Chapter 9
In response to the review I got about how little update- I'm at college doing a levels at the moment and with the amount of work I get I really don't have time to update anymore than I do. If I could I would trust me, I work too which takes up some of my weekend so there just isn't the time. But I always do one a week I promise. And also my updates are quite a bit longer than some peoples (normally between 4-6 thousand words) so if I did update a few times a week that would end up being about 16000 words a week, which is pretty impossible to do. Glad your enjoying the fic though.
A few days had passed and lily still wasn't coping particularly well, she'd been so upset and worked up Rachel had kept her off school after she'd tried to make her go in on Tuesday but had ended up getting so upset she had to be brought home after just a few hours of her staying there. Joe and Rachel had decided she definitely should go back tomorrow as they really didn't want her missing anymore of school, because they thought this would do more harm than good.
Rachel had put her to bed an hour or so ago, she'd decided to make her go on her own tonight, as she knew she had to try and get things back to normal again, though night times were particularly tricky.
"Joe please could you go and make me and Rosie something to drink"
"What did your last slave die of" he asked rolling his eyes but getting up anyway
"Well what else is a husband for?"
"If I'd have said that about you, I'd have got a lecture on how sexist I was" he said laughing
"Joe just go and make the drinks" she said
Once joe had gone she took her opportunity to turn the football off and put eastenders on for her and Rosie
"He'll go mad" Rosie said giggling
"Tough I'm the boss"
Rosie laughed before returning her attention back to the tv, which was a lot more interesting now the football was off
"Are you looking forward to going out for our meal tomorrow with everyone"
"Yeah It'll be really nice, I like all your family, what about lily though will she be okay to go?"
"Well I was just saying to joe earlier it's about time we got her doing normal things again, I know she's still very shaken up and everything but we need to get her back into some sort of routine"
"She was crying in the bathroom earlier, I heard her so I walked in and she was sat against the bath"
"Oh the poor little thing, it's so hard for her I know" Rachel sighed
Almost as soon as they'd finished talking they heard lily running down the stairs crying
She came straight into the living room in tears
"Oh dear, come and sit down love" Rachel said
Lily went straight over and sat on her knee and put her thumb in her mouth, which normally Rachel would tell her off for now but she decided to leave it
"Did you have another bad dream?"
"Yes" she cried
Rachel kept her on her knee for a little while but then decided to take her back up to bed.
"I won't be able to sleep" lily cried once Rachel had put her back in bed
"Just give it a try, I'll stay with you till you go to sleep, and you know me and joe are only next door so you're really safe"
Lily tried to get comfy and closed her eyes, while Rachel stroked her hair as she knew this normally relaxed her. After a few minutes lily did end up going back to sleep, so Rachel kissed her gently in the forehead before leaving.
She then went back down and went and sat back down with Rosie and joe.
After an hour or so Rachel decided to get Rosie off to bed as it was getting pretty late and she had school the next day.
"Come on time for bed, get yourself sorted I'll be up in a few minutes to say goodnight"
Rosie sighed and reluctantly got out of her chair and went up to bed.
Rachel smiled and shook her head at her, before moving up next to joe
"Was lily okay earlier after you took her back up"
"Not really, but I got her off to sleep, I hope she's okay at school tomorrow, maybe I should let her have tomorrow off, it's Friday afterall, so then she'll have the weekend to fully pull herself round"
"Well that might be an idea, your on that course on the morning, and I'm working from home in the morning so I can look after her then"
"Yeah I don't know what time that course will finish but I've arranged cover for the whole day just in case, but I don't imagine it'll go on past 12 so I'll look after her in the afternoon while you go to work but if I'm not back she can go to my mums"
"Sounds like a plan"
Rachel then got up and went up to Rosie's room, she found her sat up in bed reading her book
"Light out in 15 minutes love"
"Okay, I'll just finish this chapter"
"Right, well I'm just here to say goodnight"
"Night Rachel"
"Night night darling"
Rachel was about to leave her to it when Rosie said "Rachel I have a bit of a bad stomach"
"Really when did that come on?"
