A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Printable Version
+- Charming (https://charmingrp.com)
+-- Forum: IC - Elsewhere (https://charmingrp.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=11)
+--- Forum: The Past (https://charmingrp.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=92)
+--- Thread: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor (/showthread.php?tid=17324)
+- Charming (https://charmingrp.com)
+-- Forum: IC - Elsewhere (https://charmingrp.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=11)
+--- Forum: The Past (https://charmingrp.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=92)
+--- Thread: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor (/showthread.php?tid=17324)
A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Daffodil Grimstone - July 1, 2025
July 6th, 1895 - Grimstone Residence
As she sat against the pillows in her bed, Daff adjusted Willow in her arms again, putting her more upright, over her shoulder. Daff suspected a tooth coming in was the culprit of the fussiness and so bedtime was taking a little longer than normal. Luckily their daughter much preferred her own bed to anywhere else and Daff, being such a light sleeper, was thankful for that. Once Daff got her to sleep, that was. So far all the humming and back rubbing wasn't doing what it normally did.
In her time trying to sooth Willow, Daff had plenty of time to think through the two… and a half questions, she'd been meaning to ask Elias but had kept holding off for whatever reason. The six month mark was only a little over a month away. Daff had told herself she would wait at least that long, but she could feel the itch of wanting to get back to work creeping along her skin and she thought she was finally ready. This month felt like a good time to approach it.
Naturally, that thought had a secondary question. Even though she'd already brought it up with the nanny as an possibility, she hadn't wanted to put it on Elias' plate until she was certain that was what was going to happen. After suggesting to Zin that they could do a little nanny share so that she could get back to work too, Daff was still trying to work out the logistics. Emery was a year old now, it was a decent gap, so it might be tricky. What might be even more so was that Daff did not expect her sister to help pay for the added child.
As the time trickled on she'd also been thinking through the last year overall and with Elias' birthday tomorrow, she had every intention of making it a better experience, even if she knew he wouldn't want a fuss made. It wouldn't be much, but she still had the urge to do something that would be better than last year. There'd been a brimming hope that maybe they could start celebrating tonight, but as she felt Willow wriggle against her, her patience and energy were rapidly dwindling. "She's channeling her inner Laurel," Daff whispered on a chuckle, trying to make light of it, eyes darting to Elias as he came into their room. "And stubbornly refusing to sleep." The last part held the tone of a quiet plea of desperation.
In her time trying to sooth Willow, Daff had plenty of time to think through the two… and a half questions, she'd been meaning to ask Elias but had kept holding off for whatever reason. The six month mark was only a little over a month away. Daff had told herself she would wait at least that long, but she could feel the itch of wanting to get back to work creeping along her skin and she thought she was finally ready. This month felt like a good time to approach it.
Naturally, that thought had a secondary question. Even though she'd already brought it up with the nanny as an possibility, she hadn't wanted to put it on Elias' plate until she was certain that was what was going to happen. After suggesting to Zin that they could do a little nanny share so that she could get back to work too, Daff was still trying to work out the logistics. Emery was a year old now, it was a decent gap, so it might be tricky. What might be even more so was that Daff did not expect her sister to help pay for the added child.
As the time trickled on she'd also been thinking through the last year overall and with Elias' birthday tomorrow, she had every intention of making it a better experience, even if she knew he wouldn't want a fuss made. It wouldn't be much, but she still had the urge to do something that would be better than last year. There'd been a brimming hope that maybe they could start celebrating tonight, but as she felt Willow wriggle against her, her patience and energy were rapidly dwindling. "She's channeling her inner Laurel," Daff whispered on a chuckle, trying to make light of it, eyes darting to Elias as he came into their room. "And stubbornly refusing to sleep." The last part held the tone of a quiet plea of desperation.
RE: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Elias Grimstone - July 30, 2025
Oh no. Much as he liked Daff’s mother (most of the time), anyone’s inner Laurel was almost a worrying sentiment. Elias smiled wryly. “Let me try for a while,” he suggested, less because he thought he would have any better luck than Daffy had if Willow was as restless and stubborn as she had said, and more to give Daff a break from holding her.
