I grunted quietly as Barry helped me out of the car and into my wheelchair.
"We've done what we can to make the first few months easier. We have installed a ramp to get in and out of the house. We rented one of those gurney beds too. We have a bedroom set up for you upstairs, but with you being non-weight bearing, we have you set up in the living room for now," Barry explained as he rolled my chair up the stairs. I nodded to myself as he spoke.
"You didn't need to go through all that trouble. Those beds are expensive to rent," I said quietly.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all," Mildred said as she carried one of my bags with her. "Andrew, our son, is home for a few weeks to help out. He's very excited to meet you."
I smiled tiredly at them as we went into the house. It was cosey and homey inside, pictures hanging on the walls and knitted blankets folded over a wooden ladder leaning against one wall. The couch was moved under the window facing the front lawn and a gurney bed was in the corner. It was accessible but not completely out of the way, but not in the middle of the room.
A man came down the stairs, glasses haphazardly perched on his nose, curly black hair flopping as he came to a stop at the stairs.
"Andy, this is Rose. Rose, this is Andrew," Mildred said with a smile. Andrew stepped closer and extended his hand to me. I lifted my uncasted hand and shook it awkwardly. We both stuck out our left hands.
"Hi," I said quietly.
Mildred wheeled me through the house, giving me a tour before she brought me back to the living room.
"Would you prefer the chair, or the couch? Or are you tired? We can get you situated in bed," Mildred asked softly. I glanced at the bed and had to admit that it was comfortable looking with the nice sheets and comforter on the bed.
"Could I be on the bed?" I asked quietly, "I'm not exactly tired but I am at the same time."
"It's probably your medication," Andrew supplied quietly and gestured for his mother to step aside. He wheeled me closer to the bed and lowered it, turning down the comforter.
"Do you need help?"
"Yes, please," I said and he nodded, slipping his arms under mine and lifted me, pivoting so that I was sitting on the edge of the bed. It was smoother than when Barry moved me, but I still grunted as I moved. My body was still sore everywhere. Andrew helped swing my legs up onto the bad and pulled the comforter over my legs.
"Do you have a schedule for your medications?"
I nodded. "Yes, the nurses gave it to Mildred," I said. Andrew stood up and turned to his mother, the two of them conversing. I let my head rest against the pillow and closed my eyes. I had barely done anything today, but I felt like I had been running a marathon all day long.
There was a slight clatter beside me, and I lifted my head. Barry set a plate with a sandwich and cut up vegetables, a glass of water next to it. I smiled and shook my head, realizing that I must have dozed a bit while he made my food. Mildred came out shortly after setting a long container down on the table.
"I separated your pills for the different times of day, just help keep things organized," she said with a smile. I looked up at her and couldn't help but smile at her. It was thoughtful. I knew that I would sleep a bit for the first week, and having the pills organized would help a lot.
I reached for the sandwich and ate it, eating the cucumber and carrots with Mildred raised her brows at me. Once I finished eating she rested her hand against my forehead and nodded to herself.
"Do you feel like you want to sleep?"
I shrugged and tried to get more comfortable on the bed, reaching for one of the smaller pillows and setting it between my knees as I half laid on my side. Mildred smoothed my hair back and held up her finger before scurrying into the side room. Andrew sat down on the couch with a book, it looked like a college textbox.
"What are you studying?"
"Estonian. I am preparing to become a teacher, but I need to understand some of the language before I go there," he explained. I nodded with a smirk.
"Sounds kind of boring," I chuckled.
"It can be. The language is hard to understand, but I'm getting the hang of it slowly."
I chuckled and Mildred came back in, extending an odd looking book to me.
"What's this?" I asked.
"It's a swatch book. Barry thought that while you're down here, he could paint your room. We just weren't sure what colour you'd want it to be."
"You guys don't have to do that."
"Why not? It's your room. I anticipate you'll be living with us for a while," Mildred said gently. I looked at Andrew and he gave me an encouraging look before looking back at his book. I opened the swatch book and flipped through the colours. It was almost overwhelming how many colours there were.