"About 15 minutes ago"
"I'll get you some tablets and a glass of water" Rachel said
She went and got them before going back into Rosie's bedroom
"Thanks" she said
"I wonder why that's come on" Rachel said
"I don't know"
"It's not your period is it?"
"No" Rosie said cheeks flushing as she always did feel very embarrassed if ever Rachel brought it up, which she didn't much because she knew it did embarrass her
"Well I wouldn't be surprised if you came on again soon"
"But I've only had one and you said it could be months before I had another one"
"Well it could be, but then again it might only be a few weeks, there's no telling really" Rachel said
Rosie thought for a moment before saying "Rach you know you were quite young too when you started, did you tell any of your friends"
"Yeah I think I told a few of my close friends yeah, it's nothing to be ashamed of you know love"
"I know, I just don't think I'd want people knowing about it, not even people I'm close with"
"Well it's not compulsory to tell people if you don't feel comfortable, I just don't want you thinking it's anything embarrassing"
Although she'd never admit it Rosie did sometimes like having these chats with Rachel as she was the one person she could be open with if she needed to, even if she did sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable.
"Miss said that in our PSHE lesson today"
"Well she's right isn't she"
"I guess she is, but she's always really open about everything it's weird"
"I think that's a good thing, what sort of things do you do with her?"
"You know just stuff" Rosie said looking uncomfortable again "like sex ed and things"
"Ah, well you know if ever you do have any questions that you don't feel comfortable asking in lessons you can always come to me with them"
Rosie pulled a face despite how close her and Rachel had become the thought of coming to her with some of the things they covered in lessons, didn't particularly appeal to her.
Rachel saw the look on Rosie's face and couldn't help but laugh
"I know I get it, the thought of talking to a thirty something year old woman about all these things is pretty horrendous, but I was your age once you know and I do work with people your age, so I just want you to know if ever you do need to talk I am here"
Rosie suddenly wrapped her arms round Rachel and snuggled into her
"Why all the sudden affection"
"I love you Rachel"
"I love you too, and I hope you know that"
Rachel didn't know why Rosie had gone all soppy all of a sudden however she wasn't complaining.
"Now I think it's time you get off to sleep"
"Okay, I guess I do feel a bit tired now"
Rachel smiled before flicking the light off and closing her door.
She was just about to go down when she saw lily running across the landing and into the bathroom. She sighed because she really did think she'd got her settled earlier.
"Lily are you okay?" Rachel asked
"Yes"
"What are you doing? Are you just having a wee"
"Yes"
"Can I come in?"
"okay"
Rachel opened the door and saw lily sat on the toilet looking all pale and shivery
"What's up love are you not feeling very well?"
"I woke up and my tummy was hurting loads and I felt sick"
"Oh dear, well you know why it is it'll be because of how upset and tired you've been"
"My tummy really hurts"
"Well I'll fill a hot water bottle up that might help" Rachel said "when you're done come back to your room"
Rachel closed the bathroom door again and went and got Lily's hot water bottle
"what you doing Rach?"
"Lily's got a bad stomach" Rachel explained "I'm getting her a hot water bottle"
She then went back upstairs and saw lily in bed
"You feeling any better?"
Lily shook her head
"Please will you Come in with me, so I can go to sleep"
"Yep" Rachel said
She then got into bed next to lily and put her hot water bottle against her stomach.
"Rachel, I'm sorry"
"What for love?"
"I know I'm being a baby and I'm sorry for having nightmares and waking you and joe up" lily cried
"Oh sweetheart none of this Is your fault, and me and joe don't mind it's what we're here for"
"I just feel bad"
"Well you've no need to feel bad, come on darling get some sleep" Rachel said
She then turned the light off and wrapped her arms around lily, once she could hear her snoring she got out and went downstairs.
Lily seemed to sleep really well in the end and by the time she woke up Rachel had left for her course and had dropped Rosie off at school on the way, so it was just her and joe in the house.
She put her big furry slippers on and got her dressing gown and went across the landing to the bathroom.
