Author's Note: Anita/Roger/the setting belong to Walt Disney Studios. Their daughter/the story belongs to me! Enjoy and review please :)
Snowflakes spun in the cool country breeze, landing on the nose of a girl of twelve as she tended to the farmyard animals. Her strawberry blonde curls got in the way as she carried a bag of kibble in one hand with a basket for eggs in the other. The tall youth entered the barn and was immediately swarmed by spotted creatures that reached her overall covered waist. They licked her hands; some jumped to kiss her face, and all eagerly barked their morning greeting. The girl laughed, her brown eyes sparkling, and made her way through the herd of Dalmatians towards their row of feeding bins.
Her mother watched on from the living room window, still dressed in her pyjamas and robe, and gave a nod of approval. Anita was so lucky to have a good girl like Clare. She was such a responsible young girl. She didn't even complain when she did her chores! The mother suspected this would change once she became a teenager and friends became the main focus, but Anita hoped this calm would last a little longer, at least until winter was over.
The fashion designer wrapped her arms around her waist lightly, attempting to burry herself deeper inside the butter yellow robe. She had never been fond of winter and in the country it was ten times wore for the lady. At least she managed to convince Roger to install an electric heating system in the house so she wouldn't become an icicle. Still, it didn't do much on January mornings like these.
Ah well, at least there was plenty of blankets tucked away in each room of the spacious country house. Anita's gaze drifted from her daughter to her sitting room. She had white washed the walls then stencilled various flora and fauna across the tops of the walls. The furniture was darker with plaid patterns overlapping the fabric. Various decorated lamps, mirrors, and fuzzy carpets littered the largest room in the house and although not everything went together well, Anita liked it all the same. It was a nice contrast compared to her old home in the city. It had taken a long time for Roger to grow used it this style of design, but once he realized he had an attic to fill his music with, he was more than happy to let Anita run free in the rest of the house.
The young lady found herself staring at her reflection in one of the three full length mirrors they had in the house. She turned to her side and flattened apron, smoothing it so she could see the tiny bump hiding inside the cloth. Anita swore it had grown since yesterday.
'I'll have to tell Roger and Clare soon. I won't be able to keep it a secret much longer.' She and Roger hadn't been planning on having another child, one was enough for both, but sometimes these things happened. Anita wasn't even sure why she was hiding this little miracle. Roger certainly wouldn't be mad and Clare might not understand at first, but they wouldn't hate Anita for it.
'When Roger gets back from the recording studio I'll sit down with him and tell him,' she decided. The timer in the kitchen dinged, signally the sausage was done.
Anita went to the front door and flung it open. She stuck her head out and called for her daughter. "Clare, breakfast!"
The child stuck half her body out the barn door, nodding at her mother. "Coming Mom!"
With that, the front door was shut and Anita headed to the kitchen, hoping to warm up in front of the iron stove.