A Rose's Beauty
Synopsis: Rosalie and Miss Delight help a woman with the adoption process. However, after a spat between the woman and the two co-workers, Rosalie opens something about her past.
Setting: Playcare – 2001
TW/CW: Mentions of bullying/harassment, implied sexism via enforcement of gender norms
Playcare looks busy as it is filled with soon-to-be parents looking to adopt a child. One aspect that Playtime Co., or rather the newly-run Playtime Co., is known for is its mission to take care of orphans and prepare them for adoption by their upcoming loving parents. Many toys greet the parents and guide them into the adoption process.
A woman approaches a blonde teacher and a raven butler in Home Sweet Home. “Excuse me, can you two help me with the adoption process?” “No problem, miss! We will help you in adopting your new kid. The name’s Miss Delight,” the blonde teacher replies. Miss Delight then explains to the soon-to-be mother about the paperwork and assessment to see if she is fit to be a good adoptive parent.
The woman notices the tall raven butler standing beside the teacher. “Seems to be a fine young gentleman,” she thought. “Sir, are you also helping around in this area?” she asked the butler. She expects a suave, male voice but to her surprise, a woman’s voice comes out. The raven responds, “Oh no, I’m a woman, but yes, I do provide help here in Playcare. My name is Rosalie.”
This realization confuses the woman when she realizes that Rosalie is a woman despite her masculine appearance. “This can’t be right, a woman isn’t supposed to look like that,” she thought. That confusion turns into anger when the raven does not fit what a lady expects to look like.
The woman goes on a spiteful rant against Rosalie, talking about how she needs to wear dresses, grow her hair long, and wear make-up, not dressing and looking like a man. Rosalie remains still while the woman keeps screaming at her. Miss Delight attempts to break up the fight, “Now, now miss! I know Rosalie may not look feminine, but she is fine and help-” “And as for you!” The woman redirects her anger towards the teacher.
“I expected better from you, Miss Delight! How can you have someone like her walking around and talking to children, especially young girls?! She’s a bad role model for them of what a real lady looks like!” the woman keeps complaining about Rosalie, leaving the teacher frozen. Mommy Long Legs notices the commotion caused by the woman that Miss Delight and Rosalie are caught in and gently approaches the three.
“Now, now, what’s the matter here?” Mommy cuts the woman’s rant. “Are you looking for a kid to adopt and care for? No worries, Miss Payne will help you with the process!” Mommy, or rather Marie, takes the woman aside to another part of Playcare, leaving the two to recover from the situation. “Whew! Thank goodness Marie helped us with that. Well, it’s not an adoption day without those kinds of parents, right Rosalie?” Rosalie remains unresponsive to Miss Delight’s remark about the situation they experienced and seems to space out.
“Hello? Rosalie? Are you there?” The teacher tugs on Rosalie’s arm, and that snaps her out of her frozen reaction. The raven looks around and directs her attention to the teacher who brought her back to conscious thought. “Rosalie, are you okay?” Miss Delight’s face is filled with concern and worry. The butler takes a little time to give her answer, “Uh…I’m fine…for now?” Her sullen voice states otherwise.
“Look Rosalie, what we have experienced is pretty normal when we are open for adoption; some adults are really like that. It’s a pain in the neck, I know, but it is what it is.” “It’s not that I’m shaken about…” “Then, what is it?” Miss Delight responds with a confused expression. Rosalie tilts her head and walks towards a private room. Miss Delight catches this and follows her to that room.
“It’s what she says to me, Miss Delight.” “That...” the teacher pauses to find some other words to soften the blow but has none, so she goes straight to the point, “You don’t look like a real woman?” Rosalie subtly nods to her question. “That wasn’t the first time someone treated me like that…” The phrase intrigues yet shocks the teacher.
“Before I arrived in Playtime Co. and experienced well…all of this, I wasn’t well-liked by my peers and some adults.” “Why is that, Rosalie?” “Because of what I used to wear and look, Miss Delight.” This still raises questions for the teacher.
“I wore leather jackets, jeans, boots, and print t-shirts of my favorite bands,” the raven explains. “Sounds like you looked like a punk back then,” Miss Delight retorts. Rosalie looks at her, and the teacher now realizes that she might have offended the butler. "Oh sorry, I don’t mean to insult you-” “It’s fine and you were right, I did look like a punk back then. I even wear some makeup that makes me look like a rockstar!”
