1 Mona wrapped her arms around Ross' waist, from behind, and leaned her
head
2
3 lightly on his shoulder, "Is she asleep?"
"Yah." He said, softly, leaning against the doorframe that led to his 2 and a half- year old daughter's bedroom. "It took a while, she was still so excited about seeing those clowns at the circus." He laughed at the remembrance and looked lovingly at the peaceful little girl.
Mona yawned, "Well, I'm going to bed… are you coming? Ross… Ross!" She shook him gently and he started.
"Oh… yah, I'll be right in." He kissed Mona on the cheek and turned back to face the crib, watching his first daughter enter into dreamland. Eventually he sauntered over to the little girl's bedside and swept a few curls away from her plump, little cheek. "Sweet dreams, my little Em, Daddy loves you." He whispered, bending to plant a kiss on her forehead.
LATER…
Ross woke, abruptly, his daughter screaming in the next room. He jumped out of bed, not bothering to don a bath- robe, and scurried down the hall. Emma sat huddled in the corner of her crib, bawling at the top of her lungs.
Ross picked the wailing girl up and cradled her next to his chest, she wrapped her pudgy little arms tightly around his neck, her tears staining his T-shirt. "Shhhh… baby, Daddy's here." He kissed the top of her dark curls and rocked slowly back and forth, shushing, comfortingly in her ear. Soon exhausted, the little girls' screams softened and she began to whimper. Loosening her grip on Ross' neck, she stuck one of her thumbs into her mouth, her crimson cheek lying firmly against his chest. He sat in the rocking chair in her room, resting his lips on the top of her head, reveling in the sweet smell of her hair. After a while the girl was still, her eyes fluttering, trying to avoid the on coming wave of sleep. His hand rubbed her back as he went to lay her gently in the crib.
At this her grip tightened and her whimpers became more frantic. "NO, Daddy!"
"What… sweetheart… what's the matter?" He held her close again.
Emma looked at him with large, puppy dog brown eyes, her cheeks streaked with tears, "Sweep wit you. Pweese, Daddy."
He sighed and tucked a wet curl behind her ear. He knew that Rachel had been trying to get Emma to sleep on her own, but he was a sucker for that cute little face and the tears melted his heart. "Okay, Angel, but just for tonight. Don't tell your mommy about this, K." Emma nodded, solemnly, sticking her thumb back into her mouth and resting her curls once again on Ross' chest.
THE NEXT EVENING…. (Rachel and Grant's apartment)
Grant opened the door to reveal Ross with Emma in his arms. "Hey, Ross, come on in."
"Hi Grant, look who I brought home." He motioned to Emma with his free arm and went to set her on the ground.
"NO!" Emma buried her head into Ross' shoulder, stuffing her thumb into her mouth.
"Daddy's got to go, sweetie. Grant, is Rachel around." He asked, his eyes skimming over the apartment.
"No, sorry, she had to be at a meeting tonight, an emergency meeting, something gone awry with the new spring line, I guess. But you can go, I'll take Emma."
Ross smiled, "Oh, so an emergency that may in fact cause the end of the world, huh!? I would normally stay around and wait for her, but I promised Mona. We have dinner reservations tonight."
"No problem." Grant tried to pry Emma from Ross but she just gripped him tighter.
"No…Daddy, pwease… pwease, Daddy…." She wailed, throwing her chubby arms around his neck.
"Come on, Em, Grant is going to take care of you until Mommy gets home. I'm sorry, Grant, I don't know what's gotten into her lately, she keeps having these nightmares and she's awfully clingy to me." Ross reached into Emma's overnight bag and pulled out her favorite teddy bear. "Lookie, Em, Mr. Buttons wants to play with you." He danced the little bear in front of her face, playfully.
"NO! Daddy pway?"
Ross sighed, "Daddy will play, come on." He walked to the middle of the living room and set Emma down, she immediately wrapped her arms around his legs, burying her face into his pants. Ross sat on the couch and the little girl climbed up into his lap, taking the bear from Ross and hugging it tightly. "Well, do you think Rach, will be much longer? Emma kinda had a tough night last night so I'll wait until Rachel gets home to leave."
