.  “I dunno, Mama.  I just didn’t wanna go to school is all.  I thought I could hide in the playground all day and then get back on the bus at the end of the day, and nobody would know.”

 

“That was very naughty, Kimberly.  Mama is very disappointed in you.”

 

Kimberly started to cry again.  There was nothing worse than hearing those words from her mother or father or nanny.

 

“I’s sorry, Mama.  Please don’t spank me?”

 

Regina shook her head.  “Kimberly, you know better than that.  You’re getting a big spanking.”

 

“Noooo, Mama, please!”

 

Regina sighed.  “Tell me why I am upset with you, little girl.”

 

Kimberly took a deep breath.  “Uh, cuz I hided from the bus driver and didn’t go to class?”

“That’s right.  That was very naughty.  If Jacklyn hadn’t shown up at school, who knows what could have happened!  It’s very important for us to know where you are at all times.  We don’t want anything bad to happen to you, Kimberly.”

 

“Yes, Mama.  I’s sorry.”

 

“You will be,” Regina said, reaching for Kimberly’s pants and pushing them down to her knees.  Her panties soon followed.  Kimberly cried out, “No, Mama!”

 

“Yes, Kimberly.  What you did was very naughty and very dangerous.  You’re going to get a good spanking to help you remember not to do it again.”

 

Kimberly sobbed as her mama’s hand fell over and over again on her poor bottom.  {Smack! Smack!}

 

“Owwwwwwww!” Kimberly cried.  She tried to put her hand back, but Regina held it out of the way. 

 

“You know {Smack! Smack!} better than that.  {Smack! Smack!} And you knew better {Smack! Smack!} than doing {Smack! Smack!} what you did today, young lady. {Smack! Smack!} I had better not {Smack! Smack!} hear about you doing {Smack! Smack!} anything like that again.  {Smack! Smack!} Do you understand me?” {Smack! Smack!} {Smack! Smack!}

 

“Owwwwwwwwwww! Yes, Mamaaaaaaaaa! Please stoppppppppppp!” Kimberly cried.

 

“Now to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Regina said, reaching for something.  Kimberly knew what it was before she even felt the brush on her bottom.

 

{Whack! Whack!} {Whack! Whack!} {Whack! Whack!} Regina aimed for her daughter’s sit spot.  The little girl cried and kicked her legs, screaming.  As soon as she delivered the half dozen swats, she stopped, and helped Kimberly stand up.

 

“Owwwwwwwwwww, Mama! That hurt!” she cried.

 

Regina held Kimberly in her arms.  “Spankings are supposed to hurt, little girl.  They’re to remind you not to do what you did wrong again.”

 

“I won’ttttttttttt, Mama!”

 

“Good,” Regina said, holding her little girl close.  “Because that would scare Mama way too much.”

 

Kimberly sobbed and her mama held her tight.  She cried on her mama’s shoulder.  “I sowwy, Mama.  I luvs you.”

 

“I love you too, very much, baby.  It’s all over now; we won’t have to talk about this again, I hope.”

 

“Never, Mama,” Kimberly said, clinging to Regina.  The little girl sniffled.

 

“Kimberly, you know Daddy and Jacklyn and I only want to keep you safe, don’t you?”

 

The little girl nodded.  “Yes, Mama.”

 

Later on that night, the two girls, Regina, and Jacklyn all sat down to hot cocoa and cookies.  They talked about what had gone on at school that day, and what they hoped would happen every day.  There were no more problems about going to school in this house.  There would be other problems, but that’s a story for another day.

 

The end.