Chapter 10 – RPOV

I was so happy to have my baby back. It was like I was living a dream, and I was just waiting for someone to wake me up and tell me it would never happen. The hole in my heart which had been raw and open once when they took her away, was slowly healing the longer I laid eyes on her. She seemed to be in awe of the house too. This made me so glad, as I can't begin to describe the endless hours spent on it with Emmett's mother Esme as well as looking after the twins who were one at the time, and running a fashion line.

My daughter was more gorgeous than I could have ever imagined, and as I watched her and Alice run off up to her room my heart swelled with joy.

"Alice seems to have taken to her hasn't she?" Emmett asked walking up the stairs to where I stood; listening to Alice's excited squeals and Savannah's laugh.

"Oh, it's amazing to have her here at last, and I'm so glad one of our daughters has taken to her," I replied leaning into his broad, muscular chest.

"You know what Jessica's like. She'll come around eventually," he reassured me.

I did know Jessica. She had to have the attention all the time, and if she didn't there was bound to be a tantrum sooner or later; just to put her in the spotlight. Having Savannah here has made her realise that the attention isn't going to be on her all of the time. I mean she doesn't mind sharing it with Alice because they're twins, but anyone else who is a potential threat she loathes.

"Mummy, did you miss me this morning?" Jess asked right on cue.

"Of course I did darling," I replied, "But aren't you happy to have an older sister here now?"

Jessica considered this question before answering:

"Well she seems a bit stuck up and full of herself," she told me.

"Jessica Alexandra McCarty that is not the way you talk about your sister!" Emmett exploded suddenly.

"Why if it's true?" she answered back.

"Don't answer back to me young lady. And I'll have you know that your sister has grown up in a care home where children don't know their parents or don't have them," he told her sternly.

"So why was she there then?" Jess asked.

"Because... well, it's a long story," Emmett said as I turned once more to run back up the stairs as I had earlier.

That was when Savannah asked me who Jess looked like and I realised as I had before that it was my mother who had made me get rid of baby Savannah Karlie...

As I realised this I felt tears forming my eyes, and not wanting my girls to see them I ran upstairs to mine and Emmett's bedroom where I threw myself on the bed, tears streaming down my face.

"Rose," Emmett called entering, "Rosie baby, what's wrong?"

He came to sit next to me and I buried my face in his shoulder.

"I realised that Jessica reminded me so b-badly of my mother who made us g-give Savannah away that it was as though she were h-here glaring at me and t-telling me this was wrong and I couldn't k-keep her," I sobbed.

"Listen here," he comforted, "Your mother is long dead thank goodness, and she has no power over us now. I know Jess is scarily like her, not just in looks but with her attitude: but she can't tell you what to do, I promise."

I realised he spoke the truth and there was no point wasting tears on that old witch so I wiped my eyes and went back downstairs.

This time however I wasn't going to cry about it, I was going to check on my other two daughters and see how they were getting along. As I approached the room I could hear Alice's excited chatter

"- so if you would like I give you a makeover this evening and if you want we can give each other manicures. Mummy taught me how to do them the other day so I want to try them out on you, as her nails are always perfect."

I looked down at my nails which had been perfect until I had found out about the potential that we could have Savannah back. Now they were bitten down to the quick; a nasty habit I had tried to rid myself of years ago. But I stopped thinking about that as I heard Savannah reply to my youngest, using a tone of voice I hadn't heard before. She sounded compassionate, and genuinely pleased to be talking to Alice.

"Of course you can. Bella and I used to give ourselves makeovers with felt tips when we were your age, but you're much more sophisticated! And I'm positive my nails need a bit of tender loving care too," she replied and I heard them both giggle.

"Do you have a middle name?" Alice asked out of the blue.

"Well I'm not sure. What about you?" she answered.

"Mine's Esme after Nanny, and Jess's is Alexandra after Grandma who died when we were very little. But what's Karlie then?" Alice asked once more.

Savannah Karlie was in fact her first name which Emmett and I decided on when she was born. He loved the name Savannah as we spent part of our honeymoon in Savannah, whilst I was in love with Karlie which I had always wanted to call a daughter since I was a little girl. We had put them both together to make her first name, and then Emmett decided her middle name was to be Rose, which apparently they hadn't told her. So that was our baby: Savannah Karlie Rose McCarty.

"I wish I had a middle name like you," I heard Savannah tell Alice, which as I took as my cue to enter.

"In fact sweetheart you do," I told her as I walked in.

"How long have you been eavesdropping?" she asked sounding disgusted

"Mama, what is it? Savannah said she always wanted one!" Alice asked excitedly.

"Well darling, Savannah Karlie is your sister's first name as daddy and I couldn't agree on one name. Then he decided her middle name should be Rose," I told her as I watched her face light up.

"So her name's Savannah Karlie Rose McCarty. With Rose like you?" Alice said incredulously.

"Yes baby that's right," I replied kissing her forehead.

"Well lucky me – I get to be named after you," Savannah said sarcastically.

"That's a good thing; Mummy's the loveliest, prettiest person in the whole wide world," Alice said indignantly.

"Thank-you baby. Now why don't you show Savannah your trampoline and if she wants too, you can take Amber out for a walk around the garden," I said trying not to show how hurt I was by Savannah's attitude towards me.

"Do you want to? And Amber's our puppy. I got her for my birthday from Mummy and Nanny brought me a rocking horse. Jessie got as kitten called Tinkerbell and she should be around somewhere," Alice gushed.

"Of course. Anything to get away from her," Savannah said glaring at me as she stood up.

Alice gave me a big hug before grabbing her sister's hand and running out of the room.

I sat down on the bed, suddenly too tired to stand and looked around.

When Esme and I had decorated we'd decided we could decorate a room that would have been Savannahs to try and help ease the pain. She had lost a grandchild, but she daren't argue with my mother either. We had redecorated it every year, and it was based on the best parts of teenager's rooms we saw in each magazine. It was a pale cream, on three walls with one that was a bright pink. It was hung with canvases of shoes, bags and pictures which surrounded the disco ball light in the middle of the room. The window seat was piled with cushions, and in the middle of the room was a double bed which had covers that we had got made out of spare bits of material I'd found at the office. It was like a patchwork quilt, but more retro and stylish.

Emmett wandered in then.

"Rose, are you alright?" he asked.

"She hates me," I told him looking him in the eyes.

"Well honey did you expect her to embrace us with open arms? Of course not, but she'll grow to love us; I mean who couldn't love you?" he said wrapping his arms around me.

"How?" I questioned.

"Well why don't you take her to the company later this week, I bet she'd love that. What teenage girl wouldn't," he said rocking me gently.

I gave him a kiss and realised that was an amazing idea, from an amazing man. But, I would never admit that I had expected her to welcome us with open arms, and love us straight away.

That night when all the girls were fast asleep and Emmett was downstairs doing some work I went up to Savannah's room. She was fast asleep in the bed and I went to sit on the chair next to her head, as I stroked her hair.

"Mummy...love...baby...eyes...leave"

She started muttering in her sleep and I soothed her as she quietened. I sat there for another five minutes before I kissed her forehead and went to leave the room. As I opened the door she muttered four more words.

"Love...Rose...Love...Mummy."

I smiled and went to my own bed content.

I hope this is okay, and please give me ideas on what Savannah should do. Thank-you, XxX