Chapter 4:
Ginger knocked on a solid white door and waited several moments with the others. She looked around at everyone's mud stained clothes, dripping with murky bayou water. Ginger looked at Jed's wide webbed feet and gently shook her head "Jed, you can go now.. I don't think Samantha wants webbed foot marks on her.." she looked at the door and waved her hands as of quoting her "imported marble floor." Jed pouted and set the luggage down "Well I can tell when I'm not wanted… see ya'll later I reckon.." he flapped his large wings, blowing some of them down. The door finally opened and a chubby tan mouse opened the door, he had a white suit with a shining opal bolo tie, the gold lining shimmering in the starlight. His golden mustache twitched and he smiled wide, making his belly jiggle with laughter.
"My O my! If it isn't Miss Ginger!" He shook her hand, making her whole body bounce up and down, he looked around at the gang and noticed Rosalie "It couldn't be!"
Rosalie smiled "Mr. Grant!" she wrapped her smaller arms around his rotund body and he picked her up "Rosalie darlin! You know I'm Big daddy Grant to you! It feels like yesterday you and little Samantha were being bounced on my knee!" Rosalie laughed through the small amount of air she had "..Good to see you too Big daddy!.." He released her and noticed the large Rat staring inquisitively at them. He narrowed his eyes and walked towards him "Now see here-", Rosalie stopped between him and Ratigan, his eyes about to grow wider "Mr. Grant, This is my fiancé! Professor P. James Ratigan.." she paused and he moved her out of the way. He looked him up and down and took a large breath "There is just one thing I need to ask you buster…"
"Martini or Bourbon?" he laughed and Rosalie sighed with relief, speaking underneath her breath "Oh thank goodness."
Big Daddy Grant continued "Oh you know I wouldn't harm a fly Rosalie." The professor smiled and shook his hand "Nice to meet you Mr. Grant.. and nice to know you have a sensible taste in drinks." They both laughed and walked inside, Bill, Fidget and Nicolas following behind him.
Ginger nudged her bestfriend on the shoulder "Looks like he found a sliver lining in this trip." They both laughed and walked inside the large mansion, stopping to notice the beautiful staircase in the center.
A slultry voice filled the room and their eyes met the large staircase, a beautiful white mouse with long billowing blonde hair stood at the top of the steps. She had a long light blue dress that had short sleeves falling over her shoulders "Oh my stars and garters if it isn't my long time friend.." she smiled and began to walk down gracefully, like she was walking on air. Ginger whispered in Rosalie's ear "Anything in a flourish eh?" they both chuckled when she reached the end of the stairs.
Samantha looked at Rosalie and hugged her tightly "Oh Darlin Rosalie… I thought I'd never see you again!" she looked at her mud drenched dress and let go immediately "What in the world happened to you!" she dusted her hands off and Rosalie sent a worried look to her "Well nothing a little soap can't fix!"
Rosalie gave a sigh of relief "Where's Rodger?"
"He's with the groomsmen.. doing manly things of course." Her look went to Big Daddy and Ratigan coming out of the room, she smirked and noticed the tall Rat, she waltzed up to him and smiled "Howdy."
Big Daddy laughed "James this here is my little Samantha." Ratigan kissed her hand and smiled slightly "Nice to make your acquaintance Miss Samantha."
Samantha giggled and Ginger spoke up "This here is Rosalie's fiancé." Her smitten look became a slight pout noticeable by everyone. While still staring at him she then clapped her hands and a squirmy little butler with large glasses entered the room. "Terence! Bring their luggage to their room..Now!"
The mouse nodded and proceeded to bring the large suitcase upstairs, notably struggling as the boys started to help him. She smiled at Ginger and Rosalie "I'll be bringing your bridesmaid dresses up in a little, go ahead and settle in.." she looked at Ratigan one last time "Nice meeting you James." She winked and began to walk into a different room "I almost forgot, we will be having a small get together tonight so dress your best!". Ratigan's look of sheer delight was drenched by a slight cough…from his fiancée.
