The Usual Rules

Chapter 5

Emily bit her nails and stared at the ceiling. "Maybe we should check on her again." She whispered.

"We've check sixteen times in the last three hours Em, she's been asleep every time." JJ whispered back. "And quit biting your nails."

Emily clapped her hands together to stop herself. Dinner had started off pretty well, Rachel sat patiently at the island counter with Emily as JJ cooked in front of them. She didn't talk much, but she answered most of their questions in some way or another. The two women didn't want to overwhelm Rachel, so they stuck to easy things; favorite colors, books, and just made casual conversation between themselves to make her feel normal.

"Do you know how to cook at all Rachel?" JJ asked. Rachel shook her head. "Emily is a horrible cook, if she ever offers you food and its not from a take out box, run the other way." JJ said leaning in to the young girl with a grin on her face.

"Hey!" Emily yelled in protest. "I am not that bad."

"Yes she is." JJ said. Emily responded by throwing a towel at JJ's head. While she was laughing she turned and caught a tiny little smile appearing on Rachel's face. She caught JJ's eye and nodded towards the girl. Smiling as JJ lit up, seeing that Rachel was enjoying herself. "Want to learn Rachel?" JJ asked. Rachel looked at JJ shyly, shrugging her shoulders in a way that Emily and JJ were sure they would get very used to over the next few weeks. "Come here." JJ motioned. Rachel hesitated a moment, then slipped down off of her stool and went over to stand by JJ. "Do you think you can stir this for me?"

"I can't reach it." Rachel said in distress.

"Well that's an easy fix." JJ said glancing to Emily. Emily grabbed a stool and moved it over in front of the stove top. Without thinking much about it, she reached down and picked Rachel up, placing her on top of the stool. Rachel looked a little surprised at the contact, but quickly acted like she was fine. Getting on her knees she leaned over and listened intently to JJ's instructions. JJ watched as the curly haired brunette stuck out her tongue in determination and stirred the pasta. Emily stayed next to her watching closely so JJ could move around and finish dinner.

"This isn't so hard." Rachel said happily after a few moments. "Why can't you do it, you're bigger than me."

JJ snorted with laughter as Emily feigned being offended. "I can stir pasta." She protested. "Its full on meals that aren't exactly my specialty." Rachel bit back a tiny smile and then turned her attention back to her designated task.

As they sat down to dinner, Emily and JJ realized Rachel was not an expert at twirling pasta, and was getting more of it on her lap than her mouth. She was growing more upset by the minute. "I'm sorry." She cried.

"Sweetie, its fine." Emily said, trying to comfort her. "Here, we can cut it and you can use a spoon."

"I'm sorry." Rachel whimpered.

"You don't have to be sorry Rach, its not a big deal really." JJ said moving over to help. Emily began cutting up Rachel's pasta as JJ lifted her up out of the seat. "Here, we'll get you some new clothes while Em, cleans this up." She said with a gentle smile. Neither woman could have known, or anticipated how Rachel would react. The second JJ had lifted Rachel out of her seat, she began to cry and protest.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to! Please, I'm sorry." Rachel begged, a terrified, wild look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, please."

JJ instantly let go in shock and held her arms up in surrender. "Rachel, sweetie its okay." JJ looked at Emily in a slight panic as they both realized Rachel probably thought they were going to hit her or something. "Rachel, I spill stuff all the time, its not a big deal." She tried to calm her down. Seeing that it wasn't working, JJ thought fast. Grabbing her glass of milk, JJ poured it on herself. Rachel – and Emily – looked on at her in shock. Rachel stopped crying at just stared at JJ for a moment before turning her attention to Emily.