Worth the wait

Chapter Seven.

A couple of weeks later, Charlotte had found the perfect house to rent for her and Rosie to call home, thanks to Ellies help.

It was a Saturday morning; everyone was helping move their things in. A lot of the it was new, having left everything behind with Jack when she moved them back to her parents. Her, Billie and Tasha were taking smaller boxes in and unpacking, while Steve, Ben, Tom and Max were responsible for the furniture.

"For fuck sake Ste! Pay attention! Going to break my fucking back if you keep dropping your end!" Ben groaned as the sofa slipped.

"Will you stop bloody swearing! Rosie could be anywhere!" Steve hissed back at him.

"You two argue like an old married couple!" Max said coming up behind them carrying an armchair and laughing at their bickering.

"Thats fucking rich coming from you!" Steve spat back.

"Now whos swearing where Rosie could hear!" Tom shouted climbing from the back of the removal van with two dining chairs.

"It must be their age Tommy boy! Getting old and cranky!" Max shouted back to him, causing him to let out a boisterous laugh.

"Piss off!!" The pair retorted in unison.

"Stevie, thats a bad word! Mum will make you put money in the pot if she hears you!" Rosie called out to her uncle from her new bedroom window.

"Sorry buttercup! It slipped out! Wont happen again! Promise!" He called up to her little face that was looking out of her new bedroom window.

He glared at the others earning him some sniggers in retaliation. Giving the sofa a quick push, Ben lost his balance and staggered backwards, crashing in to both Tom and Max. Causing the three of them to land in a heap on the front lawn making him laugh at them groaning.

"Every time I come out here, you guys are sat on your arses! Ste dont pull your back carrying that on your own! You're not getting any younger!" Charlotte said as she went to get another box from the van.

"Bloody cheek! Im going to get a drink!" Steve said as he walked off laughing, leaving them tangled up with the sofa and armchair.

Later that day Steve, Tom and Max were tackling the new climbing frame that Peter and Mary had brought for Rosie as an early birthday present. The girls were unpacking the kitchen, while Charlotte was putting the finishing touches to her bedroom. Ben was upstairs putting together Rosies bed whilst Rosie helped by handing him the various tools and screws that he needed.

"Ben, can I ask you a question?" She asked with a meek little voice.

"You can ask me anything sweetheart." He smiled at the little girl.

She was quiet to a minute or two, causing him to put the screwdriver he was holding down and sit on the floor next to her.

"Are you ok?" He asked prompting her to continue.

"Why do you think mum cry sometimes when she goes to bed?"

"What do you mean she cries?" He asked narrowing his eyes, confused as to how Rosie had known of this happening.

"Well when we lived with Jack, sometimes he would shout and then go out late at night and I would hear her crying."

Ben screwed his eyes shut, part of him figured she might have been aware of the problems Jack was causing long before they moved away.

"I would hear her crying but when I asked her what was wrong, she would just tell me she was missing Nana and Grandad. Then when we moved in with Nana and Grandad, she stopped crying as much and just cries sometimes. Is it because she has bad dreams like me?" She continued.