Chapter Text
“Wendy cannot play pretend like this any longer!”
“She’s a girl, George! Just a girl! Let her tell her stories for just a while longer! Can’t you allow her that?”
The rage burning in his eyes made you take a step back.
“No,” he snarled, “because ‘just a while longer’ turns into ‘wait until she makes her debut’ turns into Wendy being a spinster living her life alone and done for.”
You felt heat rising to your eyes and chest and had just opened your mouth to reply when -
“Mother?”
Three curious pairs of eyes peered at you from the doorway of the nursery and you felt your heart melt.
“Hop into bed my dears,” you told them, glad to hear your voice soft as ever towards them, “I’ll be there to tuck you in in just a moment.”
You shot your husband a sharp glare before sweeping into the children’s nursery.
~~~
“Mother, you look lovely.”
“Well, thank you, Wendy.”
You leaned over Michael’s bed and pulled the cover back, running your fingers through his hair before placing a kiss on his forehead. You moved over to John and did the same.
“Mother, were you and Father fighting over me?” Wendy asked, blue eyes piercing you and holding you to the spot.
“Yes,” you sighed, and she jerked back from your hand in surprise. “But it’s only because we have different ideas of what’s right for you.”
“What did Father say?”
“He wants you to move into your own room and begin to learn how to be a lady,” you told her, smoothing a hand over her hair and then over her cheek.
“And what did you say?”
“I said that I thought it was alright that you stay in the nursery for a while longer and tell your stories.”
Her arms were suddenly around your middle. “I like your idea much better, Mother.”
You chuckled and looked towards the window. “So do I, Wendy.” You sighed. “It’s hard to think of my little ones growing up.”
You continued your pre-bed routine of turning down the lamps and lighting candles so that there was a nightlight if any of the children woke up during the night.
George was still standing at the top of the stairs once you left the nursery, and this time his sister Millicent was with him.
“Millie,” you said, your voice cheery. “Thank you for coming to watch the children while George and I go out tonight.”
“He was saying that you might not go…?” she started, looking between the two of you. “That you had an argument?”
You glanced at George before returning your gaze to your sister-in-law’s face. “Merely a disagreement,” you told her. “Nothing we can’t handle.”
George seemed surprised as you turned and placed your hand in the crook of his elbow, which was tight to his torso with the way his arms were folded. “Shall we? I’ve been meaning to call on Mrs. Haversham for some time now; hopefully she’ll forgive me.”
~~~
In the entrance hall to the gathering George looked down at you. “So… about the discussion - ”
“We can have it later, Georgie,” you said, looking up at him with a small smile. “I know how important this is to you, and I don’t want to spoil it by making you upset in front of your bosses.”
He blinked at you, then turned back towards his gathered coworkers. “Shall we?” he asked with a sigh, glancing at you.
You nodded and let him lead you into the room in front of you.
~~~
The gathering had gone well, you’d thought, and George had even seemed happy as you went home.
“It was like he’d forgotten, (y/n)! Just forgotten!”
You pushed his glasses, which were slowly making their way down the bridge of his nose, back up with a finger and laughed. “It does seem like a pretty trivial thing over which to hold a grudge.”
You listened on as George chattered happily about his interactions with his coworkers. You were quickly at home, and pushed open the door to your home to noise.
“Oh! George, (y/n)!” Her hair was askew and eyes wide. “The children, they’re - ”
She made a move towards the nursery and then turned back to you.
She seemed to be unable to speak.
“Millie, what happened to the children?”
“They’re - there was a boy in their room, and a fairy - ”
You and George looked at each other. If whatever the children had done had her so frazzled, then you had to go see what was going on.
You dashed after George towards the nursery, and the door slammed against the wall as you both burst inside.
You grabbed onto George’s hand as your knees nearly gave out at what you saw.
The children’s beds were empty, and the curtains fluttered in the nighttime breeze coming in through the open window.