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july 2003
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The Venice Hathaway residency was at its busiest the morning of the visit. May was frosting and decorating cakes and cookies while Ellen was making sure that there was enough alcohol in the cabinet by the fireplace. During her twenty-two years of life, Rose has come to realize that her mothers handled stress and uncomfortable situations very differently which also led to her unstable ways of handling certain things.
So now, Rose was in her bedroom, laying on the floor with Ozzy next to her.
Her mind was full and loud ― her thoughts making it very hard for her to begin the day. She was nervous to say the least and not because she was going to see the Malfoys once again but because her mothers were going to meet them.
She hasn't exactly given the best impression of the family but they also haven't really given her any reason to. Rose was sure that May will be able to behave herself but she was a little uncertain of Ellen. She didn't mind this however ― she wanted to show the Malfoys that they won't push her family around the way they think they could.
For many reason this day could turn into one from hell and Rose was quite sure this was the case but she had decided not to let it bother her.
"Rosie! They will be here in ten minutes!" May called for her daughter.
"Fuck this," muttered Rose and with a groan of frustration, she got up and left her room, Ozzy just behind her.
If there was anything good about the day it was the fact hat May's been baking and cooking for the past few days which meant that Rose was going to get to have all of her favorite treats ― she was really trying to see the silver lining.
May and Ellen were both outside on the terrace where a long dining table was decorated with different sweets and foods. The table was set for twelve people ― the Malfoys and their elders, Rose and her family, Theo, Jacob and Inez.
Rose had begged her mothers to let Inez to come to the dinner ― she was going to need emotional support from someone who doesn't care if Rose was being wrong or unfair about things.
"Just to let you know, if Theo and I are ever getting married, we will elope. There won't be a big fake happy family thing," said Rose and crashed down on a wooden bench just behind the table.
Ellen smirked. "Good because we have already sort of used the Rose wedding fund," she said before placing a kiss on Rose's crown.
"I knew it," chuckled Rose. "I would invite you and mima though, and Jacob. And Inez and her family but that's it."
"Good to know," said Ellen and retrieved to the kitchen, Rose getting up and following her there.
She jumped to sit on the counter and took one of the empty cupcake batter bowls and began eating the leftovers. May was finishing up the cake, decorating it with fresh strawberries. She glanced at her daughter and hummed happily at her presence ― it has truly been different and somewhat boring without Rose around.
"Oh what do you think about the whole Rachel and Joey thing? I think it's sweet but odd that they sort of put it aside and now brought it back," said Rose and set down the bowl.
"Yes but Ross did go for Charlie the second she and Joey had broke up. That's why the brought the whole Joey and Rachel thing up again," said Ellen while filling a vase of flower with water.
Rose grinned. "As long as nothing happens to my Chandler and Monica, I'm fine."
"Alright then, enough with the Friends talk. You have to get ready, they should be here any minute," said May and urged her daughter to go and change for the dinner.
Rose went to her room and got changed. She put on a pair of long white pants and a cardigan ― summers in Sweden are hot but also windy, especially in a town like Fjällbacka where the ocean hugged the town's boarder. She knew that her outfit wasn't going to please any of the Malfoys ― it wasn't traditional like the dresser the women of their wore nor was her hair perfectly done, she had let it open with her natural curls.
She put some jewelry on, including the ring Mr Kane gave her as a birthday present. She thought about taking the ring off of its chain but decided against though, Rose didn't think she was fancy enough to wear a ring this marvelous around her finger ― it would be too pretentious.
After getting ready, Rose went downstairs and headed straight outside to see if Theo and their guests were anywhere near. Theo had left last night ― Apparated he said which was a magical way of transportation ― so he could help the Malfoy Apparate to the right place.
Rose had been very confused by this but didn't ask any questions. She wanted to know nothing about magic.
Not too far from the Venice Hathaway house, Theo and the Malfoys Apparated. Because of Rose's request of not telling the Malfoys about her magic, Theo had decided to Apparate a little further from the house than needed.
"Oh well this is a very lovely place. Cygnus, why haven't we travelled in Sweden?" Asked Druella who had insisted that she was getting to come to this visit and also dragged her husband there with her.