Grant looked down, but smiled anyway, "Kay, whatever works."
"Sorry, I'm so late, the boss had this big…" Rachel entered the apartment, clutching several folders and books to her chest.
"Mommy!" Emma scurried off of Ross' lap, reaching her arms up to Rachel.
"Oh, my baby." Rachel dropped the folders and books on the table and scooped Emma into her arms planting kisses all over her little face. "Ohhhh… Mommy missed you so much, Ems. Give Mommy Kisses." Emma giggled and gave Rachel a slobbery kiss on the mouth. "Hi Honey." Still clutching Emma, Rachel kissed Grant briefly on the lips. "Thanks for dropping her off, Ross."
"Hey, no problem… so… can I have her on Thursday night? Mona and I are going to my parents house and they wanna see their only granddaughter."
"Sure, I think that would be fine. I think I have a meeting that night anyway, so it would help me out."
"Great, I'll pick her up around 5, then. Well, I better go, Mona's going to kill me, I've already made us late for our reservations." He kissed Rachel on the cheek and Emma on the head. "Bye, baby… love you."
"Daddy stay!" Emma scrunched her forehead together and pouted her lips.
Rachel laughed, amazed at what one cute little face could do, yep, she had definitely inherited her father's eyes and the knack for using them to get what you wanted.
Ross smiled and lifted Emma into his arms, tickling her stomach. Emma giggled. "You, little princess, you. Give me big hugs." She squeezed his neck as tight as she could. "Hey, Ems, go show Mommy what we got at the circus yesterday." Emma's eyes lit up and Ross let her down. She ran to her bag, searching for the little stuffed clown.
"Uh, this would the time that I make a quick escape, see ya Rach, bye Grant."
"Thanks again, Ross."
Ross smiled and quietly left the apartment.
NIGHT, 2 days later…
"No, I'm telling you, just do it, but be careful, I don't want you to leave anything behind." Grant whispered into the phone receiver, nervously glancing over his shoulder at the closed bathroom door. "No… you need to do it tonight… I've already given them to her… yah."
The bathroom doorknob twisted and Rachel exited pulling a brush through her wet hair.
"Yah… look, man, I gotta go… bye." Grant hung up the phone and sat on the bed, untying his shoes.
"Who was that, sweetie?" Rachel asked pulling a bathrobe over her pajamas.
"Oh, uh… just a guy from work, wanted to know if we were going to the annual Police Officer picnic on Saturday."
"Saturday… wasn't that annual picnic last month?"
"Bi-annual, geez, what does it matter, Rachel, it's a stupid picnic."
"I'm sorry, honey, I was just wondering…"
"Well, quit it, I don't need the third degree every time I get off the phone."
"Okay…"
"I mean, it's like I'm some criminal, you're always questioning me."
"Well, excuse me, Grant, I can't help it if I like to know what's going on in my husbands life." Rachel tied her hair into a loose ponytail and removed her bathrobe. She got into bed, facing the door, pulled the covers to her chin and turned her lamp off.
Grant rolled his eyes, he undressed to his boxers and a t-shirt and flopped into bed also, facing the other direction. "Rachel…"
"Grant, please, I'm tired and I don't feel well at all, can we just save it for tomorrow?"
Grant sighed and flipped his lamp off, he lay in the dark, eyes wide, staring, impatiently at the darkened ceiling.
A clammy hand clasped tightly over her mouth, stifling her scream. Emma kicked desperately, struggling with everything in her small frame. The stranger slammed her head violently into the wall and Emma crumbled to the ground. He picked her limp body up and slung her over his shoulder, stepping lightly, he edged himself out the apartment door and into the night.
NEXT MORNING…
"Wow, I slept like a log last night. I swear, I've never slept so soundly, in like… Ever! I don't think I've ever known Em to sleep this long. Maybe I should go get her up."
"What do you mean, wake her up, how often do we get some alone time. Come here." Rachel smiled and walked into Grant's open arms. He kissed her gently, they broke and embraced. "I'm sorry about last night, you know, I didn't mean it, right?"
