"Are you really taking us to school?" Thyme shot Indigo the question as soon as she strutted in the kitchen pencil skirt and blouse in vibrant lemon yellow. The oatmeal topped spoon paused in front of the little girl's mouth as she anticipated her mama's answer.

"Why?" Indigo tossed back as she poured freshly made coffee into the red ceramic mug with the words Hustle Fluid calligraphed across it. Her prized possession, although it wasn't something she'd routinely buy for herself, clashing with her exquisite set of marble gold coffee cups, was a mother's day present that the girls picked up from Target—bought with their allowances. So, she used it as much as possible. Something her husband knew that's why he always set it out after he tapped 'brew' on the coffeemaker.

"Just wondering," Thyme answered with her mouth full, the words came out muffled.

"We're just used to Daddy taking us." Greer added, digging her spoon in the well mixed blueberry oatmeal as if she was looking for something in particular. "He makes it fun. Into an adventure."

"Really, now." Indigo continued to stir the cream and agave into her coffee as she sidled next to the island where the girls sat, dressed and ready for school. "Well, since you're going to a new school. It's already going to be an adventure."

"Oh," Greer sounded, her spoon frozen in the hot cereal. Her eyes darted to the Thyme.

Thyme ended her sister's frustration and jumped in with a quick rebuttal, "Daddy makes it fun because instead of just going to school we pretend that we're going to the Xavier School for the Gifted."

"Yeah, we create our own powers and everything." Greer scooted closer to the granite counter brimming with excitement. "I have telepathy and invisibility. I'm still working on my name but it's going to be a good one."

"And what's your power, Ladybug?" Indigo posed the question to Thyme as she finished up the last of her oatmeal. "Super speed."

Thyme shook her head, her freshly braided ponytails swaying from the motion. She swallowed the sweet-fruity rolled oats and said. "I'm fast enough. I want to be Wolverine, Storm, and Gambit all in one.

The pooch lifted his head at the utterance of his name but once he realized food wasn't being shared he set it back on the pine floor.

"You want to be a card-throwing, weather-controlling, adamantium-infused wonder." Indigo smirked from the sparkle gleaming in Thyme's eyes as she listed some of the super-abilities all three X-men possessed.

"Uh huh," Thyme nodded eagerly with a wide smile saying off the gap where her left  incisor should be. "I'd be so powerful that no one could make me do anything."

Indigo tsked, "I'd still be able to tell you what to do because I'm your mama."

"Nun uh," Thyme shook her head, sure of her belief.

"It's true, timeclock." Greer shifted in her chair no longer interested in pretending to eat the food before her. "You can't be stronger than mama and daddy, they're older so they're stronger."

Thyme eyed her sister with suspicion as her mind calculated, then she slid her eyes back to her mama, "I'll still be able to pick my bedtime, though."

"Ladybug, you already don't have bedtime."

"Because you fall asleep with the sun," Greer giggled.

"Do not." She shot back. "I'm a night owl like daddy."

"Nun uh." Greer rebutted.

"I am."

The two went back and forth for a little while longer until Indigo ordered them to stop. It was almost 6:50 and they'd have to file out of the house and get on with the Monday ritual but before then she needed to have a conversation with both of them. 

"Look girls..." She started as t both pairs of big brown eyes peered back at her, one set darker than the other. "I know school isn't our favorite place in the world." Greer sighed heavily and Thyme nodded. "At times it can be boring, all those rules you have to follow, work you have to do and people you have to see."

"I don't mind the work." Greer added. "It's fun."

Thyme's eyes widened at her sister's words then she added. "It's boring, mama. I want to go to work with you like when I was little. I was always good."

"You were." Indigo nodded and deep down she missed the days the girls were at work with her. It made the day pass by faster, knocked off a couple of steps off her to-do list. Plus, the Energizer bunnies that they were made for great shoe fetchers but school was where they were supposed to be. "But ya'll have to go to school so you can continue being the brilliant, creative, unbreakable girls that you are. Plus, your friends are going to be there and they'll miss you."

Both girls nodded knowing the crew of kids they played soccer with and rode bikes with would miss them and bombard them with questions on how their weekend went.

"Are you going to pick us up after?" Greer asked, a slight pout claiming her mouth. "Daddy, only listens to rhyming music."

"Cocomelon." Thyme groaned out.

"I'll be at the new store, so I can pick up. But first let's go over a couple of things." She pointed to Thyme, "You're not going to be rude or lose your temper with anybody."

Thyme tilted her head with a yes.

"And you're going to stand up for yourself," She said, turning to Greer. "If someone wants to give you their opinion then you tell them about themselves and if they pop off, I give you permission to hit back." Greer nibbled on her lip with a faint head nod.

"Can I have permission?" Thyme asked with a raise of her hand.

"No!" Indigo abruptly shot her down. Thyme dropped her hand with a shrug then went for her orange juice. "You do enough without permission."

"But..." Greer lowly uttered as she planted her hands on the cool granite. "But what if I get in trouble?"

"You'll just get recess detention." Thyme declared from experience. "For your first fight at least and they just make you read, which you do anyway. Plus..." She slung her arm around Greer's neck. "I got your back, big sister. You'll win and it'll be worth it."

Oh God, Indigo whispered under her breath hoping this doesn't backfire. "But I'm sure today will go smoothly. Now, go get your shoes on and your backpacks so we can go." She clapped to rouse them from their chairs, "Get moving, little people. We gotta go."

The girls hopped out of their seats. Thyme hustled out the kitchen but Greer lingered behind.

"Are we still going to stop for doughnut holes?"

"Does daddy stop for doughnut holes?"

Greer nodded. "It's superpower stones that energizes."

"Is that so?" Indigo chuckled. "Yeah, we'll get some but that means you have to hurry up."

"I will." Greer rushed out the kitchen. "I'll be faster than The Flash."

Indigo smiled at Gambit chasing behind them like he was the third musketeer. She checked the time on her phone. They were probably going to be late if they stopped by Shipleys but it was a Monday and mornings were the best time for doughnuts. What would missing a couple of minutes of the third grade cost them? Nothing. Right?

She shrugged at the thought knowing her husband would disagree with her logic. Punctuality was important to him but they had all their lives to be on time for things.

She pulled up the text thread she and Tate had going for a couple of weeks now and typed, 'Are you there yet?'  

She was surprised at the swiftness his reply flashed on the screen.

Tate: Almost. In traffic. Why are you texting in a school zone?

She gritted her teeth, "Shit."

"Mama, we're ready!" Thyme shouted from the hallway.

Saved by the yelling child. She sent him a kiss emoji and hustled out the house with Zane on her hip and an excursion for doughnuts on the agenda.

Should Indigo give Greer permission to defend herself?

Is missing a couple of minutes of school a bad thing?

Why do you think Indigo is taking the girls' to school and not Tate?

Oatmeal or doughnuts?