<div class="floatleft">(https://c4.wallpaperflare.com/wallpaper/910/916/865/looking-at-viewer-women-elizabeth-turner-model-wallpaper-preview.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Celeste St. James<br/><strong>Date/Time:</strong>June 1, 9 pm.<br/><strong>Location:</strong>View of Mar's, Chef's table.<br/><strong>Mood:</strong>Nervous excitement<br/><strong>Tagging:</strong>Erin, Mar<br/><hr/><hr/>It felt so strange, having two people talk about you as if you weren't even there - talking about you<em>and</em>your behaviour<em>and</em>what it meant<em>and</em>what they should do about it. Celeste's eyes bounced back-and-forth between the two, struggling not to interject. Somehow, she knew that interrupting a conversation between Mommy and Daddy wouldn't go over well for her. Still, she couldn't help but stamp her foot against the floor when Erin suggested that they might need to reinforce the bedtime tonight. It wasn't a hard stomp - and it might not even have been noticed. But the girl did<em>not</em>want to go to bed at 11 pm.<br/><br/>The conversation soon turned to other things, though - Celeste still wasn't totally sure if she was allowed to skip her bedtime tonight, but she didn't dare ask. Besides, Daddy had her full-attention now and it was difficult to think of anything else with those blue eyes boring into her. And the tone in the older woman's voice promised Celeste that she wouldn't like what happened if she dared to question<em>this</em>. So, she didn't - no matter how much she might have wanted to. It seemed that she and Mar had two very different definitions of 'on-time.' For Daddy, it meant ten minutes early. For Celeste, it meant no more than 30 minutes after the deadline. She suspected that Mar had absolutely no intention of changing her definition.<br/><br/>So, Celeste nodded her head: Mommy and Daddy made the rules. Still, she wasn't particularly happy about this one - that was the point, though, wasn't it? - and it showed on grumpy face. And she continued to listen like that, silently pushing some food around her plate with her fork while they explained the rules on electronics. The comment about her phone jerked the girl's eyes toward Erin, a little wider than they usually were. Her mouth worked, as if to speak, but the girl quickly thought better of it and closed tight. That little bit about at the end about she and Mar watching movies together in their home theatre made all of it easier to accept, anyway.<em>That</em>sounded wonderful. All-in-all, Celeste handled the conversation about rules fairly well. There were a few grumpy whimpers and incredulous looks, but she didn't argue. She knew who was in charge, and she loved it that way - even if she<em>really</em>didn't want to give up her phone at night. Now what was she supposed to do at night in bed? Sleep?<br/><br/>They were all likely grateful - Celeste certainly was - when their talk turned toward more pleasant things - like the food! "It was so good!" The girl beamed. "Do we get to eat like this at home, too?" She asked, and never thought twice about calling it home. It was her home now. Daddy and Mommy's house, maybe, but it was<em>their</em>home.<br/><br/>"This looks so good, Daddy." Celeste said once the waitress had left and their food remained to be eaten. And she nodded when informed what the rules were on drinking. This was one that didn't really concern her. Celeste had been legal for two years already where she'd come from, but even there she'd never been much of a drinker. She<em>despised</em>hang-overs. But Daddy was right: tonight was a special occasion. They were celebrating the beginning of their new family. Anyway, she did like champagne. Giggling at Mar's display with the cork, Celeste settled in for their first dinner together as a family.<br/><br/>A little while into it - maybe aided slightly by the few sips of champagne she'd already taken - Celeste found the courage to say something that had been at the back of her mind for the past few minutes. "Since I'm on summer holidays, that means I get to stay out a little later." She didn't pose it as a question. More chance of being told no if she asked. Right?<br/><br/>