"Which do 당신 want more? His wedding ring 또는 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 사랑 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 당신 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 부엌, 주방 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 더 많이 than a lecture now...Tell me what to do."
He leaned his cane against the counter and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Squishy, 당신 are a smart girl. I can only give 당신 empty words. It is up to 당신 to figure out the 다음 step."
She smiled at the nickname and turned to face him.
"I hate that nickname."
He smiled.
"You wish 당신 hated it...I 사랑 당신 Rachel, whatever 또는 whoever 당신 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 목욕 가운 and joined him at the 부엌, 주방 table. He looked up from his paper and took a bite from his pancake.
"Hard to say. She's always been much 더 많이 openly sensitive than 당신 또는 me...She always leads with her 심장 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 더 많이 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 더 많이 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 당신 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 표, 테이블 to 키스 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 당신 and mom?"
He laughed a bit.
"We are a dysfunctional yet functional old married couple without the legal contract saying so..."
"Do 당신 ever wonder what life would be like without mom 의해 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.