BE STILL ( andrew bazzi )

iv.

"are you happy that e and ké are here?" rosalia asked the woman, watching her sit and brush her hair. "i know z is."

adeline sent the child a smile through the mirror. "yes, i'm more than happy. everyone i love is in one place."

"you have them and caleb, b, daddy, me." rosalia laid down on the bed, getting under the blankets. "hey, that rhymed!"

adeline let out a soft laugh, putting her hair brush down. she motioned for the child to scoot over, rosalia doing so. adeline climbed into the bed, putting her arm around the girl. rosalia laid her head on adeline's chest, playing with the woman's rings that rested on her fingers. "how's katherine?"

rosalia grinned, taking a deep breathe before speaking. "she's good. she just learned how to ride a bike without training wheels. i let her have my bike since my birthdays coming up and i can get a new one. she's never had a bike before. crazy right?" rosalia questioned, shaking her head. "can i tell you something?" adeline hummed. "i want her to be my girlfriend, but i'm scared to ask her. what if she says no? or people at school talk about us?"

adeline pushed the child's curls out of her face, leaving a kiss on the top of her head. "katherine likes you, rose. there's no doubt in my mind that she wouldn't love to be with you. for the other kids, they do not matter. the ones who mind, don't matter and the ones who matter, don't mind. will being with katherine make you happy?" rosalia nodded, squeezing the twos intertwined fingers together. "then ask her out, love. do what makes you happy."

silence fell between the two as rosalia thought over what the woman had said. "did you ever fall in love with a girl before?"

"once." adeline whispered, sending the child a soft smile.

"can you tell me about her?" rosalia asked, looking up at the woman. "tell me a story."

"okay," adeline thought over the memories she had shared with her first love. "i met her in college. she was studying to become a director of some sort. we met at some party my friends had forced me to go to," adeline let out a soft laugh at the memory. "i'm kinda glad they forced me because had i not of gone, i wouldn't of met her and i wouldn't of gotten to experience everything i did had it not been for her."

"you loved her?" rosalia whispered, intrigued by the conversation. "what happened between you two?"

"i did." adeline nodded. "we both went different ways. i had caleb and my own life to think about, she had hers. we drifted, i guess you could say."

"you miss her?"

"of course, she was my best friend before we were ever anything else." adeline brushed the hair out of the child's face, thinking over the girl that had been brought up. "kehlani changed my life in ways i can't even explain, she'll forever hold a special place in my heart. just like your father will. you don't forget the people who changed you.

"daddy changed you?" rosalia furrowed her eyebrows, looking up at the woman. "how?"

"your father is a special soul, you know that? besides the curls and eyes and smile that you got from him, your personalities never fail to amaze me. either of you could walk into a room and it brightens just with your presence. your father was like a breathe of fresh air after drowning in my own life for the last few years." adeline explained, feeling rosalia snuggle closer into her chest. "the two of you coming into my life, changed everything and i'll always be grateful for the opportunity to be in your lives and have you both in mine."

"i love you, mam—" rosalia cut herself off, feeling her cheeks redden in embarrassment. "i mean, adeline."

adeline felt her heart jump in her throat at the start of the word, a smile forming on her lips after a moment. she kissed the child's forehead, pushing the curls out of her face. "i love you so much more, love."

andrew turned the lights out throughout the house, making his way back to his bedroom. he assumed rosalia was with zion and brandon in the studio, but was surprised by the sight of his child and girlfriend asleep together in his bed. the sight made a smile tug at his lips, the man admiring the two for a moment.

adeline was something special. she was a kind soul who always put everyone else above herself. he admired the way she dropped everything to be what her brother needed. he admired the way that despite everything she was put through as a child, she still came out to be one of the most genuine people he ever met. he knew rosalia was becoming attached to the woman and the thought of it didn't scare him anymore. andrew knew that adeline was there to stay and if anything did happen, she'd continue to be that role model for rosalia because she loved the child as if she was her own.

andrew got into the bed, laying there as he started to think. the thought of having a child with adeline clouded his head, bringing a smile to his lips. he knew she'd be a great mother and just the thought of having a mini version of himself and her in one human made his heart race. he knew he loved her. the way her eyes brightened at the simplest of things that brought her happiness to how gentle and soft she was with his daughter, despite rosalia not being hers. he was in love with her and knew he'd spend the rest of his life falling more in love with her than before.

AUTHORS NOTE.
kinda short 🤠
but omg they make
me so soft like?? whew