Once she'd been to the toilet she went downstairs and saw joe in the kitchen.
"Hiya darling" joe said picking the little girl up in his arms
"Joe where's Rachel?"
"She's gone out for her course, you've had quite a long lie in it's nearly 9 now, but she'll be back again for lunchtime" joe said before putting lily down on the floor.
"Please can I have some milk"
"Yep I'll do your breakfast now, is pancakes alright?"
Lily nodded her head, she loved it when they did pancakes as a treat as they always had been her favourite right from when she was little.
Lily waited at the table while joe got her pancakes ready.
As soon as he put them down on the table she ate them up really quickly.
"Joe please could we make a cake"
"Yeah, that'd be nice we can surprise Rachel with it when she comes in"
"Do I have to get dressed"
"No just keep your pyjamas on if you want and put an apron on"
Joe found Rachel's apron and put it on lily, and then burst out laughing when he realised just how big it was on her.
"I don't think we'll bother with that, you'll end up breaking your leg tripping over it"
Lily laughed and took it off before going over to help joe get all the stuff ready.
"Can we make it a chocolate cake?"
"Sure"
They seemed to spend quite a lot of there morning making it as somehow they kept getting it wrong, but eventually they seemed to manage it.
"Joe I know I'm off school so I'm not meant to, but please can I watch some tv"
"Yeah just don't tell Rachel"
Joe smiled as he watched her go, glad that she seemed to be acting more like her usual self again.
When Rachel got home at about 12:30 joe had to dash off more or less straight away to get to work.
Lily had been up in her room playing with some of her toys when she heard Rachel come in, so ran down the stairs
"Hiya darling" she said smiling at her.
She then noticed that she was still in her pyjamas
"What's all this 12:30 and still in your pyjamas"
"Sorry, we were making a cake for you and I forgot to get cha she'd after"
"Yes I saw that downstairs, it looked like the two of you did a fantastic job, I'll have a slice in a minute while I have my coffee"
Rachel then started getting her some clothes out the draw.
"Come on get those pyjamas off"
Lily quickly took them off and Rachel helped her get changed.
"Please will you play on the wii with me"
"Let me get changed out my work stuff and have a coffee then I will yeah"
Once Rachel was changed into her comfortable things she went downstairs with lily, she noticed she seemed a lot happier than she had done for the last week which she was really glad about as she had been pretty worried.
Rachel was having her coffee and cake but Lily seemed really lively and restless
"What's joe been giving you? Blue smarties or something"
"No but he let me have coke and lemonade and orange all mixed together"
Rachel made a face at this "yuck what a horrible combination"
"It was really nice"
"It doesn't sound it! What made you have that anyway"
" I couldn't decide which one, so I asked joe if I could mix them and he laughed and said yes"
"Well I shall be having words with joe about that, and if I were you I wouldn't be bouncing round I don't want you throwing up all over the carpet"
Lily laughed but decided to go and sit down on Rachel's knee
"It's nice to see you smiling again anyway sweetheart"
"I feel loads better now, I think it's because I had a really long sleep"
"Well that would have helped I bet, I was thinking, how about we do something this afternoon just the two of us, maybe go for a walk round those woods and have a drink in that little cafe at the end"
Normally lily wasn't that keen on walking however she didn't mind one bit when it was just her and Rachel
"Yeah"
"Well do you want to go in half an hour or so"
"Okay"
After a while Rachel got lily into her coat and the two of them got in the car.
She'd thought it would be a good idea for her to get some fresh air, as she'd barely left the house since Monday, which was why she'd suggested they go for a walk.
The woods were a good 20 minutes drive away so lily quite enjoyed having a little relax in the car on the way there.
"Come on then love, out we get"
Once they were out Rachel took Lily's hand and together they started walking round.
"So do you feel a lot better today"
"Yeah, I didn't have a nightmare last night once you'd been in"
"That's great sweetheart, I know how horrible this nightmares have been, I remember when I was a little girl how scared I used to get whenever I had a bad dream"
"I hate it, especially when I'm sick or something because of it"
"It's horrible getting that scared it really is but I'm so glad you're feeling a little bit better today"
They walked for a bit longer neither of them saying that much, it was just nice to be in each other's company for a bit.
