"Which do you want more? His wedding ring or your chance at a theater career?" House asked her as he handed her the whip cream bottle. She sprayed some into her palm and ate from it.
"It's not that simple...I do love him deeply."
"But he isn't willing to wait. He wants an answer now...He's ready to take that internship in New Mexico."
The girl took out a napkin from the nearby drawer and wiped her hand.
"What you mean to say is that he is able to have his dream and he expects me to put mine on the backburner. He does support me..."
House shrugged and pushed himself off of the kitchen stool.
"You have always sung and danced and most of all acted...You're an artist and your gift shouldn't be buried for the chains of matrimony. Think this through. You're being offered a chance at Broadway for goodness sake." He said as he walked to stand in front of her. He clutched his cane and towered over her. She sighed and turned away from him.
"Mom already gave me this speech...I need more than a lecture now...Tell me what to do."
He leaned his cane against the counter and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Squishy, you are a smart girl. I can only give you empty words. It is up to you to figure out the next step."
She smiled at the nickname and turned to face him.
"I hate that nickname."
He smiled.
"You wish you hated it...I love you Rachel, whatever or whoever you choose."
She smiled warmly at him and leaned in for a hug.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, any idea what she'll choose?" Cuddy asked as she pulled on her bathrobe and joined him at the kitchen table. He looked up from his paper and took a bite from his pancake.
"Hard to say. She's always been much more openly sensitive than you or me...She always leads with her heart first."
Cuddy took a swig of her tea.
"She's so young to be thinking of marriage." She said with a faraway look. House placed a hand over hers.
"She's always been older on the inside. Remember when she was six and she told me about the dead rabbit she found in the backyard. She told me that she wasn't sad for him, because she knew he had a happy life amongst the other bunnies and that he was free to be more than just a bunny now." He said with a thoughtful smile. Cuddy laughed at the incident.
"She was always a curious little girl."
"And now she's an even more curious young woman. She'll make the best decision she can..."
"You're always optimistic when it comes to her life."
House put his paper down and stared at Cuddy.
"Somehow you and me, two emotionally screwed up individuals, were able to raise an amazingly
well-adjusted young woman..."
Cuddy smiled once again and leaned over the table to kiss him on the lips.
"What was that for?"
"Just cause." She said before standing up and walking to the bathroom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I told him no." She stated as she joined House on the backyard porch.
"Good for you."
"I just need a chance to know what I could become before..."
"You start changing your last name." He finished for her. She nodded in response. He scooted his chair closer to her and put his arm around her.
"There'll be other loves, Squishy."
"I know. I just wish..."
"Sometimes, things have a way of working out better than expected."
"Like you and mom?"
He laughed a bit.
"We are a dysfunctional yet functional old married couple without the legal contract saying so..."
"Do you ever wonder what life would be like without mom by your side?" She suddenly asked.
"I would be miserable. But I was miserable until she let me in...Love goes through seasons just like the weather...I don't regret the desolate winter months I experienced because the spring felt like a hard earned reward."
"Dinner's just about ready!" Cuddy suddenly yelled from the sliding door.
Rachel nodded in her mom's direction and stood up. House stood up too.
"Feeling better?" He asked.
"A little."
He opened the sliding door.
"A little is better than nothing." He said as he motioned for her to go inside.
She playfully rolled her eyes and went inside.