5Foreword - I know it's been awhile since there was an update! However I actually have an excuse this time. On the fifth of May my son was born and it's been a little busy if you can imagine. He's adorable and sweet and I honestly can't put him down!
Chapter Three: A Spoonful of Sugar.
For those who've never had the joy and frustration of having an infant in the home, it can be a wonderful and terrible experience. Babies are very confused. They don't understand how their own bodies work much less how anything in the world works. If you had never been a bird before but then suddenly found yourself hatching from an egg you would find it very disturbing and unsettling. Babies feel the exact same thing, some used to be stars you know. They used to glow and light the skies for miles and miles. Then all of a sudden they are thrust into a dark unknown space without the ability to see.
Our particular hero was a bit troubled. Peter used to fly at high speeds through the treetops picking up sea breezes and woodsmoke and carry them for miles. However as a human baby he found he could no longer pick up scents like he used to. He would get frustrated as he tried to hold on to the distinct smell of fresh clean laundry, or freshly mown grass or the smell of fresh baked cookies. No matter how hard he tried, however he could not hold on to them or even grasp them in his hand. Now this brings a new problem, he'd never been frustrated before. He'd never felt any feeling in his entire existence but now he felt frustrated and angry. Having never been frustrated he had no way of communicating that feeling or expressing it so as babies do he'd cry.
He'd cry until he had the hiccups and his vocal chords were sore. Then he'd cry because he had the hiccups and his vocal chords were sore. Mary was elected as the nanny and she was the poor soul spending long hours cradling and rocking and soothing and cradling and rocking and soothing and cradling and rocking and soothing until she inevitably fell asleep on the nursery floor with a screaming infant in her arms.
If you think that the relationship between Franklin and Nan improved with the child they had agreed upon you would be very wrong. Nan avoided the new baby and never held him after the first day. Franklin spent every free second with the baby. The first toy he brought home was a wooden abacus and every night he spent time with his boy on his knee and the abacus in his lap and trying to teach the boy to count. He doted and spoiled the boy. Which made Nan jealous, and while she still got everything she agreed to, she missed the shopping sprees and attention. This was a point of contention between the two and some days Franklin would pass Peter to Mary so she could take him for a walk while the two parents yelled at each other.
Mary would take Peter out to the nice park with a play structure for the big kids to play on and a large sand pit. There were also large paths through heavy trees and large fields of flowers. There were bridges over streams and even a small pond near the baseball field. There they would spend hours until the sun set. Mary would pack large picnic baskets so if they began to feel a bit peckish they wouldn't have to end their outing. Mary was truly an enigma that Peter absolutely adored. A nanny who was perfect in every way. She spoke to Peter as if he were an adult and not like he couldn't understand her. She sang with the morning birds outside the window and they all crowded the windowsill to hear her beautiful voice. It was almost magic hearing her quiet and soothe the other babes and children in the park but Peter never fell under its spell.
Peter hated being cooped up indoors and loved being outdoors. The wind whispering to him secrets about far away places. The grass chattering merrily amongst themselves about this flower bed and that flower bed and which trees never lost their leaves on time. The trees telling stories about all the things they'd seen in their long lives. There was no better place to be. Sometimes during their picnics animals would come and carry long conversations. Dogs and cats came to share lunch and a tale of where they'd been. Birds came to offer trinkets and shiny things in return for a crumb and kind word.
Mary happily shared her plate with any animal or child that came by. She offered a small piece to Peter, the piece that Peter happily accepted. The gift was that of kindness and honesty. Something that Peter didn't wholly understand but took to heart. Mary was truly unlike anything in the world, she spoke to Peter as a person, not a no nothing idiot. It was in the nursery, getting ready for one of the outings to the park that Peter truly saw how magical Mary was. She grabbed his jacket and his shoes and accidentally knocked over his changing table.
"Oh." She scoffed and walked toward Peter, seemingly ignoring the mess. However she did the most remarkable thing by snapping her fingers as she walked away. The table instantly righted itself and all the things that had been on top of it picked themselves up and neatly placed themselves back into their proper places. Peter's eyes widened and his mouth dropped. He pointed at it and screeched.
"Close your mouth." Mary pointed out. "That was nothing to be impressed by." He narrowed his eyes at her and slowly closed his mouth.
"Use your words." She said. Threading his arms through the jacket.
"Ack-keh." Peter huffed. Meaning to say he had no words to speak with, he was only an infant.
"I know very well you're an infant but I'm very well educated in many languages including infant, toddler and conversational in french." Mary said as she pulled on his socks. Peter looked at her amazed.
"Heh." He smiled. Which meant, that's so impressive.
