The One (completed)#1cleanromance O8.09.2018

Chapter 23 - the Rose Room

"Your tea's coming up . . ." Nana called before she entered the Rose room, pushing the tea trolley inside.

"Just put them here Nana, please . . . !"  Grandmere indicated to the side table near the duvet.

"Ashton . . . !" Nana's excitement showed in her voice despite her pronouncements regarding Ashton's unforgivable behavior.

"Hello, Nana . . . !"  Ashton stood up and engulfed his old nanny a bear-kind of hug, then helped Nana put the delicacies and the tea things on the table.

"Ohhh! Miss you, my dear boy! What took you so long, huh . . . ?" Nana started.

"I know . . . Nana! I know . . . !"  Ashton said standing up, his staunch reflecting his wretchedness.  One  glance at her ward just melted her heart.

However, she was one determined woman that no matter what, she thought . . . Ashton should hear what she'd wanted to tell him, even if it'd cost her leaving Grandmere alone in the farm.

And, a momentary silence followed, except for the sound of tea things passed around, no one spoke, or dared speak to break the silence!

Even Ashton stood warily watching Nana took a grip at her emotions.

"It's been ten years Ashton! Ten miserable years is too much, too long!  Did you realize that?"  Nana suddenly took a seat as she felt her knees buckling up.  She just felt her entire energy slowly oozing out, her raw emotions completely getting the better of her.

"Hush, Nana . . ." Grandmere tried to placate her.

"Please, Grandmere.  I know my place here . . . you did not promise that you'd let me talk to him.  But you also knew that this one's coming. You always knew I've wanted to tell Ashton that.  I've kept all of these here for a very long time." Nana pounded her chest like it was kind of a drum, as she let out a heavy sigh.

"Now . . . please, Grandmere . . . you've got to let me talk to him . . . !" 

"It's alright, Grandmere . . . if Nana wishes to talk, then I better listen. Now maybe is the best time, or she may never get a good chance next time! And, I do care what she feels.  So speak Nana. I'd like to listen to anything you want to tell me!"

"You do care Ashton, huh? That's some kind of bullshit, do you know that?"

Ashton was taken aback with Nana's vehemence!

"You have to forgive me Ashton for my audicity. I am just your nanny, you know.  I am not really a blood relation. But you have to hear me out before you make me leave  this home that I've considered mine . . . because you, well . . . this family treated me like I was, and I feel like one of your own . . . "

Ashton just inclined his head, helping and encourging his former nanny to indulge herself.

"Well, you see . . . my real concern here is Grandmere, then, of course you . . . Ashton."

"I've always wanted to call you . . . but you were always out of the country, to some places we haven't heard of." 

"You could have Nana . . . "

"Yeah . . . ! We could have, but you were always out . . . unreachable! We only get to see you on TV with a girl on your side, we read about your escapades in the papers . . . you were so near, yet you were so unattainable to us."

Ashton and Grandmere were now silenced by Nana's passionate discourse.

"After Anthony and Margaux died, you just went off, wallowing in your pride! You wallowed in your pain! You disregarded and turned your back on your home . . . and Grandmere!"

"You didn't even know that Mariella died some five or six years ago.  You didn't know that Grandmere here sprained her ankle."

"Yeah!  You didn't know about the little things that happened around the farm because Grandmere here said she didn't want to get you unduly worried about her."

"But that was just one side of the story, Ashton!  She was always worried about you.  She thought I never knew. She was always good at keeping her emotions behind her smile. She'd thought I couldn't see through her calm facade."

"But I, too . . . felt her anguish!  I, too . . . knew her pain . . . because you, too . . .  were once my baby."

"We've lost Anthony . . . we couldn't help it . . . if we felt we were losing you, as well!"

"And when you cared to call back, we always felt we were talking to a brick wall. The communication was just one-sided. You'd ask how we were . . . but we were afraid to ask how you were.  We were always afraid we'd lose you forever if push comes to shove."

Nana's shoulders moved up and down as she sobbed herself silently.

"I've hounded your grandmere here, lots of times to go to London and see you. Though I doubted she'd survive the journey."

"What happened . . . to Anthony and Margaux . . . well, it was no one's fault, Ashton!"

"Yet, you never dared ask anyone here what really happened.  Grandmere tried telling you . . . but you just ran off like a scared dog. Yeah! You were a scared boy assuming a man's role in a man's world!"

"I know you Ashton! I helped raise you. I understand how you were good at keeping your word . . . your honour . . . and your love for your Grandpere."

"And . . . you did not come home for the funerals! They were your best friends! Anthony was your twin.  You were close as twins ought to be."

"And Margaux was your friend.  You used to be an item even before that unfortunate episode.  You weren't there to say your goodbye to them.  People asked . . . we didn't have answers.  Oh, yeah! We gave out alibis.  But we felt so bad about it, it made liars out of us."

Nana's tears were uncontrollable now, it was falling one after the other down her cheeks, her apron now was wet as she wiped her face with it.

Grandmere did her share of crying,  failing miserably in maintaining her serene demeanor.

Ashton hid his face was in his hands, as he crouched himself in his seat beside Grandmere, too absorbed in his own pain.

After Nana's long proclamations, silence enveloped the Rose room.

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What will happen to Nana after baring her heart out? . . . .to Grandmere who has a heart condition . . .?  What about Ashton?

Can I count on your reactions . . . guys?  Writing this part got me teary eyed too, I just had to cut it short.

Please leave some comments . . . and don't forget to vote.

Well, guys . . . I thought my story's not gonna make in the rankings anymore.  The last time I checked, it had no rankings after getting to #52, then it went down to #111.  Today, I was surprised when 'the one' appeared with the following rankings: ( just happy and overwhelmed!) please don't mind me.

No one's done this, I guess. But this is my first story - my baby. I feel it deserves some crier of sorts! I know my rankings aren't that much, but I'm just happy how this has turned out to be!
                           most impressive ranking
             #49 loveatfirstsight out of 1.18 k stories

         other rankings:
     #206  ceo                                           out of 3.19 k stories
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    #2       pain                                         out of 13 stories

THANK YOU WATTPAD, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HELPING ME MAKE IT. AND . . . THANK YOU LORD !!!!!!!!!