Four years

The changes that came about were threefold.

Al and El decided to quit their jobs. When they first met in college, they were clear that they wanted to start their own company one day. They were friends the moment they agreed to start the company together. It became more obvious when they became a couple. They were finally acting on the desire. They were excited and scared and confused, and all of that was just the distraction to keep them more calm and better able to deal with Em's situation.

One of the many Adi reached out to was Fi. Fi wasn't exactly a doctor. After studying medicine, she became a researcher in genetics. Her study was centred around rare genetic conditions in preadolescents, and Em's condition made her a perfect fit. Minutes after receiving Adi's mail, Fi replied. The reply was short and complete. She was going over. A day later, she was sitting across the table in Adi's office. The two were going to be acting together on finding the perfect suppressant for Em.

Finally, most importantly and most obviously, Em was growing.

The baby girl with the big eyes grew into a little angel like girl with big eyes and a bigger smile. She was four years of age, and the prescription was ready. The small, round and blue tablet every night before bed. The long, green tablet every morning, after waking. The square, yellow tablet, always in pocket, always ready for any emergency. For this reason, every skirt had a pocket with a zipper, just enough to hold the small clear box with three yellow tablets.

Today, was a big day. It was the day the long discussion that had been going on for years would culminate in a result. The venue, Adi's office. Time, just after noon. The day, a Wednesday. And since it was an event of such importance, Am bunked school. He wasn't alone. Misch, who everyone had by now accepted as Am's girlfriend, was there too. The others wanted in too, but they were more afraid of punishment. Misch was too crazy to care.

They were all gathered in Adi's second office, which was essentially the living room of the Sauyer home. The parties were standing across the dividing lines. Adi and Al stood together. El, Am and Misch were together. Fi was by herself.

Adi and Al didn't see the point of school. It was too dangerous. Too many variables. And, the brains gathered in the room were far more capable than the brains at school. They could teach Em all she could learn. As for friends, weren't Am's friends always over. And weren't they all Em's friends too by now? And she had so many friends at the hospital too. So, what was the point of school, really?

El, Am and Misch were of the opinion that school was necessary. There were as many possibilities as there were the variables, and every possibility was essential. Their irrefutable argument, would they be considering this as an issue if Em was fine, like Am? The answer, no, they wouldn't. Wasn't that reason enough that Em absolutely must go to school? Shouldn't she experience a life more normal than normal because of her condition?

Fi didn't really care. The only thing she asked was for Em to smile. All else could just go wherever. That was probably why she had the final say. Or, it was maybe because everyone knew what her answer would be.

"Em," Fi asked. "School? Do you want to go?"

Em looked at Fi with her big eyes open wide, unblinking. They were like inescapable whirlpools, gateways to a wonderfully strange and beautiful world. Fi fell in without offering the slightest resistance.

"Is it fun," Em asked.

Em's voice was soft, like the sound of the gentlest breeze in a wide open field. If one wasn't listening carefully, it would be easily missed. But Em never spoke without looking into the eyes of the person she was speaking with. And after looking into Em's eyes, could anyone not listen with their concentration whole?

Fi answered slowly, wearing a look of being lost in thought.

"Fun? I don't know. Depends, I guess. For us, you and I, it is fun. A lot of fun."

Em smiled. Every time Em smiled, Fi felt her heart turn into liquid and flow down her chest. Fi would sigh and her eyes would turn gooey, like she was so ready to cry. And Fi would smile so, so wide. Looking at the two of them, everyone else would be smiling too.

"Fun," Em said, bobbing her head slowly. "Fun. Then I want to go."

And that was it.

Fi smiled. Em smiled. El, Am and Misch smiled. Al and Adi didn't want to, but they couldn't help it. Everyone smiled.

Em was older, but she was small. She could pass as a kindergarten student. So began the hunt for Em's school.

"Em's too precious," Al opined. "She must go to a girls only school."

Adi's expression was saying he didn't understand but he stood by Al.

"That makes no sense," El argued. "If she's in an all girl school, she'll be just one of the girls. On the other hand, if she's in a co-ed, the boys would be fighting each other to treat her like a princess. Where do you think she'll be more precious?"

Am and Misch nodded vigorously, as if screaming of their understanding. No one was fooled.

Fi was sitting in a chair, Em sitting on her lap. Both smiling, enjoying the show. If there was popcorn and soda, they could have been in a cinema. Clearly, they didn't care to have an opinion. When the arguments had proceeded quite a bit, Fi did have something to say. To which Em nodded strongly.

"We shall inspect the schools ourselves. Only then, decide."

That was the one thing everyone agreed upon.

Over the next few weeks, they visited schools. They were truly eye-catching. The student, a chubby little girl with a pretty smile and gorgeous eyes. The company, the parents, the brother and his friend, the parents' two friends. In short, all of the family.

