Peter & Rosie

Chapter Fifteen- Where art thou Abel?

For the first few hours Rosie and Peter had relaxed at home in her house, it was then they went to do the most difficult task, Rosie had to do, see her mum.

As Peter walked hand in hand with Rosie, the two were playful in the way that he would spin her around every now and then to keep things interesting, to make her laugh, he loved seeing her happy. "Ms. Thomas, your daughters here" there was a pause, the two young adults stood in the door way, "thank you Margret" the nurse smiled and walked out, in bed and propped up a beautiful, yet slender women, who had an IV in her arm and a smile on her face.
"Rosalyn" her mum sounded so full of joy, Rosie hugged her mum, "you haven't called me that  since I was little" "I know baby but I just missed you so much, is Calum with you?" Rosies mother seemed hopeful, "no mum, he's not." Mary lay back solemn in her bed.

"Good for nothing" she muttered, "no, mum, I'm sure he's just busy" Peter could tell she was lying, but what Mary said next he wasn't expecting, "I have Severe conditions Rosalyn, being busy isn't an excuse." "mum I-" "no, do not make excuses on your brothers account, I have you and I want to spend time with you" Rosie choked back tears, "I for one say we should have a game night together" "Peter! I haven't even said hello" Mary's welsh accent came through, as did Rosie's from time to time.

"Hello, Mary" Peter cracked one of his boyish smiles and Mary hugged him suddenly catching him by surprise, "I'm so glad your here, Rosalyn needs a man like you" "I'm glad she needs me" Peter smiled at Rosie, a secret smile, they shared, "and yes I think a game night would be fun, Rosalyn, you should invite my adoptive son Abel" its something Mary said after Abel who lived next door kept falling asleep in their barn, staying the night, soon they moved an old single bed in there, Abel to say the least was pleased, becoming friends with Rosie.

Abel's family was from Scotland originally and he still had a fairly thick accent.

"He's not your son, and I can't, I haven't heard from him in weeks, he's not talking to me" "I saw him yesterday but oh, shame, it will just be us and up the hall Paul" "up the hall Paul?" Peter raised an eye brow, "one could say he's soon to be your step father" Peter could literally see the colour drain from Rosie's face, "I was joking, Rosalyn" he heard Rosie's nervous laughter, "we'll go get food and come back with some games, sound good?" Peter made eye contact with Rosie, she was reaching her limit, she worried everyday for her mother and it was hard to see her like this.

"It sounds perfect, Peter, your shouting Rosalyn dinner I hope?" "mum." Rosie hissed nervously, "Of course I am, I'm the gentlemen" he let out one of his attractive smiles, which usually made Rosie melt, this time of course was no exception.

Peter walked hand in hand with his Angel, that's what she was after all, an angel, his angel. Peter could tell, Rosie was struggling seeing her mum like she was, thin and sickly, yet oddly still beautiful, but a constant reminder that tomorrow could be her last, if she decided to stop having treatment, she barely ate and that was entirely the problem. "Peter" "yeah?" "you don't think, you don't think she'll choose to leave me soon, do you?" he saw the look in her eyes, the only way to describe it was haunting, he couldn't be sure on the answer but he knew what he had to say, "no, she's strong, she's not going anywhere".

The two lovers settled for something light, although Rosie kept telling him she wasn't hungry, he insisted, she eat.
Rosie stabbed at her salad before eating it, and Peter awkwardly tried to not bring attention to her murdered lettuce leaves, "So, what game do you want to play with Mary?" "I'm not sure, monopoly?" "monopoly? no, no we can do better" Rosie laughed, "we can, can we?" Peter nodded, thoughtfully sipping some of his soda, "I say a classic family game, Cluedo? Perhaps if we've feeling extra snazzy we can break out the Uno?" Rosie snorted, Peter was glad he was cheering her up.

As the two walked from the restaurant to Peter's car, Rosie stopped suddenly, "hey, are you okay?" Peter said, he turned to see what she was staring at, it didn't take him long to understand, Abel and an unknown girl were sitting together, Rosie had almost taken Peter there but she said something about a promise to Abel and didn't, looks like Abel was the one who broke it first.
"I'm not mad, I just wish he would have told me" "I know Ro, I know" he rubbed her back and opened the door of his car, she sat, still staring, longingly, wishing he bet, the three of them were sitting there together, wishing she could have her best friend back.

"We can pick up the games from my house, Cluedo was your suggestion right? Good one, it's my mums favourite" "I knew she was a Cluedo girl" Rosie laughed at Peters nonsensical look of achievement, "and yes Peter, we do have Uno" Peter gave a cheer of excitement clearly, Peter Lancaster was an Uno fan.

The next few hours playing Cluedo were some of the best moments Rosie had experienced in a long time, she was glad, to have done it, without Peter, she probably wouldn't have had the confidence to come back and see her mother.

In the end, Rosie knew, she owed Peter so much more then she could voice into words.