He hadn’t sat down on the bed yet, so he may as well take her – he carefully transferred Willow onto his chest instead, letting her squirm for a minute but trying to soothe her by stroking the downy back of her head. He had been consistently nervous about holding her, a few months ago – she had seemed so small and breakable – but it was becoming second nature now, and she seemed to be getting on just fine.
Hopefully the sleeping was just a blip, and not a sign of their (constantly changing) new normal.
“Besides, you probably won’t let me spend all of tomorrow working anyway,” Elias said, in a half-teasing whisper back (it was his birthday – and neither of them needed or wanted to make a fuss about that, but after the pear-shaped day his birthday had been last year, he had planned to make an effort to spend most of the day with Daff anyway), “so I can go all night, if I have to.” Better that Daff got some sleep, he thought.
He hadn’t sat down on the bed yet, so he may as well take her – he carefully transferred Willow onto his chest instead, letting her squirm for a minute but trying to soothe her by stroking the downy back of her head. He had been consistently nervous about holding her, a few months ago – she had seemed so small and breakable – but it was becoming second nature now, and she seemed to be getting on just fine.
Hopefully the sleeping was just a blip, and not a sign of their (constantly changing) new normal.
“Besides, you probably won’t let me spend all of tomorrow working anyway,” Elias said, in a half-teasing whisper back (it was his birthday – and neither of them needed or wanted to make a fuss about that, but after the pear-shaped day his birthday had been last year, he had planned to make an effort to spend most of the day with Daff anyway), “so I can go all night, if I have to.” Better that Daff got some sleep, he thought.
RE: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Daffodil Grimstone - August 2, 2025
Daff handed Willow over easily enough, stretching out her arms over hear head as she watched Elias with their daughter. She would never tire of seeing him with Willow, the easy way in which he held her (now) and the tenderness he held for her. All of the worrying during the pregnancy and the subsequent distance because of it, made her feel doubly guilty now. Daff knew there was no going back to change it, but had she known it would be like this, she wouldn't have had so much anxiety over it.
Now that she had free hands, she scooted off the bed and with little thought behind the process, ran her fingers through the messy plait, loosening the waves, humming as she moved about their room in search of a nightgown. "No work on your birthday," she mused, casting a playful look over her shoulder at him. It would be much better than last year's at the very least, of that she would make sure. There were other things on her mind tonight as she pulled a soft cotton nightgown from her drawer, losing the worn day dress she’d had on since Willow’s morning nap in favor of pulling on the chemise. Merlin, she would love to sink into a bath right about now.
"I was rather hoping she might give us some alone time tonight." Daff pouted to herself as she picked up the brush from her vanity. Daff was in no rush to repeat any of last year, but she did miss being close with her husband. They'd both sort of been dancing around it for a while now and Daff still wasn't sure she'd make the first move, but there was no harm in sharing she was open to it.
Now that she had free hands, she scooted off the bed and with little thought behind the process, ran her fingers through the messy plait, loosening the waves, humming as she moved about their room in search of a nightgown. "No work on your birthday," she mused, casting a playful look over her shoulder at him. It would be much better than last year's at the very least, of that she would make sure. There were other things on her mind tonight as she pulled a soft cotton nightgown from her drawer, losing the worn day dress she’d had on since Willow’s morning nap in favor of pulling on the chemise. Merlin, she would love to sink into a bath right about now.
"I was rather hoping she might give us some alone time tonight." Daff pouted to herself as she picked up the brush from her vanity. Daff was in no rush to repeat any of last year, but she did miss being close with her husband. They'd both sort of been dancing around it for a while now and Daff still wasn't sure she'd make the first move, but there was no harm in sharing she was open to it.
RE: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Elias Grimstone - August 13, 2025
He swayed slightly on the spot, hoping the constant movement would distract Willow from whatever else it was bothering her tonight, making nonsensical hushing noises to her whilst he half-watched Daffy let down her hair. Somehow it always looked best on her when it was wild and messy and all over the place, first thing in the morning or falling out of its plait at the end of the day.