"Yah, I'm sorry, too. Grant, honey?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you love Emma… I mean… as much as you would your own child?"
Grant broke the hug and stepped back. "What are you saying?"
"I don't know… we've been married for 6 months now… and sometimes I get the feeling that you wish Emma wasn't around."
"Rachel, don't be ridiculous… I…"
"Grant, please, I'm not attacking you, it's just that it doesn't seem that you two have… bonded very well. She isn't as… comfortable around you as she is others." Rachel chose her words carefully so as not to anger Grant.
"Don't start with me, Rachel! Do you think it's easy to go into a marriage having an instant family!? My gosh, Ross baby's her so much she's going to be a spoiled brat…"
"How dare you attack Ross that way, he's the best father that little girl could have."
"Right… but kids need discipline and rules… Emma has you guys so tight around her little finger that she doesn't even have to say anything, she already gets what she wants."
"My hell, Grant, she's 2 years old, what do you expect… I'm not going to stand here and listen to this anymore." Rachel ran her fingers through her hair and swiftly walked toward Emma's room.
Grant sighed, nervously, taking a coffee cup from the cupboard and proceeding to fill it.
A frantic Rachel exited the bedroom, "Oh my gosh, where's Emma!?!? GRANT, where the HELL is Emma!!" She rushed through the apartment, yelling for her daughter, tearing apart the bed sheets and throwing clothes from her closet in desperation. Now heaving back sobs she ran into the hallway, knocking wildly at the neighbors' doors, when they didn't answer soon enough, she'd run to the next one.
"Rachel, get a hold of yourself, woman, it's 7 AM." Grant grabbed at her arm but she pulled from his grasp.
"I don't care, my baby's gone, don't just stand there. You're a police officer, DO SOMETHING!" Suddenly she felt faint, little red, black, and white dots began to blur her vision, she staggered backwards, holding onto the wall for support. Her knees buckled and she collapsed, limply onto the floor.
TO BE CONTINUED…
2
3 lightly on his shoulder, "Is she asleep?"
"Yah." He said, softly, leaning against the doorframe that led to his 2 and a half- year old daughter's bedroom. "It took a while, she was still so excited about seeing those clowns at the circus." He laughed at the remembrance and looked lovingly at the peaceful little girl.
Mona yawned, "Well, I'm going to bed… are you coming? Ross… Ross!" She shook him gently and he started.
"Oh… yah, I'll be right in." He kissed Mona on the cheek and turned back to face the crib, watching his first daughter enter into dreamland. Eventually he sauntered over to the little girl's bedside and swept a few curls away from her plump, little cheek. "Sweet dreams, my little Em, Daddy loves you." He whispered, bending to plant a kiss on her forehead.
LATER…
Ross woke, abruptly, his daughter screaming in the next room. He jumped out of bed, not bothering to don a bath- robe, and scurried down the hall. Emma sat huddled in the corner of her crib, bawling at the top of her lungs.
Ross picked the wailing girl up and cradled her next to his chest, she wrapped her pudgy little arms tightly around his neck, her tears staining his T-shirt. "Shhhh… baby, Daddy's here." He kissed the top of her dark curls and rocked slowly back and forth, shushing, comfortingly in her ear. Soon exhausted, the little girls' screams softened and she began to whimper. Loosening her grip on Ross' neck, she stuck one of her thumbs into her mouth, her crimson cheek lying firmly against his chest. He sat in the rocking chair in her room, resting his lips on the top of her head, reveling in the sweet smell of her hair. After a while the girl was still, her eyes fluttering, trying to avoid the on coming wave of sleep. His hand rubbed her back as he went to lay her gently in the crib.
At this her grip tightened and her whimpers became more frantic. "NO, Daddy!"
"What… sweetheart… what's the matter?" He held her close again.
Emma looked at him with large, puppy dog brown eyes, her cheeks streaked with tears, "Sweep wit you. Pweese, Daddy."
