biological 》ian gallagher

eight

The sun was near setting when Debbie pulled the cookies from the oven. Rosie leaned across the counter, practically laying on it, to see them. She smiled widely when Debbie set them on the table.

"They look so good!" Rosie squealed, causing Debbie to nod in agreement, and Mickey to bite his lower lip to conceal a hint of emotion.

"I know! You did a good job, Rosie." Debbie smiled at her. Rosie lit up, hearing those words. Debbie used a spatula to scrape the chocolate chip cookie off of the baking sheet. She placed it on the counter in front of Rosie. "Be careful, they're still hot." Debbie warned, as Rosie made sure not to touch it just yet. Rosie looked over at Mickey, who hadn't done much talking, aside from when Rosie forced him to taste the cookie dough.

"Here." She slid the cookie over to sit in front of him. "You can have mine." Mickey had no choice bit to grin, momentarily, at her. Debbie continued to pull the cookies off of the sheet, and stack them all on a plate.

"Are you sure?" Mickey asked her, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. Rosie nodded, eagerly waiting for him to take a bite. He noticed her excitement, and took a bite. She smiled at him, waiting for the good review. "It's good." Mickey said, smiling for a split second, but forced it back soon after.

"I'm home!" Fiona sighed from the living room, taking off her coat, before tossing it onto the couch, and making her way to the kitchen. She saw Mickey, and wondered why he was here, but she didn't point this out. "Where's Ian?" She asked them, noticing Rosie was here, but Ian wasn't.

"Um, looking for a job, I think." Debbie had become doubtful about it, since Ian hadn't came home, yet. Fiona frowned slightly, pulling a beer from the fridge.

"It's eight o'clock." Fiona pointed out, leaning her back against the kitchen counter. Debbie just shrugged, as Rosie grabbed a cookie from the plate.

"Fiona, look! I made cookies." Rosie smiled, holding a cookie out for her to take. Fiona couldn't help but grin, taking the cookie from her hands. Rosie noticed that Mickey had finished his cookie, and gave him another. Fiona bit into hers, smiling immediately afterwards.

"Very good, Rosie, very good." Fiona smiled at the ginger girl, making Rosie happy. Everyone heard the front door open and close, making them all look over to see who it could have been. All of them, including Rosie, hoped it was Ian.

"I smell cookies!" Veronica's voice filled the house, making Mickey look back towards Rosie's cookie that she gave him, as he started to doubt that Ian would be coming home at all tonight.

"Rosie made 'em." Fiona stated, as Veronica and Kevin walked in. Kevin had noticed Mickey sitting there.

"Hey, Mick." He said with a small smile, before the two noticed the strange little girl sitting next to him.

"Who is she?" Veronica asked, glancing around at Fiona, Debbie, and even Mickey. Although, Fiona was the only one that knew the full story, even she had to fill in some of the blanks.

"Rosie. Ian's daughter." It felt strange for Fiona to say out loud, and it sounded even stranger to Kevin and Veronica. Rosie grinned shyly at the two new people. Kevin was the first to notice how uneasy she felt around the strangers, as he approached the counter across from her.

"Hey Rosie, I'm Kevin." He smiled at her, making Rosie glance at Mickey, already feeling a special bond with Mickey.

"You can have one." Rosie grinned, taking a cookie and giving it to Kevin. Kevin smiled dramatically.

"Really? Thanks." He thanked her, taking the cookie from her hands, as Fiona conversed with Veronica in the background.

Finally, Rosie grabbed another cookie for Veronica to take. Veronica felt the need to smile at her, too, as she took the cookie.

"Thanks, Rosie. I'm Veronica. I live next door." Veronica stated, making Rosie light up from the nervousness she had just felt.

"Maybe daddy's at Veronica's house." Rosie looked at Mickey, making everyone one else laugh out loud.

"I don't think so, sweetie." Mickey used the term of endearment quietly, so only she could hear.

"He'll be home soon, Rosie." Debbie reassured her, giving her a small grin. Rosie's shoulders fell slightly, in defeat.