The Thistles of Rose

26 • Generous

A/N: Sexual Assault References

♕ Rose ♕

The night was not as hard as I imagined it. She only woke up at 3 am to drink some milk and then slept peacefully throughout the rest of the night. I think it's because my mom already had her settled into a routine.

It's glorifying being able to wake up next to her. I dreamt and dreamt and dreamt of the time I'd finally do it and now it's here.

I pick her up and whisper, "let's go. I don't want to wake your papa up."

Luca's a light sleeper so it's bizarre he didn't wake up the second he heard us shift in the bed. Though, from the exhausted look in his eyes last night, it's not worrying but understandable.

He can't sleep properly when I'm not next to him. That means he hasn't had a proper sleep for the four days he was away from me.

I glance at him. His clenched jaw now relaxing. His tired eyes now resting. The agitated vein in his neck now calm. My broken, lost boy now healing and complete.

Clutching Aurelia to me, I lean down and press an elongated kiss on his cheek.

Then, I leave him sleeping peacefully in our room. Ricky snakes between my legs and jump up at me, desperate to touch Aurelia. His muzzle runs over her leg, and she laughs, angelically.

When I walk across the hall to the nursery, I change her diaper. I don't know if the house is cold for her, so I wrap her in a fluffy nightgown over her baby grow. I hold my hair up with a claw clip, so she doesn't tug on it.

I stop at Roman's door and hear the shower running meaning that he is awake. So, I trek downstairs with Aurelia in my arms and Ricky trailing behind me to make breakfast for them.

The baby bouncer is already in the kitchen, and I guess that Luca must've done that last night while I was talking to my mom. Placing Aurelia down in it, I kiss her chubby cheek and the toys hanging from the mobile start to rattle.

I pour myself a glass of orange juice and start making the mixture for Roman's pancakes as Ricky plays with Aurelia. Her laughs echo around the kitchen which once blared my sobs.

Some time after, Roman enters the kitchen and mumbles, "morning."

"Morning, Roman." I glance back to see that he's hunched over her bouncer. He kisses Aurelia's hand, and she babbles. My heart warms.

I turn back to flipping the pancakes and hear him shuffling around the kitchen.

"You haven't taken your meds yet," he says. I'm about to respond when he appears right next to me. Roman places my pill canister and a glass next to the stove, where I'm standing.

It's like a rule in this house: make sure Rose takes her meds! I sigh and Roman watches me as I take each of my meds with the orange juice.

"I'm supposed to be looking after you," I tell him, retrieving the syrup from the overhead drawer.

"You are. But it's also my responsibility to look after you," he replies with a slight quirk to his lips. When he tries not to smile, it reminds a lot of Luca. They both do it with the intention of not being cute, but it makes them so much cuter.

I can't help it. I squeeze Roman's cheeks and he sends me a weird look, earning a laugh out of me. He takes the stack of pancakes and sits at the island. Him and Marco have been drinking protein shakes lately, so I grab the bottle from the refrigerator and pour it into a glass for him.

"I made your appointment for you. I'll pick you up from school at 2," I inform him, and he nods with a mouthful.

Aurelia babbles from her bouncer, resting her hands in Ricky's soft fur. I put two small pancakes and some chopped bananas into her bamboo plate and pour some water into her sippy cup. Then, I strap her into her highchair, clip the bib around her and let her eat her food herself. I sit next to her, reaching over to my bowl of fruit.