The Blossom of Rose

13 • Selfless

When I open the door to the impatient ringer, I launch myself at Aunt Brielle and wrap my arms around her in a tight hug.

"Aunt Brie," I squeal, "I'm so happy you're here."

"You can say I missed you after spending 5 years parading Europe together," she laughs and hugs me back. She is the closest thing that I have to a mom and she helped me out so much during my dark times. I'll never be able to repay her.

We pull apart and I hold her by her shoulders. My eyes trail to a suitcase behind her, "have you come to stay?"

"Until your dad comes back. Then I'm," she makes a weary face and points out the doorway.

"Yeah, me and you both," I mirror her expression and move out the way. Calling over one of the guards, he hauls her suitcase into the house and I tell him to put it upstairs.

"Where's Dante and Calla?" She glances around the empty house.

"School," I respond, "want something to eat?"

Aunt Brie nods and I open the pot of food I prepared earlier, making two plates. After I found out we had traitors, I made sure to dismiss half the staff in our house to reduce the chances of information being leaked. When I set one in front of her and sit down, I catch her eyes flicking from me to the food.

"So, what have you been up to?" I start.

"Not much. They gave me my job back straight away, no interview and no application, which was surprising actually," she ponders placing a finger on her chin. As a response, I raise my eyebrow at her. She's 40 but doesn't look a day over 30, single and she slept with her boss.

"Christian is married now," she rolls her eyes (that's her boss), "but it's funny because I hooked up with his wife during college." Marriage has never been on her agenda. She settled for being the cool, hot, bachelor aunt and she's pulling it off splendidly.

"Tell me, what have you been up to?" And so I told her everything from the day I first arrived back here.

"How are you not dead?!" She exclaims and her mouth hangs open in shock.

"I've been asking myself the same question," I sigh.

"I think..." she trails, "he's infatuated by you."

That would explain why he shot that man's genitals, branded you, decapitated a man and slept with you three times.

"No he-he's not infatuated by me. He's just," I shake my head and try to find the right answer, "he just knows that I'm a better asset alive than dead."

She hums unconvincingly but then falls silent.

"Rose, there's something you need to know," her tone is serious and it ignites nerves to flow through my blood.

I don't respond but incline my head towards her to let her know that I'm listening.

"I erm..." she hesitates and her eyes roam around the kitchen, "I'm-."

Aunt Brie shakes her head, "I've been getting a lot of calls lately asking about you and your...marital status."

Immediately, I shake my head, "no!" I'm not going through that again."