Summer Sleepover Closed

"Aw," it was really romantic how Alina's governess fell in love with her dad and him to her. It was something straight out of the longest movie ever, Sound of Music. Rose smiled at the thought- she had watched that movie with her dad when she was really little, and whenever she watched it (which was rare, it was like, four hours long), she thought of him, and how her little three-year old self curled up against him, sipping on hot (not-so hot) chocolate from a sippy cup. It was one of her only memories of him. Rose was thoroughly familiar with both worlds, and grew up on both.
Just thinking of her mother getting a boyfriend made Rose uncomfortable. It was different with Alina, their governess had practically been her mom for those years, and it would probably feel just... right for her to have her as her stepmother. But with Rose... her only babysitters had been cheap teenage girls that were looking for a little money for mall trips with their friends, which were near around town and her great-aunt- she doubted any of those would date her mom. It sent shivers down her back.
Alina did deserve a whole family, an entire family, and a happy family, though Rose didn't know if that would ever happen. Hopefully.
Rose could only image how much it must have hurt Alina when Juliette left, without a note, without a letter, without a goodbye. "I'm sorry." Her voice was lined with sympathy. At least Rose had gotten to say goodbye to her dad.
But now Juliette was back, bringing the promise of a complete, happy family. "I really hope it all works out," Rose added. She really did.
Rose started counting on her fingers as she talked-
"Anyway, we have had a pillow fight, caught up, talked about boys... Met..." Rose shrugged. "Most of your family... Are there any more sleepover boxes we need to check? Could be the general requirements for sleepovers or the Alina requirements, but we have gone through pretty much all my expectations."
What else could they do...?
Rose's eyes lit up. "We could play two truths and a lie- have you heard of that game? Where one person says two truths and a lie about themselves and the other one has to guess the lie?" If Alina agreed to play, Rose would say, "You go first."

Rose narrowed her eyes in concentration.
Elayne. Elayne was a very French-sounding name, and Alina spent a few years in France- she knew French too, so, in her mind, she eliminated that one.
As for the hospital wing... Rose hoped Alina hadn't stayed overnight in the Hospital wing, but she wouldn't put it against Alina. Honestly, they were just talking about swimming in the merfolk-infested, grindylow-dwelling Black Lake that had a Giant Squid in it. The Alina who took her up on the Astronomy Tower. That Alina. Hospital Wing? For Alina, that would be almost boring!
"I'm gonna say Australia?" Rose said slowly, it sounding more like a question than an answer. Though she wouldn't put it past her, it seemed, at least to Rose, the least likely out of the three.
In anticipation, she bounced on her feet, then, careful not to wrinkle her covers, sat on Alina's bed. "Did I get it right?"
Rose pondered it for a moment, then began to count on her fingers. "Let's see... My dad's name was Gabriel... I have a family owl named Daisy and... My great-aunt is a squib." She smiled at Alina, awaiting her answer. While Alina was thinking, Rose started brainstorming ideas for her next one.

"Those are adorable!" Rose exclaimed at Alina's confession that she had always wanted to go to Australia. Quokkas took selfies, apparently, with other people.
She shook her head at Alina's guess. "That's a good guess- no, my great-aunt is a squib- she's super spunky too, and she doesn't let it hold her back," Rose knew that she was probably kinda bitter about not being able to use magic, as well as being disowned the moment she turned seventeen and expected to fend for herself, but she was outgoing and never talked about those kinds of things. Rose laughed at herself, her next comment. "Our family owl's name is Doofus." They had decided on it all together, though Faith had suggested it. With a smirk, she remembered how ridiculous he was- and is. "Honestly, it's very fitting for him."
The brightness of the room seemed to dwindle when Alina admitted her mother was a squib. "It really shouldn't matter..." Rose was thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "My grandma once said that it was a pride thing. That the other purebloods would look down on you for being able to produce a squib, or for raising a muggle-lover. It's kinda ingrained in purebloods' brains that they need to bring pride to their family. If you don't, then..." she shrugged. A lot of people thought blood-purists were horrible people, and sometimes they were, but sometimes it's just what you were taught to do. "Your family isn't respected anymore... My grandparents used to be brutal blood-purists, but they've realized over the years that it didn't really matter, or it shouldn't... Though my grandma said she lost a lot of her dear friends when she stopped being so strict about that..."
It was a serious problem on their society, the purebloods and blood-purists thinking they're better than everyone else. Rose really hadn't understood it until she had talked with her grandmother about it last Christmas. She seemed really guilty when she had said so. Rose shook her head again. "It's still not right, though."

Rose smiled at the mention of her mother. "She's... she's really extroverted and rambunctious- pretty much all her family is. I honestly don't see her that much, she's working a lot. But when I do, she's very warm and fun... and she was a Hufflepuff, actually, in her sixth and seventh year. She came here from Ilvermorny then. I guess she needed a fresh start." Rose smiled at the thought of her mother. "She's really beautiful, too, and I wouldn't be surprised if she married again."
That wasn't exactly true. Rose would be very surprised if her mother married again. First, as far as she knew, her mother had no time for dating, and no money for a wedding. Second, her mother had loved her father, a lot. Rose would feel like she had forgotten about her dad, or didn't love him anymore, if she moved on from him. She knew that was silly, but that was how it was going to happen.
"What's your dad like?" she asked thoughtfully. Alina had asked her, so why not her ask Alina?
A teasing smirk grew on her lips. "What are you insinuating, Alina?"
Rose knew exactly what Alina was insinuating.
They both had single parents of the opposite gender.
"To get them to fall in love or something?" she turned her head on its side, and she blushed a little bit at her next confession. "If I'm being honest, I would be lying if I said I didn't think about it myself.
She turned it over in her head. If she really thought about it, it was possible.
"It would be fun to have you and Bella as stepsisters," Rose said thoughtfully. "Though you would have, like, six times as many siblings. And my family would probably move into your castle with you." Both of their lives would change drastically, along with their parents and their siblings. "It would be chaotic around here."
Her family would probably never have to worry about money ever again. And her mother would be happy again, not quite as tired. But their families were bound to clash in some way.

Rose shrugged. "I guess it could work out... but yeah, it's probably unlikely..."
It would be really fun to live in a castle with Alina and Bella- to not have to worry about money, and see her mother more. Because, even though Rose doubted that she deserved anything good, she did deserve to see her mother more than she did.
But in Rose's mind, of course her mother would never get a boyfriend or a husband ever again. She had been loyal to her father and plus, she wouldn't have time for that kind of thing- dating. She was working all the time. No, she would never do that.
Would she?
Little did Rose know, her mother was soon going to get a boyfriend. And that "boyfriend" status just might eventually develop into something more.
Little did she know...
"Do you think your dad could ever get married?" Rose asked her thoughtfully. Alina knew her dad better than Rose did (because Rose still hadn't met him yet), and Rose wanted Alina to be happy. Rose thought that Alina deserved a mother-figure that was always there for her. Because she did. Of course she did. "Would you want him to get married again? I mean, it's not really your choice, but if it was..."