" Mom, can I go and see Gloria?" asked Rosalie.

"Wouldn't it be better to wait until after lunch?" asked Bea.

"I don't think so," said Rosalie with a mischievous face, "I think I'd like very much to eat at Annerieke's. Gloria always goes there too, you see?"

"Oh yes, I understand you completely! What do you think, should we call Annerieke first to ask if it's okay?"

"I know she likes it when I come. And if she says it's not okay, I'll go home again immediately. Then I just have bad luck. Very bad luck!"

Bea burst out laughing and gave her daughter a big hug. "Go on, and enjoy it!"

"Oh yes, that's not so difficult. Gloria is so sweet, she's my friend!" Rosalie did a lap dance, gave her mother a kiss and walked off with a "See you later!"

Bea looked after her, smiling. 

.

Rosalie hopped over the lawn along the guesthouse and the house of Simon and Annerieke. She looked inside Huib's work shed.

"Hi Huib, I am going to Gloriaaaaaaaaaa!"

And away she went, leaving Huib laughing behind her.

As soon as she saw Gloria's house, she saw that Margreet was sitting in the rocking chair. Was she reading? Or was she feeding Gloria? Rosalie couldn't see very well, only that Margreet was waving at her. She went into the house through the scullery, straight to the living-room.

"Gloria," she whispered delightedly, when she saw her friend drinking at Margreet's. She was so happy to see her. Not wanting to frighten her, she walked quietly over to them and stood next to Margreet, next to Gloria's feet.

Margreet looked at her, amazed at the intense love she saw in Rosalie's eyes. Rosalie looked at Margreet for a moment and whispered, "She's so sweet, she's so beautiful, I can feel it here, it just hurts a little..." She put her hand on her chest. "Just a little, it's no big deal."

Gloria opened her eyes and looked at Rosalie. For a moment she seemed surprised. Then she let go of the breast and a radiant smile broke through on her face. Rosalie let her mouth fall open in surprise and put on big eyes. "Gloria! You're smiling! You're smiling so beautifully!" Rosalie started beaming and grabbed a hand from Gloria. Gloria squeezed her finger as if she never wanted to let go.

"Is she done drinking?" asked Rosalie.

"Actually no, but I don't know if she wants my other breast yet. I'll give it a try."

Margreet tried to lay Gloria down the other way, but Gloria only looked at Rosalie. She did not seem to be hungry at all any more. She saw her big friend and the rest she had simply forgotten!

"A beautiful couple you are," Margreet pretended to grumble. "Does she have to be hungry now?"

"She's not hungry at all!" thought Rosalie. "Can I make her burp, against my shoulder?"

Margreet nodded: " Just sit down on the sofa, and I'll put her against you."

Rosalie jumped to her knees on the sofa and turned around so that she was sitting firmly against the backrest. Margreet was amused by the girl, by how she was wonderfully herself and went her own way. So open, so real! She put a spit cloth on Rosalie's shoulder, laid Gloria against her and sat down on the edge of the coffee table. The most beautiful view I could ever wish for, she thought to herself, while she enjoyed the gentleness with which Rosalie handled Gloria, the calmness of the bouncy girl with whom she laid her cheek against Gloria's head and closed her eyes.

Silently Margreet took her mobile and made a picture and another close-up.

Through the window she saw that Huib was coming. When he entered the room she put her finger on her lips. Huib saw the girls on the couch and felt the intensity and the peace that radiated from them. Only when Gloria turned her head, turned her face to Rosalie, Rosalie opened her eyes and looked at the sleeping little face next to her. She kissed her very softly on her forehead and then looked at Margreet. "She is so beautiful, so sweet..." she sighed.

Margreet nodded and showed her the two pictures she had taken. Rosalie beamed: "That's us, Gloria and me. Will you send those photos to Patrick and Bea?"

"Yes, I will, I'm sure they'll like it!"

And indeed they did. They sent a short message back separately, both with only a heart emoticon.

In the meantime Huib had come closer and sat down next to Rosalie. "Say Rosalie, do you remember when we saw each other for the first time?"

"Oh yes, in the restaurant, then Margreet didn't have a thick belly yet, but Gloria was already in it, just tiny. I thought she was so sweet, even then."

"Nice that you remember that. We thought it was very beautiful that you said that to Margreet then. And we are glad that you have come to live so close now, close to Gloria."

"Yes, close to Gloria..." Rosalie gave her another kiss on her forehead. "Close to Gloria..."

To chapter 5. Anton brings life to the scene

Or to the Table of contents