Rosalind
This story and all themes and ideas contained in said story are the sole
ownership of J.L. Scott. Any copyright infringements can be prosecuted in a
court of law.
To borrow a phrase: NYPD Blue no mine......no money, no sue, please? AN: I will warn you now that there is very little story to this. It's basically just an idea I thought I'd spin during the off season. Each chapter is really just more like an impression of a dream than of a real story. Another apology, a name this time. I Couldn't catch it, and couldn't find it, so Dr. Devlin's first name is now Allison. If anyone can correct me, please feel free. I'll keep you updated as we move along. Hope you enjoy!
"Okay. Um, why don't you put your backpack over there by the window?" John pointed across the room at the tiny window. Rosalind placed her backpack right under it, then turned around and watched him. He set her little suitcase and cardboard box down in the hall, thinking no one would trip over it there, at least not tonight. It was kind of late, almost eight, and he figured she would need to go to bed soon. But he was hungry and all she'd eaten all day, that he knew of, were some crackers.
"Do you like macaroni and cheese?" he asked, a little unsure what to do now that he was alone with her. She shrugged her shoulders.
"You've never had macaroni and cheese?" he asked, amazed. What kind of kid had never had macaroni and cheese? She shook her head no.
"Oh, well, we'll have to have some macaroni and cheese then" he said, "Uh, you can watch TV while I make some" He flicked the TV on while she climbed up on the couch. He wasn't sure what five year olds watched now a days. Barney? Was she too old for that? He figured any cartoon would work.
"Here we go. Winnie the Pooh"
"I like Winnie Pooh" she told him with a cute little smile.
"Yeah? So do I" he replied, though the truth was he hadn't seen Winnie the Pooh since...well he wasn't sure he ever had. He watched her slyly while he mixed the powdered cheese and butter into the noodles for their dinner. She swayed back and forth and sang the theme song that ended the episode. For the first time she looked like a sweet, normal little girl and John almost felt like laughing, except that it was probably the dearest thing he'd ever seen.
"Hey, why don't you come eat?" he asked her, putting her bowl on the table that nearly blocked the enterance to the kitchenette. She slid off the couch and climbed into the chair, sitting on her knees to reach properly. She picked her fork up and poked at the orange noodles. Then she put her fork down and made the Sign of the Cross. She looked up at John.
"I don't know it" she said, "You say it. Mommy always says the prayer"
"Uh, I don't know it either" he told her, "Can we just say our own prayer?"
"Oh, sure. God likes my prayers, Mommy says" She bowed her head.
"Dear God, thank you for this noodles and macerani. Amen" John stifled a laugh.
"That was a good prayer" he told her and then dug into his "noodles and macerani" She watched him for a moment and then followed suit, more of the noodles falling off her fork onto the table and her lap then making it into her mouth.
"I like these orange noodles" she told him with a full mouth.
"Well, that's good. I eat a lot of them" he said, "Listen, Rosalind, tomorrow you're going to go to a babysitters house, because I have to go back to work and you can't come with me" He waited for her to object or cry. She did neither, she just kept eating her mac and cheese.
"Okay. Am I going to Annie's?"
"No" he replied, assuming her babysitter in California had been Annie, "You're going with my friend's son to school and then to his babysitter. Her name is......uh, Caroline I think."
"School's over though!" Rosalind said, putting her fork down, "I'm done"
"Well, I guess Theo's school isn't over. Are you sure you're done?" Her bowl was still half full.
"Yep" she said, "Do I have to be in garden again or do I get to go with the big kids?"
"Uh, well, where did you go when you lived with your Mom?" He flinched, mentioning the dead woman, but Rosalind had spoken about her earlier with no problems. He wondered if she really understood what had happened. He wondered if she had to understand. He wondered what kind of God-aweful parent he was going to be.
"I went to garden" she answered, "But next time I go to school I get to go with the First graders. Then I can be a big kid"
"Well, uh, I think Theo's in garden still" he told her, using her term, "So you'll probably go with him at least for a little while"
"Okay" she said. He could feel her little legs swinging under the table as he finnished his bowl of mac and cheese.
