Obsession

Chapter 14 - Introductions

New places

and faces

life races

Oh! This wonderful human holds the key to my heart. I am obsessed but I think healthily so. In years to come. we will both be visiting each others' houses and then happily retire to our own places. Once we know that the other is safe and content should be enough for us. I love Rosa so as Sonya so aptly put it - I will let her be, allow her to breathe. If I have learnt anything, it is that love is not about possession but appreciation.

"I love you too, darling Rosa and always will wherever you may be."

"Why am I going away somewhere Nanny?"

"Who knows Rosa but for a long while yet you will be staying with me and Molly."

"Are we going back to the house, Nanny? Daddy will be wondering where we are?"

"No, Rosa dear we're never going back to that house but we'll get a new one."

"Will this new house have an outside, Nanny?"

"Oh yes, Rosa, a huge, enormous, gigantic outside, I promise."

"Wow"

"Wow, indeed."

"How will Daddy and the lady find our new house?"

"I don't know dear but I have got a feeling they'll always be watching over us, somehow."

"Will all my stuff come to the new house?"

"We'll see."

"Will there be a school in this new house just like in the book."

I smile ruefully to myself she is certainly making up for lost time, such a chatterbox these days.

"Well it won't be in the house Rosa; you will leave the house to go to school on a bus with all the other children."

"Like the big yellow one in my book?"

"It may well be I don't know as yet."

"Well, you and Molly will have to come with me, because I'm not allowed outside alone."

"Rosa we'll talk about this again but you will be going to school without Molly or me."

"Are you sure? I don't think Daddy would like it?"

"Not for a while, but yes, of course, you're allowed. I'll work it out with Daddy."

I think some counselling will be called for, not just for Rosa but myself, we have dealt with a lot. I have a feeling she will not forget Daddy in a hurry. Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them.

"What will be teacher's name, will she be nice?"

"Rosa dear, so many questions I don't know the answers to, it's all ahead of us."

I tickle her into silence and submission.

It does not last long, she laughs uproariously and then shushes herself.

"Rosa, darling."

"Yes, Nanny."

"Can we make a pinkie promise?"

"Of course, Nanny, what is it?"

"Never, ever, and I mean ever, stifle your gorgeous, wonderful laugh again."

"But I have always laughed quietly, Nanny, remember."

"Not any more Rosa, from now on laughing is encouraged."