Young And Beautiful

Chapter 6

Todd. Todd. Todd.

He was only supposed to be back for two weeks and two weeks turned to two months. Todd and I spent the days together at home while Grace was at work and Matthew was at school. Sometimes we drove around together, went to parks, went grocery shopping, went for lunches,  desserts, everything.  Those the happiest moments of my life.

When Grace came home, I hated they way he'd kiss and touch her. It made me want to vomit.

"So Rosie," Grace smiled at me as we sat at the dinner table, the four of us. "I've been looking around for a job for you but the thing is, you need to go back to school before you can do anything better than being a housemaid. There's this college in town you can go to just so you can have something...tangible. "

I nodded. "If you say so."

Todd wrapped his arm around her and they shared another kiss.

"I have an announcement to make," Todd cleared his throat. "I'm going back to Los Angeles the day after tomorrow."

My heart sank. He was leaving. He was leaving me.

"Oh no," Grace pouted, resting her head on his shoulder.  "What am I gonna do without you?"

He kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry. We're getting married in five months, remember?"

"Five months is a long time, Todd," Grace whined. 

"But after that you can move to Los Angeles and we'll be together forever."

Grace pulled away from him. "Move to Los Angeles? I thought you'd move back here. I have my job and well, Rosie and Matt, and this house. I can't leave my Nana's house Todd."

"We can visit Rose-Marie and Matt," Todd assured her. "And you can get another job in Los Angeles. "

Grace immediately shook her head. "No you don't get it. My coworkers are my family. I've earned my place here.  I can't start over all the way in fucking Los Angeles. "

"Language Grace," I frowned as I turned to Matt who just listened to everyhing quietly. "Matt, sweetie, you're done eating right?"

"Yes Rosie."

"Come on, let's go to bed then."

We got up and headed upstairs. As I tucked Matthew into bed he suddenly asked me a question. 

"Rosie, can I live with Grace if she moves to Los Angeles?" He asked innocently.

I stopped what I was doing and turned to him. "Why? You don't want to live with Rosie?"

"Well, Grace pays for my school," he stated.

Even as a six year old boy, he was too bright for his own good. 

"Well, Rosie will get a good job and take care of that okay. And I don't want you to worry about that. Rosie loves you so much and she'll always take care of you. Okay? And where Rosie goes, you go? Okay?"

He smiled sweetly.  "Okay. I love you too mom."

I smiled. Mom. I had never forced him to call me mom, because he had always thought Mrs Brown was his mother, but now he was finally learning to say it to me. I didn't mind him calling me Rosie, but hearing him call me mom gave me the warmest feeling inside.

Once I tucked him in, I sat in the stairway and watched Grace and Todd argue downstairs .

"I don't understand why you're making this such a big deal!" Todd groaned. "Of course you were going to leave your job here eventually!"