Debbie and Carl often had grandkids staying with them, whether it be for the night or just a few hours. Debbie loved it. She loved having grandkids, even if they weren't biologically related to her. Their parents were basically her kids, so they were just as much her grandchildren. Carl also loved it because he never got to see his biological grandkids and they all seemed to take a liking to them, especially Stevie, Emmett and Drew's little girl. He had been the arresting officer in a domestic violence case that involved Stevie's father. The first time she had met him after Emmett and Drew adopted her, she immediately recognized him, making her feel comfortable in the clusterfuck (meant in the most adoring way possible) of a family she was coming into.
She had also become comfortable with Debbie over the next few months. She really had no choice because she spent so much time with her when Drew was at football practice and Emmett was off dealing with his party planning business. She always felt the most comfortable with her when she was tired and didn't want to go to sleep, which was normal for a four-year-old and that's exactly why she wondered up the stairs and into the master bedroom, droopy eyes, and hovered close to her grandmother, where she was putting clean laundry away.
Hearing small footsteps walk into the bedroom, Debbie turned around from the clean clothes on the bed and looked down at the four-year-old redhead. She could tell the little girl was tired, so she picked her up and set her on her hip. When Stevie was sitting comfortably, she looked up at her grandmother, her eyes drooping even more, and smiled sleepily. Debbie smiled down at the little girl and moved a strand of hair out of her hair. Stevie started rubbing her eyes and rested her head against Debbie's shoulder. Debbie softly kissed the temple of her head and started affectionately rubbing her back.
"I think it's time for your nap, sweetie," she said quietly. She could sense that Stevie was close to sleep, but she wouldn't let it completely take over.
"I'm not tired, Grammy," Stevie responded. Debbie laughed softly, which grabbed Stevie's attention. She looked up at the older woman, a sheepish smile on her face.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing," Debbie said as she kissed her granddaughter's head again. "Lets put you down on the bed until Grammy finishes putting the laundry away and then we can go downstairs, okay?" she said, knowing full well that she would be asleep soon after resting her head on a pillow.
"Okay," Stevie replied softly. Debbie walked around to the side of the bed and rested her granddaughter down on the bed. She snuggled up into the pillow. The heat that radiated from the clean laundry caught her attention and she grabbed a warm towel before wrapping it around herself. "Come lay with me, Grammy," she said as cuddled into the warm towel. Debbie couldn't help but to agree to the request, a smile on her face. She figured she would lay with the girl until she fell asleep and then get the rest of the laundry put away. She crawled into the bed, lying on her side and scooped up the little girl into her embrace so they were cuddling. The little girl smiled and nuzzled her grandmother's chest sleepily. Debbie smiled as she wrapped an arm affectionately around the girl. Within a few minutes, Stevie was sound asleep, Debbie following close behind. She hadn't realized she was so tired, but lying down with the heat that radiated from her granddaughter's body pushed her into slumber. An hour passed by when Emmett and Drew came by to pick up their daughter. When they didn't get a response from Stevie or Debbie, they explored the house, looking for the two women. Emmett was the one who found them sleeping on the bed in the master bedroom. He couldn't help but to laugh before calling Drew to see his daughter snuggled into her grandmother. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he pulled his camera phone out and snapping a picture.
"That's adorable," he said. Being the light sleeper that she was, Debbie woke up to the sound of Drew's voice. She noticed the two boys in the doorway and jolted up.
"Fuck, is it time for you to pick her up already?" she asked. Both Emmett and Drew laughed.
"You two must be sleepy from all that girl time, huh?" Emmett said, a smile still on his face. Debbie smiled and looked down at the little girl sleeping next to her.
"I guess so," she said as she rubbed Stevie's back affectionately. Emmett walked into the room and to the opposite side of the bed.
"We should probably get her home soon so she doesn't want to permanently live here," Emmett said as he leaned down and picked his daughter up. Debbie laughed.
"You and I both know I wouldn't mind that," she replied as she stood up.
"I'm sure you wouldn't," Emmett said as he laughed and walked over to Deb before kissing her cheek. "Thank you for watching her."
"You're welcome, baby," she said as she rubbed Emmett's arm affectionately before kissing Stevie's head. "I'll see her tomorrow, yeah?" she asked. That's when Emmett walked out of the room and Debbie followed close behind
"Yeah, same time," Emmett replied and with that, the young family exited the house and went about the rest of their day.