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“Where is Augustine?” Mercy demanded, stamping her foot like one of the children and looking cross. “The kids are all bundled up and ready to go to the park.”
In the tiny kitchen space, Cytherea looked up from the orange wedges she was cutting up for the children’s lunch, and sighed. “Probably in the staff washroom sucking off the boss again. I wish they wouldn’t while we have the kids here.”
“Pfhugh…” it was the kind of strange exclamation that only Mercy would speak out loud, “Pyrrha and I can’t take them all to the park on our own. Cyth, can you at least help her get them lined up while I get him, eguh, disentangled.”
Cytherea smiled brightly, “I can help you take them to the park. It wouldn’t be a problem.”
But Mercy was the school nurse as well as head teacher and she vetoed that immediately. “No, someone needs to stay back with Dulcie, she’s wheezing again and her parents don’t want her out in the cold. You’re good with her at least.”
In her head, Cytherea grumbled. She knew that she wasn’t staying back because of Dulcie, Mercy had no problem talking back to the Septumus’ when they were being overprotective. She was being told to stay back for her own sake and she resented it. But there was nothing to do when Mercy was in a fit of pique like this, so she went to at least help Pyrrha get the kids out the door.
In the entryway, up by the front desk, they were milling about in loose pairs and Pyrrha was trying to get them all to take ahold of the brightly colored walking rope, so they could go out safely. But of course, the Tern brat was throwing a tantrum.
“I don’t want to walk with Pro! He’s BORING! I want to walk with Cor-cor. Make ‘Yanthe walk with him!” Babs crossed his arms petulantly. “I don’t want to be in front of the babies, they’re slow! They mess up the rope. Why do I always have to be next to the babies?”
Pyrrha kneeled down next to him. “Pro is all alone, Dulcie has to stay in. You’re a kindergartner now Babs, you’re almost six! We need our big boys to be helpers.”
But now Jeannemary came out of line and pushed Babs to the ground. Cytherea had to give it to her, she was pretty strong for a two-year old. “Baby? I’m not a baby!” With one arm, Pyrrha picked her up off the ground and held her away while helping the older boy back to his feet.
“Cyth, can you help with the others?” Pyrrha’s voice was heavy with exasperation.
“Sure!”
The two girls in the lead had already taken their handles on the walking rope. Judith and Marta could always be relied upon to stay calm and cool even when the others were melting down. Marta had little heart shaped beads in her braids this week, for Valentines day. She was just the cutest little thing, beaming when Cytherea gushed, “I love your hair Marta!” Behind them, Coronabeth was trying in vain to get Judith’s attention, but the older girl stood stick straight like a toy soldier. Next to Corona, Ianthe was watching her brother’s tantrum with an eerie calm.
Protesilaus was standing stony faced, hand on the rope as he had been asked. He was a good kid, but had no spark in him; it was weird in a preschooler, they were usually all energy. Behind him Issac hopped from foot to foot cheering Jeanne on. That was a dynamic they were going to have to break up some day, but for now, it just made sense to keep the two youngest together.
Beyond the tiny donnybrook, the rest of the kids were milling about so Cytherea got them all paired up. Abigail and Magnus had one of those terrible preschool crushes going on, so they were happy to line up next to each other. Camilla and Pal’s families were neighbors and they had been BFFs since before enrolling at Canaan House Kids Akademy, so they naturally paired up. She got Colum in line, and Silas followed; once you knew how much the little one looked up to his older cousin they were easy to manage.
That left her with Harrow, already holding the rope, and the new girl. Gideon had just enrolled last week, a shock of bright red hair and a pile of sass. Cytherea adored her, but understood now why Mercy was desperate to get Augustine. They would need all hands on deck to keep this one in line at the park. Somehow, she had gotten her hands on a stick and was playacting a swordfight with no one.
Cytherea kneeled next to her, “Gideon, hi! Can you give me the stick? We don’t swordfight indoors.”
The little girl looked at her with huge topaz eyes. “But Miss Cyth, we’re going to the park!”
“You can’t go to the park if you don’t line up and hold the rope. Come on, sweetheart, give me the stick.”
But Gideon was unmoved, parrying an imaginary attack, “I don’t want to go with Harrow. She dresses funny. And she smells. I want to walk with Corona! She has better hair.”
Cytherea shook her head, “She smells fine. It’s just incense, her family is very religious. And she doesn’t dress funny, that’s her skeleton hoodie from Halloween. You like Halloween, don’t you?”
“I guess,” Gideon sounded doubtful. Then her face suddenly brightened “Are you coming to the park with us, Miss Cyth? Can't you walk with me? If you walked with me that would be the best!”
“No, Gideon,” Cytherea said kindly, “I need to stay with Dulcie and get lunch ready. Why don’t you take the rope so you can go to the park, kill a big dragon with your pretend sword while you’re there and then you can sit with me at lunch and tell me all about it.” She batted her dark eyelashes for good measure and Gideon lit up under the attention.
“You promise I can sit with you at lunch Miss Cyth?”
“I promise Gideon. But only if you’re nice to Harrow and good for Miss Mercy.”
Gideon handed over her stick and lined up next to Harrow. As if on cue, Mercy and Augustine appeared from the back. Pyrrha had just managed to get Babs and Jeanne back in line, and the chain of kids was ready to go.
As they headed out the door, little Gideon turned back one last time. “Miss Cyth, you promised I get to sit with you. Don’t forget!”