"Is this one okay?" I asked Mildred came back in shortly after, setting a mug on my side table and sat beside Andrew on the couch. It wasn't a great colour, but the idea of being able to pick the colour of my room was exciting.
Mildred didn't even look at the colour.
"Of course, sweetheart," she said, looking me in the eyes. Andrew glanced at the book at laughed.
"You want…cabbage patch purple?"
I nodded. It was almost slate grey with a tinge of purple.
"Cool. I'll go pick up the paint later today," he said with a smile. Mildred nodded and smiled at me.
"Any particular colour you want your bedding to be? I know that we will need to get a new mattress, but I thought we'd wait until you're able to do the stairs before we do that."
I bit my lip and looked at my feet. "This is expensive."
Mildred blinked and Andrew looked up over the rim of his glasses.
"Why do you feel that's an issue?"
"Because I'm just a foster," I said but Andrew subtly shook his head.
"Just because you're a foster, doesn't mean we aren't going to make you feel at home. You're in an emergency placing. We weren't listed as fosters anymore when your case worker called. We are considered too old to be foster parents, but we said that we'd be more than happy to give you a home. So we are going to make this your home," Mildred explained, "We want you to think of this as your home."
I let out a slow breath and gave her a weak smile. "Okay," I whispered and looked back at the colour in the book.
"Could we do white? Or maybe something with lines on it?"
Andrew smiled to himself as he pretended to be reading, while Mildred just smiled and nodded her head.
I wasn't sure Mildred was going to let Dimitri leave. We were at her place until late into the night, and she was all too happy to show him every single photo she had of the two of us. When I ended u pin her care, social services accompanied me to my mother's house so I could get my things. She wasn't there at the time, so I was able to actually get my things. And those included photos.
She may have been a terrible mother, but there were some things I wanted to have keepsakes off. Dimitri couldn't get over the photo of me as I child with a head of curls that put an afro to shame.
"Can I keep this?" Dimitri teased, holding the photo out of reach. He even went as far as to lean back on the couch and hold me away with the other hand. Mildred gushed about how proud she was of me, how she knew that one day all of my hard work would pay off. Once she was done gushing about her 'forever baby girl' she started quizzing Dimitri about his new album.
He couldn't say much, but after he spotted the old player piano in the back of the room, he got up and plays a few keys of the first single he was releasing.
"Rosie plays a bit. Barry and Andrew taught her. It helped a lot with her anxiety," Mildred said, "Play him something. I still have your book."
I bit my lip and shook my head as she pulled the old ratted book out from the bookshelf. I scoffed, but when Dimitri asked to hear something, I felt awkward.
"It's not anything good," I said but he cocked his head at me and raised a brow. I sighed and sat beside him on the bench, opening the book to one that I thought was okay. I played through the piece, wincing when I hit the key that was always messed up.
Dimitri nodded to himself and looked at the page beside it, his eyes darting over the notes and pursed his lips.
"What do you think?" I asked quietly.
"Do you have a pencil?" he asked Mildred. She nodded and walked into the kitchen.
"If you switch this note to this note, and then blend this piece of sheet music here, I think that I could be something amazing. The melody is good, but I think you should try it like this," he explained and marked the page with the pencil once Mildred brought it back.
I nodded and tried it again, stopping for a fraction of a second to switch to the other page and then back. As played the two pieces together, I nodded my head. He was right, the way they melded together was amazing. Dimitri played a few keys with a smile on his face, mixing the two pieces almost flawlessly.
I knew that he could play the guitar, but I had never heard him play the piano, even when I was at his place.
"You play very well," Mildred commented when the piece came to an end.
"Thank you," Dimitri said with a small smile, "But I think will a little bit of tuning up, we will have a fantastic pianist," he said looking at me with a smile.
I rolled my eyes at him playfully before Dimitri furrowed his brows when he looked toward the hall.