"Rachel when are we going out for the meal"
"Well we've got to be there for 7, but we should probably all start getting ready as soon as Rosie gets in from school"
"Can I wear my new dress"
"Yeah that'll look nice I think"
After quite a long walk they reached the end so they went in the little cafe, Rachel knew how much lily liked it there as she always got excited whenever she told her they were going
"Do you want something to eat darling, only don't have too much because I don't want you not have an appetite later"
"Please can I have the soup"
"It's vegetable are you sure you'll like it?"
"Actually can I just get a ham sandwich"
"Okay" Rachel said laughing, knowing the sound of the word vegetable would put lily right off.
Lily went and sat down while Rachel got them some drinks and ordered there food
"Is coke okay"
"Yeah"
"Maybe I should have asked for it mixed with orange and lemonade"
Lily laughed at this before putting her straw in the coke and sipping it.
Eventually the food came and both Rachel and lily were quite hungry by now so they were glad when it came.
Once they'd finished Rachel put her coat on and helped lily put hers on.
"Can I go to the toilet before we go back?"
"Yeah let's see if we can find some"
Rachel went and asked of they were any in the cafe and found out there wasn't
"There's nine around love, we'll see if we can find some outside"
"It's okay i can hold on"
"Are you sure it'll be quite a while before we get home again"
"Yeah I'll be fine"
"Okay but you must tell me if you get desperate"
They then walked back to the car and started driving home but ended up getting stuck in a massive traffic jam.
"It's almost 3:15 we need to be at Rosie's school to pick her up by half past" Rachel sighed "we won't be able to go home I'm afraid"
"I really need a wee now"
"I know love just try and hang on"
"But what I'd I can't?"
"It's not the end of the world, just try"
By the time they arrived at Rosie's school they were quite late for her and lily was absolutely desperate for the loo.
"Oh come on Rosie where are you" Rachel sighed when Rosie still hadn't come out
Eventually Rosie came out and went to the car.
"Why are you so late"
"Sorry i had to have a quick word with my tutor about something"
"What about?"
"Nothing important"
"Well what then"
"For gods sake why do you always have to be so nosy I said it was nothing important"
"Don't speak to me like that please, I want to know what was going on"
Rosie really couldn't be bothered to explain now, she hadn't really had the best of days and although she liked how caring Rachel was sometimes she did just wish she wasn't as bothered about these sort of things as she always was.
"I'll tell you later" Rosie said "hi lily" she said turning and smiling at her little sister
"Hi" lily said " Rachel I really have to go"
"I know lily but there's really not a lot I can do at the moment my love"
"Where have you been" Rosie asked
"We went all round those woods and we went to the little cafe"
"Aw you could have gone when I was there, the cakes in there are lovely"
Rachel had felt a bit bad going without her earlier as she knew how much she liked it there.
"Well we can go again with you some other time"
"Are we nearly home now Rachel" lily asked
"Yep we won't be long I promise" Rachel said
Lily tried really hard to hold on but she'd been waiting ages and in the end she couldn't hold on any longer and felt her trousers go wet and suddenly the seat went wet too.
They had just got in the drive and Rachel noticed lily crying.
So went to help her out and realised what had happened
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to" lily sobbed
"Don't worry love, it wasn't your fault, let's go and get you changed" Rachel said "Rosie can you clean this seat up for me love"
"Ew no" Rosie said
"It's leather it won't take long"
"Just give me all the nice jobs why don't you" Rosie sighed
Rachel took Lily's hand and led her upstairs.
"We may as well get you in the bath now, you're going to need one anyway and that way you can freshen up a bit"
"I really am sorry"
"Oh it's not worth worrying about, it's no wonder really we were stuck in that traffic jam for ages and anyway it's not like it happens often is it?"
"No"
Lily quickly took her things off while Rachel ran the bath for her.
