Emma's Six- New Adventures

First Day at School

It is eight in the morning, and we are sitting in the kitchen, having breakfast. 'I'm going to take you all to school today,' Mummy says. I share a look with Anne, Jane, and Maggie.
'Sarah Jane, as much as we appreciate that—' Jane begins, but Mummy cuts her off.
'It's not a problem, Jane,' Mummy says. 'I want to make sure you all have a brilliant first day.' I get that every parent wants what's best for their child, but we're teenagers.

Actually, I'm the only teenager in the house. Anne, Jane, and Maggie are hundreds of years old. Luke is only a few days old. But most of us can look after ourselves, and we can walk ourselves to school.
'The school is only ten minutes away,' Anne argues. 'We walked there by ourselves plenty of times.'
'Yes, but today will be the first day Luke goes to school, and I want to make sure it's the best first day he can have.'
'Do you remember what happened when you drove me to Deffry Vale for my first day?' I ask. 'I don't want to be kissed goodbye in front of everyone again, and I would want to save Luke from that embarrassment.'
'Why is it embarrassing?' Luke asks.
'Everyone there will be teenagers and think they're at a place where they don't want their parents to show them affection,' Catalina says as she, Anna, Kitty, Bessie, and Joan barge in. Anna nicks some toast from Jane's plate.
'Hey!' Jane yells. 'Why don't you nick toast from someone else's plate?'
'Because Anne will chase me around the room to get her toast back, and I don't want to face Emma's anger on our first day of year nine.'
'Fair enough.'

'So, how's it going in the Smith-White household?' Kitty asks.
'Mummy wants to drive us to school,' I say.
'Please don't say she wants to do that,' Mum says as she walks downstairs. 'It was almost a nightmare last time; she didn't want to let you go.'
'I remember,' I sigh. Not one of our best moments.
'I'm still driving you to school.'
'We can walk there in ten minutes,' Catalina argues.
'It will be two minutes by car. Come on.' We all leave the table, and Mum starts clearing up the plates and bowls.
'Bye, Mum!' Luke and I call.
'Bye!' Mum calls back. 'Have a good day at school.'

We all pile into the Nissan Figaro and set off to school. Mummy parks outside the gates and climbs out with us. 'Now, you lot take care, okay?' She asks us. She straightens Luke's denim jacket. I quickly button mine closed so she can't do the same with me.
'Goodbye, Mummy,' Luke says.
'Oh, I don't think so,' Mummy says. 'No, Sarah Jane's fine.'
'You don't mind it if I call you Mummy,' I argue. 'So, what's the difference if Luke does it as well?'
'Oh, hi, Maria,' Mummy says, quickly taking our attention off my question. Maria appears beside Luke, and he smiles when he sees her.

It might just be me, but I think there could be something there. No, Emma, snap out of it. Luke is only a few days old, so he wouldn't have developed romantic feelings... would he?

Then, Mummy did the most embarrassing thing she could do. She kisses Luke on the cheek. The kids start laughing, and Anne gives them the middle finger. 'Anne!' Mummy yells, but at least the kids stopped laughing.
'Serves them right, though,' Catalina shrugs. 'They shouldn't laugh.'

Mummy climbs back into the car after saying goodbye to the rest of us and races off. 'Why were they laughing?' Luke asks.
'It happened to me my first day at Deffry Vale,' I say. 'Mummy kissed me goodbye.'
'Oh, yeah,' Luke nods. 'But why do kids not like it?'
'They think they're past the point of needing the attention of their parents in public,' Anna explains. 'But, between us, I don't think anyone ever gets to that point, not even if you're several hundred years old.'
'I agree,' Kitty nods. 'Enjoy every bit of attention you get from your mums because you never know what could happen next.'
'Sarah Jane said she didn't want me to call her "Mummy".'
'Maybe it's because people think that term of endearment is babyish,' Anne explains.
'I'm not changing what I call Mummy, no way,' I snap.
'I'm not saying you have to.'