Beauty's Tale by Summer Cheng

Chapter 36

     Time skip!

     Six years later...

    Lucy, Natsu, Natsu Jr., Lillian, and Sherri were all wide away. They looked at the time. It read 7 am.

   "Oh, now we will be late for school!"  Natsu Jr. complained.

    "I know right, and it is our first day of first grade!"  Lillian exclaimed.

    "Captain obvious strikes again," Sherri stated. She was tired of the others saying what was obvious to the rest of them.

       "Sherri and Nastu Jr. will be the only ones late for school," Lucy said.

         "Remember, you agreed to be homeschooled again this year," Natsu told Lillian.

       "Oh, yeah, that is right," Lillian responded.  She enjoyed homeschooling because it gave her more time to spend with her mother after school. She had to admit she would miss her brother and sister while they were away.

    Sherri hurried to get her backpack, and lunch before the bus arrived.

     Natsu Jr. had his backpack already and was finished packing his lunch when the bus pulled up to the curb.

   "Come on you two, the bus is here," Natsu stated.

          Sherri hugged her father and then headed out the door. Natsu Jr. gave his mom, dad, and Lillian a quick high five then joined Sherri on the bus.

           As the bus pulled away, Lillian pouted. She hated this part of the day. She wished the others were still homeschooled like she was. Why did they have to leave for that silly public school anyway?  

           Lucy sensed Lillian was sad when the others had left. She gave her a cookie for a quick snack, and then handed her the math assignment for the day. Lillian worked on the math but threw a fit when she found out she had missed two. She had made a 98 on the test, but no matter how much Lucy assured her it was okay, Lillian was having none of it.

       "Mom, you don't understand it will ruin my perfect score," Lillian whined.

      "Lillian, we have gone through this already,  a 98 is an A just as much as other grades 90 and above are, so don't be so hard on yourself," Lucy told her.

      "But Mom..." Lillian argued.

    "Lilian that is disrespectful to your mother who works hard to teach you, cook, and still clean up around here." Natsu remanded her.

    "Besides, I  will need your help around here in a few weeks," Lucy added.

    "A few weeks, what happens then?"  Lillian asked.

    "Your baby brother will be born then, that is what, kiddo," Lucy said.

*Author's note: Yes, that is right, Lucy is pregnant again. 

  "Another baby at your age, mom?" Lillian inquired. She looked at her parents as if she thought they were nuts. She knew they loved her and her siblings, but honestly another baby.

    "Ha, ha, kid, that is just how life works sometimes," Natsu said.

     Natsu took the dish rag from Lucy. He washed the dishes so Lucy could make sure Lillian studied for her spelling test.