"It is nothing of the sort." Mary shook her head with a small smile. "Let's head out on our walk now." Peter nodded his head in agreeance.
"Ah-mmup." Peter said as he was lifted and placed into his stroller. What he had said was; What all don't I know about you?
"Quite a lot" Mary mused. Buckling him in to keep him from tumbling out. "But there is also quite a lot you don't need to know."
"Mm-mm." Peter pouted. Which meant; that's just not fair!
"Well, I suppose it can't hurt." She shrugged. She pushed him out the door and shut the door behind her. "You will forget soon, like all children." Peter gave her a scathing look.
"Ha-eh!" He shrieked. Meaning; Me, forget? Never.
"I certainly hope so." Mary smiled as they walked to the park. "I'm not much of a nanny, you're the first I've ever been charged with."
"Kee!" Peter responded, which translated to; I think you're doing very well!
"It's very kind of you to say so." Mary smiled. "I remember being your age, I remember before I was your age I was a tall willow if you can believe it."
"Weh!" Peter nodded. Meaning 'I was a breeze!'
"That sounds lovely!" Mary smiled. "I stood proud and tall, giving wise advice to those who came within my branches. I even gave council to the chiefs of the native Powhatan tribe a very long time ago when the first settlers came from England."
"Ah!" Peter marvelled. Meaning; 'That WAS a long time ago!'
"Yes indeed! Of course that was before this lifetime. I was born to a nice enough set of parents. Loving and attentive. I knew I was different very early on, I spoke with breezes and could hear the chatter of the trees. I never forgot the languages of nature or infancy. Even when everyone around me forgot."
"Ta!" Peter interrupted. Meaning to say; 'What about that table thing?'
"That? Oh that was just a little trick taught to me by a friend." Mary shrugged. "Eglantine Price her name was. Wonderful woman, not much of one for children though that changed after three came into her care. She was quite exceptional at witchcraft and taught me almost everything I know on the subject."
"Mm-ooh" Peter said. Meaning; 'What an interesting woman, may I meet her?'
"Wish you could but she is far away in the countryside. Your parents would never allow such a trip." Peter scoffed and looked about.
"Heh" Peter grinned mischievously. To which he meant; 'We don't have to tell them.'
"What a terrible idea." Mary huffed. "That will get both of us in trouble." Peter rolled his eyes mischievously. The two rolled up into the meadows of the park. Dogs ran about off their leashes with owners close behind, throwing balls or sticks or frisbees. Blankets with families all laid out in the shady or nicest corners. Mary surveyed the park with a critical and keen eye. She made a quick turn and headed through the grass, jumbling the perambulator -and the baby inside- around.
"Aaa-AAH" Peter screeched from inside the bouncing carriage. His noise was to signify how distressed he was at the change in terrain. Mary pushed him further along the grass until she came to a secluded spot in the left side of the meadow. Beside a large field of tall grass that led into the boardwalk of the nature walk. The walk was littered with tall trees, all that held nests of one kind of bird or mice.
Mary laid out the blanket and put up a small covering to keep the sun off the small picnic area. She pulled the infant out of the seat and set him down on the middle of the shaded blanket. Lastly she pulled out a small basket and placed it on the corner of the blanket. She sat down next to the baby and began pulling out a pre-made bottle and put it on the blanket near Peter. He stared at it expectantly but when instead of handing it directly to him, Mary began laying out a container of fruit he scowling and glared at her. She pulled out a few more items and then picked up the baby and laid him into her lap. She picked up the bottle and held him while offering the bottle.
He grabbed at it and shoved it into his mouth, sucking furiously. Mary gave him a smile and leaned him in her lap and took her thermos. Pouring a cold glass of lemonade into the cap and taking the lid off her own lunch. These picnics could last hours, Mary would tell stories for hours. Her stories would take place in a lovely fairytale place that hid behind the stars. Before she put Peter to bed she would point to the brightest star in the sky and tell him that hiding right behind it was the most beautiful place in the world. A vibrant world where flowers grew plenty, and it was always green and warm. Where children played all day in the warm waters of the rivers and waterfall. Where anyone could do or be anything. The only rule was that of honesty, kindness, courage and love.
Peter loved these stories and listened intently to every word and stared into the starry night sky, looking at the brightest star until his eyes could stay open no longer. He would have grand fantasies about this land. About every aspect, planning out every inch of the world and its inhabitants. He used his toys to create the map and adventures he would have. Though nothing compared to the source of the stories. Mary's imagination was immense and he had no idea how she could come up with so many stories. She told stories of a hero who kept the residents safe and all the amazing things and adventures he went on. The stories could go on for hours and they never seemed to stop. Peter never wanted them to.
