(I own only plot.)

A/N: New chapter! Yayayay! Enjoy. Thank you to all my magpies for everything you've done to keep my inspiration and encouraging me to write. You're all brilliant and I love you all. (P.S. Everything in brackets and italics (italics) are thoughts.)

*Rosalee's POV*

Morning... I yawn and turn over. No sunlight is touching me. I don't want to wake up, thanks. "Rosalee, darling, it's time to get up."

"No, Mama," I mumble, still warm and not entirely okay with getting up.

"Hey, cheeky, you can say no now, but that doesn't mean you can tell me no! Come here, you adorable little girl."

Rebelliously, I snuggle down and groan "Nooo..."

Mummy comes over and picks me up, then cradles me in her arms, laughing. "You're a tiny rebel baby, aren't you? I've got half a mind to tell your daddy about you being such a cheeky girl."

"No!" I scream. What kind of kid wants their mummy to tell their daddy that?

Mummy laughs at me and kisses my cheeks. "Come on, you. Bath time."

Two baths a day. I don't get that messy! I think Mummy has that thing... Oaky Bee. Daddy says she has an obsession for neatness and it's got to compulsive cleaning. Whatever compulsive cleaning is, she's roped me into her list of objects that need to be cleaned all the time. "No!" I yell as she takes me to the bathroom.

"Yes!" Mummy giggles, holding me tightly.

I start screaming, really loudly. So loudly that Daddy comes running and asks "Trudy, are you trying to kill that child?"

"No, I'm trying to give the little demon a bath."

"Babe, she just had one last night. And yesterday morning. And twice a day for the entirety of her life. You have OCD, love. Give the kid a break."

This is why I love Daddy. "I do not have OCD, she smells of her bed!"

Ew! I escape and make a run for the bath. Daddy picks me up and cuddles me. "Not in your pyjamas, love. Anyway, why do you suddenly want a bath?"

I give him the look. He laughs and hands me to Mummy. "Well, thanks for getting her to behave."

"No problem. Look, sweetheart, I'm running late. I'll have to run. Keep being beautiful and I'll see you for supper," Daddy tells Mummy and he kisses her lips. I don't know what to make of that, especially as she kisses him, too. He breaks the kiss, then looks at me. "Be good for Mama, gorgeous girl." He kisses my forehead and leaves.

Mummy smiles at me. I guess she likes it when Daddy calls her beautiful and kisses her. I end up being undressed and dumped in the bath, then getting a warm wash. Eventually, it's over and Mummy wraps me in a towel, dries me off and powders me before she puts my nappy on and dresses me in a really nice pink sun dress. She even gives me a pretty pink hair bow on a clip and says "That's my pretty girl."

I smile up at her and realise that I'm in my party dress. I look to Mummy and ask "Mama, why?"

She grins and says "Well, darling, you've been invited to little Alfina's first birthday party."

Alfina's what now? I decide against questioning and ignore it. It can't be bad, Mummy wouldn't allow that. Mummy just protects me. Alfina is a girl much taller than me and she's a lot less chubby than I am. Uncle Alfie says that Alfina isn't walking yet, but he's not worried, because he and Auntie Willow didn't walk until they were nearly two. Mummy says that she and Daddy were around a year and a half, which makes me question my age again. Mummy has another indoor rain bath and puts on her white jeans and a plain black top and her pretty shoes, dries and curls her hair, puts some glittery lip thing on, adds powdery stuff to her face and smiles at me. She puts my walkie shoes on my feet in the hall and holds my hand, takes me outside, locks the door and leads me up the garden path to the pole. "Mama, what that?" I ask, pointing to the pole.

"That's the sign post for the bus. This is a bus stop."

"Bus?" I try the word out because who could resist?

"Yes, bus. We're going to get the bus to the train station so we can get to New Brighton. We're going to the beach! And guess what? Auntie Piper's going to be there, with Kyle and Alexis and Uncle Ben! And Auntie Mara with Uncle Jerome, Ellis and baby Zachariah! Auntie Kara and Uncle Danny will be there, too, with Rachel and Ruby. You're going to have lots of fun."

Am I? Great. So what's a beach? A big red thing stops in front of us and Mummy picks me up. The driver says "Hi, Mrs Choudhary. Is this your little angel?"

"Yeah, she is. Say hi, Rosie."

"Hi hi," I smile at the man.

"Hi, baby. She's already talking? She's, what, nine months?"

"Yeah, she is. According to the health visitor, she's very advanced for such a small child."

"I'll say. So, where are you heading?"

"Manchester train station."

"Ah, somewhere special to be?"

"My friend's kid's birthday party."

"I see. Well, then, that's four fifty, then, for the day."

Mummy hands over some green paper and says "You can have the change, as a tip."

"Thanks. Go ahead and sit down."

I sit on Mummy's lap, leaning on her and watching the world go by. She strokes my hair. An old woman sits beside us and looks out of the window. I lean on Mummy and she smiles down at me. I smile back, because I love it when Mummy's happy. The old lady next to us asks "Is the little girl allowed chocolates, ma'am?"

"I'm afraid not. She's not got enough teeth yet."

I still smile at the old woman, who says "You're a beautiful little girl."

Mummy smiles a bit at that. "Thank you."

She smiles and looks at Mummy, then says "She must get that from her mother."

That makes Mummy turn pink and say "Thank you, ma'am."

I smile at them both and say "Mama good."

Mummy kisses my forehead and says "You're so kind, baby."

"How old is your lovely girl?"

"Nine months."

"She's a very advanced child for so young."

"I know. She's a fast learner, too."

"Is she crawling yet?"

"Walking, actually."

"That is incredible. I've known only one child to do that before. Your little girl's a very clever child. Does she get that from you as well?"

"No, that's from her father."

This is where the conversation takes a bad turn. "Does her father live with you?"

Mummy looks shocked. "I'm married to him! Of course he lives with us!"

"Alright. Is he actually the father? You pretty girls aren't usually the type to stay with one man."

This angers Mummy. She snaps "I am a respectable and faithful woman! Of course he's her father! I'd never rest well in my grave if he wasn't!"

The old lady shuts up after that. Mummy's still angry when the old woman leaves. I think she's glad to arrive at the train station, but she keeps me shielded after that, because she wants to avoid other people like that woman. I don't think it works, though, because a woman who is a lot older than Mummy, but still younger than the old lady, takes one look at my poor mummy and says, in a very loud voice, "Oh, look. A black, single teenage mother. Who lets these kids come to our country with their kids?"

Mummy turns and the woman's looking directly at her in disgust. Mummy asks "Are you talking about me?"

"What if I am?"

"This is what if you are; I'm thirty eight, married, nationally British and I'm from a respectable Muslim family. If you have a problem, you can complain to someone who cares, rather than a train station full of people who don't care either way. Goodbye."

I laugh at that. My mummy just shut that rude lady up. I hope that I grow up just like Mummy. We board our train and I fall asleep on Mummy. I love her so much.


And that was chapter seven. Hope this was good enough. Thanks to all for the reviews and favourites and follows and for keeping this story alive. And to everyone out there: Good vibes heading your way!

Song quote of the day: And all I've seen/ Since eighteen hours ago/ Is blue eyes, freckles and your smile/ Making me feel like/ I just wanna know you/ Better know you/ Better know you/ Better now. ~Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran, Everything Has Changed.

Until next time, hugs for everyone! C. xx