Rose spent the day at work before heading back to Marie's at around 3pm.
"Hey" Marie smiled as she opened the door to let Rose in to the house. "Hi" Rose smiled and followed her in to the living room "how's she been?" She asked. "Great. Good as gold. She's fast asleep in the living room" Marie said as she entered the room. "Oh bless her" Rose chuckled quietly as she saw Emilia lay asleep on the sofa, clinging on to the bear Rose had bought her when she was born.
"I was just about to make a cup of tea, would you like one?" Marie offered. "Yes please" Rose whispered as she stroked Emilia's cheek before following Marie in to the kitchen.
"How was work?" Marie asked "it was good thanks… your Dad offered for me to audition for the play that starts next month" Rose said as she leant against the counter top. "Oh that's wonderful! Are you going to?" Marie smiled. "I don't think so… it would mean finding someone to watch Emilia in the evenings, and even if I did, I'm not sure she'd settle at bedtime without me there" Rose smiled a little- disappointed that being away would make Emilia upset, but also feeling slightly pleased that it was her that her daughter found so much comfort in.
"I could have her?" Marie offered "she's fine with me during the day, and I enjoy looking after her. I'm guessing you'd get day time off rather than the evenings?" Marie asked. "Yes" Rose nodded as she took her cup of tea from Marie "but I can't take you up on the offer" Rose smiled awkwardly. "Of course you can! Honestly, I don't mind. You'd have all day with her, and I could take care of her at your house so her routine stays the same" Marie said. "Well… thank you… your Dad is going to send me over the script so I can decide if I even want to audition… and hey, after that, I actually have to get the role" Rose chuckled. "You've got it in the bag" Marie nodded with a smile. "Just let me know when you've decided" she continued "thank you" Rose smiled before hearing Emilia begin to wake up in the living room. "I best go check on her" Rose smiled as she left the room.
"Hello!" Rose grinned as she walked in to the living room and saw Emilia who was rubbing her eyes, trying to wake herself up. "Mama" Emilia said sleepily as she held her arms out for Rose to lift her up. "Have you had a good day?" Rose asked as she sat on the sofa and placed Emilia on her knee, who rested her head against her chest. "I'll finish my cup of tea if that's OK? then we'll get out of your hair" Rose looked at Marie who had followed Rose in to the living room. "Of course! No rush" Marie smiled as she sat on the opposite sofa.
Around 15 minutes had passed and Emilia was more awake, she looked up at Rose as she leant forward to place her mug on the coffee table. "Park?" She asked, making Rose chuckle "good memory, darling… yes, we can go to the park" she smiled then looked at Marie "we best get going, thank you for having her" Rose smiled "you're more than welcome" Marie smiled back as Rose stood up and placed Emilia on her hip. "See you tomorrow" Rose replied as she headed for the front door "bye" Marie replied before closing the door behind her.
—
After taking Emilia to the park, Rose headed home and prepared dinner. "Emmy!" Rose raised an eyebrow "I told you this morning, you don't throw food on the floor!" Rose said firmly. Throwing food around seemed to have become a horrible habit of Emilia's the last few days. "Come on, it's story time and bed time" Rose said as she lifted Emilia from her high chair, realising that she had clearly had enough to eat.
—
"Night darling" Rose said quietly as she carefully placed an almost sleeping Emilia in her crib after kissing her head. She stood stroking her hair as she watched her fall in to a deep sleep, this was the same routine Rose had done with Emilia each day since she was born, yet every night still had to stop herself from crying as she looked down at her daughter who was the spitting imagine of Jack; her long blonde hair, blue eyes and facial expressions often mimicked Jack- something that would often make Rose laugh. Once she was sure that Emilia was asleep, she crept out of her room and headed downstairs to read her book, another thing she also did every night.