“I can be stubborn too, you know,” he was murmuring to their daughter, when Daff’s comment caught his ear. Not the no work, because that had at least been expected; but alone time was more of note. He didn’t know if she had meant alone time or alone time, but – evidently – Elias couldn’t deny the thought that it might be the latter had just crossed his mind. “Oh,” he said, suddenly less prepared to spend all night rocking Willow on his shoulder, if that was the case, “oh.”
And – whatever Daff actually meant by it – she was probably justified in any sense, because they hadn’t really spent much time since Willow’s birth as just the two of them in any capacity. (And rather too long before Willow’s birth had been at that awkward, second-guessing cautious distance, too, so they really ought to be making up for that lost time even better now.) “Well, don’t get too ready for bed, then,” he suggested, shooting Daff a look through the mirror of her vanity, and then glancing down at Willow hopefully, to see if she was feeling any less fussy yet.
“I can be stubborn too, you know,” he was murmuring to their daughter, when Daff’s comment caught his ear. Not the no work, because that had at least been expected; but alone time was more of note. He didn’t know if she had meant alone time or alone time, but – evidently – Elias couldn’t deny the thought that it might be the latter had just crossed his mind. “Oh,” he said, suddenly less prepared to spend all night rocking Willow on his shoulder, if that was the case, “oh.”
And – whatever Daff actually meant by it – she was probably justified in any sense, because they hadn’t really spent much time since Willow’s birth as just the two of them in any capacity. (And rather too long before Willow’s birth had been at that awkward, second-guessing cautious distance, too, so they really ought to be making up for that lost time even better now.) “Well, don’t get too ready for bed, then,” he suggested, shooting Daff a look through the mirror of her vanity, and then glancing down at Willow hopefully, to see if she was feeling any less fussy yet.
RE: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Daffodil Grimstone - August 15, 2025
The laugh that bubbled up at his reaction came out without thinking about it. He seemed surprised, pleasantly so, but still caught off guard. Daff thought they could use some dedicated time. If she was going to go back to work next month, things would change even more and they would have to be deliberate about nights like this. She caught his eye in the mirror and passed him a teasing smile, running her brush through her long waves all the while. Her hair needed a trim, but it was one of things she kept forgetting to ask her mother or one of her sisters to help her with.
"I hope she's over this before I go back to the shop next month." Otherwise she would be even more exhausted. Daff said it gently, offhandedly, waiting to see what his reaction would be as she finished brushing her hair. She didn't plait it thought, at that request about not getting too ready for bed. It was hard to imagine he would have a problem with her going back to work, but she hadn't strictly asked either. Daff needed to know if she could handle it, running the shop in the same sort of hands-on manner she had always intended to, while still being a mother and a wife. If she couldn't balance it all, the shop was the the logical thing to go. There was no sense in keeping it if she couldn't be involved. There was no shame in going back to working part-time at the family shop.
Sighing softly, she turned toward him, still smiling. "I think you're winning," she whispered, motioning to Willow, with her eyes half-closed from where she was curled up against Elias. Daff couldn't blame her, it was her favorite place to sleep too.
"I hope she's over this before I go back to the shop next month." Otherwise she would be even more exhausted. Daff said it gently, offhandedly, waiting to see what his reaction would be as she finished brushing her hair. She didn't plait it thought, at that request about not getting too ready for bed. It was hard to imagine he would have a problem with her going back to work, but she hadn't strictly asked either. Daff needed to know if she could handle it, running the shop in the same sort of hands-on manner she had always intended to, while still being a mother and a wife. If she couldn't balance it all, the shop was the the logical thing to go. There was no sense in keeping it if she couldn't be involved. There was no shame in going back to working part-time at the family shop.
Sighing softly, she turned toward him, still smiling. "I think you're winning," she whispered, motioning to Willow, with her eyes half-closed from where she was curled up against Elias. Daff couldn't blame her, it was her favorite place to sleep too.
RE: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Elias Grimstone - September 28, 2025
Her laugh warmed him, felt alive with possibility – and maybe things had become easy with Daffy again without Elias really registering it, because he didn’t even take a beat to second guess himself. That was good; that was how it should be.