"What happened there?" he asked, pointing down the hall. I followed his gaze and noticed the large crack in the panelling in the hall.
I looked at Mildred and she blushed. "Oh, that's nothing. I'm waiting for Andrew to come back to deal with that," she said.
"Andy won't be back until Christmas," I told her, raising my brows. It was June.
Dimitri stood up and went towards the panelling, running his fingers over the crack. He tsked and frowned.
"This will need to be replaced. It can't be mended," he said quietly.
"I think there are a few spare pieces in the garage," I said as I stood up, but Mildred stopped me.
"Oh, it's really no trouble," she started but Dimitri simply smiled at Mildred.
"It's not a trouble at all, I can replace it. It wouldn't take long," Dimitri said tucking his hand behind his ears, but it slipped back into his face. I handed him the hair tie I had around my wrist and extended it to him while I went to get the spare piece I knew was in the garage.
I wasn't sure what else Dimitri would need, but he came out shortly after, looking through Barry's tool kit. He pulled out a handful of things before pulling out the familiar caulking gun I had seen Barry carry around the house before.
"You really don't have to do this. I could have just called Andy and asked him to walk me through how to do it," I said with a smile.
Dimitri checked the caulking gun and smiled.
"I really don't mind. I used to fix up things around the house when I lived in Russia," he explained, "It makes me feel useful to work with my hands."
I smiled at him and nodded, crossing my arms over my stomach.
"You were a fixer-upper kind of guy?" I asked.
Dimitri gestured for me to follow him into the house. He removed the baseboard and then started to pry the cracked board from the wall.
"We grew up poor, and by poor, I mean practically destitute. My father left us with nothing, and while part of that may been my fault, he still had a responsibility to his children. After that, I learned how to maintain a house with the help of a neighbour. We lived in the same house my whole life, and I kept it running, physically while my mother kept everything else running. So this, makes me feel nostalgic," Dimitri explained. I sat on the floor cross-legged and handed him tools as he needed them.
"Is that why you live where you do? Because it makes you feel at home?"
Dimitri raised his brows at me and I smirked.
"I mean humble. You don't live in an extravagant house in L. A. or drown yourself in jewels and materialistic things, you live comfortably like a regular person," I explained, "I like it. Some celebrities forget who they are when they rise to fame."
"The couch I have looks exactly like the one at my mother's house," Dimitri said with a soft look, "And the quilt you like so much on the end of my bed? The one you like to use when you wrap yourself up on the couch. My mother made it when I was a teenager. It was the one on my bed until I hit my growth spurt at thirteen. But I could never part with it because of the love and care she put into it."
I smiled and twirled a strand of hair around my fingers.
"And this is why people love you; because you're real," I said with a smile.
Dimitri smiled and prepared the wall to replace the panel. I got up and helped hold it while he put the adhesive on the back. I helped hold it against the wall while he placed the nails and then smiled as he put the baseboard back.
"There, can't tell there was ever a crack," he said as he ran his hand over the panel.
"How did you crack it, Millie?" I asked, raising my brows at her. She lingered in the hallway and blush.
"I slipped and the wall broke my fall," she said bashfully. My expression became stern as I looked at her.
"I told you that you need a rug in this hallway, the floor is like an ice rink," I sighed. Mildred looked chastised but waved me off, muttering something about starting dinner.
"Dimitri, you don't have any allergies, do you?"
"No, but just go easy-handed on the cheese!" I called out, "Or you'll have two people dying on your living room floor later."
Dimitri choked a laugh as he cleaned up the mess from the panel and then sat on the couch. I followed and sat down too, noticing the slight twitch in his hands.
"Do you need something to write with?" I asked.
Dimitri shook his head, but I could tell that the idea swirling in his head was slipping away. I grabbed my sheet music and handed him the notebook, offering it to him. He took it and the pencil and flipped to the back of the book.
I didn't look over his shoulder to be respectful but when he slid the book into my lap. I glanced down and read what he wrote, smiling softly.
