Rose and the Thorn (Fallen Tales series)

Chapter 37

Chapter 37
Patrick
I sat in father's office reading the eighth journal. The others had not answered any of my question but just made the answers more important.
It felt strange to be in here. It felt even stranger sitting in Father's chair.
I remembered when I was five. I had found my way in here and had climbed into the chair. I remembered the feeling of power. Thinking, this will be all mine. And now that it was I didn't believe it. I didn't want to believe it.
Rose appeared through the door with an apple in her hands and sat in the chair across from me. She swung her covered legs over the arm rest so she was siting sideways.
I almost laughed as she bit into the apple seeing how easily she felt at home. Long tan boot and dark skinny jeans made her legs seem long and with her hair held high so that I could see all of her beautiful face.
"Shouldn't you be cleaning something?" I asked once it was clear that she was comfortable.
"Lunch break," I chuckled at her answer.
"What are you reading?" She asked even though she knew the answer.
"Volume eight of my father's journals."
Her eyes widen with surprise, "eight?"
"Yeah, there's like twenty eight of them," I said pointing to the shelf of them, "one for each year."
She stood walking to the book shelf.
"Wow, it's like having half your life written down," she said in amazement.
"What's happening?" She asked as if I was reading a fictional book.
I sighed as I read out loud.

Something happened to me that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Something I will take to my grave. As I walked the streets of London an old lady took my hand. I immediately tried to shake her away but her words sent shivers down my spine as she spoke
'Sir don't waste your life on this. You only live once. Don't throw away the little time you have left with your family'

I pause looking at Rose.
"Keep going."

I had never felt so stupid in my life. Rebecca still isn't home yet but when she is I will process my love for her like I did eleven years ago. I will tell her that I want more children and that we shouldn't waste our time. That's her now. We should go away together. Venice should be nice.

It was Rose that broke the silence, "did you know about that?"
"No, but it explains what made him stop focusing on the estate."
Like a lighting blob something hit me. I flicked through the pages to nine months before Adelaide was born.
I quickly skimmed the entry.

Rebecca has given me the greatest news. She's pregnant

"I knew it," I cheered.
Rose frown in confusion.
"I knew what?"
"My parents went away to Venice nine months before Adelaide was born."
"So the lady really did talk some sense into him."
"I guess so," I couldn't hide my happiness. That was one question I could take off my list.
"Don't you think it's weird what she had said about limited time when he really did have limited time? I mean, twelve years later he was dead."
"What are you saying?" I asked.
"I'm saying that don't you think its weird how she sort of knew."
"It's was probably just a coincidence," I said.
"Or fate."
I quickly shook my head, "no."
She gasped, "Patrick Gilbert are you telling me that you don't believe in fate?"
I shrugged, "not as much as fate but the 'I can see the future' crap."
"I can't believe you."
"What, do you?" I asked.
"Sometimes, I believe in fate."
I frowned, "why?"
She sighed, "I don't know. Do you believe in soul mates?"
I shrugged, "I believe that there are someone out there for everyone, but soul mates not so much."
She looked almost hurt.
"Do you?"
"I don't know. I guess it's nice to think that someone up there has designed someone just for you. That, that person was yours and no one else's. But I guess life is too harsh for soul mates. Right?"
It was like she was looking for an answer. Should I tell her what she wants to hear or what I really think? The problem was I didn't know what I thought. What my mind said and what my heart said were two completely different things.
"I don't know. There's no books on this."
She groaned, "Bloody English."
"What?" I frowned.
"You have to have everything proven, everything written down for you to believe it. You can't just do things by your gut, can you?"
"Okay, so what's your gut telling you?" I asked.
"Well right now my gut is telling me to hit you."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"So what's wrong with doing things by your mind?"
"Well what's your mind saying?" She asked.
I shrugged, "many things."
"Maybe that's the problem."
"But when you think with your gut, you do things without thinking about consequences," I said testing her.
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Where do I begin?"
She stood and I knew I shouldn't have tested her.
"You know what Patrick if you really believe that than maybe we shouldn't -."
"We shouldn't what? Rose what are you looking for honestly?"
She turned to me, "I don't know. There's too many voices in my head."
"Then listen to one."
"I'm trying but when you keep things from me -."
"Keep things from you? You know more about me than my own family did," I told her.
"Why didn't you tell me about Zoey?"
I frowned, "Zoey?"
"Yes your make out buddy."
I groaned in frustration, "that was years ago. I was a stupid teenager for Christ shake."
"And Sophie. The love of your life."
"Yeah so?" I asked. I didn't see why she was so furious.
"Why didn't you tell me that?"
I frowned, "why would I tell you that when clearly she's not a part of my life anymore."
"You still should have told me instead of Jane!" She yelled.
"You haven't told them about us, have you?" I asked.
"What if I had?"
"Rose, we couldn't even tell Jenson and you've told complete strangers!"
"Calm down I didn't tell them. And they aren't strangers, they're my friends!"
"God Rose you can be so naive some times. Do you honestly think that they want to be your friend?"
She didn't answer me. The look she gave me was one I would never forget. With her eyes shut she turned and headed to the door.
"No Rose wait, I didn't mean -."
"Go to hell Patrick!"