He sighed and tucked a wet curl behind her ear. He knew that Rachel had been trying to get Emma to sleep on her own, but he was a sucker for that cute little face and the tears melted his heart. "Okay, Angel, but just for tonight. Don't tell your mommy about this, K." Emma nodded, solemnly, sticking her thumb back into her mouth and resting her curls once again on Ross' chest.
THE NEXT EVENING…. (Rachel and Grant's apartment)
Grant opened the door to reveal Ross with Emma in his arms. "Hey, Ross, come on in."
"Hi Grant, look who I brought home." He motioned to Emma with his free arm and went to set her on the ground.
"NO!" Emma buried her head into Ross' shoulder, stuffing her thumb into her mouth.
"Daddy's got to go, sweetie. Grant, is Rachel around." He asked, his eyes skimming over the apartment.
"No, sorry, she had to be at a meeting tonight, an emergency meeting, something gone awry with the new spring line, I guess. But you can go, I'll take Emma."
Ross smiled, "Oh, so an emergency that may in fact cause the end of the world, huh!? I would normally stay around and wait for her, but I promised Mona. We have dinner reservations tonight."
"No problem." Grant tried to pry Emma from Ross but she just gripped him tighter.
"No…Daddy, pwease… pwease, Daddy…." She wailed, throwing her chubby arms around his neck.
"Come on, Em, Grant is going to take care of you until Mommy gets home. I'm sorry, Grant, I don't know what's gotten into her lately, she keeps having these nightmares and she's awfully clingy to me." Ross reached into Emma's overnight bag and pulled out her favorite teddy bear. "Lookie, Em, Mr. Buttons wants to play with you." He danced the little bear in front of her face, playfully.
"NO! Daddy pway?"
Ross sighed, "Daddy will play, come on." He walked to the middle of the living room and set Emma down, she immediately wrapped her arms around his legs, burying her face into his pants. Ross sat on the couch and the little girl climbed up into his lap, taking the bear from Ross and hugging it tightly. "Well, do you think Rach, will be much longer? Emma kinda had a tough night last night so I'll wait until Rachel gets home to leave."
Grant looked down, but smiled anyway, "Kay, whatever works."
"Sorry, I'm so late, the boss had this big…" Rachel entered the apartment, clutching several folders and books to her chest.
"Mommy!" Emma scurried off of Ross' lap, reaching her arms up to Rachel.
"Oh, my baby." Rachel dropped the folders and books on the table and scooped Emma into her arms planting kisses all over her little face. "Ohhhh… Mommy missed you so much, Ems. Give Mommy Kisses." Emma giggled and gave Rachel a slobbery kiss on the mouth. "Hi Honey." Still clutching Emma, Rachel kissed Grant briefly on the lips. "Thanks for dropping her off, Ross."
"Hey, no problem… so… can I have her on Thursday night? Mona and I are going to my parents house and they wanna see their only granddaughter."
"Sure, I think that would be fine. I think I have a meeting that night anyway, so it would help me out."
"Great, I'll pick her up around 5, then. Well, I better go, Mona's going to kill me, I've already made us late for our reservations." He kissed Rachel on the cheek and Emma on the head. "Bye, baby… love you."
"Daddy stay!" Emma scrunched her forehead together and pouted her lips.
Rachel laughed, amazed at what one cute little face could do, yep, she had definitely inherited her father's eyes and the knack for using them to get what you wanted.
Ross smiled and lifted Emma into his arms, tickling her stomach. Emma giggled. "You, little princess, you. Give me big hugs." She squeezed his neck as tight as she could. "Hey, Ems, go show Mommy what we got at the circus yesterday." Emma's eyes lit up and Ross let her down. She ran to her bag, searching for the little stuffed clown.
"Uh, this would the time that I make a quick escape, see ya Rach, bye Grant."
"Thanks again, Ross."
Ross smiled and quietly left the apartment.
NIGHT, 2 days later…
"No, I'm telling you, just do it, but be careful, I don't want you to leave anything behind." Grant whispered into the phone receiver, nervously glancing over his shoulder at the closed bathroom door. "No… you need to do it tonight… I've already given them to her… yah."