"Are you ready for bed?" he asked. She was looking sleepy, and he didn't feel like messing with a bath tonight. She nodded and went to her suitcase. John put their bowls in the sink and went to unfold the couch. It just fit, if he moved the chair and table, though it wasn't really long enough for him to sleep in. He found some extra sheets and put them on the matress, and pulled an extra blanket and pillow off his own bed. Rosalind had already pulled her socks and shoes off and was trying to reach the zipper on the back of her jumper.
"Here, I'll get it" He pulled the zipper down and then decided to go to his own room for a minute while she changed. He was pretty sure a five year old should be able to change her clothes herself without any mishaps. When he heard the bed squeeking he went back in. She had produced a small blanket with a cartoon pickle and tomatoe on the front, under which was the title "Veggie Tales", and had spread it over the blanket he had provided, which she was snuggled under.
"You all tucked in?" he said and went to the side of the bed. She looked practically asleep already. He leaned over and kissed her forehead gently.
"Are you my daddy?" she asked. John had been dreading this question.
"Gran Collins said I was coming to live with my Daddy" she added.
"Uh, no, I'm not your Daddy" he told her, "You're daddy, he's uh, he's sick right now. And I'm going to take care of you until he gets better."
"Are you my Uncle?" she asked then.
"Sure. Sure, I'm Uncle John" he told her, glad to come out of that conversation without any tears or complicated explinations.
"Mommy doesn't have any brothers or sisters. That's why I came to live with Daddy. Mommy went away" She sounded a little sad as she said that.
"Yeah, I know" John said quietly, "My Dad went away"
"Were you sad too?" John's mouth quirked.
"Yeah, yeah I was sad too" He kissed her cheek, "You go to sleep now. I'm going to be right in there if you need me. I left the light in the bathroom on for you, okay?" She nodded and closed her eyes, rubbing her head on her rag doll's hair. John went to his room and closed the door half way. It was only ten after nine, but he felt like he'd been awake for three days straight. And tomorrow he'd have to get up extra early to get Rosalind ready and to school and get her all registered and stuff. Connie had been kind enough to call and let Theo's school know he was coming, and she'd made arrangements for her babysitter, Caroline Hankins he thought, to pick the both of them up from school. It was a hundred dollars a week for a babysitter. How in the hell was he going to afford this? She would need new clothes eventually, and he'd have to buy more food, though he didn't think she'd really eat all that much, but then there were doctor visits and dentist visits and all the other fees that accompanied having a kid. Actually, John wasn't really sure what all that entailed, but he knew it wasn't cheap. How was he going to afford it all? He could barely afford his car and apartment as it was. He could always ask for a raise. And what was he going to tell Allison? She was supposed to come over friday night. Those plans would have to be changed. Their relationship was still....fresh. He didn't know how she felt about kids. Why was he even worrying about this so much? The Lieutenant would be better in a couple of weeks and Rosalind would go live with him. Lord knew he could pay for it better. But in the back of his head, John had a feeling he might as well keep worrying.
That was the thought he fell asleep with. His dreams revolved around Rosalind; he saw her as a 16 year old, learning to drive, saw her going on dates with guys he had serious doubts about. He kept asking himself the same question, over and over, what kind of father was he? Was he going to turn out like his Dad? Anything but that!
John woke up suddenly. What had he been dreaming about? Something he didn't like. Something about his Dad.....or was it about Rosalind? He sat up in bed. Speaking of Rosalind.....she was standing in the doorway, her little rag doll dangling in one hand.
"Are you okay?" he asked sleepily.
"I'm scared. I had a bad dream" she answered tearily. He considered getting up and taking her back to bed, like his father had done so many times, but then he remembered having bad dreams of his own, when he was much younger than Rosalind, and crawling into bed with his Mom and feeling warm and safe.
"Why don't you come sleep here, next to me" he suggested, pushing the covers and making sure there'd be room enough for her. She practically ran. She climbed up and burrowed close to him. It was odd having something so small in bed with him. Her knees knocked into his ribs but he didn't care. He pulled the blankets up around her shoulders, turned onto his side, brushed her hair away from his mouth, and they fell asleep together.
