Young And Beautiful

Chapter 5

I almost forgot the life I had lived with the Browns. I blocked out the trauma so much that some memories began to fade away slowly. I had been living with Grace, Todd and Nana for a year now, and I had completely adjusted to my new life. I was still the same Rose-Marie who was afraid of everything and anything, but I now knew what I liked, what I hated, and who I was.

Grace and Nana became the family I had always desperately wanted. My love for them seemed to grow everyday, and I thought we always going to be family. Unfortunately that dream shattered when Nana suddenly passed away in her sleep. I was fond of the old lady, and her death hurt and affected me a great deal. Grace however, just slipped into complete depression. She stopped working, she just cried in her room and ate all day. She wouldn't let me be there for her as she had been there for me and there was nothing I could do to help. She would only talk to Matthew, because well, Grace loved Matthew almost as much as I did.

I didn't hate Todd anymore. He had moved to Los Angeles because of a job so he wasn't a threat, but him and Grace were engaged. Now it was just me, Matthew and her, and the eerie silence that filled the house.

I had never really used the money Grace paid me. I took out some for Matt's clothes and other necessities, but Grace paid for his schooling amd still bought clothes and toys for him so I didn't use much. I bought myself cheap clothes from thrift stores, because I didn't yet understand fashion. Clothes were just to cover up and look decent.

Grace came downstairs for breakfast for the first time in a while. I was at the stove making bacon and eggs for Matthew when she suddenly walked in and sat at the table next to him.

"Morning," she smiled slightly at me.

"Good morning. Breakfast?" I asked her.

"Yes please. " She turned to Matthew. "How's school baby?"

Matthew shrugged. "Very mediocre."

"How so?" I chimed into the conversation as I served the food.

"Well, I don't like doing the same thing everyday," he explained, picking up a strip of his bacon and taking a small bite . "It's boring."

"True that," Grace seconded. "Routines are overrated. "

"Routine is equal to discipline, " I countered. "And Matthew, schoool is a privilege. It's not mediocre."

"What's a privilege?" He frowned.

I smiled at him. "It means that you are lucky to be able to go to a good school. Most kids don't have that. I never did. Without school, you won't be successful in life."

"But you turned out just fine Rosie," he smiled back.

Grace chuckled. "She did, didn't she?"

"That doesn't mean you can't be better. Come on, Mrs Lynch will be here any moment to pick you up. "

I grabbed his school bag and took him outside where Mrs Lynch and his friend Brian from school were already waiting in the car to take him to school. I gave him his bag, planted a kiss on his head and watched him run to the car. Once they drove off, i went back to Grace inside.

"He grows up everyday, " she chuckled as I sat down across her.

I nodded, pouring myself a glass of juice. "He does. How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. I've definitely run out of tears to cry," she breathed. "I'm just...I'm tired of crying. She's in a better place now though, right?"

"She is."

"And you and Matt aren't going nowhere right? I mean, I know you took care of Nana but I would like to think somewhere along the line we became family."