3 Months Later
Alice walked into the house with the wedding photos, she heard raised voices.
"Why can't you just accept them Rosie, they are married, have been for almost three months!"
"Coz I won't! I can do what I want and just coz you love them doesn't mean I have to!"
So Rosie and Max were having another disagreement Alice mused.
"What you are worried about isn't true so why…."
"Leave me alone Max!" Rosie hissed.
"You are so freaking stubborn!" his voice heated.
"You know what I'm gonna do!" she goaded.
"I told you I didn't want her hurt Rosie!" Max yelled.
"Go to hell foster kid!"
Alice winced.
"I'll do what I want!" Rosie added.
Ok, Alice knew both of them wouldn't appreciate her eavedropping so she crept from the house and walked in stomping loudly.
"Danny! I'm home." she called.
The voices quieted. Max stomped from Rosie's room looking angry enough to kill.
"Hey son, you know you're not allowed…"
"Don't even go there!" he warned coldly and walked from the house.
As she passed Rosie's room she called a greeting, Rosie simply looked away ignoring that she had even spoke. For God's sake! Alice thought irritated. She walked into the kitchen and settled herself at the table, started to place the wedding photos in their album. She didn't feel much like looking at them.
Her and Danny's day had been magical, for only having a week Danny had managed to pull together a cake, a photographer and the place had been decorated, without her knowledge. The man was a wizard, the one downside? Rosie. She had locked herself in her room the whole day refusing to come out, so not one picture included her. The stress of it had put a strain on Max and Rosie and she had a feeling they had broken up, that argument earlier only proved it.
Danny walked into the kitchen spotted her and smiled. "How's my wife today?"
"Dunno." she felt weird actually.
He frowned. "You ok?"
She nodded. He saw her holding a book. "Those the pictures?" he asked taking the album and flicking through.
"Yeah."
"Max and Joshua cleaned up well, handsome kids and Charlie looked adorable in her dress." he hadn't noted Rosie's absence.
"I know." she replied, telling him she understood about Rosie.
He nodded and they were silent for a moment. "I want to sort out Clare's old room for Joshua." she told him.
"That's fine."
"We could move him in there on his first birthday?" Alice suggested.
"Good idea," he agreed nodding. Placed the album down on the table.
"I'll run to town and grab some paint, then start moving stuff."
Danny nodded. "Don't overdo it, if something is too heavy you know where I am."
"Danny I'm not helpless you know, I'm stronger than I look and its not gonna kill me to move a few boxes."
"Yeah but if you put your back out you'll be bed bound…." he halted and smiled wickedly pretending to consider it. "You'll be at my mercy, I like the sound of that!"
She stood up and grabbed her back. "Ow, my back. Oh no I'm at your mercy."
He took her in his arms laughing, kissed her softly.
Rosie passed and snorted ruining the moment.
Danny exhaled and rested his forehead on Alice's.
Rosie grabbed some juice from the fridge and walked away without saying a word after her snort.
Danny's eyes were closed. "She'll never accept us will she?" his voice full of anguish.
Alice heard his tone and it broke her heart. "Maybe us getting married so quick wasn't a good idea….."
Danny halted her immediately. "No. I've never been happier since we got married and I love our life together, I just wish…." he exhaled and closed his eyes as his forehead came to rest on hers once again.
Alice didn't know what to say. She had expected Rosie to get used to them eventually but she hadn't. if anything it was worse as the days passed. The only time they spent all together were meal times and Rosie spent the bare minimum of time there and that was after doing everything she could to get out of it.
"Do you want me to talk to her?" Alice asked. "You know woman to woman?"
Danny looked at her hesitantly. "Isn't that likely to prompt world war three into breaking out?"
"Couldn't make things any worse."
"Will it help though?" he asked.
"Leave it to me." she told him full of false confidence. She kissed him gently and walked off calling Rosie's name. Alice found her on the veranda.
"Hey Rosie come to town with me will you?"
Rosie ignored her flicking through a magazine.
Alice walked over and took it from her hands.
"Do you mind?" Rosie demanded.
"Come to town with me." Alice asked.
"Is this you trying to bond with me, no thanks!" she said voice full of disgust.
"You have made your displeasure about me known, I know no amount of bonding will change that. I just thought that before your dad and me got married were friends."
"I'm not looking for a mother!" Rosie spat.
"I'm not trying to be your mother." Alice retorted. "So town?"
"Just coz you and dad are married means nothing! You don't tell me what to do! Max Charlie and Joshua yes, me? No way!"
"I'm not telling you to come Rosie." Alice conceded.
"Give me back my magazine then!"
"Rosie talk to me, I thought you were ok with me and your dad."
"As a couple? Yes. Married? No!"
Alice frowned. "What's the difference? Both are a commitment."
Her dad wouldn't consider having a baby unless he was married, and that was why she had to put a stop to this now! It didn't look like Alice was pregnant yet, but they could be planning it and Rosie had no desire to be replaced. She crossed her arms as an image of her dad Alice and a baby filled her mind, no need for a kid that wasn't his she was out in the world alone. The image unnerved her in it's intensity.
"Look." Alice began realising Rosie wasn't going to answer. "I'm decorating Joshua's room and I'd like someone to come and help me find furniture and stuff."
Rosie's ears perked.
Alice could tell she was interested, she decided to sweeten the deal. "And I won't force you to talk to me about anything except curtains, lamp shades, bedding, paint."
Rosie stared at her. "Promise?"
"Yeah."
"Ok." she walked inside to grab her coat and purse.
Danny walked onto the veranda as Rosie walked inside. He approached Alice. "Good luck. The look she gave me as I passed would make a lesser man drop dead!"
Alice exhaled. "Think I'm gonna need it." she agreed and headed for the truck.
A/N bit of a filler really, all this is leading up to a blow up, which is currently planned bt unwritten (this was all pre written before uni work imprisoned me but from which i am now released) anyway i am nt feeling the love on the writing front tho, feeling a bit blocky :/ Still hope your enjoying x
