Snow and the Delinquent Eleven

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Introduction between the Whites was done and dusted, it was also past nine o'clock and some of the younger kids were being bathed by Jake. Thankfully it wasn't a school night, so it was a relief for Snow to get to sleep in.

No. No sleeping for you Snow. Not until you turn sixty.

That's right. Snow forgot to mention. The nanny, Freya, that left earlier this evening wasn't suppose to take care of Harry anymore. It meant now that Snow was the sole and legal guardian of the members of the entire household; the baby's crib was now moved up to her room. Back when her father was alive, the crib used to be placed in the old nannies room.

"Is that fine?"

Snow thoughtfully scratched her chin as she pictured the layout in her head. She slowly shook her head. "Hm- no, doesn't seem right. Can you try moving it to the left?"

Roman didn't complain as he instantly did as Snow asked.

"There! There! Hold it there." He sighed in relief when the crib was stationed precisely next to Snows bed; but not too close -just in case she happens to sneeze on the babies face during sleeping hours.

The door wasn't closed so a determined Olly came charging in. "Roman. Jake said it's your turn to clean the bathroom."

Roman stared down at Olly like he wanted to clobber him. "Why? Wasn't it Derek's turn?"

Olly gave him a flat look. "You really think Derek will do it?" He held up his hand. "I'm only telling you because Jake said so. Don't shoot the messenger."

"Fine."

Olly gives a firm nod and was gone faster than he came.

Roman apologetically smiled. "Sorry Snow. Duty calls." He watched her as she redid the bed covers for the crib. "Are you going to be fine?"

Snow shook her head and she shooed him with her hands -or at least it looked as if she was; she appeared to be flinging her arm like a mother hen. "No no. Go do what you gotta do. I'll be more than fine." She smiled cheerfully as she wiped a sheen of sweat from her forehead. Carrying a crib from the first floor to the third was ten times harder than it looked. "Thank you for helping out."

"Anytime," he saluted. "Blake has Harry. I'll send him right over."

Snows blood ran cold. "E...err...now? You're sending the baby now?"

Roman eyed her. "Yeah. It's past eight..."

"C...cool." Okay. She admits, fair and square. Snow was beyond terrified. If anything was as terrifying at this? Please step forward and state it, because she was more than sure that this had to be the most scariest and unbelievably agonizing moments in history. Her first night in a house filled with...in the eyes of the law...her kids.

Again she asks herself: how did she manage that?

Yet again, all roads pointed to her father. Adrian White biggest fear? Loneliness. It certainly explained why she was the one taking care of eleven of her adopted siblings. Before the death of her mother, Adrian ran his oil and shipment company like a breeze; he was a hard working and dedicated man at work, and a loyal husband and caring father at home.

It's when his wife died that everything went slightly downhill. His choice in women, the stacks of paper due to his absences at work, and adopting kids. Way too many.

Though with the last option -Snow couldn't tell if the outcome of his choice had led him to leave this life happily.

Now, he was resting in the grave -so she guess she'll never know.

"Snow? Snow, come over here, I have something to tell you."

A dark haired girl with big blue eyes stumbled into the kitchen. Her boots were muddy because of the rain as she was playing in the garden with her frog toy.

"Y...yes daddy?" She was out of breath from all that running.

Adrian smiled down at his daughter -her raincoat wasn't even put on properly. He sat on one of the long island chairs on the dinner table as he drank his morning orange juice. "Nothing. Sit with me, I was getting lonely."

Snow giggled and took off her boots. She made sure to place her wet socks with the rest of the dirty pile of clothes behind the door of the washer room. She then threw her boots outside. "Okay dad. What do you want to talk about?"

He laughed that deep fatherly laugh. "Anything Snow. Anything."

Even until now, Snow will never know the real reason behind his fear for loneliness. Maybe it was because of his wife. She was always mysteriously missing. That's, of course, before the tragic death.

A knock on the door snapped Snow out of her bubble of thoughts. "Come in!" Confused -she didn't remember closing the door.

Blake approached through the door like he was walking in slow motion.

Okay. Maybe not that slow. But still slow enough to get her to meet him halfway.

Snow eyes wide stared at what he was carrying...or more like who.

"Is...is that...Harry?" She didn't take her eyes off the small bundle of blankets. In the centre, a small red faced barely popped out. It's little fingers were curved into a tight fist as it latched dearly for the blanket.

Blake grinned. "Yeah. Cool huh?"

Snow didn't realise she was nodding. As if she had no control over her body what's so ever she raised her arm.

"Careful. He's fragile." Blake cautiously handed baby Harry to Snow -who was still dazed over her first encounter with the two month year old.

Snow never had problems with newborns. She didn't hate or love them. The fact that she was incredibly young for a baby, she never expected and thusly didn't need to think of raising a family one day.

At the same time...why was she feeling overly thrilled to see one?