“Seems like you are into rock bands,” said Miss Delight. “I am! I loved their music and style when I was a teen! It made me inspired to play my own music and make one for myself.” Rosalie’s passionate statement made Miss Delight smile as she likes it when someone proudly talks about their interests. “Unfortunately, they didn’t really like my appearance and interests since they viewed rock bands, rock music, and anyone who looks punk as…demonic…” This slightly saddens the teacher as Rosalie seems to like this kind of stuff.
“They didn’t treat me well before, always leaving me out, insulting me. Hell, even one adult said to me that I am the Devil tempting young kids to sin because of what I look like and am into.” That account shocks Miss Delight as she begins to visualize the harassment that Rosalie went through when she was young and it makes her heart ache. Who even has the audacity to say that to a young teen?!
“It’s not the same as being scolded for not looking like a real woman, but…” Rosalie begins to tear up as she feels anguish from the past that makes her feel like an abomination, a monster, a demon, or whatever the hell they used to call her back then. “It still hurts.”
Rosalie’s experience mortifies the blonde teacher. No kid deserves to undergo that just because they are different from their peers. It sends shivers down her spine knowing that there are teens like Rosalie in Home Sweet Home. Will their peers outside Playtime Co. accept them for who they are, or will they go through harassment like Rosalie did? And don’t get her started about the thought of whether their soon-to-be parents will accept them or not.
“I am truly sorry that you have to go through all of that, Rosalie. I hope your father accepted you for who you are,” Miss Delight expresses her sympathy to Rosalie. “Oh, he did, and it is the only good thing that I experienced. At least my dad doesn’t mind who I am.” This relieves the teacher knowing that she has at least a good parent by her side. “Though, I wonder…what if she’s right?”
“Huh?” Miss Delight was befuddled by Rosalie's claim. “What if I’m truly a bad role model for kids and they started to dress like me-” “Rosalie-” “and when they are sent out of the building, they might be harassed like I was-” “Rosalie-” “Oh God, I doomed them, didn’t I-"
“Rosalie!”
Miss Delight finally snaps her out of her anxiety-ridden ramble.
“What that woman said to you was unacceptable. It doesn’t matter if you look feminine or not, ‘normal’ or punk; what matters is if you are a good person, and indeed, you are! Plus, the kids are really lucky to have someone like you! It’s not every day they have a cool raven butler as their special guest in class,” the teacher’s words comfort Rosalie.
“Plus, the kids really like you for who you are and what you look like! It inspired them to be themselves and not care what anyone says about them. They enjoy being around you! One could say that they enjoy being around you too much.” That last sentence made Rosalie chuckle, knowing that some orphans, mostly teens, have a crush on her.
Delight puts both of her hands on Rosalie’s shoulders to further drive the point. “You are fine for who you are, Rosalie, and nothing is ever gonna change that.” Her words of encouragement bring Rosalie to happy tears and hugs Miss Delight, with the teacher reciprocating. It is nice to know that besides her father, Dupin Lupin, some loved her for who she is. The two release each other from the embrace.
“At least thanks to you, we finally know she isn’t suited to be a parent,” Miss Delight tries to make light of the situation. Rosalie chuckles at the teacher’s jab, knowing that she is right: no child would ever want to have a closed-minded parent like that woman.
“Heh heh…yeah,” Rosalie remarks. “Well, should we go back out helping them with the process?” “You can stay here, Rosalie, I’ll be the one to go out. I wouldn’t want you to be hurt again,” Miss Delight replies, wanting her co-worker to rest for a bit after a stressful experience.
“But how would we know if they are suited to be good adoptive parents? They must be fine with me, so we know that they are accepting,” Rosalie jokes about her supposed “role” in the adoption process. “In all seriousness, I’ll be fine. Who cares what they say about me when I have you, Dad, and some people on my side?” Rosalie’s words made the teacher smile, knowing that she made this experience bearable for the raven. “Alright, come along with me, Rosalie.”
The duo then goes out of the room, ready to help any soon-to-be parent in adopting a child. Hopefully, some of them are more open-minded than the previous one…