Betty mentioned they used to go to pops after ballet classes, so I thought I'd write about it.
"Come on girls! We don't want to be late!" Alice yells from downstairs.
She's standing at the bottom of the staircase with a purse in hand, clicking her heel as she gets impatient.
She hears them both come running from their rooms and thumping down the stairs. She decides not to say anything. Hal is way too harsh on them, and she doesn't want to be that kind of controlling mother everyone hates.
"Come on girls" she says in a calm voice.
"Go put your jackets on"
Polly takes her jacket and starts putting it on while Betty is having difficulties. She can't do the zip up.
"Mommy" she cries and Alice immediately turns her attention to Betty, who is clearly getting frustrated.
"Here baby, let me help you" she says walking over to the little girl and kneeling down. She zips up the jacket and takes her hand into her own.
She leads the two girls out to the car and helps them get strapped in. Once both girls are safely strapped into their car seats, she gets in the front and starts the engine.
A few minutes later and they are parked outside of a small building. Alice steps out of the car and walks over to Betty's side. She helps her out and then goes over to Polly, who is already out of the car. Betty tugs on her mother's arm, wanting to be picked up, and Alice does so. She scoops the little girl up and props her up on her hip. Betty swings her arms around Alice's neck, resting her head in the crook of her neck. Alice takes Polly's hand and they enter the building.
They check in at the front desk and head into the changing rooms.
"Girls, I'll be waiting for you inside" Alice calls as she exits the room.
She heads into a different room, where all the parents are. They have a clear view of the studio, as the two rooms are separated by a wall of glass. She's so distracted that she doesn't even realise who is in the room. Of course there are other parents, but little does she know the one person she was least expecting to see was sitting right in front of her.
She feels like there are eyes on her so she looks up and immediately makes eye contact with him. Him. The guy she had been avoiding for the past 6 years. The guy who made her feel things nobody else could make her feel. The father of her first born. The man she was still deeply in love with. The one guy she couldn't be seen with.
She just stared at him.
"Alice" he greets smiling at her slightly.
"FP. Out of all places. A ballet studio?"
"Yeah, thought I'd give it ago" he smirks knowing Alice loves his sarcastic comments.
She lets out a small smirk too, rolling her eyes.
"Care to join me?" He says gesturing towards the empty seat next to him.
"Sure" she says, but before she can sit down the room is filled with the sound of laughter as a group of little girls come running into the room. Betty and Polly are among them, and both come running towards alice. They run up behind her and fling their arms around her legs making it impossible for her to move.
"Hey girls" she says, once again her voice much softer.
"Why don't you go and join the other girls ok?"
"Ok" Polly replies and heads off towards the group.
Betty however stays behind, still clinging onto Alice. Alice slowly bends down and picks her up. She can clearly see that her daughter is exhausted.
"You ok baby?" She asks, tucking Betty's hair behind her ears.
"I'm tired mommy" she says softly and tucks her head into Alice's chest.
"Ok baby. You don't have to take part if you don't want to"
FP watches as alice cares for her daughters. She's so pure and gentle with them, that it makes him smile.
Alice turns to look at FP before taking the seat next to him. She adjusts Betty's position to make it more comfortable for her. Her legs are straddled across Alice's lap, and her head is still buried into her chest.
Just as the class begins, a little girl runs out of the changing rooms. Her hair is dark brown and so are her eyes. She can't be any older than 3. She's a splitting image of her father. Alice turns to FP who is already pointing the little girl towards the studio. She opens the door and heads in.
"She's beautiful" Alice says truthfully.
"Thankyou. So are yours" he says looking at Polly and then at Betty who is peacefully sleeping in her mother's arms.
Alice sighs, knowing this could've been her and FP. If they hadn't broken up 6 years ago, things might have been different.
Although to anyone else it may look like she's having a rough day, but FP knows exactly what's going through her mind. He knows her better than anyone else.
"I regret it too" he says placing a hand on her thigh and flashing her a smile before getting up and walking over to Gladys, who had just walked into the room.