At the first school, the unimpressed principal made a comment about the entourage being impressive. No one was sure how much Em understood the words. But she clearly caught the intent. Em turned into a statue, fixing her big eyes on the principal unblinkingly. For a while, the principal returned the gaze. But with each passing second, the principal was weakened, until in the end giving in completely. There was no change in Em. No celebration. No joy. She was the same blank. Like she was unimpressed.

Fi, of course, didn't shy away from laughing out loud. And embarrassing the principal. Al and Adi shook their heads. The school was clearly rejected. And it was the first school from their list of girls only schools.

Next was the first school from the list of co-ed schools. The principal this time was an old man in his fifties, with a round belly and a warm smile. He was a lot more welcoming. But the school was already rejected, because the grounds weren't big enough.

"A princess deserves vast grounds," Am commented.

Everyone agreed.

And so went on the search for the school. The reasons for rejection were many. Too strict. The school not pretty enough. The teachers not pretty enough. The teachers not smart enough. The swimming pool too big. Too many clubs. Too few clubs. The desks in the classrooms too small. The classrooms not air conditioned properly. The school not having a proper medical system. The uniform not pretty enough. The uniform too pretty.

For the princess, everything had to be perfect.

And so, finally, they walked in through the gates of the Scholars' Academy. It was Am and Misch's school.

Looking at the complacent smile on Am's face, Adi couldn't help but ask.

"Why are we coming here so late?"

Am and Misch exchanged smiles as if trying to seem mysterious. They were quite successful too.

"Doesn't matter," Am answered.

It was a vague answer that only Misch truly understood. But after a minute of thinking over it, everyone was nodding. Em was staring at them all curiously with her big eyes. Sometimes, she couldn't understand her family. They could be so strange.

"Alright, Ammie, be our guide, will you? And Misch, be a darling mascot, will you? Look pretty and all for us?" Fi teased.

This, Em understood perfectly. The two of them burst into giggles, earning the stares of the rest. The others were all thinking Fi and Em could be so weird.

Am and Misch shook their heads sadly. They didn't argue, however. It was something they already planned on doing. They led, as the rest followed, on the tour of the school. The grounds weren't the widest, but were sizeable enough to host the athletics and the track clubs, as well as soccer club. Basketball, badminton and tennis, and volleyball and throw ball had their own indoor auditoriums. There was an indoor swimming pool as well, which regularly hosted the regional championships. The library, the labs and other academic requirements were all the very best too. It wasn't for nothing that the school was counted among the best in the state.

Finally, the tour ended at the principal's office.

Arthur Skiddle was no academic. He had good grades and a good head on his shoulder. But his strength was truly his swimming. He represented the country in several global competitions, and won many medals. The day he retired from competitive swimming, all of the nation celebrated him. And when he announced that he would be joining Scholars' Academy primarily in the administration, while also acting in an advisory position for the swimming club, all eyes were on the ever famous Scholars' Academy. The question on everyone's mind was, how the school managed to steal Arthur Skiddle from the national swimming team, since he was good enough to be the coach for the national team. Arthur proved his mettle in the administration of the school, quickly rising in ranks. It was a surprise to almost no one when Arthur Skiddle was named as the principal of the school.

It was now seven years since Arthur was the principal. He was well loved by the students despite the groans of complaint at the strict rules, well respected by the teachers despite the grumbles over the high expectations imposed, and highly admired by the parents who all wanted photographs with the still famous man.

Misch burst into that very famous man's office like it was her room she was walking into. Without the slightest fear or semblance of respect. She greeted the man who looked up from beyond the table with a wide grin.

"Hey old man. Brought guests."

Arthur sighed. He had said it many times before, and he was thinking it again. This goddaughter of his would be his death one day. Bad enough she walked all over him at home. Couldn't she fake fear at school, so she would be more like the other students?

"I can see that Misch," Arthur replied in a deep and affecting voice.

"Don't," Misch cut in. But it was too late.

There were the faint traces of being seduced in El's eyes. Fi, however, didn't look the slightest affected. Instead, it was Adi who looked smitten.

"Look what you've done," Misch groaned.

Arthur was embarrassed. He couldn't wait for the day when Misch would act more grown up.

"I didn't do anything, you minx. Get to it already. Introduce your friends. I know Am."

Misch snorted, and ignored the man. Arthur sighed, looked at Am with a smile.

"Hello Am," he said much more pleasantly. "I suppose this is your family. And that's your little sister, Em, who all of you are so fond of. Introduce me?"

"Sure sir," Am replied, bowing to the principal respectfully, and earning an appraising smile in return.

Am introduced his parents, Adi and Fi, and finally Em.

Arthur greeted everyone politely. His gaze lingered on Em the longest. So long in fact that it seemed like he couldn't look away.

Em froze her big eyes on the principal's face. The old man was handsome. But he didn't look old.

"You're not old," she said in her sweet voice.

