Rose and the Thorn (Fallen Tales series)

Chapter 65

Chapter 65
Rose
I opened the door to the library and almost shivered from the sight of him. His dark hair had grown to his shoulders and his muscles seemed bigger. But his eyes were just as cold and empty as the night he bashed me.
"Your boss seems nice, a little etchy though," he said as if we were talking about the news.
My jaw tightened as I sat in the chair across from him.
"So how have you been, Rose?"
"Don't act like you care," I snapped, "why are you here?"
He shifted forward on the lounge, "I missed you."
"Don't, you, dare. I'm not falling for your little tricks. You wouldn't have flown on a plane to England, to see your precious little Rose. Now answer the question," my voice was so ruff and bitter that it scared me.
"Fine, your father's sick."
I frowned, "what?"
"Sick, dying, on his death bed, basically he's supposed to have only a couple of weeks to live."
"B-but I talked to him a couple of weeks ago, he was fine."
"He was, he took a turn and now he's in bad shape."
I flopped my head in my hands trying to work the information in my head. Kobey is in the library, my father is on death road.
"H-how do you know?" I asked looking back at him.
"You put my number down for emergencies, remember. They didn't know how to get a hold of you so I got on a plane."
I frowned, "why would you do that?"
He shrugged, "like I said, I missed you."
His words made my stomach turn.


Patrick
"You have got to be kidding me," I snapped as Rose told me her plan. She had led me to our room and now tried to reason with me.
"Over my dead body am I letting you go to America with him."
"Please, Patrick. And I'm not going for him. My father is dying. He needs me," she told me. I shook her off.
"The man that can barely remember that he has a daughter."
"Patrick," she groaned, "I called him on my birthday. He remembered what he use to do to make my birthday special. He remembered."
I paused catching my breath. I believed her.
"How do you even know he's telling the truth?" I asked more calmly.
"I don't," she said quietly. That was good enough for me and she knew it, "but if I don't go I will regret it."
"Then I'm coming with you."
She shook her head, "no, this is something I have to do by myself."
I saw something in her eyes that wasn't there before. Hurt.
"What are you saying?"
Her eyelids grew heavy as she stepped towards me. I locked my lips to hers, tugging on her bottom lip. As I felt her pull away I realized what she was doing.
"You're saying goodbye."
"Pat -."
"No," I shook my head taking a step away from her, "no."
I felt a lump in my throat.
"We were going to spend our lives together. How can you just throw it out the window?"
"I'm not!" She yelled.
"You are!"
"Patrick if it were up to me I would never leave. But this is something I have to do. If your parents were alive today and they were sick, would you do anything for them?"
I paused thinking.
"If it meant loosing you, I wouldn't."
She looked taken back from my answer. Like she hadn't expect it.
"When do you leave?" I asked feeling my anger dampen.
"Two hours."
Now I was taken back.
"I don't know how long he's got and -."
"No, I can't," I started to walk towards the door.
"Patrick."
"No Rose! I can't see another person that I love leave me again!" I slammed the door behind me.


Chapter 66
Rose
I packed the bag that I had brought with clothes and books. I felt more on the verge of tears every second that went by. My shaky hands took the last pile of books and zipped up the bag. I paced the room feeling as if my heart was no longer beating. I was back at the start again. Having the nervous feeling and the voice inside my head saying,
Can you do this?
Could I do this?
Could I leave the only place that's ever felt like home? The person that I'll always love.
I sat on the side of the bed as the door open. Jenson poked his head through then opened it fully for Curious. I picked him up in my arms as Jenson joined me on the bed.
"So Patrick's told you then," I sniffed not being able to hold back the tears like I did with Patrick.
"Yes," he paused, "Rose, can I ask you something? You say you hate this man, but you're leaving with him."
"I'm not leaving with him," I snapped, "my father is dying and I know he hasn't always been there for me but I can't leave him to die with no one that he loves beside him."
I couldn't stop the tears then. I cupped my hand over my mouth and squeezed my eyes shut.
"There, there. Come on now," he said taking me in his arms.
"He hates me," I cried.
"No he doesn't, he will see. He's just stubborn. He knows that you have to do it, he just can't see past you leaving."
"I don't want to leave," I admitted. Curious looked up and licked my cheek. I patted his soft head.
"Are you taking him?" He asked.
I shook my head, "no, he's an English dog. He belongs here." I placed him down and stood up. Jenson followed me.
"You have been more like a father to me than my real father. And I'll never forget that."
He smiled taking me in his arms again.
"I've always wanted a daughter."
My grip tighten around him as his did to.
"I'm so proud of you Rose."
My tears fell as I nuzzled his chest. It felt like forever before we broke apart. I reached in my pocket and took out a piece of paper. When I placed it on Patrick's desk, Jenson asked, "What's that?"
I sighed, "Just something I wrote for him a couple of days ago. Can you make sure he reads it?"
He nodded, "of course, and here."
He handed me an envelope. My eyes grew wide as I saw a thousand dollars. I quickly gave it back.
"No, Jenson, I can't."
"It's for the plane ticket. You will need all your money for a motel or something. I don't want you spending more time with that man than you have to."
I hugged him again not wanting to let go.
"Thank you so much."
"It's okay."
"Look after him," I said before I could stop myself.
"I will, but you have to look after yourself, and your father and get on that plane."

Patrick
I watched her leave from my parents' window. Jenson stood on the front steps with Curious in his arms. It broke my heart when I saw her get in the taxi with Kobey. A lump formed in my throat as I realized what was leaving me. My life, my reason for living, my Rose. She looked up and her eyes landed on mine. Those Auburn eyes. How you could fall in love with them? How could I let them go?
I turned and stormed for the door. Taking two steps at a time I ran down the stairs. As I paced towards the door, Jenson was half way in. He caught me before I could even take a step outside.
"No Patrick, she's gone," he told me. I tried to push harder but he would let me.
"I can't let her go with him!" I yelled feeling the fire burn inside of me.
"She's not going for him, you know that. She's going for her father."
"A man that doesn't even know he has a daughter!"
"If I thought she was making a mistake, I would have stopped her. She's gone Patrick, she's gone."
I stepped back trying to calm my breaths.
"She's gone," Jenson repeated. His breathing was just as uneven as mine.
She's gone. She's left me. Like everyone else.