Sara dried her hands on the dish towel and noticed for the first time just how quiet it was in the house. Usually with Rosie awake it was anything but quiet, so throwing the towel onto the counter she hurried out of the kitchen.
Sara rushed into the living room searching for her four year old daughter. She felt herself panic when Rosie wasn't where she had hoped her to be; asleep in front of the TV.
Sara made herself stop and take a few deep breaths. She told herself their lives had changed, that they no longer had to look over their shoulders where ever they went.
Sara told herself that Rosie had to be there in the house somewhere. She was most certainly not in the hands of some psycho from the FBI or a pedophile like T-bag.
Feeling a little better, Sara resumed her search, calling her daughter's name in hopes of drawing her out of her hiding place.
After looking everywhere downstairs, Sara made her way quickly up to Rosie's room on the second floor. She pushed the door open to find a very messy, but empty room.
Sara then looked in the bathroom, no Rosie. Sara took another deep breath and made her way to the room she shared with Michael.
Rosie knew that she wasn't allowed to play in her parent's room. The last time Sara had found Rosie playing in there she had been 'experimenting' with her makeup.
This time, Sara told herself she wouldn't care if the whole room was destroyed just as long as she pushed open that door and saw her beautiful Rose sitting there.
Holding her breath Sara pushed on the door. She let out her breath when she saw Rosie sitting on their bed.
As Sara approached she saw what had held her daughter so enraptured she had failed to hear Sara calling her throughout her search of the entire house.
Rose had her mother's origami collection spread out in front of her.
Sara felt relief at seeing her daughter safe, followed by a quick panic at the sight of her precious memories in the hands of her four year old daughter.
She made her way quickly to her daughter and that's when she noticed the string.
Rosie had strung together all of the origami. At the sight Sara felt a pain hit her that she wouldn't have expected. Yes Michael's paper creations meant a lot to her. Yes she had carried them with her many places, and they had helped her face the toughest times in her life thus far.
And though Sara knew she cared deeply about the origami, she hadn't been aware just how much until seeing them turned into...a necklace?
"Rose", Sara said trying to keep calm.
"What are you doing, sweetheart".
Rosie looked up at her and smiled brightly.
"Oh, mommy, look"! Rosie said holding up the stringed origami.
"Won't these look so pretty on the Christmas tree"? She beamed.
Sara looked at her daughter's beaming face and then at the origami rose.
She reached and fingered the paper gently and then looked back at her daughter's expectant gaze.
Sara's smile matched her daughter's. "Yes, they will look lovely", she said softly.
"In fact let's go put them on the tree right now! I'll race you"! Sara said as she grabbed the string and took off running.
Rosie jumped off the bed and chased after her.
Sara could hear her daughter's giggling getting closer as she let Rosie catch up with her.
They both made it to the living room panting and giggling.
Rosie began jumping up and down excitedly.
"Let's put them on! Let's put them on"! She chanted.
"What's going on", Michael said grinning as he came through the front door.
"Daddy"! Rosie said jumping up on him.
Michael caught her and gave her a peck on her grinning mouth.
"Daddy, look at what I made with the paper stuff", Rosie said excitedly.
"Show him, mommy, show him"!
Michael looked quizzically at Sara.
Sara shook her head and held up the origami on a string. Michael's eyes got big when he saw what the 'paper stuff' was.
Sara knew he was remembering how crazy she had gone the time she thought she had left the origami at a sleazy motel outside of Mexico.
"Won't they look lovely on the Christmas tree", Sara asked smiling.
Michael grinned. "Yes, they sure will".