lottie newman

"It's what we do," he assured her with a lopsided smile. Family kept secrets for one another, especially when those secrets could make everyone else dislike them, get into big shouting matches, make a mess out of everything. "Yeah," he said with a soft laugh and a shake of his head, "I can understand it. You want her to go have a good time, be with family, but you're already probably trying to think of things to do for that week so that you won't spend the whole time missing her." Cage was lucky enough that his kids didn't have to be shared; Colton's mother had no interest in her son's life, and Rosalyn's father wasn't in the picture. It was just himself and Cordelia, and he was grateful for that, for the fact that their family could be together, but… he knew what it was like for the kids to be busy or away, and suddenly realizing how much of your life normally revolved around them, and how different things were when they weren't there. "Do you want to hold him?" he asked as he turned to Lottie with a smile, Ronan shifting a little bit from his nap, happy for attention. "Oh, absolutely, the girls would be happy if we let him be their baby doll, they love fussing over him. And Shawn and Colton help out a lot, too, for being big, tough teenagers," which was nice. He didn't have to worry about attitude if he needed a diaper changed or help with feeding when they were around. "I imagine it's pretty freeing, too, working with horses, getting to turn your brain off to everything else for that little bit of time."

Lottie loved having a big family, it's all she's ever known and has loved. She nodded, "It's like I know the right thing is split time so that she has a life with both parents. I know it's whats best for her, but selfishly I wish I could have all the time in the world with her. I always miss her when shes not around, the house is extremely quiet when she is not around." She laughed a little, she never realised how much she didn't like the silence at home until she had Maisy. Hearing his words she nodded, "Is that even a question, I would love to hold him." She smiled as she reached her arms out to hold Ronan and get in all the cuddles she could. She laughed a little, "I'm not surprised they do, one day you are going to come back to them having dressed him up. He is one lucky kid having all those who love him already." She smiled over at Cage for a moment and nodded, "Honestly, it really is. I love getting to work with the horses, a nice way to switch off from the real world especially when your brain is going 100 miles a minute. Some people journal when I am sad, I just need to ride on a horse and it frees my mind completely."

"I can see it! I see it! I swear!" Shay's laughs made it a tad less convincing but truly, Lottie wasn't doing all that terrible. "If it makes you feel better, I also went with a simple landscape. Sun. Grass. Trees." Shayna turned her own art piece toward Lottie to show her own work,not exactly a masterpiece itself.

Lottie laughed shaking her head for a moment, looking at Shayna's piece of work and smiled, "To be honest, yours looks good, I wish mine would look like that." She giggled looking over at the girl for a brief moment as she hand through her hair for a brief moment, "Maybe I could rectify it or just be proud however it turns out."

Will shook his head, dramatically letting the fringe on his forehead shake in protest. "I simply don't agree." He huffed with a chuckle, "Picasso himself is rolling in his grave in envy." Will insisted with a grin, squinting a bit and cocking his head to the side. "No, no... It does. It's... abstract. See, if you turn your head just so, the colours blend together it's totally a palm tree." He chuckled, adding, "Kids have a built in talent for painting and colouring, I see it all the time at the library. I think it evaporates as we get older unless we work at it, so really, the fact that you're painting at all is a good sign. I think it's great." He promised, "After all," He added, "it's all about having fun. Are you having fun?" At her question, he looked down at his own rock, "It's a book... for outside of the library, in our garden. I know, inventive right?" He chuckled.

Lottie laughed a little looking over at the guy for a brief moment as she ran put some paint on the paint brush and added it to the rock, she shook her head, "Look this is sweet of you to pretend to like and think it's good but honestly I can take the truth that it looks a mess. It won't break my heart." She smiled looking over at the guy and nodded, "Yeah I don't think being a riding instructor is going to keep my creative side alive, I don't think I even had a creative side." She giggled, "I am guessing since you work in a library, that you like to read?" She nodded, "I am having fun I suppose so there is that." She laughed, "Oh that is cool, how's that going?"

The sound of a familiar voice was enough to snap her out of her thoughts, and once Esther put two and two together and realized who was standing in front of her, she couldn't help but to grin, recognizing Charlotte Newman almost instantly and breaking into a bright smile. "Lottie, hi!" she leaned forward to embrace the dark haired woman, pulling back to get a good look at her, and then the daughter at her side, offering her a warm smile, too. "I am! I just moved back the other day, hence being a bit of a zombie right now -- wow, look at you! You look so good!"

Lottie stood there, she was happy to see a familiar face and when she was pulled in for a hug, she smiled as she hugged back. As she pulled back she smiled, "Well welcome back, we needed to see you back in this town. Did anything specific bring you back home?" She smiled, she hadn't left Merrock so she didn't know what the pull for leaving was as she loved the town. She couldn't help but laugh, "Well thank you. Also this is Maisy, my daughter." She smiled as she watched her daughter briefly wave at Esther.

