Disclaimer: Rookie Blue does not belong to me. I am merely borrowing the characters.
A/N Sorry this chapter has taken so long. I have had a bit of writer's block with it as I now have to decide how quickly to get to the wedding and the end of this story. I have some things I want to put into the story like the weekend with Frances and Jane but in reality they'd want to get Ruth well and truly settled in first and maybe look to move from a condo to a house with a garden.
It was early Sunday morning when Gail woke to find Holly already awake and looking pensive.
"What's up with you?" she asked, Gail had never done subtle.
"Oh I am just wondering how to persuade you of something."
"Yeah? What would that be?"
"Gail. Please promise me you'll think before replying to what I am going to ask you."
"Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy"
"Do you think it might be a good idea to let your Mom organise our wedding? After all she's been quite supportive really."
"Ahhhh – OK I promised I'd think about it before replying." Gail got into a imitation of the pose of the 'The Thinker' by Rodin on the side of the bed. Holly laughed despite herself.
"No Gail really think! Not pretend to by posing as a sculpture!" Inside Holly was pleased with the effect she was having on Gail. Gail's mood was lighter these days than when they first met.
"I can see why you want to. But it'll increase the pressure on Traci and Steve to have their wedding at the same time. Or at last to have the grand affair that Steve wants to avoid."
"Yeah, hadn't thought of that. Could we invite Steve and Traci over for a drink and discuss it with them?"
"Yeah let's do that."
At this point they were interrupted by a knock on their bedroom door. Gail opened the door to find Ruth on the other side.
"Good morning epsilon! What can I do for you?"
"You read that book about Paul Erdos then." yelled Holly. Paul Erdos (pronounced "airdish") was a Hungarian mathematician who referred to children as 'epsilons' since the Greek character epsilon is used to refer to small quantities in mathematics.
Ruth looked puzzled. Gail felt sorry.
"Sorry Ruth – that was rude of me!"
"That's OK! You're funny!" said Ruth.
"Glad to hear it! What can I do for you?" Gail was being patient, not easy for her.
"Could you fix me some breakfast?" asked Ruth.
"Sure. What would you like?"
"Cornflakes!" Ruth.
"Gail, there's a small packet in the cupboard. And I'll have pancakes." said Holly.
"Waked right into that one didn't I?" said Gail.
"Yep. Pretty much." said Holly.
Gail went over to the kitchen and got out the soya milk, conflakes, a bowl and a spoon which she set in front of Ruth.
"What would you like to drink darling?"
"OJ! Please."
Gail went to the fridge and got the orange juice, poured three glasses and gave one to Ruth.
Gail then set to making the pancakes while Holly escaped to the shower.
Once Holly got out of the shower and dressed she took over the pancake making duties. Gail went to the shower.
Gail finally came back dressed. She and Holly sat down to have their breakfast.
After breakfast Gail rang Traci to ask her to bring Steve over for drinks that evening after they had dropped Ruth back at her foster home.
That afternoon they went to the park with Ruth before coming back to have an early dinner before taking Ruth to the foster carers.
Ruth said goodbye to them. They agreed to phone Claire during the week to discuss making the arrangement permanent from the following weekend.
That evening Steve and Traci came round as requested.
When they'd sat down and all had a drink Holly started the conversation:
"We are thinking about letting Elaine have control over our wedding celebrations..."
"But we wanted to discuss it with you guys first because we don't want Mom putting any pressure on you two before you're ready." said Gail.
"We've been discussing our future. We've decided to get married ourselves." said Traci.
"WOW! When did this happen?" said Gail.
"This afternoon. You two are the first to know." said Steve.
"Right. Do you have any idea when you'd like to do this? And what kind of wedding you'd like. Oh and congratulations! Should have said that first." said Holly.
"Yeah. Congratulations." said Gail.
"Thank you both. Well we were going to ask you the same thing you've just asked us. So... I guess we give Elaine the good news that she can start planning a double wedding!" said Traci.
"Yep! Any ideas on dates? How about in the spring? April or May?" said Gail.
"That seems good." said Traci glancing at Steve.
"Sounds good to me." he said.
"OK it is settled. Who tells Elaine the good news?" said Holly.
"That'd be your job! With it comes the job of making sure she includes our friends on the guest list." said Gail.
"Okaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Can you guys let me have a list of who you want invited?" Holly asked Steve and Traci, before continuing "And I won't talk to Elaine before I have that. So if I could have it by Friday that would be good. Oh and Ruth will be with us permanently from next weekend."
"Oh right yeah we'll agree that and let you have it." Traci was the interrupted by Steve. "Wait a minute, who's Ruth?"
"Ruth is my five year old sister. Our parents aren't going to be around for some years so Gail and I are going to take her in. We've been researching daycare and have solved that problem at my lab."
"The morgue has daycare?" said an astonished Traci.
"Yep they even run a bus to pick up children from school!" said Holly.
"Wow! Wish 15 had something like that." said an envious Traci, she then continued "Maybe Ruth could meet Leo soon. I know Leo is a little older but it'd be nice for her not to feel quite so alone."
"Yeah from what I gather she is making friends quite well at school but yeah once we have her permanently why don't you come for dinner one night." said Holly.
"We still owe you a dinner! But maybe you could do the desert? That ice cream." said Steve.
"Yeah well Ruth's allergic to cow's milk. And who's keeping score on dinners? Come here, besides Mom won't be here this time." said Gail.
"True enough. But I am going to cook for you sometime!" said Traci.