At Ennead Elementary for the Gifted, the school’s mission is “to educate and prepare the bright younger minds of our future for the future”. If you were to ask the current 1st grade class at Ennead Elementary what their personal mission was, they would be telling you all about their hopes and dreams of their future. If you were to ask the parents of the current 1st grade class at Ennead Elementary what their personal mission was, they’d say “to not fuck with 042-044”.
You see like most schools, Ennead Elementary has a parking lot. In the asphalt of every spot is a large white number painted on the ground. The numbers were only mainly used for events at the school where reservations were necessary. Reservations were not used on typically days, but if you asked anyone who picked up their child at the school, they were.
Spots 042-044 were 3 spots mostly isolated from the other spots. They were all next to each other in front of the gate where the children would be let out from and were framed by bushes on both sides. They were the ideal spots for anyone picking up their children at the school. They were closest and they could easily view when the students were let out of their classes. And by 2:55 every day, all 3 would be filled for the 3:00 pick up time.
Today, however, the first would be filled at 2:45. At 2:44 shiny sleek black car would pull into the school’s parking lot before quickly finding its home in spot 044. Close behind at 2:46, a large white jeep would arrive and back into 042. At 2:47 the door would open and close to the jeep and its owner would make their way to the front of the vehicle where the person inhabiting 044 would already be leaning on their shiny black car staring straight ahead at the gate.
044 was well dressed in a dark green two-piece suit with matching heels. Their nails were well manicured and sharp like daggers. They were also a crocodile.
The two leaned in the silence before 044 would speak first.
“Khonshu” They said turning slightly towards 042.
Leaning on the jeep in 042 was the one called Khonshu. They wore an all-white suit and were also the skeleton of a bird.
“Ammit” Khonshu replied.
“You came later than usual” Ammit noted.
“Oh, you know, dry cleaning” Khonshu replied, “Marc has a concert for the piano this weekend. Wanted to make sure the boys’ suits looked nice”.
“Ah yes. Arthur will be there too as you know for violin. I just got my dry cleaning done earlier this week.”
“I’d assume you’d have more time to do so, but alas my job makes it more difficult for me, you know”
Ammit took in a breath. She had been taking meditation classes about finding balance in her life. She could balance her job and caring for her child. It was balancing her general life with her never ending rivalry that she sometimes had issues with. She had also been taking an anger management class.
“Are you going to the meeting tonight” Ammit redirected.
“Of course, wouldn’t miss it for the world”
If there was one factor they would meet on, it was the PTA meetings. For the first few years at Ennead Elementary, they could be a powerhouse of a group that could push their agenda which ever way they wanted with their combined force. Eventually in the future there would be a power struggle to end all power struggles when they would have attended long enough to be able to run for PTA president. But for now, they had a proper puppet president who allowed them to run the show from behind.
“The bake sale is coming up” Khonshu continued.
“Indeed! …Will you have time to make anything proper with your job?” Ammit asked with false innocence. “I can send you a recipe if you need one, or I could make something extra in your place. Or evennnn”, she drawled out, “You could just get something store bought”.
Khonshu could feel his eye twitch as he glared at the gate while Ammit stared sweetly at him. Khonshu had unfortunately not been taking angry management classes. He believed he could properly manage emotions.
“You wanna know WHAT - “
And at 2:55 on the dot, a large suburban pulled into the parking lot and made its way to 043, promptly cutting Khonshu off.
You see it was originally Khonshu and Ammit in spots 043 and 044 their children’s Pre-K year and 042 was a toss up between which ever parents could keep quietest next to the two. However, after a… particularly eventful afternoon, school administration meeting and some thinly veiled threats led to a compromise where there must be a singular parking space between the two. Khonshu moved over to 042 and that left 043 open. Many parents would try their hand at the spot, but most couldn’t handle the pressure of the position of mediator that came with it. Those that could last that, morphed into target for attacks on character hidden as idle conversation to which no one could sustain.
Except one.
The engine of the suburban turned off and out walked a figure wearing a long sun dress and holding a sun hat. They were also a hippo.
“Hellooo!” They said as they made it to the front of their car to stand in between the other two.
“Hello Taweret” Ammit replied.
Khonshu just smoothed his suit and nodded to Taweret.
You see Taweret and her daughter arrived in the middle of their Kindergarten year, and she found herself in spot 043. She was an acceptable mediator between the two which led Ammit and Khonshu to nonverbally agree to shift into passive aggression. Taweret’s sunny personality acted as a faithful shield, but they continued pushing. They hit a wall whem they asked about the late transfer and what led her to Ennead Elementary. Eventually they pushed her to reveal.
“Oh, all right all right! I don’t want to be kicking up a fuss, so don’t go telling other about this. I got a job offer nearby- “
“Oh, just a job offer” Ammit had comment almost disappointedly, “That’s not really anything big”
“No no well… see the job offer was just part of it. It was more of a transfer. I got promoted to regional manager of a company stationed her and also Layla wasn’t feeling challenged enough at her old school so here we are!”
“Not to further intrude, but which company?”
“…Soul Boats”
“Oh! The luxury boat company… and your regional manager of it”
“And Layla was not being challenged enough… in kindergarden?”
“Oh yes well, they were teaching more basic things and…” and that’s the moment it clicked in Taweret’s brain. How things worked in 042-044. “How old were your children when they learned multiplication?”
