Parenthood and Going Public
A/N
So this is a little Rita/Connie oneshot which popped into my head this morning.
Reviews welcome,
Laura xxx
Rita was in her office when Tess knocked on the door.
"Rita, could you please look after a baby for a while? Her mother's just died in a car accident but she's unharmed" Tess said.
"That's awful" Rita stood up.
"I agree, she has no family left, the little one, I mean. I can't trace any of her relatives" Tess replied as they made their way through the ED.
To Rita's surprise, they stopped outside of Connie's office.
"Is she here?" she asked.
Tess nodded. "Connie is keeping an eye on her, I'll leave you to it"
"Okay"
Rita made her way into Connie's office tentatively. Her girlfriend had been snappy with her all day, so she wasn't sure how Connie would react to her presence.
"She's a sweetie, isn't she?" Connie asked.
Rita looked at the baby in Connie's arms. "She is" she agreed.
"I really should be getting back to work…" Connie sighed.
Her girlfriend frowned. "Stay with me for a while!" she pouted. "What if the little one is sick all over me?"
"Would you rather she be sick all over me?"
"Er, no. although it would be funny." Giggled Rita.
Connie rolled her eyes. "Stop referring to her as 'she', by the way. Her name is Lottie." She said.
"Lottie?"
"Yeah, her full name is Charlotte, obviously, but a family friend has said her Mum called her Lottie" Connie stated.
"Ah, okay." Rita said, then placed a kiss on Connie's lips.
Connie blushed. "Reets, not while we're at work!" she scolded.
The nurse rolled her eyes. "We really do need to tell everyone"
"But I'm scared what everyone will think"
"It doesn't matter" Rita said, kissing her again.
"Really?"
"Yes, really! Zoe and Max went public, why can't we?"
"True" Connie mused.
"Anyway, what's going to happen to Lottie?" Rita asked as the baby began to cry.
"I have no idea. Care, probably" Connie said as she rocked Lottie gently.
Rita had an idea. Connie saw her eyes light up, she knew what was coming.
"No! Rita! No, no, definitely no!"
"Why? All three of us could be a family!"
"What? With our jobs? Really?"
"The pair of us can afford to take some time off work! Plus when she's older there's a crèche here for whilst we're working!"
Connie was warming to the idea. "Okay, I'll talk to some people and make some calls, that is it, though." She decided.
"Okay. I love you, you know Constance Beauchamp"
"I love you too" Connie said, leaning down to kiss her.
"How about I take Lottie for a walk round the hospital to try and settle her?" enquired Rita.
"Okay" Connie passed Lottie gently to Rita. "go to auntie Rita for a while" she smiled.
"I swear you've gone soft" grinned Rita, before leaving, not giving Connie chance to reply, knowing full well that she'd be punished later on.
Later on, Connie was in reception, waiting for Rita. She spotted her talking to Zoe, Lottie in her arms.
"Can she stay with us for a while then?" the nurse asked hopefully. Connie nodded.
"I've talked to some people, and they said just for tonight until something else gets sorted.
"So we can be a family for a bit then?"
"Just for tonight"
"Just for tonight, and maybe tomorrow, and the day after?"
"Don't push it, Freeman!" Connie smiled, then decided something. If Rita's (and admittedly, her) wish came true and they could adopt Charlotte, people would start to talk.
"Come closer" Connie ordered.
"Whaa-" Rita was interrupted by Connie's lips on hers.
When they broke apart, Connie smiled. "You were right, if we are going to be a family, we may as well tell people we're together," she stated, as Lottie opened her eyes. "And that we've got a beautiful baby daughter."