The Original Taylor Daughter

Back to School

Mid-October 1975

Alice couldn't be more excited about going back to school, she gets into her uniform before putting her wig on.

She bounces down the stairs, Biscuit trailing behind her. More than anyone, Biscuit is glad that Alice is getting back to her bouncy self. She has the energy to play with him again and take him on walks. Of course, each round of chemo will knock her back but eventually, that will stop.

After breakfast, Roger and Biscuit walk Alice to school. Rami is the first to see Alice with Biscuit, "Ally! Your back," He runs over to hug her. Biscuit pushes between them wanting some attention too, "Hello to you to Biscuit."

"I have to go Biscuit," Alice ruffles his fur giving Roger a quick hug, "Bye daddy." She races into school without an answer.

"Are you back for good?" Rami asks, sitting at the table, he's missed seeing Alice.

"I have to take a week off every three weeks for my chemo sessions but yes I'm back for good. I also have to tell you something," She bites her lip worried he'll be upset, "I made a new friend, she's starting at this school today. Can she be in our friendship group?"

Hazel's last school hadn't worked out, kids at her school had bullied her because of the glow to her eye so Hazel's mum pulled her from the school after the staff didn't do anything. Hazel's mum knew her daughter is good friends with Alice so she enrolled her in the same school. "Her name is Hazel, she starts our class today."

"No, I don't mind. My mum has been bugging me to make more friends."

"Thanks, Ram Ram."

"Listen up class," Miss Poppy calls across the chatter, "A few things. Firstly, Alice, lovely to finally have you in my class, Rami has told me a lot about you," Rami blushes hiding his face from Alice. "Second, we have a new student starting today. This is Hazel Gray please make her feel welcome, Hazel if you'd like to take the spare seat by Alice? I know you two already know each other." Miss Poppy goes on to set the task for the lesson and Alice introduces Hazel to Rami and Joe.

------

Rami's mum was kind enough to drop Alice home after school but when she enters the house she's meet with orders, "Alice? If that's you get up here now!"

"Where are you?"

"Upstairs."

Alice races up the stairs and laughs at the sight before her, Roger has a muddy Biscuit in his hold and he's trying to get him through the door of the bathroom but Biscuit has spread his paws out preventing that from happening, "Little help?" Roger groans cursing the dog in his brain.

"How did he get so muddy in the first place?" She giggles helping him get Biscuit through the door. If Biscuit could talk he would calling her a traitor by the look on his face, he hates having a bath.

"Um..." He'd rather not disclose that information.

A few hours before Alice is due to come home, Roger decided to take Biscuit on a long walk. He needs a break from his tour prep routine and some fresh air.

They drive to the nearest nature trail, due to the rain they've had over the past few days some bits are a little muddy so they keep to the paths and the walk was going well as normal until Biscuit saw a squirrel.

He bounds off into the trees after it, he's done this many times before so Roger stays where he is and waits for the retriever to come back. Biscuit does come back, thankfully with no squirrel in his mouth, but paws covered in mud.

It's nothing he hasn't dealt with before that is until they came towards the end of the walk and there is a big muddy puddle in the middle of the path.

Roger goes around it but Biscuit trots right through the middle and it was just Roger's luck that the puddle was deeper than it looked. When Biscuit came out the other side, he looks like a golden retriever dipped in chocolate, "Really?!" Roger shouts to the air, "Your having a bath when we get home, Mister."

That is how they came to be in this situation, "That's doesn't really matter," Roger answers Alice's question, "Close the door and start up the shower, I'm not putting him down anywhere but the bath." She does as she's told, shutting the door then gets the showerhead down before starting the water.

An hour later they finish showering him, ending up just as wet as Biscuit. The dog shakes himself off like all dogs do but the moment Roger opens the bathroom door, Biscuit makes a break for it straight for Roger's bedroom, "Shit!"

"Daddy, that's a naughty word."

He rolls his eyes, "Just grab a towel and we'll corner him," They both grab a towel chasing after the dog. Roger goes around one side of the bed while Alice climbs on the bed, they have him cornered, he tries to escape but Roger catches him.

"Grab the hairdryer," He huffs. Biscuit fights the hairdryer too trying to bite the warm air, making Alice giggle. Roger chuckles with her, "You really don't like baths do you buddy?"

------

While eating their dinner, Roger asks Alice about her day, "How was the first day back at school? Did Hazel fit in alright?"

"It was fun. We have to write a story in English, we had a music lesson and math. Hazel is Rami's friend now too."

"Well, I'm glad you're making more friends."

Out of nowhere, Alice changes the subject to one Roger never expected to hear, "What does gay mean?"

Roger nearly chokes on his drink, "What?" He coughs harshly.

"What does gay mean?" She repeats her question watching her dad with no worry for the fact he nearly choked on his drink. "I was talking to my friends about Queen and someone in the class called uncle Freddie gay."

"Right um..." He recovers himself, "Being gay is when a man loves another man romantically. Like when a man and woman love each other. The stereotype is that a gay man is flamboyant likes hair, make-up and fashion, that's why many people might call most of us gay."

"Can a woman love another woman?" She remembers thinking Hazel was pretty when they first met.

"Yes they're called lesbians and the stereotype there is that a woman is quite butch or manly," Roger wonders how they got to the topic so quickly, he's nothing against it he's just surprised to be having this conversation with his 5-year-old daughter. "But those stereotypes don't fit everyone who's gay or lesbian. You can also get someone who's bisexual, he or she is interested in man and woman."

"Oh, so they were being mean about him," Alice nods in understanding.

He knows where the original question came from but Roger can't help but wonder if there's more of a reason why she asked the second question. He leaves the topic there, for now, getting up to wash the dishes.