Let's Play!

Ansel kinda cringed a bit.

"Um. Pretty much the same, actually. "

He wasn't about to lie.

"Really? What are the odds of that?"

Taylor wandered off with some juice and an egg sandwich.

"Um... you might find they're pretty high in this house. "

He cautioned, suddenly glad his therapist bro/ friend didn't encounter the dreamscape.... he wasn't sure that his confidential treatment applied to dreams.

Taylor raised a brow and then chuckled.

"I've had worse."

Ansel smiled a tiny bit.

"Thanks.... I think? "

He ventured with an awkward little smile at Taylor before kissing their cheek and returning to Willow with breakfast.

Willow was sitting up, watching Aisling. The child was standing at the side of the bed, proudly showing off the orange she had halfway shredded. She turned to Ansel when he came in, holding the sticky mess above her head.

"Yay!" She screeched.

Ansel forgot all about his awkward issues with Taylor, grinning at Aisling and cheering with her as he placed a kiss on top her head.

"Look at how big and grown up you are! "

He was nothing if not the delighted, happy father.

The child smiled smugly at her mother, pleased tht genius was recognized. Willow laughed.

"Alright, alright."

The child.plopped the pulverized orange into her dad's lap when he sat down.

Ansel chuckled, reaching to lift up his youngest and hug her sticky self into him.

"She's wonderful. I think so wonderful that bubble bath might be in her future? "

He suggested as he realized how much sticky and pet hair was now all over him.

Willow chuckled.

"Maybe for you too."

Regardless how squeaky clean he may have been just before.

Ansel snickered.

"Yeah.... that's alright by me. Daddy daughter bubble time? "

He suggested to his baby with a grin.

Aisling just giggled and patted her sticky hands on his face.



"You're either gonna turn into a sea slug or a prune at this rate."

Ansel glanced up to Willow, grinning at her as he held up a giggling little girl naked as the day she was born, bubbles dripping all over them both.

" worth it, look at her little face. "

He could not be told his children weren't the best, ever. He would die on this hill.

Aisling was chanting the word "bub" over and over until he picked her up.

"No! Bad!"

How dare he interrupt her bubble playtime?!



"I don't think she's a fan of that," willow responded with a lopsided smile.

Ansel laughed, chuckling as he lowered her into his lap in the bubbles.

" sorry. I was just showing mommy that we're getting all cleaned up. "

He apologized with an amused grin, letting her play a while longer before toweling off them both once the bubbles had died and was happy to dress her sweet self in a leggings and tunic look with little velvety mint colored butterflies all over with a background of faint pastel flowers.

"Alright my wild angel, go have fun. "

He encouraged with happy support.

Once their fiery kiddo was let loose he couldn't help but pull his wife to him, kissing her repeatedly.

"I love you. You're so amazing, you know that? "

She'd created people. Three times! Maybe it sounded small to some, but he would inform you that he was thoroughly and utterly enchanted by her skills to give him such fabulous little cherub babies.

" So, I have this wonderful little lunch date with a cute little pink lady. Any suggestions to help her feel extra special today? "

Cause he was not about to forget his Rosie.

"She's the most agreeable person I've ever met. I'm sure she'll be delighted with anything. "

"She really is. Which is why I'm hoping to find something perfectly her.... which is kinda making me feel bad. Cause I'm not entirely sure what she loves.... other than her peg people."

He offered with a guilty little look at his wife.

Willow shifted her weight from foot to foot. This conversation cost her something, but she summoned what was needed to push forward.

"You should take her to have her hair done. Maybe some hair tinsel or braids with additions?"

Ansel thought about it, glancing to his side.

"I feel something.... "

He started slowly, trying to work through it.

" What about if we... are you sure? It feels like that's something you'd rather be who did that? "

He suggested slowly, looking at his wife with clear concern for her.

Willow shook her head a little with a tight smile.

"No. I want you to have a good time and I don't know how to do that sort of stuff anyway."

She twisted her fingers before reaching for comfort from his hands.

"I just... I'm pretty sure she'd be delighted."

It wasn't the thought of him doing it that made this difficult for her. The hard part came from the brokenness between her and the children. It came from the place that no longer believed she could be trusted to speak for them, even in this tiny way.

Ansel nodded slowly, pulling her into his arms.

"I love you.... I will be happy to spoil her so. You've always known these things so easily. "

He believed in her, even if she was missing that confidence right now.

Willow dug her fingers into his sides. She wasn't ready to go there yet. It was too much.

"Have a good day, "she whispered

Ansel snuggled and kissed at his wife a few times as he stood there and let his mind wonder over the various choices for his perfectly docile little flower baby girl...