The bathroom doorknob twisted and Rachel exited pulling a brush through her wet hair.
"Yah… look, man, I gotta go… bye." Grant hung up the phone and sat on the bed, untying his shoes.
"Who was that, sweetie?" Rachel asked pulling a bathrobe over her pajamas.
"Oh, uh… just a guy from work, wanted to know if we were going to the annual Police Officer picnic on Saturday."
"Saturday… wasn't that annual picnic last month?"
"Bi-annual, geez, what does it matter, Rachel, it's a stupid picnic."
"I'm sorry, honey, I was just wondering…"
"Well, quit it, I don't need the third degree every time I get off the phone."
"Okay…"
"I mean, it's like I'm some criminal, you're always questioning me."
"Well, excuse me, Grant, I can't help it if I like to know what's going on in my husbands life." Rachel tied her hair into a loose ponytail and removed her bathrobe. She got into bed, facing the door, pulled the covers to her chin and turned her lamp off.
Grant rolled his eyes, he undressed to his boxers and a t-shirt and flopped into bed also, facing the other direction. "Rachel…"
"Grant, please, I'm tired and I don't feel well at all, can we just save it for tomorrow?"
Grant sighed and flipped his lamp off, he lay in the dark, eyes wide, staring, impatiently at the darkened ceiling.
A clammy hand clasped tightly over her mouth, stifling her scream. Emma kicked desperately, struggling with everything in her small frame. The stranger slammed her head violently into the wall and Emma crumbled to the ground. He picked her limp body up and slung her over his shoulder, stepping lightly, he edged himself out the apartment door and into the night.
NEXT MORNING…
"Wow, I slept like a log last night. I swear, I've never slept so soundly, in like… Ever! I don't think I've ever known Em to sleep this long. Maybe I should go get her up."
"What do you mean, wake her up, how often do we get some alone time. Come here." Rachel smiled and walked into Grant's open arms. He kissed her gently, they broke and embraced. "I'm sorry about last night, you know, I didn't mean it, right?"
"Yah, I'm sorry, too. Grant, honey?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you love Emma… I mean… as much as you would your own child?"
Grant broke the hug and stepped back. "What are you saying?"
"I don't know… we've been married for 6 months now… and sometimes I get the feeling that you wish Emma wasn't around."
"Rachel, don't be ridiculous… I…"
"Grant, please, I'm not attacking you, it's just that it doesn't seem that you two have… bonded very well. She isn't as… comfortable around you as she is others." Rachel chose her words carefully so as not to anger Grant.
"Don't start with me, Rachel! Do you think it's easy to go into a marriage having an instant family!? My gosh, Ross baby's her so much she's going to be a spoiled brat…"
"How dare you attack Ross that way, he's the best father that little girl could have."
"Right… but kids need discipline and rules… Emma has you guys so tight around her little finger that she doesn't even have to say anything, she already gets what she wants."
"My hell, Grant, she's 2 years old, what do you expect… I'm not going to stand here and listen to this anymore." Rachel ran her fingers through her hair and swiftly walked toward Emma's room.
Grant sighed, nervously, taking a coffee cup from the cupboard and proceeding to fill it.
A frantic Rachel exited the bedroom, "Oh my gosh, where's Emma!?!? GRANT, where the HELL is Emma!!" She rushed through the apartment, yelling for her daughter, tearing apart the bed sheets and throwing clothes from her closet in desperation. Now heaving back sobs she ran into the hallway, knocking wildly at the neighbors' doors, when they didn't answer soon enough, she'd run to the next one.
"Rachel, get a hold of yourself, woman, it's 7 AM." Grant grabbed at her arm but she pulled from his grasp.
"I don't care, my baby's gone, don't just stand there. You're a police officer, DO SOMETHING!" Suddenly she felt faint, little red, black, and white dots began to blur her vision, she staggered backwards, holding onto the wall for support. Her knees buckled and she collapsed, limply onto the floor.
TO BE CONTINUED…