Cygnus didn't say anything ― he had no interest to see the muggle Rosemary Venice and her two mothers.
"So where does she live? In one those little cots?" Odette asked with a very displeasing look on her face.
"Just by that road," said Theo and pointed at the direction of Rose's home. "And please, do be civil. I want this to go well. Rose's mothers have been so kind to me over the years and I really don't want to repay them with your poor behavior."
Odette just huffed.
"Let's go then," said Lucius, holding his wife's hand while their son stood just behind them, almost excitedly waiting for what was to come.
Theo sighed heavily, his hands always shaking with nervousness as he and the whole group of disapproving people began to approach Rose's home.
Never has Theo hoped that road leading to Rose's home would be longer but now he did. He wasn't ready for this ― he wasn't ready for the insults and eye rollings, passive aggressive comments and possible cursing.
The road however ended and Theo could immediately spot Rose sitting on the porch swing, Ozzy laying just next to her.
Ozzy was a smart dog and he noticed the guests before Rose did and began to bark before he jumped up. Rose turned to look over her shoulder to see where Ozzy was running to and that was when she saw Theo, and the rest.
"Okay shit fuck, this is going to be a shit show. Damn it... Mimi, Mima! They are here..." she called her mothers before getting up.
She walked the small path from the porch to the white fence that separated her home from her neighbors (Inez and her family) and met Theo right where the fence had a small gate.
"H-hey," said Rose, surprised of how nervous she sounded. "Welcome to Fjällbacka. I hope your flight was good."
Because Rose didn't want the Malfoys to know of her magic, she had asked Theo to come up with a cover story for the choice of transportation.
"It was," said Theo and pressed a kiss on Rose's lips.
"Good, that's really good. Sometimes it might not be if the weather is bad but it's good that it was good and ummm... yeah," Rose stammered like a child.
She stopped, took in a deep breath and exhaled.
"I am really dreading this," she said unapologeticly and turned to look at the guests.
Draco grinned. "I bet."
"Always so funny Malfoy," cringed Rose. "But please, do come in with your bad sense of humor.
"Can't be any worse than yours," Draco fired back.
Rose rolled her eyes gracefully but stopped when she heard the front door open and close, meaning that her mothers were standing not too far from her and the others. Rose didn't even glance over her shoulder, she could hear her mothers approaching her.
"Well finally we meet," said May and rested her hand on Rose's shoulder. "We have heard so much about you. I am May Hathaway."
"Ellen Venice," said Ellen, introducing herself as well.
May nor Ellen did not ignore the looks they received from Theo's family but they put them aside for now. They couldn't cling onto every single comment or look the Malfoys were going to give them ― otherwise the visit was going to be very long and difficult.
"Likewise. It is good that we are doing this," said Lucius politely although Rose could tell he was only pretending. "I am Lucius Malfoy and this is my wife Narcissa."
Narcissa offered Ellen and May a small smile. "Pleasure to meet you."
Odette, Cygnus and Druella introduced themselves as well before May urged everyone to come inside. For normal people, the Venice Hathaway resident was huge when thinking how only three (or four) people lived there ―depending whether or not Theo was there. But for the Malfoys and the two elderly Blacks, the house was small. It wasn't a manor of any sort.
The Malfoy manor was mostly decorated by old family portraits but so was Rose's home ― in a different way however. These frames and photographs were real, they were taken in the moment of. They were made to create memories rather than good postures.
Soft blues music was playing from the gramophone.
The whole house was light ― white wooden floors and white walls with some small blue details which Ellen had painted when they bought the house.
For some reason, Narcissa who was a very picky person, couldn't really come up with things she didn't like about Rose's and her family's home. It felt like a home ― not a big cold place where you live and entertain your fake friends but a real home where you grow up, learn things and make memories.
"Is this Rosemary?" Druella asked and pointed at a photograph on the drawer which was just by the patio door.
Rose frowned at Druella's question but turned to look at the photograph.
"Oh yes, that's me. I think I was six or something," said Rose.
