(Mackenzie and McKenzie are 5)
Melissa was trying to get her two daughters ready for their first day at school. She was finding it difficult taking care of them by herself since the divorce between her and Kurt.
Mackenzie didn't want to put her shoes on, and McKenzie had refused to even take her pajamas off.
"Please take your pajamas off, sweetheart, or you're going to be late." Melissa tried to be as gentle as she could while being firm with her at the same time. "No Mommy, I'm comfortable." McKenzie said, as though she felt she was pointing out the obvious. She'd already pulled out one of her braids because she felt it was too tight, and Mackenzie had almost spilled juice on herself at the table.
Mackenzie was wearing a little pink dress with black shoes. McKenzie had the same dress but hers was blue, and Mackenzie's shoes had silver flowers on them, but McKenzie's had silver stars.
McKenzie sat down on the stairs and watched her mom try to get the shoes onto her sister's feet.
"McKenzie, you're in the way," a voice said behind her. McKenzie turned round. Her seven year old sister Madison was standing behind her.
She scooted out of the way.
"What's going on, Mom?" Maddie asked. "Why is Kenz still in her pajamas?"
Melissa sighed. "She doesn't want to take them off." She'd managed to get one shoe onto Mackenzie's foot, she was going to concentrate on the second one, not on McKenzie and her pajama problem. "McKenzie, go upstairs and put your pajamas on now." Maddie nudged her with her foot. McKenzie complained, but she went upstairs. "Thank you, Maddie." Melissa told her oldest daughter, sliding Mackenzie's right shoe on.
"No problem Mom." Maddie picked up Mackenzie's school bag. "You'll look after your sisters, won't you Maddie?"
"Sure. And if anyone's mean to them I'll tell the teachers."
Mackenzie held on to Maddie's hand, her other thumb in her mouth. McKenzie came down the stairs making a lot of noise, but finally dressed. She scooped up her school bag and took Mackenzie's hand. "Bye mommy," she said, stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss Melissa's cheek, followed by Mackenzie, then Maddie. She waved to them until they were out of sight, and then she closed the door.
Maddie dropped her little sisters off outside their classroom, and left to go to her own. A smiling lady took their hands and led them to sit on a carpet with a lot of other children. "What are your names, sweethearts?" She asked them. "Mackenzie." said Mackenzie. The teacher wrote it down. "And you?"
She didn't look at all surprised to see they were twins, even though there were no other twins in the room.
"McKenzie." She answered. "Not spelled the same way as hers."
"And what's your last name?"
The teacher asked.
"Ziegler," Mackenzie answered for both of them.
By the end of the school day, Mackenzie and McKenzie had five new friends, Kendall, Nia, Chloe, Paige, and Brooke. When they left the classroom, Maddie was waiting for them. "Hey guys!" she said, hugging both of them. "Did you have a good day?"
"Yeah!" They said at the same time.
"Mackenzie's really good at math!" McKenzie told Maddie.
"And McKenzie's really good at drawing!" Mackenzie added.
Back at home, Mackenzie and McKenzie sat down to do their homework, which was just coloring, so they didn't mind. After they'd finished that, Maddie called them for dinner and they all sat down together. Melissa asked them about their day, and they told her what they'd liked best and all the friends they made.
Maddie had her dance class in the morning, so she went to bed first. When Mackenzie and McKenzie went up to their room, Melissa read them a bedtime story, then she turned out the lights and the girls fell asleep, dreaming of their next day at school.