Who: @lottienewman and Brad

Lottie took a glance over at her brother, also her best friend and nodded, "Oh I am not a fan of this benefactor. However, I do love that everyone has come together to raise money." She smiled, seeing the town together it was nice, it was nice to see everyone but it just felt so wholesome and like they were all connected. She nodded, "I don't like the idea of what this will do to Merrock. I think everyone is doing a good job at coming together to do anything to stop it." She smiled as she looked at him and nodded, "Honestly. I do think they love that about themselves though." She sighed before looking at him, "The Spring Fling is fun though, this is a fun way to raise money for sure, it's also fun when you're off mom duty for the weekend." She smiled looking over at her brother.

"Devastated my ego, actually, and it's very fragile," he replied without missing a beat, offering her a lopsided smile. That smile grew, however, when she said that he might be the favorite, as long as he didn't tell anyone else that she said it, lifting his hand carefully from Ronan's back to draw a zipper across his lips, showing her that he'd never tell a soul. "You got it." Some secrets were meant to be kept to the grave, unless you wanted a major fight at the next family gathering. Which… Cage did not. It didn't seem like a fun time. Nodding his head with understanding as Lottie admitted that her daughter was with her dad, he understood that it could be a little bit of a bummer, but on the plus side… "at least summer's starting, and you know that means there's a lot going on in Merrock. The carnival will be right around the corner, too," and hopefully that meant he'd have a little more time with her, some one on one where she didn't have to share. "So far, so good," he let out a soft laugh, looking down at Ronan, and then back up to his cousin. "He's settling in nice, the girls are in love with him. Colt and Shawn, too, but they're big kid, you know, got their own stuff going on. It's been nice to get back to work on my end, but I really like work days like this, where I can be boss man and dad at the same time, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything."

Lottie laughed a little, "I am sure you will have you ego boosted again very soon." She giggled over at her cousin. She nodded smiling, "Thank you for keeping the secret safe." Lottie hated having to split time with her daughter but she knew Maisy needed time with her dad. She nodded, "Yeah the summer's coming and I already know I have a week without her so she can go spend time with him and his parents. I know it's important and I want her to have the chance to know her dad and her grandparents, but I honestly hate the part where I don't get to see her. However, I know it also means I have a lot of time to make memories with her and I will make sure I get to have her for the Carnival." She smiled looking over at Cage probably letting to much information out there. She smiled nodding, "Who can not love him, look at him." She smiled, Cage had managed to produce some adorable kids over the years. "I am glad he is settling in and everything. It's always nice to know there is no jealousy with the others as well." She smiled and nodded, "I can fully understand that, I love being Mom and I am mainly mom but when I get to be on the ranch and being riding instructor me, it feels great."

Scoffing when Lottie said that Kenzie took the price, he shot her a skeptical look, shaking his head. "Telling me I've got second place is bad enough… telling me I've got second place just because of my kids is pouring salt in the wound, I'll have you know." But then again, when Cage looked at his kids, he could kind of understand it. And Ronan still had new baby smell, which had to earn some sort of bonus points for cuteness. "Don't worry, though, your secret's safe with me. She's pretty damn adorable in her own right," he laughed, gently rubbing his fingers across Ronan's back where the little boy was resting against his chest. "Is she with her dad this weekend?" he asked gently, knowing that it could be a tough situation for a single parent. He had never dealt with it, Colton's mom being in the wind for so long and all, but still. "He's content," he answered matter of factly, pleased smile on his face, "just had a nice eat, got burped and changed, now he gets to spend time with dad."

Lottie couldn't help but laugh at her cousin, she loved each and everyone on of them equally. Shaking her head, "Oh did i hurt your ego?" She giggled looking at him, 'You might just be my favourite but if anyone else asks I never said that." She giggled looking over at him and nodded, "She is an adorable little princess that is for sure." She said beaming with pride. She nodded, "Sadly, yes she is with her dad. The Spring Fling had to fall on their weekend. I am kind of hoping he will stop by with her this weekend so I can see her but I don't want to take anything away from their weekend together." She sighed looking over at Cage, fatherhood suited him and seeing little Ronan in his arms made her heart melt. "And how is life as new parents for you and Cordelia? I know it's not your first time but I am sure it can still be crazy."

Standing near the Cobbestone Cafe stand, JJ responded to his mother's text about giving Mia a bath. Noticing the familiar face, he looked up to meet her gaze and smiled. "Hello, Charlotte," he greeted his friend's sister. "Well, I've already taken Mia to the Color Wine booth for an art lesson with Mandy. And then we made some buttons with Stelly. We even painted rocks. My parents just took her home, so I've just been hanging around, buying some goodies and helping out however I can. I was hoping to bring her back tomorrow to pet some goats, though." He shrugged, chuckling softly. "Why? Were you thinking about petting goats?"