Maybe Willow could feel the relief softening in his chest, because she had got a little quieter. This gave him enough leave to hear Daff’s remark, then, about going back to the shop. Next month, she said, not like dropping in tomorrow. “You’re definitely going back next month, then?” he queried, more for confirmation that she meant permanently than because he hadn’t understood. “[Manager] will be pleased.” He didn’t think Wildflowers had suffered too awful a fate in Daff’s absence, but even so – her shop manager had been babysitting what was, for all intents and purposes, Daffodil’s other baby, which came with an extra sort of pressure. Daffy had an eye and a vision for her shop that was hard to duplicate without her. And, if he thought about it, Elias was almost surprised Daff had lasted this long away from it.
It would be easier to talk about it without having to whisper over Willow’s little head, though, so Elias kept swaying gently from foot to foot to see if she would settle for a long enough stretch that he could get away with putting her down in her cot.
Maybe Willow could feel the relief softening in his chest, because she had got a little quieter. This gave him enough leave to hear Daff’s remark, then, about going back to the shop. Next month, she said, not like dropping in tomorrow. “You’re definitely going back next month, then?” he queried, more for confirmation that she meant permanently than because he hadn’t understood. “[Manager] will be pleased.” He didn’t think Wildflowers had suffered too awful a fate in Daff’s absence, but even so – her shop manager had been babysitting what was, for all intents and purposes, Daffodil’s other baby, which came with an extra sort of pressure. Daffy had an eye and a vision for her shop that was hard to duplicate without her. And, if he thought about it, Elias was almost surprised Daff had lasted this long away from it.
It would be easier to talk about it without having to whisper over Willow’s little head, though, so Elias kept swaying gently from foot to foot to see if she would settle for a long enough stretch that he could get away with putting her down in her cot.
RE: A Second Chance with Our Hearts on the Floor - Daffodil Grimstone - October 14, 2025
Daff ducked comically when Willow opened one little eye sleepily and made her way back over to the bed. The last thing she needed was for their daughter to feel like she was missing out on anything and wake back up. She flopped down on the bed on her stomach, chin in her hands as she faced Elias, trying to maintain some sort of casual composure. "Is that alright with you?" Daff didn't think he'd have a problem with it, but she wanted to make sure. She was still learning the give and take of marriage, but would never make the mistake of putting anything above it again.
Her manager could certainly handle it, but Daff had never envisioned being so hands-off with the shop itself and these last few months, though wonderful at home, left her longing for the hustle of work. She had never been the kind to sit still for long and her gardens here at the house were bursting at the seams thanks to all of her attention this spring and summer, but she missed the social aspect too. There was something so satisfying about making people happy or comforted by flowers that she missed. "I just need to see if I can still do it and balance everything." If she couldn't well— she would have to consider selling, or speaking with her mother about merging with the family shop so that they could still have the Diagon Alley location. It was lucrative, based on her first couple of years of business and her parents had put into the initial investment, so she hoped they would be alright with that, if she needed it of them.
Obviously being at home was top priority and she would still be able to have a hand in the shop, just not in the way she would have wanted. It would be better than nothing. There was no way to know though, without giving it a try first.
Her manager could certainly handle it, but Daff had never envisioned being so hands-off with the shop itself and these last few months, though wonderful at home, left her longing for the hustle of work. She had never been the kind to sit still for long and her gardens here at the house were bursting at the seams thanks to all of her attention this spring and summer, but she missed the social aspect too. There was something so satisfying about making people happy or comforted by flowers that she missed. "I just need to see if I can still do it and balance everything." If she couldn't well— she would have to consider selling, or speaking with her mother about merging with the family shop so that they could still have the Diagon Alley location. It was lucrative, based on her first couple of years of business and her parents had put into the initial investment, so she hoped they would be alright with that, if she needed it of them.
Obviously being at home was top priority and she would still be able to have a hand in the shop, just not in the way she would have wanted. It would be better than nothing. There was no way to know though, without giving it a try first.