Even Still, All at Once

                                    

                                          
 * A few months after Celine and Emma are reunited*
" Where's Emma?" Celine asked, looking up at Rosalie over clear rimmed glasses as they both sat down at the long dinner table, Rosalie sitting a large full bag down in the seat next to her " and what have you brought in that massive bag? Are we running away from home or what?" She teased lightly, lifting a brow.
" No running away, not today anyways." Rosalie smirked with a small laugh before reaching into the bag to pull out multiple photo albums " as I was getting everything unpacked I found these albums full of Emma's childhood, from infancy to right when you met her & I just really wanted to share them with you." Her warm chocolate eyes met the almond ones that softened at the explanation, pleased as a smile pulled at the other woman's lips at the idea " and as for our little blonde devil...she's digging through all my drawers to find the face cream you bought her to bring here for the evening."
" She lost it again? Oh mon dieu...that's the third one I got her!" Celine rolled her eyes with a sigh "   We're going to have to start adding trackers to them." She chuckled with a shake of her head that Rosalie shared " would you like a cup of coffee before we go through pictures?" She offered.
" You know I'm always a yes when it comes to caffeine." Rosalie grinned.
" Which is probably why no matter how much yoga, mediation & essential oils you do, you're up till 2 am every night." Celine teased with a side eye before laughing fully when the woman playfully flipped her middle finger up at her in feigned offense before sharing the laugh.
" What can I say, I have my vices." Rosalie threw up her hands in concession causing the other mother to chuckle as she fixed both of their cups of coffee exactly how they each like it best - Celine enjoyed here with no add ins, Rosalie with sugar and cream - which Celine assumed was where Emma developed her taste from.
" Here we are..." Celine handed Rosa her steaming cup, taking a seat at the table with her. 
" Gracias hermana.." Rosalie warmly greeted her with a smile before humming in appreciation as she took a sip " perfect as always."
" Singing isn't my only gift." Celine laughed lightly as she sat down, taking a sip of her own before setting the cup aside and looking over the photo albums " where shall we start?"
" At the beginning." Rosalie smiled up at Celine as she pushed an album with pink hearts, a stork and the words ' baby's first photo album' across the front. 
Celine took the album in her hands, running the pad of her thumbs along the edge of the album as nerves began to run up her body and into her chest. She wanted to see her little girl in every stage but it was ,of course, always as bitter as it was sweet when they did things like this, but her curiosity was stronger than her fears so with a deep breath she opened the album to see prints of her daughter's feet on one page and a photo of Emma still in the hospital swaddled in a pink blanket on the other side.
" Oh my beautiful baby..." Celine's fingers came up to cover her mouth as her eye filled with tears as she took in the photo in front of her " she's perfect...her little lips, her tiny nose...I just..I wish I could just kiss her face all over..." She let out a broken laugh as tears fell down her face, Rosalie's hand coming to rest on her arm in support " all of her brothers have the same perfect bowed lips you know?" Celine met Rosalie's glassy gaze.
" I do, it was the first thing I noticed when I met them, they are all together her brothers - there's no doubting that." Rosalie answered tenderly, giving Celine's arm a light squeeze " here is at her christening." 
She turned the page showing a photo of a much younger, stunning version of herself, a handsome beaming Andy & Emma in  an embellished, tiny white gown and a priest beam nearby. 
Photos on the next page showcased the entire christening process, warming Celine's heart - it had been so important to she & Rene to christen their boys that knowing Emma had also taken part in the faith tradition was so very special & made it feel as if they'd always been at least a little connected somehow even when they were apart.