"No, I'm not," Arthur agreed, with a laugh.

Em didn't say anything more. But she did give a strange look. And somehow, Arthur was able to understand exactly what her gaze meant.

"She's a little crazy in the head," he explained. "Old man is just her way of calling me godfather. Don't learn from her."

Em's gaze changed slightly. Why would she learn to call him old man, she was asking.

Arthur was silenced. He had a premonition in that moment. Em was going to be a lot of trouble.

Em finally turned away, to look at Fi.

"Like it?" Fi asked.

Em nodded. The two smiled at each other, and then at everyone else.

Adi and Al looked at El, and the three of them sighed. The decision was made, in the end.

"Sure this is it Em?" Al still asked.

"Yes," Em answered. "I should go to the same school as big brother and sister in law."

Fi burst out laughing, as everyone else froze. Arthur was the first to recover, as he joined Fi in laughing at Misch who was red as a tomato and pouting but unable to make a sound.

"Fi taught you that, didn't she?" El asked Em.

"I'm not wrong," Fi answered.

"No," El agreed easily. "But it's still too soon. Look at the two of them. They are so embarrassed."

"It's the inevitable future," Fi said nonchalantly. "It is fun to look at them, isn't it," she asked Em.

"It is," Em agreed, giggling unrestrainedly.

"It is," Fi repeated, hugging Fi while giggling too.

"It is," El repeated too, after sighing.

"It is," Arthur repeated, but a lot more enthusiastically.

Before Misch could glare at Arthur and before anyone else could say anything, Fi took over the conversation.

"Misch, Arthur's mean, isn't he? Shouldn't we bully him?"

Misch nodded immediately. Arthur felt his heart skip a beat. He knew what came next was terrible. And he knew there was no escaping. Before he could get a word in, Fi continued.

No one could steal a word from Fi.

"Let's get him to give Em a free seat," Fi said. "The little princess can't be paying tuition at your school."

Misch nodded. She had learned well from Fi. Before Arthur could squeak, she had spoken.

"That's right old man. Em can't be paying tuition. You're the principal. Also, you're my godfather like you said. You should be paying her tuition."

Fi and Em were nodding with absolute certainty that Misch's claim was correct. Arthur was confused. He simply couldn't understand how these women's minds worked. How did his being Misch's godfather mean he had to pay Em's tuition? He couldn't express his doubts, however. Not when Em was looking at him with those big eyes that were just too magical.

"Stop staring," he pleaded, as he forced his eyes shut. "Fine. I give in."

He felt bullied. He wished someone else was the principal, so he could go and complain about being bullied by the three women. The school abhorred bullying of any kind.

Fi grinned victoriously. Em smiled blankly. Misch grinned teasingly.

"Misch, good job," Fi praised. "As reward, you can have Am."

And then, Arthur burst out laughing as Misch was silenced. Poor Am was sulking by the side. He hadn't said a word. Why was he being dragged in? And why weren't his parents or Adi speaking for him? He was so miserable. But he felt a lot better looking at Em's smile.

"We'll be starting with the new academic year in a few months. Em can just join then. And straight into grade one. She's old enough. And clearly, she has learned well."

"Yes she has," Fi said. She and Em nodded alike.

"Can you write the alphabet?" Arthur asked.

"Yes she can," Fi answered. She and Em were still nodding.

"Who taught you?"

"Everyone did," Fi answered. She and Em were still nodding.

"Can you show me?"

Arthur pulled out a notebook and a pencil from his drawer, and gave them to Em. Em took the notebook, but Misch grabbed the pencil first.

"Today's yellow day. This pencil is red. She can't write with this."

Arthur was stunned. He was finally able to feel what it was like teaching kindergarten.

"It's a pencil," he said. And immediately knew he shouldn't have spoken the words.

Everyone was looking at him like he was a criminal convicted of brutally murdering a hundred people. He couldn't even bring himself to ask what he had done wrong. He scolded himself in his head. He was the principal. He should be acting it.

But it was just so tough, facing the scary women.

"It's okay," Em said finally.

Em looked at Misch with her big eyes, and Misch had to swallow her reservations and give Em the pencil.

Em opened the notebook carefully on the table, and started writing the alphabet. Her writing was neat, and extremely pretty. After she finished, Arthur continued to ask her questions that a first grade student would be able to answer. He was careful, but someone had caught on.

Adi knew what Arthur was trying to ascertain. He met Arthur's eyes, and shook his head slowly. It was a short exchange, but a lot was said between the two men.

She's smart, Arthur said.

Let it go, Adi said.

Very smart, Arthur insisted.

Still, Adi repeated.

Why, Arthur asked.

She can't be smart, Adi answered.

Okay, Arthur agreed.

And so, all was done and ready.

Em was more than ready for first grade. She would be starting school at the start of the new academic year, in a few months. Until then, she would be home, having fun and getting ready for school.