"Where are you going?" Alex asked around a yawn as she felt the bed shift when Emily stood, leaving a distinct lack of warmth behind.

"I have to shower," Emily replied. "I'm meeting Clyde in ninety minutes..."

Alex whined, pouted. "But you were keeping me warm," she complained. "Stand him up and come back to bed."

Emily chuckled. "As delightful as that sounds..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "The shower, however, will be warm." She glanced over her shoulder, smirked mischievously. Leaving the words hanging in the air, she moved to turn on the water in the en-suite bathroom.

Alex didn't need to be told twice. In the next moment, she had Emily pressed against the shower wall, kissing her like her life depended on it.

Emily was brushing the tangles out of her damp hair while Alex sat on the counter, watching her with a soft smile. "What?" Emily asked with a smirk.

Alex shrugged. "Just thinking..."

"About?"

"Us," she whispered.

Emily tried to keep her expression neutral. "Oh?"

"Maybe you and I should try to go away together," she suggested.

Emily's brows leapt up her forehead in surprise. "Really?"

She shrugged. "It's hard sneaking around all the time – and I know why we're doing it – but maybe some time where we can just be a normal couple for a few days would be good for us."

Her lips quirked up on one side in a hint of a smile. "I think that would be wonderful," she murmured. "I could use a weekend away from Rosie and her attitude."

"Mom!" Rosie hollered from outside the bedroom door. "Get a move on!"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Speak of the devil..." She sighed, offered Alex an apologetic smile. "Time's up." She leaned in for a kiss. "Lock up when you leave."

Emily managed to remain polite and resist the urge to bite Clyde's head off for about forty minutes. Forty minutes of Rosie chattering happily away like Clyde was more than a fraction of a parent who had only just returned because it was convenient.

Finally, she just snapped. "So, Clyde, what's your excuse this time?"

"Mom!" Rosie hissed, eyes wide in silent signal to shut up.

Emily ignored her. "Did you run out of money? Need a character witness at a murder trial?" she guessed.

"Mom!" Rosie snapped. "You're being rude!"

Clyde just chuckled. "Nothing like that, Darling. In fact, I'm here because I want to help you." She seemed about to scoff at the notion, but she didn't have the chance before he continued, "I want to take Rosie to Italy."

Emily blinked in stunned silence for a moment. Then, "What?"

"I'm taking a four month posting in Rome," he explained. "I think it would be good for Rosie to experience the wider world."

"No, Clyde. Absolutely not," she said firmly.

He rolled his eyes. "You're always bitching about how I don't pull my weight, but when I try, you don't let me?"

"You're talking about taking her away from the only parent – the only life – she's ever known for some fucking vacation. She'll be lucky if she doesn't wind up on drugs or...pregnant."

It was Rosie's turn to roll her eyes. "God, Mom...thanks for your vote of confidence."

Emily sighed. "I only meant that without adequate supervision, it's easy to get into trouble, especially in a place you don't know."

Clyde raised a brow. "I'm not 'adequate supervision'?"

"No."

"Doesn't anyone care about what I want?" Rosie demanded. Both adults turned to look at her. "I don't want to go to Rome!"

Clyde looked hurt by her vehement refusal. He opened his mouth to protest, but didn't have a chance.

"I want to stay here, I want to go to school," Rosie continued. A beat. "I mean, I want to see you more, but...it's important."

Clyde smirked then. "Is that code for you having a fella you want to get close to?" He waggled his brows for emphasis.

Her cheeks flamed bright red. "No," she mumbled. When he opened his mouth to tease her further, she begged, "Please just drop it!"

Under the table, Emily kicked Clyde in the shin and shot him a warning look that threatened evisceration if he humiliated Rosie any further. And, perhaps knowing that she wasn't kidding, he relented.

As soon as the front door was shut behind them, Rosie made a beeline for the stairs, intending to hole up in her room and Facetime Meg to bitch about her parents...but Emily had other ideas. "Ro," she called after the teenager. "Wait a second?"

With a world-weary sigh, she turned, shot her a 'what now?' expression.

Emily attempted a comforting smile. "I just wanted to chat..."

"About what?" she grumbled.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Emily asked.

Another long-suffering sigh. "So you keep telling me."

Emily gently reached for Rosie's hand, pulling her into a tender embrace. "Ro, you're my whole world and I want to be a part of yours. I want you to be able to come to me with your secrets and your fears and your heartbreaks. If you have a crush, you can tell me."

She felt Rosie stiffen in her arms. "Mommmm," she grumbled.

"I'm not trying to embarrass you," Emily insisted. "I just know how confusing things are when you're first figuring out your sexuality and..."

"Mom!" she hissed again. "You're being weird..."

She shrugged, but continued on, "I was figuring out that I liked girls at your age and it was hard because I wasn't supposed to, but I was also supposed to 'be myself', so..."

"I'm begging you to stop," Rosie whined.

Finally, Emily released her, holding up her hands in resignation. "You don't have to tell me now," she said, "Just as long as you know that you can always come to me. With anything. And I promise not to judge you or belittle your feelings. I love you..."

And, as if sensing how sincere she was being in that moment, Rosie cut her mother a break and mumbled, "I know."