To borrow a phrase: NYPD Blue no mine......no money, no sue, please? AN: I will warn you now that there is very little story to this. It's basically just an idea I thought I'd spin during the off season. Each chapter is really just more like an impression of a dream than of a real story. Another apology, a name this time. I Couldn't catch it, and couldn't find it, so Dr. Devlin's first name is now Allison. If anyone can correct me, please feel free. I'll keep you updated as we move along. Hope you enjoy!
"Okay. Um, why don't you put your backpack over there by the window?" John pointed across the room at the tiny window. Rosalind placed her backpack right under it, then turned around and watched him. He set her little suitcase and cardboard box down in the hall, thinking no one would trip over it there, at least not tonight. It was kind of late, almost eight, and he figured she would need to go to bed soon. But he was hungry and all she'd eaten all day, that he knew of, were some crackers.
"Do you like macaroni and cheese?" he asked, a little unsure what to do now that he was alone with her. She shrugged her shoulders.
"You've never had macaroni and cheese?" he asked, amazed. What kind of kid had never had macaroni and cheese? She shook her head no.
"Oh, well, we'll have to have some macaroni and cheese then" he said, "Uh, you can watch TV while I make some" He flicked the TV on while she climbed up on the couch. He wasn't sure what five year olds watched now a days. Barney? Was she too old for that? He figured any cartoon would work.
"Here we go. Winnie the Pooh"
"I like Winnie Pooh" she told him with a cute little smile.
"Yeah? So do I" he replied, though the truth was he hadn't seen Winnie the Pooh since...well he wasn't sure he ever had. He watched her slyly while he mixed the powdered cheese and butter into the noodles for their dinner. She swayed back and forth and sang the theme song that ended the episode. For the first time she looked like a sweet, normal little girl and John almost felt like laughing, except that it was probably the dearest thing he'd ever seen.
"Hey, why don't you come eat?" he asked her, putting her bowl on the table that nearly blocked the enterance to the kitchenette. She slid off the couch and climbed into the chair, sitting on her knees to reach properly. She picked her fork up and poked at the orange noodles. Then she put her fork down and made the Sign of the Cross. She looked up at John.
"I don't know it" she said, "You say it. Mommy always says the prayer"
"Uh, I don't know it either" he told her, "Can we just say our own prayer?"
"Oh, sure. God likes my prayers, Mommy says" She bowed her head.
"Dear God, thank you for this noodles and macerani. Amen" John stifled a laugh.
"That was a good prayer" he told her and then dug into his "noodles and macerani" She watched him for a moment and then followed suit, more of the noodles falling off her fork onto the table and her lap then making it into her mouth.
"I like these orange noodles" she told him with a full mouth.
"Well, that's good. I eat a lot of them" he said, "Listen, Rosalind, tomorrow you're going to go to a babysitters house, because I have to go back to work and you can't come with me" He waited for her to object or cry. She did neither, she just kept eating her mac and cheese.
"Okay. Am I going to Annie's?"
"No" he replied, assuming her babysitter in California had been Annie, "You're going with my friend's son to school and then to his babysitter. Her name is......uh, Caroline I think."
"School's over though!" Rosalind said, putting her fork down, "I'm done"
"Well, I guess Theo's school isn't over. Are you sure you're done?" Her bowl was still half full.
"Yep" she said, "Do I have to be in garden again or do I get to go with the big kids?"
"Uh, well, where did you go when you lived with your Mom?" He flinched, mentioning the dead woman, but Rosalind had spoken about her earlier with no problems. He wondered if she really understood what had happened. He wondered if she had to understand. He wondered what kind of God-aweful parent he was going to be.
"I went to garden" she answered, "But next time I go to school I get to go with the First graders. Then I can be a big kid"
"Well, uh, I think Theo's in garden still" he told her, using her term, "So you'll probably go with him at least for a little while"
"Okay" she said. He could feel her little legs swinging under the table as he finnished his bowl of mac and cheese.
