Love, Rosie (24 page)

I
no
you
will
be
just
fine

from
:

to
:

subject
:

Rosie

Alex

Re:
Baby
talk

You
KNOW
I
will
be
fine.
Watch
the
spelling,
Mr.
Stewart.

from
:

to
:

subject
:

Alex

Rosie

Re:
Baby
talk

Rosie,
already
acting
like
a
mother.
Take
care,
Alex.

44

You
have
an
instant
message
from:
ALEX

Cecelia
Ahern

Alex:

Phil:

Alex:

Phil:

Alex:

Phil:

Alex:

I
thought
you
said
you’d
keep
an
eye
on
her
for
me
Phil.

I
told
you,
if
she
didn’t
learn
to
control
her
bladder
she’d
be
out

of
here.
She’s
fine
in
the
garden.

Not
the
dog
Phil,
I’m
talking
about
Rosie.

What
about
Rosie?

Stop
pretending
you
don’t
no.
I
heard
mum
and
dad
tell
you
over

the
phone.

How
do
you
feel
about
it?

Everyone
keeps
asking
me
that
and
I
have
no
idea.
It’s
weird.

Rosie
is
pregnant.
She’s
just
turned
eighteen.
She
can
barely
take

care
of
herself
let
alone
a
baby.
She
smokes
like
a
chimney
and

refuses
to
eat
greens.
She
stays
awake
till
4
am
and
sleeps
till
one

o’clock
in
the
day.
She
chose
to
take
a
job
washing
pots
and
pans

at
the
Chinese
take-away
for
less
money
than
what
her
neighbors

were
offering
for
babysitting.
She
always
said
she
didn’t
want
to

have
kids
till
she
was
forty.
I
don’t
think
she’s
changed
a
nappy

in
her
life.
Apart
from
Kevin,
I
don’t
think
she’s
ever
held
a
baby

for
more
than
five
minutes.
What
about
college?
What
about

working?
How
the
hell
is
she
going
to
manage?
How
will
she

meet
someone?
How
will
she
make
friends?
She’s
just
trapped

herself
into
a
life
that’s
her
worst
nightmare.

Phil:

Alex:

Believe
me
Alex,
she’ll
learn.
Her
parents
are
supporting
her

aren’t
they?
She
won’t
be
alone.

Her
mum
and
dad
will
be
at
work
all
day
Phil.
She’s
an
intelli-

gent
person,
I
no
that.
But
as
much
as
she
tries
to
convince
me,

I’m
not
quite
sure
she’s
convinced
herself
that
when
the
crying

starts,
she
can’t
hand
this
one
back.
If
only
I’d
gotten
on
that

flight
and
made
it
to
the
debs.

Dear
Stephanie,

Let
me
help
you
find
yourself.
Allow
my
words
of
wisdom
to
rain

down
on
you
and
shower
you
with
knowledge.
From
one
sister
who

love,
rosie

45

greatly
loves
and
respects
you
and
wishes
for
nothing
but
happiness
and

great
fortune
in
your
life,
please
take
my
advice.
Never
get
pregnant.
Or