And that’s the moment it clicked in Ammit and Khonshu’s brains. And 2 became 3. And the three together ran Ennead Elementary for the Gifted’s first grade class, with an iron fist. They were like if mean girls was about parents instead of teenagers.
“I hope I’m not too late!” Taweret said putting on her hat to help with the sunny day.
“Right on time as usual” Ammit said tapping her watch.
Taweret turned her attention to Khonshu, “How are you today, Khonshu? Seem quieter than usual?”
“Ah you know, work and all. Ammit and I were just discussing the bake sale coming up. Will you be at the meeting tonight?” Khonshu diverted.
“Oh of course! I missed the bake sale last year so I’m just so excited!”
“What… were you planning on baking?” Ammit tested.
“Oh! I was thinking about bringing my lemon bars”
The two let out a sigh of relief.
“Okay okay great we needed a better lemon bar maker; Hathor brought some last year and they tasted like warheads” Khonshu confessed.
“She should really stick to… anything else” Ammit commented.
And at that point, the bell tolled. It was 3:00 and looking forward, all 3 could see as doors to multiple buildings started opening behind the gate. Out walked different adults followed by large groups of children all chatting and bouncing up and down. It was a Friday after all. Some children split off towards the opposite direction of the gate towards the buses, while the rest followed an adult towards the parking lot.
“Let’s go then” Taweret said walking forward. Ammit and Khonshu flanked behind her, and the trio walked towards the gate. As if they were the catalyst, the sound of many car doors opening and closing and the sound of feet making their way towards the gate merged with the excited voices of their kids. The 3 arrived first and stood directly in front the gate. The arriving parents joined them soon after and began mingling amongst themselves. Soon the children made their way to the gate, the youngest first, and they lined up eagerly awaiting to join their parents. One of the administrators walked past them all to unlock the gate. Swinging it open, the children began streaming out, their teachers waving bye and wishing them to have good weekends.
The Pre-Kers and Kindergarteners stream past first, running towards their respective parents’ awaiting arms. After them came the 1st graders, trailing behind. The majority of the 1st graders came out first running. However, at the back of the group close to the start of the 2nd graders was a group of 5 young kids. Farthest to the right was a small boy with longer sandy blonde hair and a maroon shirt and pants. Farthest to the left was the tallest of the 6, a girl with dark brown curly hair wearing a simple white blouse and yellow shirt. In the middle was a set of identical triplet boys with dark curly hair and matching all white outfits that were surprisingly pristine for a group of three 1st grade boys. The one closest to the girl was exclusively talking to her. The one closest to the other boy was wearing a cap that he had pulled down over his face and was talking to no one. The triplet in the middle was clutching hands with his brothers and simultaneously trying to keep and start conversations with the other 4.
“Layla!” Taweret called waving to the girl who smiled and waved back. The boy in the middle of them also noticed Taweret and by association, Khonshu and Ammit. His smile seemed to grow even wider, and he began running over, dragging his brothers a long with him.
“DAD!” He said as be bounced over to in front of Khonshu.
“Hi little worm” Khonshu said placing a hand on the boy’s head. The other boy and the girl approach from behind. The girl wrapping her arms around Taweret who picked her up and spun her around.
“My lil Scarab! How was your Friday!”
“It was good! I got a new library book that Steven recommended to me” She said pointing the boy that Khonshu had his hand on before slinging off her backpack and pulling out a thick history book, “Arthur said it was really good too!” she said nodding towards the last boy who was now talking to Ammit.
“-And I got a 100% on my math!” Arthur finished, proudly smiling up at Ammit, who was gazing down at him with a look of amazement.
“That’s. My. Boy!!” She said lifting Arthur up and placing him on her shoulders, “I’m getting Harrow ice cream, who’s with me?”
She was smiling wide, a sharp pointed smile.
“Oh, Layla and I are in!” Taweret affirmed.
“Dad pleaseee!” Steven asked gazing up at Khonshu.
“I don’t know Steven, Marc has piano tomorrow and-“
As Khonshu said that he made eye contact with Marc who was now clasping hands with Layla and looking up with the biggest puppy eyes.
“Marc I-“he turned back towards Steven who was now making equally big puppy eyes.
“Look boys. You don’t need sugar and plus Jake probably wants to go home and doesn’t want- “
Khonshu’s eyes landed on his final son. Jake his quietest antisocial son had pushed his cap up and was now staring at his dad with the biggest puppy eyes imaginable.
“Ugh. You guys win” Khonshu said turning his back on his sons in favor of moving towards his jeep, Marc and Steven erupting into cheers and running after their bird dad. Jake walked behind them, pushing his cap back down to hide his smirk. Ammit began walking towards her own car with Arthur still on her back and Taweret walked alongside them holding Layla’s hand.
When they arrived at their respective vehicles, Khonshu shut the passenger door where the triplets sat chatting amongst themselves.
“Pharoah Creamery?” Khonshu said with a sigh, looking towards the other two.
“See you there!” Ammit said with a wink and Khonshu nodded and got into his car.
Taweret giggled and opened the door for Layla to get in before getting the driver seat, Ammit following suit with Harrow.
The white jeep pulled out of 042 first, followed by the sleek black car from 044, and then the suburban from 043.
If you were to ask the 3 parents that parked in 042-044 what their personal mission was, they would say it’s all about the children.
And crushing all competition that gets in their children’s way.