Page 61 of The Boss and the Adoption Mess
"No, with food coloring."
"Okay then. Let’s do that."
She looks relieved. Since Rosie was so good today, she’d earned the right to pick dinner tonight, and I figured she’d choose fries. I can make a simple salad with veggies and chicken to go with them. Quick, easy, and she’ll definitely like it.
After dinner, Kim and I put Rosie to bed together. Kim tucks her in while I sit beside them and open one of her favorite books.
"The Secret of the Rainbow River."I read aloud, starting one of the Rainbow Princess adventures. By now I know these stories backward and forward, but Rosie never gets tired of them. After all, the Rose Princess even shares her name and wears pink. Kim curls up next to my niece among the pillows while I give the characters funny voices, carrying Rosie off into a world of unicorns and magic.
“Can I stay here forever?” she blurts out before I’ve even finished the first page. Her big round eyes accompany a trembling lip.
“Would you like that?” I ask, stalling. Of course, I can’t tell her that I’ve been quietly working on getting custody for a long time. If she mentioned it to her mother, Catherine would cut me off in a heartbeat. I can’t risk it—not when Rosie’s well-being is at stake.
Rosie nods slowly, then glances at Kim. “If Kim is here, and you’re here too, then… I want… I would like to be here. Forever.”
“I’d love that,” Kim says, pressing her cheek against Rosie’s. The little one closes her eyes and smiles. Already, they’re inseparable. Children just… know when someone’s good. They still see the world through completely different eyes.
And I—
I’m starting to see Kim in a different light.
My gaze lingers on her. Probably longer than it should, because she catches me looking. I quickly turn back to Rosie. “I’d like that too, Rosie. Very much.”
“But Mom doesn’t want that,” Rosie says with a frown. “She always tells me not to stay here too long, or I’ll get spoiled.” Her forehead wrinkles as she asks, “What does that mean?”
"Hmm..." How do I best explain this to her now?
“It means something like… hmm,” Kim begins cautiously, then continues, “Pampered. You have your big room here. And so many nice toys.”
“And Gabriel always reads to me. And I get healthy food here. So, am I pampered then?”
I look at Kim, who seems a bit overwhelmed and like she needs my help.
Yeah, this is really not an easy situation.
“No. Every child should have a nice home and be loved,” I say.
“And love also means reading to a child, giving them good food, and saying kind things to each other.” Kim smiles at Rosie, who thinks for a moment.
“So… for example, if I say I like how you smell? You always smell so good.” Rosie turns to me and continues, “And you always read really well.”
“Exactly. When you give someone a few compliments, it feels good for them. I praised you today because you brushed your teeth and got dressed all by yourself. And you helped me with the dishes.”
“And with the cooking,” Rosie adds excitedly.
“Exactly. I thought that was really sweet of you.”
Kim and Rosie smile at each other, and I feel my own lips spreading into a broad smile. Seeing the two of them so comfortable with each other feels amazing. This is exactly how I imagined it. Rosie feels safe here. Maybe this can make up for some of the damage I’ve been trying to protect her from for so long.
“Maybe you could ask my mom if I can stay here? Forever?” Rosie turns to Kim, who takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment.
“Your mom loves you very much, Rosie. She wants you to be with her. But that doesn’t mean Gabriel and I don’t love you. We want you to be here too. You can always come here when you want. But if you don’t see your mom, she’s probably sad.” She handled that really well.
Still, despite her young age, Rosie knows more than either of us would like.
“I told Mom a few days ago that I love her, and she got totally annoyed and told me to go to my room because I was bothering her. I don’t think she loves me.”
I could really strangle my sister. How dare she say that to her own daughter?