Something about the way that you walk into my living room, casually and confident, lookin' at the mess I am and still you, still you want me.
"Where did that come from?" I asked.
Dimitri shrugged. "I don't know. Sometimes things just come to me as thoughts, and I really like them," he said quietly.
"I think you can make something out of it, but I don't think it will fit with the rest of the album."
"No, this is probably something I'd wait for the next one, or as a single," he said quietly when Mildred came in the room.
"Can I get either of you anything?" she asked and shook my head.
"No, thank you," Dimitri said, pulling the paper from my lap and looking at it again.
After a long dinner and an ever-better dessert, Dimitri and I were leaving for the night. Dimitri hugged Mildred before we left, and she was downright giddy. When I hugged her, she cupped my cheeks and kissed my forehead.
"You two interact well together, you will do amazing work," she said, "And I'm sorry that you went through what you did today. But I'm glad he is still behind bars."
I smiled at her and nodded.
"Thank you for dinner," I said softly.
"You are welcome here anytime, Rosie. You know that," she whispered, "And if there is anything I can do. Help with rent or the debts."
I shook my head. "No, Mildred, I can't ask you that," I said but she pursed her lips.
"You are my daughter, whether or not I gave birth to you. I will take care of you; you only need to ask."
I smiled and hugged her again, resting my head on her shoulder.
"Thank you," I whispered. She nodded and rubbed her hand over my back before kissing my hair.
"Now, Dimitri is waiting for you. And thank him again for his hard work," she said. I nodded and pulled out of her arms, waving to her as I walked toward Dimitri. He waved at Mildred as he opened my door. Once we were in the car he sighed quietly.
"Mildred reminds me of my mother," he said with a smile.
"She's perfect," I said as I put my seatbelt on and sighed. Dimitri started the car and smiled at me tiredly.
"Do you want me to drive you home, or do you want company?"
"If you aren't doing anything, a movie might be nice," I said, "I don't think I want to be left alone with my thoughts for long."
By the time we got back to my apartment, it was starting to get dark. Dimitri parked in the lot and then wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked. What I wasn't expecting was the amount of paparazzi waiting for us.
"Why were you at the prison, Rose?" one asked and Dimitri swiftly put himself between us, ushering me into the building. Once we hit the elevator I let out a sigh, letting my weight fall against him.
"How did they find out where I live?" I whispered.
"They're tricky like that. It's probably best to start looking for a new apartment," he said tiredly, "I'm sorry."
I shook my head at him. "I need to get a new one either way. My neighbour, Judie, is due any day now. And she's pregnant with twins."
Dimitri shook his head. "I feel for her. That will be a difficult first few nights."
"Yes, and between the babies and their dog, it'll be loud," I said as the elevator reached my floor. I stepped out and stopped.
"Judie? Are you alright?"
Judie was in the hallway, a large bag on the floor as she braced herself against the wall.
"I'm going to kill Jeremey," she growled, but from the sheen of sweat on her face, it was clear to me what was happened. I walked towards her quickly, letting her put her weight against me.
"You're in labour," I said softly.
She nodded and swallowed. "I called him, and he said that he was on his way, but I figured it would be best to meet him downstairs."
I nodded and looked at Dimitri. How was she going to get through with all the paparazzi downstairs?
"Tell him to come around the back of the building," Dimitri said as he picked up her hospital bag and called for the elevator again. Judie squeezed my hand tightly and groaned quietly. Dimitri let Judie lean on him, taking her weight so that she could breathe through her contractions.
"Oh! Charlie!" Judie exclaimed after a moment and I shushed her softly.
"I'll bring Charlie to my place until you guys get back," I said softly. She nodded and I took a moment to pull her hair away from her face and secure it with my hair tie. Once we got to the backdoor, I pushed it open just as Jeremey was getting out of the car.
"Good luck!" I called out to him as they drove off, knowing that they were in for a long night. I led Dimitri back upstairs and to Judie's apartment, taking the spare key out from under the mat and unlocked the door.