"I love you. I won't be gone the whole day. Have a good time while I'm out with her? "

He posed softly, thumb stroking her cheek affectionately as he looked at her. Sweet woman, gosh he did love her so endlessly.

Willow eased again after a second, leaning her cheek into his hand.

"Ill see what happens,' she compromised.

He got a little peck on response from her before she wandered off, for once not retreating but instead moving on to something else. She figured she still owed Taylor some mannequin time, and she was also very tempted by the TV remote. There were options.

Ansel would eagerly sweep little Rosie off without getting caught by the other kiddos and headed out the door with a grin.

"Alright my little Rosie Princess, what does Rosie want to do? "

"Um..."

She shrugged, paying him only half a mind as she fiddled with the two peg people in her hands.

"I dunno."

Well, perhaps that was to be expected from this one?

Ansel smiled and kissed her nose. Alright then.

"Ok, how about daddy keeps track of your pegs and we can do something fun that mommy suggested? "

He hedged, waiting to see if there was protest to doing it with dad instead of mum.

Rosie pouted.

"But... what if I keep the peggles AND we do the fun?" She countered.

She liked fun. She also liked her toys.

"But daddy doesn't want you to lose them while doing the fun. How about you keep hold of them until we get there? "

Which wasn't going to be but a few more minutes as they were approaching a large sign with pink bubble letters and a child style drawn crown on top. 'Princess Playtime '.

Rosie was pleased with this solution and soon distracted by the sign.

"Look, daddy. That's a queen letters! "

Ansel smiled at her, nodding.

"Well of course, I've got a little girl in my arms right here who deserves all the royal treatment. "

He headed inside with the bright lights, every color you could imagine filling the walls and tables with various accessories. Little racks of dresses were spaced about the room, each one stunning and unique. A glass case in the far corner of the room glittered too bright to see for sure.

Ansel turned away from the case though and towards a desk with a cheerful, fully done up young man.

"Why, hello! "

He greeted Rosie, bowing to her and kissing her little hand.

"Welcome, and what can we do for this little princess today? "

"This is Princess Rosie, she has a hair and style appointment."

That he didn't just make on the wall over.

The child giggled and marveled at the wonderland around her. However, she clung to Ansel nervously when he tried to put her in the chair.

"I can sit in your lap?" She suggested.

Ansel grinned at his daughter and melted on the inside. She needed him? She wanted -him-? His little Rosie could have asked for the moon in this moment and Ansel would have gracefully grand jete right up and plucked it from the sky.

"Why of course you can. "

There was no room for argument or push back as he shot a half second look that would make his father proud to the stylist. Ruin this and he'd be a bit late getting home, cause he'd charitably take out the trash.

She would soon have the most Cinderella piggy buns, accented with lovely little ringlet curls about her face and delicate blush pink flower snaps through out her hair.

"Would the princess like a bit of pixie dust? "

Ansel leaned in and whispered to Rosie, " want daddy to try it first? ". He'd totally take whatever was coming first if it made her more confidante and comfortable.

Rosie looked up at the glitter wand. She wanted it, but if daddy did too...

"Can we share?"

Ansel nodded a bit and took it as bravery rather than charitable splitting. This is why he would be covered in iridescent monochrome glitter of the pink variety. As was, of course little Rosie.

The duo were now being shown different dresses and tiaras, should they so interest the tiny princess.

"What do you think, Rosie? What's the perfect outfit for Rosie Posie?"

"IT has to be a Rosie dress," she told him with simple logic as she pointed to the cluster of pink ones. She clung to his side and grinned the whole way.

Ansel grinned and felt so delighted. Yes. His kids were color codes, but he genuinely loved it and was gonna embrace it as long as they'd permit it.

"There's so many. Butterflies? Sparkles? Spots?"

He asked, fishing for her opinion as he lifted her up to look at all the choices

Rosie giggled and reached for one.

"The love dress!" She decided right away, pointing at the one with glittery hearts all over it.

"Cuz I love love."

Ansel could have -died-. She was the sweetest little young on the planet to him right this second. The staff were more than delighted to help the little baby cupid princess into her royal gown upgrade, fixing the large bow on the back just -so- before they guided her to the mirror to look see. Ansel had spent his time locating the prefect little ruby mary janes to go with her outfit. They were so sparkly and red that little dorthy would be jealous of her as Ansel went to help her into the shoes, knelt down in his suit without worries, looking pleased to spoil his sweet girl.

"What do you think, rosie?"

He really hoped she was happy.

She hopped up into his arms.

"I'm a pretty love Rosie! Tada!"