Wonderstruck

Chapter 12

"Come on guys, no more pictures! We're going to be late!" Rachel whines, tired of posing for pictures. Jean frowns with her phone covering half of her face.

"Just one more picture, babe. You look so adorable!" Jean says as she waves her daughter back into place.

"Baba," Rachel looks at you for help. You nod and place your hand on Jean's shoulder.

"Come on, mama. Let's get her to school on time. She's stressed enough, she doesn't need to be late." You say as you attempt to reason with your ex-wife.

"Fine, but you'll regret this when you're old and decrepit and have no memories," Jean grouches as she puts her phone away.

"Jean, you'll have more opportunities to take pictures of our little soloist when she's on stage and after the performance. But for now, we have to go," you say as you open the door for everyone to leave the house. Both of your parents and their significant others are here along with Kate. Your step siblings are spending the holidays with their significant other's families this year. Which allowed your dad to spend them with you. It has been years since he's spent the holidays with you and he even apologized for that as he brought in many gifts for Rachel and even a few for you. Anna's parents, Owen and Pricilla, are also in attendance and they have also spoiled Rachel with presents making the tree overflowing with presents. Jean's parents aren't attending this year because they're spending the holidays with her older brother Roger and his family. Jean is the youngest of five and since the family spread out throughout the country over the years, her parents have had to rotate where they spend the holidays. But since Jean isn't without family, she is fine not having her parents here.

Even without the Grey's, Rachel still has a pretty big crowd there to support her. You almost feel guilty for not having more kids for a crowd this size to root for, especially since some kids won't have nearly this many people attending to see them.

The group of ten arrives at the school parking lot in multiple cars. You were lucky enough to get to drive Rachel alone since she wanted to avoid everyone fawning all over her. You help her get to her classroom where all of the students were asked to meet before the performance. It's a big holiday showcase with performances from each grade. Since Rachel is in her last year of elementary school, that meant her performance was going to be the big finale of the show.

"Good luck, munchkin," you kiss the top of her head before sending her into the classroom.

"Baba, you're supposed to say 'break a leg' because the theater is very superstitious," she says and you smile as you get ready to correct yourself but you get interrupted by her teacher.

"There you are! My star! Come on in, let's get you ready," the teacher takes her away from you and you go looking for the rest of the people that you're going to sit with.

There are many families that are crowding the halls and are slowly filing into the theater as they find their seats. You're carefully scanning the crowd for a familiar face when you hear your name being called. You whip your head around as you try to find the face and stop when you find Daisy. You shuffle through the crowd to get to her when you feel some tug on your coat. You look back and find Luna smiling up at you. Then you notice Pietro before he notices you.

"Hey," you greet as you hold his arm. Pietro smiles as he greets you with a hug. "I thought you weren't coming," you say as you step back to get out of the way. Luna asks to be lifted up and so you pick her up and she gives you a tight hug.

"Yeah, I wasn't planning on it but uh," he looks around before leaning in close. "Vision canceled on Tommy and Billy and they were taking it pretty hard so, here I am."