Someone made the mistake of handing Rose a glass of Vodka at the party.
"I forgot how strong this stuff was," she coughed before taking another sip.
She was about to finish the glass of when I tipped it back down for her.
"You should take it easy, Roza. It may feel good now but-unless you're use to it-tomorrow morning you'll feel like hell."
Rose seemed to take my words into consideration at first and slowly sipped as she continued to sit comfortably on my lap as we sat outside. I was talking to a family friend of ours and introducing him to Alberta while Roza listened quietly from my lap seemingly comfortable and content but before I knew it, the later into the night it became, Rose was even more drunk than I thought possible.
She wasn't dancing on tables or anything but at one point, once Vika had turned up the music a bit more, she'd started moving against me wanting to dance. I was grateful everyone was focused on the couples dancing further out into the yard and our old family friend took Alberta to dance.
Rose stood and twirled and stumbled forward to try and pull me up to dance. "Come on Dimitri," she slurred. "Lets dance!"
Without waiting for me to respond she started moving her hips and arms in every which way.
I looked around to see if anyone else noticed but thank goodness no one did. Rose was definitely going to regret this tomorrow especially if anyone saw.
"Rose, I think you've had a bit too much to drink," I say standing.
I reach out to try and settled her down but she turns in one quick motion and throws herself against me.
"I think we're not having any fun, Muscles," she says squeezing my arms as she runs her hands over my shoulders and around my neck. "Do you realize we've never done anything really fun as a couple?" she ask.
The question is directed at me obviously but it's more like she's talking out loud to herself since her eyes are focused everywhere but me.
"We went...you took me to that fair in the park," she recalls as I start trying to move her into the house. "That was fun but we weren't together then."
Her words are all pushed together but I catch everything she's saying as I hold her close and lead her through the patio door. Thankfully everyone's outside.
"Do you like us being together Dimitri? I like us being together. We said earlier we'd figure everything out and be okay but what if it isn't okay," she mumbles. "What if things go bad like always and I lose you? I don't want to lose you, I love you 'mitri," she murmurs as I manage to finally get her to stop moving enough to hoist her up in my arms.
Her legs sheathed in long jeans and her sandaled feet hang over my arms as I carry her.
"I love you too Roza."
I don't bother responding to all the worries she mentioned before the 'I love you' because in this state she probably won't remember anything I've said anyway.
"You are a very nice and beautiful man sir. Are you seeing anybody?"
I can't fight the laughter building up at her question as I finally make it to our room where I lay her on the bed and set the glass she was still holding on the bedside table once I pry it from her hands.
I sit on the edge of the bed to pull her strappy sandals off.
"You didn't answer me," she says after such a long silence I think she's fallen asleep. "Are you seeing anyone? Cause I like you."
I set her shoes on the floor and stand to help her under the blankets.
"In fact, I'm seeing someone very special to me, someone I love, whose beautiful, funny...and should probably stay away from Vodka for a while," I tell her softly, hovering over her as her breathing slows to press a kiss to her forehead.
"That's probably good advice," she hiccups. Her dreary eyes struggle to look me clearly in the face. "You look just like my boyfriend Dimitri." She runs her hand along my cheek.
I don't stop the smile from spreading across my face. Rose is...too cute as Vika would say.
"He loves me," she says casually as she turns on her side, folding her clasp hands under her head and grinning smugly.
"I'll bet he does," I answer tucking the blankets around her.
She nods. "He does...but sometimes I think I don't deserve him."
If she only knew how often I think about how unbelievable it is we're even together, how I can never get over the fact that I have her.
When I don't say anything she opens one eye to look at me. "You even have that same question face he does sometimes," she giggles closing the eye.
I'm trying to figure out how she can think such a thing, that she doesn't deserve me. I don't say this out loud though. She's calmed significantly and I simply tell her," Just trying to figure out what happened to the Rose before the Vodka that was holding the baby," I chuckle.
"Baby," she echoes softly. "I like babies. There's a cute one downstairs," she tells me.
Amused, I wonder who it is she thinks she's talking to.
"My boyfriend was a beautiful baby," she hiccups, recalling how my mother pulled out the family photo albums while she was cooking. "I was a beautiful baby...I think," she says uncertain. "That means any baby we have will be beautiful. Do you think so, sir?"
"I think so," I agree, the smile clear in my voice.
"I think so too. I think...I think maybe we will figure it all out together and have beautiful babies and live happily ever after. He loves me. He wants me. He loves me," she sings in a rhyming voice.
She smiles sleepily before taking a deep breath and settling herself in for sleep.
I sit beside her on the bed and brush her hair from her face before making sure she's really asleep to go downstairs and continue to help with the party.
The second I stand, she speaks again more quietly but I still here it. "Why didn't they want me? Why didn't they love me?" Her voice is sadder now, all chipper alcohol induced happiness gone, replaced by sadness and the weight of wanting to sleep.
I crouch beside the bed and brush my hand along her cheek. Her eyes are still closed but she starts to sob softly.
It's obvious she's talking about her parents.
"They're the ones that didn't deserve you," I tell her gently, unsure if she's lucid enough to really hear me. "You are worth so much more than they...than you give yourself credit for."
She's trembling even under the blankets. Her lips look so soft and they're right there I can't help leaning forward to kiss her, hoping to take any and all hurt away from her.
She actually stops shaking but I can feel a few tears against her cheeks. The kiss is long, soft, tender and just what both of us needs. She rolls over and moves back enough to make room for me to lay beside her. Once we're settled into a comfortable enough position- her head laying over my heart while I stroke her hair- she talks, a little more clearly now but a few of her words are still slurred.
"I thought...I needed them to love me...to at least want me but after really realizing everything you and Alberta and Eddie and your family...and even Andre kind of...everything you guys have done for me I realize I don't need or want them. I have a family now and they love me."
It takes a while for her to get through it but by the time she's finished I'm ready to hug her tightly too me, glad that she's finally accepted reality. She has a family and we love her.
"I'm glad you finally see that, Roza."
I think she either nods or nuzzles her head against me. "You said together...we'd figure everything out together and I started to worry because there' never just been a 'together'. I've always been alone but then...then you kissed me like that and I knew for sure."
"Knew what for sure?" I ask when she doesn't continue right away.
"That anyone who kisses me like that and makes me feel like..." her voice trials off with sleep. "He loves me," she whispers sleepily but smiling again, less drunkenly, more genuine. "He loves me..."
I play with the idea of going downstairs to help with the party thinking of the big mess there's going to be tomorrow if I don't but then I realize I need to stop worrying.
I don't have to.
We're safe. We're together. We're in love.
The mess can wait.
Rose is what's important to me right now.
I snuggle further down into the bed, make sure the blanket is tucked tightly around her, and kiss the woman I'm in love with before drifting off to sleep without a worry in mind.
A/N: Thanks a million for all the love and the reviews! There might be either one or two epilogues next and then we're done folks!