Tiny Dancer

21 - Strawberry Milkshakes

AN: I forgot to mention the last chapter that the amusement park is loosely based on Adventureland in Long Island from the information I found on their website.

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Tuesday

Upon waking up, Nora followed the noise in the house and found herself in the kitchen.

"Good morning, sweetie," Adelaide greeted with several mixing bowls around her and ingredients littering the counters.

Nora gave a nod of acknowledgment as she walked further into the room with a little yawn. She reached up to the counter and stood on her tippy toes to get a better look at what Adelaide was doing. Adelaide set down the bowl she was mixing and offered Nora a warm smile. "I'm making crepspelles. Would you like to help?"

"Please," Nora replied, bouncing a little on her toes.

Adelaide stepped around the island and lifted Nora to sit on an empty counter. "Why don't you pull the green tops off the strawberries first."

"Okay," Nora whispered as Adelaide picked up her mixing bowl and turned to the stove to start ladling the batter into the pan.

Rossi entered the kitchen a little later to find Nora and his mother sitting at the counter mid breakfast. Adelaide spoke to Nora in slow Italian, pausing to explain in English whenever her brow knitted in confusion. "Good morning."

"Morning," Adelaide replied.

"Mhm," Nora mumbled, too busy eating to stop and form actual words.

"What are your plans for today?" Adelaide asked between bites of her own breakfast.

Rossi replied on his way over to the coffee maker. "It's a surprise."

"Well, don't tell your mother then. Just help yourself to the breakfast Nora and I made."

Rossi grinned. "I will. Is it good, Nora?"

"Yes." She set her fork down and pushed her empty plate forward. "Done."

"Okay," Rossi said, grabbing his own plate to fix. "Go get dressed. Penelope packed you a new outfit that I laid out on your bed."

Nora jumped down and gave a smile before skipping off back upstairs. Adelaide waited a few moments before speaking. "Now, where are you going?"

"The space museum, then Maggie's."

"That should be fun. I take it she likes space then?"

Rossi took a seat at the counter. "She loves it. Reid, one of my coworkers, put glow-in-the-dark constellations on her ceiling in her room. The first day she spent hours just looking at them. She knows a good bit about them too." There was a lull in the conversation while they both enjoyed their breakfast until Rossi spoke again. "You know, if you don't have plans today, you could join us."

Adelaide gave a genuine look of surprise. "Really?"

"Yes, you said you wanted to get to know Nora. This is something she likes, so no better way."

"I'd love to."

"Good."

Nora skipped back into the room, giving a little twirl and squeal of excitement. She was wearing a new dress and had a new pair of shoes clutched in her arms.

"Well, isn't that a pretty dress?" Adelaide observed.

Rossi smiled as Nora continued to spin in the planet and star-patterned dress. "Did Penelope do a good job?"

Nora nodded, holding the galaxy converse out to Rossi. Rossi stood up, taking the shoes and setting them on the counter before lifting Nora up on the stool so he could put them on. "After this, why don't you get your hairbrush and pick out a bow. I bet if you ask nicely Nonna will braid your hair. She is much better at it than I am."