Sea Glass: Marie and Lauryn

Chapter 30

Bending, Marie hugged Pippa close and kissed her cheek. As she went to pull away to let her daughter join the other children in line to follow their teacher into school, Pippa clung to her skirt. 

Although it was Marshall's two weeks, Marie would often take or pick up Jack and Pippa to or from school during his times with them, particularly if he had a late day at work. When Marshall had questioned whether she trusted him to do these tasks, she had broken down into tears with how much she missed them when it wasn't her turn. She was still unaccustomed to not spending every possible moment with them outside of school and work as she had done their entire lives. And, with Lauryn's recovery, she still hadn't yet been able to spend the full two weeks allotted to her at the Holland Park house under her informal agreement with Marshall. She was exhausted at the end of each day, but she managed to spend as much time as she could with Jack and Pippa while also caring for Lauryn, even with her decreasing dependence on her. At least picking them up from school and dropping them home or at their after school activities helped to ease her anxiety and sadness at not being with her babies all the time. And she knew that while Jack handled it well despite being less independent, Pippa did not, even though her serious little girl tried her best not to show it. Jack was reliant on her, but not emotionally as close still as she would have liked. He was warming up to Lauryn, though. And needless to say, Pippa and she always had a very close bond. 

"Darling, it's time to go into school," Marie said softly, brushing back her daughter's blonde curls. 

"I don't want to, mummy," she mumbled, turning her head into Marie's stomach. 

"You love school, Pip." 

"Can't I spend the day with you instead?" she asked.

Oh, I would much prefer that to what I have to do today with that bloody custody directions hearing.

"I'd love that, but I think your friends and teacher will miss you."

"But, I miss you," Pippa said, and it was then that Marie heard the wavering in her voice, the start of inevitable tears. 

Crouching in front of her, Marie saw how upset she looked and took both her hands. Those pale eyes that matched her own looked so sorrowful it made her feel like crying herself.

"Don't cry, darling. I'll be right here to pick you up in just a few hours."

"But then after that it's daddy," Pippa choked out. 

Marie glanced up, making eye contact with Pippa's teacher, who nodded understandingly as she began to lead her class into school. Marie had told the teacher last week that she and Marshall's divorce would soon be finalized and that Pippa might struggle a little with all the changes that continued to occur since the spring.

Taking Pippa's hand, she led her to a bench and pulled her into her lap. Pippa snuggled into her as Marie squeezed her tightly, pressing her nose to her hair, taking in her baby's scent as she had done so very often from the moment she was born. 

"What's wrong with daddy?" Marie asked softly, dreading the answer.

"He's not you," Pippa cried. 

"Is that all?" 

"He doesn't care about me. Only Jack."

Marshall doesn't know how to parent a girl and he's never tried. 

"He does, darling," Marie said, rubbing her small back. 

"Not really. I ask him to play with me all the time and he would rather play with Jack. I just know it. It's so much better when you're home."