Druella took the photograph into her hands and looked at it a little more careful. A six years old Rose was smiling with two missing teeth, her blonde hair braided and she was wearing an overall.
"Well isn't this adorable. Look Narcissa," said Druella and showed the photograph to her daughter.
Not wanting to be rude, Narcissa looked at the photograph. "Yes, very."
"What's your dogs name?" Asked Draco ― Ozzy was running around him.
"Ozzy, come here," said Ellen and the dog did as he was told. "Good boy..."
The front door opened once and closed almost immediately, slightly alarming the Malfoys and Blacks. They weren't costumed to have people just walk into their homes without proper announcements. Apparently that wasn't an issue to Rose or her family.
A man with blonde-grey hair and bright blue eyes entered the living room where May and Ellen had ended their house tour.
"Uncle Jacob!" Grinned Rose happily, earning a peck on her cheek from her uncle. "This is my uncle Jacob, the male figure in my life," she said and pointed the words at Cygnus who has often showed his disapproval for the lack of male figures in Rose's life.
"Hej," said Jacob with his thick Swedish accent.
Once Jacob was introduced to everyone, May urged the people to go to the patio where the table was set for later. She, Ellen, Rose and Jacob sat down on one of the outside couches while their guests situated themselves to sit as well.
They all stayed quiet for a short time, listening to the sound of birds singing and soft summer breeze. Children's laughter could be heard from down the road where some of Ellen's students lived.
"So Mr and Mrs Malfoy, how did you two meet?" Asked May who had come to the conclusion that no one was going to speak unless spoken to.
Odette Malfoy scoffed at the question ― even after more than twenty years, she finds time to complain of her son's choices to marry Narcissa Black.
"We met in school. Later on I was engaged to another woman but broke it off to marry Narcissa," Lucius explained as shortly and vaguely as he possibly could ― he didn't seem to like too personal questions.
"You were engaged to someone else?" Asked Rose ― she wasn't sure had Theo mentioned this to her or not but it was interesting.
Lucius turned to look at Rose. "Yes I was."
"Who was she?" Rose asked, not bothering to look at Narcissa or how she was reacting to the subject of her husband's previous fiancé.
"Someone I had known my entire life. I didn't like her but it wasn't really up to me," said Lucius.
Rose cringed. "Oh right, you have the whole 14th century with arrange marriages and male heirs thing going on."
Ellen was visibly holding her laughter ― she has always appreciated how blunt Rose is which was a trait Rose had inherited from her. Also Rose's sarcasm was something to cherish but the Malfoys didn't quite agree with that.
"How about you two?" Asked Cygnus who had very hard time understanding how a household can be held by two women and a child.
May smiled and glanced at Ellen. "Well Ellen was working in a pub in Notting Hill and I happen to run into her one evening after her shift. We got to talking and eventually we moved in together. A few years after that, Rosie came along."
"Mmm, they asked me personally if I would like to move in with then," grimaced Rose.
"And you answered with some cute little baby noice which we took as a yes," added Ellen.
Rose smirked proudly.
Even with May's little story and explanation, Cygnus didn't still quite understand. He was aware that Jacob, who hasn't said a word after introducing himself, was the man in Rose's life but he wasn't her father.
"And Mr Malm, what is his story?" Asked Cygnus, earning a glare from his wife who wasn't too happy with his inquiry.
"I've known Jacob since childhood. I grew up here before I moved to England," said Ellen. "Jacob is like my brother."
Cygnus just nodded.
Theo stayed quiet, he needed to be observant and sharp rather than chatty. When he first started dating Rose he never thought the Malfoys would meet Rose's mothers and honestly, he liked it that way. Ellen and May have become very important people to him and he didn't want them to think less of him because of the Malfoys' opinions and thoughts.
"Perhaps we should get something to eat. I made dinner," said May and got up.
"Oh and Inez is about to pop for a little visit," said Rose and got up as well.
"Who is Inez?" Asked Lucius.
Rose grinned. "She's my best friend. You are going to love her."
Theo grimaced nervously.
please, imagine a nancy meyer kind of a beach house for rose's home
+ finished stranger things vol 2, nobody talk to me for the next 3-5 business days. i am upset.