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After cleaning up, Rose grabbed her phone and called the men back.
"Hi Rosie, everything taken care of?" Keith asked.
"Yes, I think so."
"Is she okay?" Jeff asked.
"I'm fine Daddy. I'm sorry for being disrespectful." Katie spoke from her snuggled spot next to Rose.
"Okay sweet girl. I love you and everything is going to be fine, okay?"
"Okay." Katie wasn't sure she believed them at this moment, but she trusted them and wanted to be okay, if only just for that moment.
"Rosie, can you help Katie pack up some of Jeff's things, especially work clothes, and can you bring it all over to the house?"
"Yes, we can do that. I'll need to get more of my own things, too. We'll need some fun stuff to do while we're safe at home."
Safe at home, not stuck at home.Katie committed those words to her memory, hoping they might come in handy later on. But even if they didn't, she knew her Auntie would be there with her and she would do everything in her power to make things okay again.
"Auntie, are you moving in?" Noah asked Rose the next afternoon as she carried in another suitcase.
"I am for a little while, buddy."
"Yes!" he yelled.
Rose laughed and hoped he would still feel that way at the end of all of this. He was used to short visits where Auntie got to spoil and dote on him, but they didn't really know how long this predicament was going to last and living together was a whole different thing.
"I made space in the guest closet so you don't have to live out of your suitcases," Katie announced as she came out of the hallway with Claire on her hip.
Her voice was upbeat, but she could see the strain on her face; Katie was worried.
Rose would be lying if she said she wasn't a little nervous about the state of the world, but she was determined not to let her own feelings show. She was going to be strong for them all. She could save her stress for when she was on the phone with Keith.
"Thank you, sweetie. I'll unpack later. For now, who wants to help Auntie make pizza?" Rose asked after putting the heavy case down. She hadn't known how much to pack or even what to pack. There were so many unknowns.
"Me, me, me!" Noah jumped up and down.
"Hmm, no one wants to make pizza?"
"Me! I want to!" he yelled a little louder.
Rose sighed dramatically. "I guess I'll have to do it all by myself."
Noah stopped flailing and put his hands on his hips. "I know you heard me. Knock off your 'nanigans," he scolded with a look that said he meant it.
Rose burst out laughing. "You look just like your daddy when you do that. Okay, come on. Wash your hands and let's get to work."
Noah bolted from the room to obey. He loved to help in the kitchen.
Katie nibbled the side of her lip. "What's wrong little one?" Rose asked, taking Claire.
"My tummy hurts," Katie admitted, hugging her middle.
Rose kissed her forehead. "I know, but everything is going to be okay, I promise. I think you need to lie down and rest after lunch."
"I don't want a nap," Katie argued immediately.
"I didn't ask what you wanted." Rose smiled. "Noah and I are going to make lunch and then everyone is going to rest. No arguments unless you and I need to have a conversation after the kids are down."
Katie took a small step back, shaking her head. "We don't need a conversation. A rest sounds nice."
"Mmhmm, I knew you'd see it my way." She winked and sauntered into the kitchen. Even though she'd been here a week already, this felt different somehow, and she was really happy to get to be living under the same roof as her little girl again even if it was temporary.
Noah bounced on his toes as Rose buckled the baby into her seat and put some cereal on the tray for her. "Okay my little four-year-old master chef. What kind of pizza are we making?"
