Settling in Seattle

Chapter 35- Time Jump

"Rosalie do you want some blueberries with your toast?" Rachel walked towards the fridge and placed her hand on the handle.

"No!" Her mother turned and was greeted with a grimacing child, her lips were pursed, it was a yucky look.

"You don't like them?"

"Uh uh." Rosalie shook her head and carried on shovelling the toast into her mouth. Mike entered the room wearing his shirt, dressed for work. Rachel was still in her pyjamas, mirroring Rosalie.

"Ooh, that's a sour face Rosy, what's wrong?"

"Momma making me eat bluebes."

"Ohh, naughty Mommy, she knows you don't like them, right?"

"Hey! I'm not making you do anything!" Rosalie smiled cheekily at Rachel who now had her hands on her hips, and was attempting to hide her amusement at Rosalie's face.

"Just eat your toast baby." Mike ruffled the curls that were dangling in front of her face and leant down to plant a kiss on the top of her head. Her face was a picture, and Rachel just laughed at it whilst filling her juice bottle with water and fastening the lid.

"Okay, so you're going to leave the office at four, so you can be here when Harvey and Donna arrive?"

"That's the plan!"

"Good, I think we'll do a bit of grocery shopping and then get the place ready for visitors." Rachel wiped up the crumbs from the worktop, before placing Rosalie's plastic, purple, empty plate into the dishwasher and handing her the water.

"Dadda, where you going?" Rosalie watched her dad laced up his shoes and looked at him quizzically.

"I'm going to work, so that we can get money, and so that I can help lots of people!"

"Oh." Rosalie took another swig of the water and it dripped slightly down her purple pyjama top.

"Come on, let's wave goodbye to your daddy and then we can get ready to go." Mike picked up his briefcase and Rachel lifted Rosalie from the barstool, placing her straight down. She ran straight to Mike and he swung her up and around. Rosalie's legs were spinning as Mike brought her closer to kiss her cheek, and then leant over to kiss goodbye Rachel, squishing Rosalie in between them on purpose. She shouted for them to move before Mike placed her back down and they headed towards the door.

"Bye byeee!" She yelled whilst leaning on the door frame and watched her father drive down the street.

"Right, Rosalie come on, let's get you dressed." Rachel guided her by the back into the warm house as she began to sprint up the stairs.

"I choose?" She asked as they got to the top hand in hand, looking up to Rachel with big, brown eyes.

"Sure." Rachel smiled back as they both headed for Rosalie's room. She picked out an adorable outfit with Rachel's guidance. Pink and white striped dungaree shorts and a white t-shirt underneath. She also donned some multi-coloured fluffy socks that she refused to leave the room without. Rachel then preoccupied Rosalie with her dollhouse whilst she got changed into some jeans and a white flannel shirt.

"Rosalie?" Rosalie came scampering into her room as she finished pinning her hair into a bun. "Are you ready to go beautiful girl?"

"Yes momma." She pointed to her socks that were pulled over her tights up to her knees.

"Come on then, let's get shoes on." Rachel somehow managed to fit her little trainers on over the socks and then pulled on her ballet slippers. She handed Rosalie her coat and watched as she carefully pulled it on, sticking her tongue out in concentration. When satisfied with the fit, the toddler looked up with an infectious grin plastered on her face. Rachel held her hand as they left, and helped her into the back of the car, fastening the clip around her body.

"Right, we need to get some food for the weekend, because your Auntie and Uncle are coming to stay. What do you think they'll want to eat?" Rachel held the shopping bag in one hand, and clasped Rosalie's tightly with the other.

"Cake!"

"Hmm, I think maybe we need something more filling than cake? What about momma makes a roast chicken?"

"Yucky!"

"You like chicken!"

"I want cake!" Rosalie stopped in the middle of the aisle, forcing Rachel to also come to a halt.

"You can't always have cake baby! How about some pasta?" Her face eased from an unimpressed frown to a mediocre smile. "Come on then." Rosalie still didn't move, "Rosalie, come on, we need to get the shopping." The little girl let go of her mother's hand and began to sway from side to side.

"Pleaseee, I get cake." Rachel bent down to be at her height and took Rosalie's hand again.

"Rosalie. Please can you keep walking, or I'll carry you because I need to get this shopping done. I'll buy you something nice to eat, but only if you're a good girl."

"Okie," Rosalie rocked from her heel to her ankle and reached for her mother's shoulders, "Carry." Rachel rolled her eyes out of view, wishing she hadn't offered. She had a petite frame and weighed no more than eleven kilograms, so it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Rachel lifted her and balanced her on her hip, Rosalie moulding to the position.

"Now, let's get this shopping done."

"What are you doing?" Rachel squatted on the floor next to Rosalie who was lead on her stomach, drawing something onto a piece of card.

"Drawing for Uncle Harwey!" She looked up and grinned excessively to her mother, who smiled back.

"What are you drawing?"

"Surprise!" She continued to focus on the crayon that she had in her hand, her eyebrows scrunching to attention as she held the wax pencil tightly in her grip.

"That's wonderful love, him and Auntie Donna will be here soon, and Daddy will be back any second!"

"Yay!" Rosalie kicked her legs around in the air and Rachel placed her hand swiftly on her back, then stood up to check everything was ready in the spare bedroom.

"Rosy!" Mike slammed the door shut and the excited toddler ran on her tip toes towards him. He picked her up and spun her around before resting her on his hip.

"I missed you!" She snuggled up to his shoulder and breathed heavily.

"Did you? What did you get up to?" Mike asked, and she smiled subtly, leaning her head to his collarbone.

"We went to shoppies!"

"Wow!" Rachel walked down the stairs, greeted by the sweet embrace.

"Hi love," She whispered gently as she got to the bottom, "How was work?"

"Good, glad to be back here though. Dinner smells amazing, and I hear you went to the shoppies!"

"We did! Rosalie did you finish your drawing?"

"Yes."

"Good girl." Rachel kissed the top of Rosalie's head and swiped her hair to one side before Mike put her down from his grip and she scampered off into the living room.

"Are we all set up for the guests?"

"I think so." Rachel pulled Mike into a hug, feeling a release of stress run through her bones, "It's going to be fun!"