Lottie smiled looked over at JJ, "Please JJ, call me Lottie, Charlotte seems way to formal." She laughed a little and nodded, "Wow, seems like the two of you have been extremely busy. Did Mia enjoy what she got to do today?" She smiled looking over at the guy for a moment before she laughed a little, "I do find it quite cute you can pet a goat. i was considering messaging Maisy's dad to bring her to pet the goat as he has her this weekend. I think she would love the opportunity to pet a goat."

"You're overthinking it," Shayna chuckled as she looked over at Lottie's work. "It's not that bad! I swear!" She reassured the younger woman after having properly assessed her rock painting, being truthful. "Just have fun with it!"

Lottie laughed a little, "I don't think I am overthinking it. It really does look bad, it's meant to be the beach with palm trees. It just looks a mess." She giggled shaking her head for a moment, "I guess you're right. I just need to have fun, but this does need to be salvaged."

Will's artistic abilities were mostly confined to writing; he could easily pen a song or write a poem, but when it came to drawing or painting, well, he definitely left a lot to be desired. But he was always down to stretch himself creatively--if you could even call rock painting at the spring fling that--and he figured the outside garden of the library could use a bit of freshening up. He had been planting some new flowers in the beds outside and thought this would be a welcome addition also. He let the brush stroke on the outline of the book he had drawn on one of the larger rocks, the background a cheery teal. He peered over at her question, eyeing her own creation. "I think it looks cute! Don't be so hard on yourself, Lottie." He mused with a grin, "It's going to look better than this abomination to books that I'm working on."

Lottie sat there, she was trying to rectify the mess of her art piece, was there any way of rectifying this, she didn't think so. She sat there and looked over at the guy who had responded and she laughed a little, "Oh come on, you can't quite think this.." She pointed at her rock, "Will even look good, it is a mess right now, not quite the beach and palm trees image I had in mind." She laughed, "I am pretty sure my 3 year old can do better then this." She shook her head, "What are you working on?"

Bryan's strongest suit was not art, it was being in the kitchen. But with spring, came new chances to try new things. So he sat down and took a look at the rock painting supplies in front of him. "Honestly? It looks better than anything I could come up with," he chuckled.

Lottie sat there running a hand through her hair for a brief moment as she had put the paint brush down for a break. She looked at the guy who had answered her and she laughed a little looking at him, "Oh now you are just being nice. This doesn't look like what it should look like. Tell me what were you planning on designing on your rock?"

Jo had decided to force some of her co workers into painting rocks with her to give to charity. It was just a silly little thing and to make fun of their terrible attempt. Painting on rocks wasn’t an easy feat as she held a staring contest with the rows of paint options. Glancing over at Lottie’s, the firefighter let out a low chuckle. “Because it’s better than walking around doom scrolling.” Jo had the same sentiments. “It’s not that bad. I mean people have pet rocks soooo.” She thought there could be worse. “Painting with tiny brushes is literal hell.”

Lottie sat there looking down at her rock, the people before her had done a good job, so she was trying to figure out what she was doing wrong. She laughed a little at the woman's comment shaking her head, "To be honest, I don't have much time to doom scroll as it is." She shook her head for a moment, "I mean does it look like it is meant to be a beach with palm trees?" She raised an eye brow looking at her for a moment, "People have pet rocks? Really? That is a thing?" She was very intrigued.

Lottie looked at her mess and shock her head as her cousin spoke, honestly Maisy could have done a better job then her. She laughed a little, "Honestly, I think my three year old could do a better job then me." She dipper her paint brush into the blue paint to try and make the sea she was painting actually look someone what good. "Honestly, I don't think it looks fine. It doesn't even look like a sea and beach situation that it is meant to. I am starting to agree though about yours, what is it meant to be?" She laughed a little looking at him.

With Ronan having just woken up from a nap, Cage found himself ushering Cienna and Rosalyn off with Shawn and Colton for a couple of hours, a fat stack of bills tucked into their hands to play games, eat food, keep busy, give him the chance to spend time with his youngest son and run the stand. And, of course, pick on one of his cousins as they stopped by right as he sat down in one of the comfortable chairs he had brought along, letting out a laugh as he gestured for her to join him. "One of, and not your very favorite ever for all time? I'm offended!"

Watching Cage with his kids made her wish Maisy was with her, and as much as she knew it was important for her to spend time with her dad she wished she had her this weekend. However, getting to see her cousins newest member of his family, made her heart warm, the main reason for her coming over. As she took a seat, she laughed looking over at him, "Hmm, I think Kenzie is my favourite of all time. You scrape in in second but only because you have the most adorable kids ever. Don't let my daughter ever know I said your kids are the most adorable though." She smiled teasing him slightly, "Speaking of your adorable kids, how is this little one?"

WHO: essie & open!

Lottie stood there as she saw a familiar face, it wasn't that she was close close with Esther but she also knew her well enough and was happy and in someways shocked to see her back in the city. She held on to her daughters hand who seemed quite eager to get going to get ice cream as she promised her, the stroller in the other hand. She smiled before laughing a little looking at the girl, "I was just saying Hey Esther, it's been a while since i have seen your face around here. Are you back for good?" She smiled.