Once it was ready she stepped straight in.
"Am I having my hair washed tonight"
"Yep, may as well"
Rachel then got a jug of water and lured it over her head till her hair was all wet, and then massaged shampoo in.
Once she was done Rachel got one of the warm towels off the radiator and wrapped it round her.
"Go and wait in my bedroom and I'll be along in a couple of minutes to dry your hair off"
Rachel then went downstairs to check on Rosie
She found her in the living room eating a bag of crips
"Did you clean the seat like I asked?"
"Yes but please don't ever ask me to do that again it's minging"
"Well someone has to do it don't they? Anyway stop being such a drama queen"
"I'd hardly call it that"
"Well I would, anyway once I'm done with lily you and I need a talk"
"Can you please not just leave it Rachel"
"No I can't" she said before leaving the living room
She then went back upstairs to see lily.
Once she'd finished drying her hair she went through to Lily's bedroom with her.
She'd already got out the dress so she helped lily get into it.
"We made a good choice getting that, it looks lovely on you" Rachel said
She brushed Lily's long blonde hair and put a Alice band in it.
"Beautiful" Rachel said smiling "now you're all ready you can go and play for a bit just don't get that dress mucky whatever you do"
"I won't"
"Good girl"
Rachel then shouted Rosie to come up and reluctantly she did.
Even Rachel laughed when she saw the look on Rosie's face
"Hey I'm not that bad... I won't torture you promise" she said laughing "come through to your room"
Rosie sighed but followed Rachel up and sat on her bed with her
"Right so what happened today"
"I got into trouble"
"Well that's not what I like to hear, what for?"
"Do I really have to tell ..."
"Yes" Rachel said cutting her off
"Well me and Katie and jasmine all had an argument in form and miss shouted at us because we were shouting at each other across the classroom and then I accidentally told Katie to piss off and .."
"Hang on how do you accidentally tell someone to piss off?"
"Well I don't know it just sort of came out, but then she sent all of us outside and then me and jasmine ..." Rosie began but suddenly she burst into tears
"Carry on"
"Please don't make me tell"
"Look I'm not the most unreasonable woman on earth just tell me"
"We had a fight, she hit me and then I hit her back and it just sort of went from there and then miss came out and broke us apart and sent us to isolation for the rest of the day"
"Well I hope you realise how unacceptable that is"
"I do but she started it"
"I don't care who started it, you were involved and the very last thing I want you involved in is fights"
"I'm sorry"
"I'm ashamed of you Rosie I thought you knew better than to..." Rachel said however then she saw how upset Rosie was "anyway whatever I say it's not going to change it but I really do hope you realise why it was so out of order"
"Honestly I do"
"And if ever hear of anything like this again ... Believe me your going to seriously regret it"
"I know"
"I really do mean that, and I also really mean that your grounded for two weeks and yes that does include Chloe's birthday sleepover next week"
"But Rachel ..."
"You're not seriously going to challenge it are you, you're very lucky it wasn't 3 times longer"
"I know"
"Right well I'll say no more about it but I mean it no repeats"
"There won't be promise"
"Good, now go and have your shower" Rachel said
Rosie smiled at her before going in her en suite for her shower.
When she was on the toilet she realised she'd come on her period and didn't have any pads left in her en suite, she decided to have her shower and then ask Rachel if she had any.
Once she'd had her shower she wrapped a towel round herself and went downstairs and into the kitchen.
She got a surprise when joe was down there too, obviously having just got in from work and she began to feel a bit embarrassed stood there in just a towel.
"What is it love?" Rachel asked
"I need to talk to you"
"Okay, what's wrong"
"No like ...in private"
Rachel sighed before following Rosie upstairs
"So what's up and if you're going to try and persuade me to unground you, you've got another thing coming"
"No it's not that, erm I've got my period again do you have any pads" she asked cheeks flushing a bit
"Yeah of course but don't you have some in your bathroom"
"I thought I did but I must have used them all last time"
"I'll get you some more tomorrow then love" Rachel said "come with me I'll get you some"
Rosie followed Rachel into her bathroom and Rachel went in her cupboard and got her quite a few out
"There should be enough there, but if you need anymore, or run out again just come in here and get some you don't have to ask"
"Okay thanks Rach"
"Do you need any paracetamol"
"Yes please"
"That might explain why you got so easily upset at school today, not that it's an excuse!"
