A Spoonful Of Sugar

Chapter one

Mary Poppins looked at the children. "Now come along. We must go visit your neighbors. The Banks." She said and placed her hat on her perfect hair.
Joanna, her newest child, stamped her foot and crossed her arms. "Mother promised we would go to the park and-"
"Don't stamp your feet dear. You're not a horse. The plans have been changed." Mary Poppins said and handed the child her coat.
"You don't look well and-"
"Nonsense. I'm fine." Mary Poppins said, though she had woken up feeling a bit under the weather. Very unusual for her.
Joanna crossed her arms and they walked out of the nursery and outside the house.
She spotted Bert. Her old friend. However, they left on hurtful terms the last time Mary saw him.
She kept her head up. She felt an extreme fatigue hit her, yet she kept her posture.
They approached the Banks house. She rapped on the door. Ellen opened the door. "Ah! Well you finally arrived! Hurry up!"
Mary Poppins walked Joanna inside the house.
Jane and Michael ran down the stairs. "Ellen who is-" Michael stopped and his mouth hung open.
"Close your mouth Michael. We are not a cod fish." She said and tapped the floor with her umbrella and it shut. "Joanna this is Jane and Michael Banks. I used to nanny them." She said.
Joanna looked at her nanny. "But your my nanny. Why are we here?"
"Their parents had an important meeting and no one else was available." Mary Poppins said and pulled her hat off.
The door opened behind her.
"Bert! What are you doing here?" Jane asked and ran over to him.
"I've been informed your chimney needs some work." He said. " 'ello Mary." He said and tipped his cap.
Mary Poppins said nothing.
"Joanna? I'm Jane! It's a pleasure to meet you. Would you like to see our nursery?" She asked.
Joanna flung her coat at Mary Poppins and ran up the stairs. "Well I never-" she folded Joanna's coat and gingerly rested it on her arm.
"What brings you here Mary?" Bert asked and unpacked his supplies.
Mary said nothing and hung Joanna's coat on the coat rack. She did the same with her hat but she didn't remove her coat. A chill had hit her, prohibiting her from removing her coat.
"Why are you actin like this? It's anything but perfect Mary." Bert said.
"I never claimed to be prefect. Only practically." Mary Poppins said and walked up the familiar staircase.
Joanna looked up. "Oh Mary Poppins! You didn't tell me how wonderful they are!"
"Yes I suppose they are." Mary said and sat down daintily in a chair. She then realized how exhausted she was.
Jane looked at the doorway. "Bert? Do you need something?"
"No. I just wanted to see 'ow you three are. Mary you're lookin' at little under the weather today." Bert remarked.
Mary looked at him. "Poppy cock. I'm practically perfect." Mary said and stood up.
Joanna looked at her. "She told me the same thing this morning."
"And I'm just the same." Mary Poppins said. "Carry on with your playing. Then we will clean the nursery."
"Oh can we? How?" Jane asked.
Mary let out a sigh. "I don't see why not." She didn't break into song as usual however. She simply snapped her fingers. Nothing happened. Mary furrowed her brows. "How unusual."
"Maybe you need to sing." Michael said.
"Perhaps." Mary said.
The children began singing as did Mary Poppins and each snapped their fingers. For the children the toys obeyed.
Mary snapped her icy fingers and nothing happened. "What-"
"Fine are we?" Bert asked.
Mary looked at Bert. "Perhaps I'm under the weather but that doesn't stop magic."
Bert crossed his arms. "Per'aps we should all go visit uncle Albert an' see what we can go."
Mary Poppins shook her head. "Oh don't put nonsense in-"
"Oh please Mary Poppins! Can we?" Michael and Jane asked at the same time.
Mary Poppins looked at Bert. "I hope you're happy." She said in a heavy tone. "Gather your coats children." She said.
The children ran from the room and grabbed their coats.
Mary followed them and Bert followed her. They walked downstairs.
Mary Poppins placed her hat on her head. A stray strand of hair fell beside her cheek. She opened her mouth slightly to say something.
Bert reached out and tucked he strand behind her ear. "We aren't cod fish Mary." He said.
Mary glared and closed her mouth. "Alright children. Come come. Spit spot." She said and led them outside.
Bert followed Mary and shut the door behind them.
Lightning cracked across the sky. "Come. We must hurry." Mary said and led them to uncle Alberts house.
She rapped on his door.
A woman opened the door. " 'ello 'ello! If it isn't Mary Poppins."
Mary Poppins kept a straight face. "Hello mother."