"Charlie?" I called out, hearing the patter of paws on the floor. Their chocolate lab came barreling out of the bedroom and barked at me. I rubbed his face and looked around the apartment. I knew that Jeremey was a slob, but I never expected this. I tsked and tossed the garbage into the can and cleaned up the bottles.
"I can't leave their place like this knowing two babies are coming home," I said tiredly. Dimitri smiled and seemed to understand.
"I'll go collect up the dishes," he said. I nodded and pulled another garbage bag out from under the sink. I had heard many fights between Judie and Jeremey about how little he did around the house, but I never realized how bad it was. Charlie looked at me with his sweet eyes and then at his dish. Both the water and food bowl was dry. I filled the water and then put a bit of food in the dish, patting his back as he ate. Once Dimitri brought the dishes into the kitchen I filled the sink, shaking my head silently as Dimitri took the garbage bag from me. He went through the house and cleaned up.
"The crib isn't finished," Dimitri called out and I tsked.
"They only have one?"
"There's two, but half done," he called back, a sound of clattering from the second bedroom. It didn't take too long to get the dishes done, and then I went looking for Dimitri. The garbage had been cleaned up, and the ashtray that Jeremey used was emptied.
"Are you finishing the cribs?" I asked. Dimitri was sitting on the floor and shrugged.
"It looks like Judie was doing it herself," he said, gesturing to the pillows on the floor next to the crib. I frowned and helped. We did it in record time and I went looking for the bedding. I took a quick sniff and found that they have been washed.
I put the bedding on and then went into the bathroom. Judie had been trying to set things up. There was a caddie on wheels in the bathroom, with an array of items spread on the counter. I put them into the caddie, making sure that there were a few lip chaps in there too. I remembered my friend, Mia Rinaldi, now Mia Ashford, complaining about never having enough lip chap when she gave birth to her son.
"You seem to know what's needed," Dimitri mused from behind me.
"My friends have a little boy. I remember going out with Mia to buy stuff for when she came home," I said as I rolled the caddie into the bedroom. I was relieved to see that their room was the only clean room in the place, mostly because going through their bedroom would be all different levels of weirdness.
I put it next to the bed and then closed the door, picking up a few of Charlie's toys, his dog bed, and his dishes before slipping back into my own apartment. I sighed and slumped on the couch after a moment and then smiled at Dimitri.
"That wasn't my plan for the night," I chuckled.
Dimitri sat beside me and rested his arm along the back of the couch.
"Me neither, but it was interesting," he said with a smile.
"Are you still up for a movie?" I asked.
Dimitri nodded and logged into Netflix before getting more comfortable on the couch. Charlie patted over to me and looked at me with his big eyes and I patted the couch beside me. He looked at the couch before climbing up, curling up and resting his head in my lap. I smiled and scratched his head.
I rested my head against the couch and watched the move with long blinks. At one point, Dimitri brushed my hair away from my face and I squinted at him. I glanced at the t.v. and found that the move was over.
"I'm going to head out," Dimitri whispered. I sniffed and nodded tiredly.
"Sorry I passed out on you. Why didn't you leave earlier?" I asked.
Dimitri smiled. "Aside from you using my arm as a pillow? I was content; I wasn't in a rush to go home alone. Especially when I got to cuddle with this sweet guy," he said, reaching over and scratching Charlie's head. I smiled and stood up to walk him out. When he got to the door he pulled me in for a hug. I rested my head against his chest.
"Thank you for being there today," I said quietly.
Dimitri gave me a soft hug. "Of course. I'm glad I could be here for you," he said, kissing my head.
"I'll call you later," he said as he slipped out. I nodded and yawned before waving at him.
"Good night," I whispered.
This is one of my favourite albums to be perfectly honest with you all! The music piece mentioned is referenced below. Sadly the whole thing isn't straight piano :)
hhtps (colon) (forward slash) (forward slash) youtub(period)/W1FIG5HbwPs (Or 1121 by Hasley Instrumental)
Let me know what you think!