Thank you to those of you that have let me know you're still reading! I'll keep going with the story! :) xx
6pm
Henry walked in to kitchen once he arrived home after finishing work, greeting Rose and the kids whilst they ate. "Hey" he smiled. "Hi" Rose smiled as he leant down to kiss her, before he kissed Emilia and Charlie's heads and lifted Alfie from his rocker. "Good day?" He asked. "Yes, thank you. Yours?" Rose replied "yes thanks" Henry nodded with a smile as Rose got up and headed to the stove to dish him up some dinner. "I need to nip out and see Jack once we've put the kids to bed" she said quietly as Henry stood beside her, still holding Alfie. "Again?" Henry replied with a frown, a little paranoid that Jack would tell Rose what he had said that morning. "Yes… we need to talk about Emmy" she nodded. "Fine" he sighed "thanks" she smiled awkwardly as he took the plate from her and went to join Emilia and Charlie at the table.
—
8pm
"Can I come with you?" Emilia asked as she lay in bed whilst Rose finished reading her book, aware that she was going to see Jack. "No" Rose shook her head and moved some hair from Emilia's face "it's late darling. I'll see if he's free at the weekend, OK?" Rose said. "OK" Emilia nodded disappointed. "Good girl" Rose said as she kissed her head and stood up. "I'll see you in the morning, I love you" she smiled. "Love you too" Emilia said as she closed her eyes whilst Rose left her room, bumping in to Henry on the landing as he left Charlie's bedroom. "Oh hey" she whispered "is he asleep?" She asked, getting a nod in response "for now" "good, I'm going to go and speak to Jack. I fed Alfie about half an hour ago, so he should be fine for a while, but I'll be back as soon I can" she said quietly, kissing his cheek before leaving.
—
"Hi" Rose smiled as Jack opened the front door to his house. "Hey" he smiled weakly as he stepped aside to let Rose in, getting a confused look in response. "Are you OK?" She frowned as she followed him in to the living room. "Yeah" he shrugged her off with a small nod. "No, you're not. What's going on, Jack? Did last night freak you out? Do you not want to be in Emilia's life after all? What is it?" Rose pushed for an answer. "Of course I do!" He replied, surprised. "Then what is it?" She asked again, her tone more firm. Jack looked at her for a moment before sighing. "Henry…" "what about him?" Rose frowned. "Whilst I don't actually think he would… he said he would kill me if I hurt Emilia" Jack said. "What? When?" Rose asked shocked, not believing Henry would say such a thing. "This morning, when he dropped her off at school. I approached him to say I hope there wouldn't be any awkwardness between us, because of me and you, and me and Emilia. He said he was secure enough in your marriage to know there was nothing to worry about, but that if I hurt Emilia, he would kill me. Believe me, Rose, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I don't hurt or let Emilia down, but it's not going to be doable if he's over my shoulder 24/7. I know he's been her Dad since she was 2, and it seems he's been a great one at that, Emilia clearly loves him. But him behaving like that isn't going to make a relationship between me and her possible… I'm sorry…" he said awkwardly. "Oh, you have nothing to be sorry for" she said, her anger building as she stood up "he does" she nodded. "Rose, don't go and argue with him. He's only trying to protect her" Jack sighed, still sat on the sofa. "By threatening her dad? That's not protecting her Jack, that's causing trouble. Are you free at the weekend? Emilia wants to see you" She asked, about to leave. He nodded "yes, come round if you'd like?" He suggested. "Does around 2 on Saturday sound OK?" She asked. "Yes" he smiled gently "I'll see you then… go easy on Henry, he's only trying to protect her" he continued. "I'll see you Saturday" Rose said, ignoring Jack's comment about Henry as she left.
—
Henry was in the kitchen, making himself a cup of tea when Rose stormed in. "You're back early?" Henry frowned confused. "So you were just going to threaten Jack, were you?!" She ignored his comment. "What?" Henry frowned confused. "Jack! He told me about this morning, when you dropped Emilia off… are you purposely trying to ruin this for her?!" She continued in disbelief. "I don't know what he's said, but by the sounds of it, he's blown this way out of proportion!" Henry said as he put the kettle down. "How can 'if you hurt her I will kill you' be blown out of proportion? Please enlighten me!" Rose snapped. "I was just trying to protect her! I don't want him to hurt or let her down! She'll be devastated!" Henry replied, frustrated. "You know what, you stay out of the situation with Jack. You don't even know him. He would never hurt Emilia!" Rose snapped "You don't know that!" Henry replied. "Yes, yes I do! And do you know what else I know?" Rose asked "that someone who loved her would never do this, they wouldn't risk a little girl loosing her dad!" She continued. "How dare you?!" Henry shouted "how dare you imply that I don't love her?! I love those kids more than anything in the world! I won't ever have you say otherwise!" He continued to shout, soon interrupted by Emilia walking in to the room, rubbing her eyes.
"Why are you shouting? You woke me and Alfie up… he's crying" she said sleepily. "Sorry darling" Rose sighed whilst glaring at Henry. "Come on, back up to bed" Rose said as she held her hand out for Emilia to take her back upstairs. "Were you arguing?" Emilia frowned "No sweetheart" Rose lied "come on, I don't want Alfie's cries to wake Charlie up" she said and held her hand out again and this time Emilia took it before Rose led her back upstairs to the landing "you go and get in to bed, I'll be in in a second, I'm just going to calm Alfie down" Rose said as she let go of Emilia's hand and headed to hers and Henry's bedroom, quickly picking Alfie up.
—
Once Rose had settled Alfie and Emilia had fallen back to asleep, she headed back downstairs to find Henry sat on the sofa.
"Tomorrow morning, you're taking the kids to school and you're going to apologise to Jack, and be grateful Emilia didn't hear the full conversation tonight because I wouldn't have lied on your behalf. You can sleep in the spare room tonight, and every night until you're prepared to apologise. You had no right to do what you did" Rose said firmly as she stood in the doorway.
Henry looked back at her and started to reply to each of her points. "I won't be apologising to Jack- I meant every word, however I will of course take them to school. I am grateful Emilia didn't hear the full conversation, and I wouldn't expect you to lie to her. Don't worry, I have every intention to sleep in the spare room tonight, you might be angry with me over Jack, but I'm angry at you for saying I don't love Emilia. I have every right to protect my daughter… and Rose, maybe think about why you're so protective over Jack. Do you still love him?" Henry raised an eyebrow. "No" Rose chuckled in disbelief. "I just love my daughter enough to know that she has every right to get to know her Dad" Rose replied. "Our daughter" Henry corrected her. "Good night" Rose said harshly as she left the room, ignoring that Henry had just corrected her.