"Are you ready for bed?" he asked. She was looking sleepy, and he didn't feel like messing with a bath tonight. She nodded and went to her suitcase. John put their bowls in the sink and went to unfold the couch. It just fit, if he moved the chair and table, though it wasn't really long enough for him to sleep in. He found some extra sheets and put them on the matress, and pulled an extra blanket and pillow off his own bed. Rosalind had already pulled her socks and shoes off and was trying to reach the zipper on the back of her jumper.
"Here, I'll get it" He pulled the zipper down and then decided to go to his own room for a minute while she changed. He was pretty sure a five year old should be able to change her clothes herself without any mishaps. When he heard the bed squeeking he went back in. She had produced a small blanket with a cartoon pickle and tomatoe on the front, under which was the title "Veggie Tales", and had spread it over the blanket he had provided, which she was snuggled under.
"You all tucked in?" he said and went to the side of the bed. She looked practically asleep already. He leaned over and kissed her forehead gently.
"Are you my daddy?" she asked. John had been dreading this question.
"Gran Collins said I was coming to live with my Daddy" she added.
"Uh, no, I'm not your Daddy" he told her, "You're daddy, he's uh, he's sick right now. And I'm going to take care of you until he gets better."
"Are you my Uncle?" she asked then.
"Sure. Sure, I'm Uncle John" he told her, glad to come out of that conversation without any tears or complicated explinations.
"Mommy doesn't have any brothers or sisters. That's why I came to live with Daddy. Mommy went away" She sounded a little sad as she said that.
"Yeah, I know" John said quietly, "My Dad went away"
"Were you sad too?" John's mouth quirked.
"Yeah, yeah I was sad too" He kissed her cheek, "You go to sleep now. I'm going to be right in there if you need me. I left the light in the bathroom on for you, okay?" She nodded and closed her eyes, rubbing her head on her rag doll's hair. John went to his room and closed the door half way. It was only ten after nine, but he felt like he'd been awake for three days straight. And tomorrow he'd have to get up extra early to get Rosalind ready and to school and get her all registered and stuff. Connie had been kind enough to call and let Theo's school know he was coming, and she'd made arrangements for her babysitter, Caroline Hankins he thought, to pick the both of them up from school. It was a hundred dollars a week for a babysitter. How in the hell was he going to afford this? She would need new clothes eventually, and he'd have to buy more food, though he didn't think she'd really eat all that much, but then there were doctor visits and dentist visits and all the other fees that accompanied having a kid. Actually, John wasn't really sure what all that entailed, but he knew it wasn't cheap. How was he going to afford it all? He could barely afford his car and apartment as it was. He could always ask for a raise. And what was he going to tell Allison? She was supposed to come over friday night. Those plans would have to be changed. Their relationship was still....fresh. He didn't know how she felt about kids. Why was he even worrying about this so much? The Lieutenant would be better in a couple of weeks and Rosalind would go live with him. Lord knew he could pay for it better. But in the back of his head, John had a feeling he might as well keep worrying.
That was the thought he fell asleep with. His dreams revolved around Rosalind; he saw her as a 16 year old, learning to drive, saw her going on dates with guys he had serious doubts about. He kept asking himself the same question, over and over, what kind of father was he? Was he going to turn out like his Dad? Anything but that!
John woke up suddenly. What had he been dreaming about? Something he didn't like. Something about his Dad.....or was it about Rosalind? He sat up in bed. Speaking of Rosalind.....she was standing in the doorway, her little rag doll dangling in one hand.
"Are you okay?" he asked sleepily.
"I'm scared. I had a bad dream" she answered tearily. He considered getting up and taking her back to bed, like his father had done so many times, but then he remembered having bad dreams of his own, when he was much younger than Rosalind, and crawling into bed with his Mom and feeling warm and safe.
"Why don't you come sleep here, next to me" he suggested, pushing the covers and making sure there'd be room enough for her. She practically ran. She climbed up and burrowed close to him. It was odd having something so small in bed with him. Her knees knocked into his ribs but he didn't care. He pulled the blankets up around her shoulders, turned onto his side, brushed her hair away from his mouth, and they fell asleep together.