BACK IN THE GUESTROOM
"I wasn't staring at her."
"Well she was clearly infatuated by you James.." she pretended to swoon just like Samantha, and she rolled her eyes "I guess I should have realized this, she never settles down with one man."
Ratigan tilted his head "How so?"
She scoffed "Let's just say when I left to London she was courting Jacob… and Matthew, Both Scott brothers, Andy and Marcus." She walked into the bathroom and started to dry her wet hair with a towel.
Ratigan laughed "Thank you for the warning darling, but I do doubt that she will be able to grab me with her irresistible charm." Rosalie walked out, her damp hair pulled into an elegant twist, her green eyes shined with the light white eye shadow placed on her lids. Her mother's gold necklace shined in the small amount of light in the room, bringing out the dark navy blue color of her shoulderless gown "Let's keep it that way James."
"You look beautiful."
"I know." She smirked and walked to the large trunk, she unlocked the latch and heard voices from the inside.
"Move over! I can barely move my arm"
"Lay off the cheese crumpets Victoria!"
She immediately opened it to reveal the children: Alex, Victoria, and Little P.J all cramped inside the trunk, sitting on the once clean folded clothes. The sharpness of the light made them blink multiple times in order to see. "Children?!"
Alex chuckled "…When's the party."
The children sat on the bed and watched Rosalie and Ratigan both cross their arms at the same time. "You see we didn't want to be ALL alone, we missed you so we took it upon ourselves to join you. Who else was going to invite us?" Alex laughed awkwardly "On the bright side….we packed our stuff along so you don't have to worry about what we have to wear."
Ratigan paced back and forth, staring at the children "You deliberately disobeyed us!"
Victoria twiddled with her fingers "Well you didn't say we could come with you, we took it upon ourselves." His eyes grew wide and his lip twitched "You think this is a game? Do you know what danger you three could have been in? We were riding-" Rosalie hushed him by holding his arm, making sure he didn't scare the children with the fear of riding thousands of feet in the air, she then started to scold them "We told you three to stay home, your Uncle is right. This is not a game-" a knock came to the door. Samantha entered the door and noticed the children "What-"
"Samantha please, I am very sorry for this. We will be leaving on the next available boat-"
"No! I was going to say what beautiful children!" she began to pinch all their cheeks and picked up P.J, rocking him back and forth, noticing he hasn't spoken as she carried him through the air "Well… Why isn't he talking?"
Rosalie sent an uncomforting gaze to her "When he's ready he will.." P.J nodded and Samantha put him down, "I have no problem with them staying here.. just as long as they stay out of trouble."
Ratigan spoke up "They will be on their best behavior Miss Samantha." Samantha sighed and chirped "Oh I almost forgot!" she brought a large bag from the hall and brought it into the room "Your bridesmaid dress! I hope you like yellow!" she walked out the door "See you downstairs.."
Rosalie and Ratigan both looked at each other, just by one look they knew the problem would be fixed on its own, not with a set of plans. They noticed the children smiling and Ratigan spoke "Don't you think that this behavior will be ignored, once we reach the dock of London you are all punished." He sighed and situated himself on the red velvet chair in the middle of the room.
Rosalie walked to the bathroom and shut the door, the children's ears perked up as they heard a zipper, and Rosalie speak "Oh my…" the door suddenly opened. The dress almost ate Rosalie, the gown had endless yellow ruffles, yellow ruffled sleeves, a ribbon choker with a small yellow flower attached to it, and a yellow satin sash tied around. All of them looked at her and she took a deep breath in "Don't. Say. A. Word." Victoria snorted and everyone began to laugh, including Ratigan.
Victoria mumbled through her laughs "She looks like a lemon!" Alex chimed in "I didn't know the sun was out at this time!" Even Rosalie began to laugh along with them, pretending to spin around, almost falling over the fabric, she walked to the children and began to prepare them for the party, a very fancy party.
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