"I know"
Once Rosie and sorted herself out she looked through her clothes and found a nice dress to wear even though she knew Rachel always disapproved when she wore it because it was quite short. When she put it on she decided to put a little bit of tissue down her bra, hoping no one would notice, but she really wanted to make it look like she had more of a figure as she was still quite flat chested.
Rachel came into her room about 15 minutes later to ask if she wanted to borrow her perfume.
"Yes please, I love the one you've got"
"Well you never know, Santa might have taken note of that" Rachel said
"Really?" Rosie said getting excited as she'd always loved it but when she'd seen it in a shop once and realised how much it was she didn't dare ask for it.
"Well I don't know do I, I'm not Santa" she said causing Rosie to laugh
"I'm not Lily's age Rachel, I haven't believed in Santa since I was about 10"
"Well then don't complain when you get, a sack full of soot on Christmas Day" Rachel said laughing "though you might be on the naughty list anyway after today"
"Well you might be on the naughty list for grounding me"
"Well neither of us are going to have a very good Christmas Day then are we?"
" I guess not" Rosie said " Rachel how do you do Christmas here"
"Well it's weird because obviously we've never had kids and I don't think it's half as special when you don't, I mean obviously we have all Mel's kids round and joes sisters little girl on the afternoon but it's not quite the same"
"I've always wanted a really nice Christmas Day, for lily really" Rosie said but then suddenly her eyes started filling with tears
"Hey" Rachel said gently
She then edged closer to her and put her arm round her.
"Sorry it's just I remember last Christmas lily had only just turned 3 so it was the first Christmas she was properly aware of and she'd got so excited, and on Christmas Eve she couldn't stop smiling and it took her ages to get off to sleep but then when she woke up she ran downstairs but dad caught up with her and hit her for getting up so early and told her she wasn't getting any presents anyway because she'd been too bad, so she spent the whole day crying"
Hearing this made tears start to fill in Rachel's eyes too, she squeezed Rosie's shoulders supportively
"Poor lily, you know what though?"
"What?"
"We're going to make sure she has the most amazing day ever and you too, even if it does mean we're out of pocket for a bit"
"Rachel if I tell you something do you promise you won't hate me for it"
"I can't promise I won't be disappointed but yes I promise I won't hate you"
"Well you know last Christmas I knew dad wouldn't have got lily anything and I really wanted to surprise her, it doesn't take much to get her excited and I saw this toy teddy in this shop and I grabbed it and ran out the shop, we didn't have any money and if I did I promise I wouldn't have I just wanted her to have something to open"
"Oh love" Rachel whispered feeling all choked up "how could I be mad at you for that? I'd never ever judge you for anything that happened while you were with your dad I promise, I know what a difficult and horrible time you had of it. I'm not condoning stealing but when you had the reasons you did well ..."
Rosie wrapped her arms round Rachel and gave her a massive hug
"Come on then, you look lovely tonight darling"
"So do you" Rosie said truthfully, Rachel really didn't look anything like Rachel when she'd curled her hair and put a nice dress on, she always looked lovely and pretty but when she was dressed up she looked so young and not one bit like a head teacher.
Rachel looked at her properly and realised she must have put something down her top.
"I must say I'm not going a bundle on the boob job you seemed to have had since I last saw you" Rachel said causing Rosie to giggle.
"Sorry" she said
"Take them out will you" she said laughing
"Fine" Rosie sighed pulling the tissue out.
The two of them then went downstairs to join joe and went out to the car.
They all finished up having a really nice evening out, however lily was shattered by the end of it and finished up falling asleep on Rachel's lap in the restaurant, so as soon as they got home Rachel got her into some pyjamas and put her straight into bed.
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