Sugar Cookies or Chocolate Chip?

Shay Comes Over

Evie's POV

I smile at Rose as she munches on a piece of her birthday cake, I look at Flower amused as she takes a picture. She shoots me a glare.

"Don't judge. These are all I'm gonna have when she grows up" Flower says, I roll my eyes but hold my hands in surrender as she takes more pictures. Rose giggles and gets out of her chair to chase her around.

"Cake monster!" she yells, Rose grabbing her hand, Flower smiles and lifts up Rose to hold her on her hip.

"You're getting heavy, ya know that right?" Flower asks, making Rose wrap her arms around her neck.

"I love you, Flower. Forgive me, pleaseeeeeee?" Rose asks, pouting up at her, she huffs and looks at me for help.

"Why is she so adorable? I can't say no to her" she says, I laugh and take a picture of them when Rose kisses her cheek.

"Okay, kiddo. Time for a bath" I say, Rose shakes her head but I carry her to the bathroom.

"I'll clean up in here" Flower says when we leave the kitchen.

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It's been weeks since Rose's birthday. It's been raining lately.

My hand reaches for the remote as the weather guy talks about it snowing in a few days. We should tell Mr. Ford when we see him.

"I bring presents!" Flower hollers, trying to close the front door as she carries a box, I hurry over and close the front door behind her as she walks over to the coffee table.

"When I was here the other day, finishing up the laundry you left in the washer, I found so many holes. A gopher would be very proud" she says, looking up at me with her last sentence, I roll my eyes and sit on the couch as she opens the box.

"I decided, being the amazing aunt/godmother that I am, that I'd sew 'em up for you two" she says, pulling Rose's favorite dress from the box, the small holes and ripped hedges sewn together.

"Flower... Thank you so much" I say, standing up and hugging her, she goes still and awkwardly pats my back.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get all gushy with me, just give that little girl her clothes back" she mumbles, backing away from me, I smile at her embarrassed state.

"Want to stay for dinner?" I ask, closing the box. When I look up, I see a faint smile on her lips before she nods.

My feet tread quietly down the hallway when I stop by dad's door. We should clear it out soon. He'd be pissed if we left his guns there to get dusty. My hands tremble as I remember when he explained to Rose about guns. She was only a few months away from turning five and she asked about them.

Flashback

A grin is on my face as Rose hands dad his medicine he needs to take, he looks at them and nods before taking them with a sip of water.

"Atta, girl" he says, patting her head as she beams up at him with an adorable smile before looking back at the TV as it gets to the scene in We Were Soldiers where Mel Gibson and the rest of the soldiers leave their wives and family to go to war.

"Want seconds?" I ask him, he shakes his head and goes back to cleaning his guns. After a few minutes, Rose waddles over to us and peers over the table, her eyes full of curiosity.

"What's these?" she asks, Dad looks over at me and I hold my hands up in surrender.

"Well, sweetie" Dad says, pushing his chair back slightly and pulling Rose onto his lap as she sucks on her thumb.