Ravenwolf's Rose

A Promise To Love

"I think it's time I left... but I want you to enjoy the meal we made together..." he then placed his hand on the back of his neck. "I think I need some time to myself... maybe I will take that trip to Spain...?"

Seconds later I stood up and held onto his wrist... he seemed a little shocked, but his expression flattened when he noticed tears were falling down my cheeks.

"I care about you a lot Jackson... I didn't mean for this to..." he then leaned over to hug me.

"Just once... let me hug you like this..." I stood there quietly, letting him hold onto me gently... after another minute had passed he released me while pressing his hands onto my shoulders...

"You can't control who you fall in love with... I don't think any of us could have predicted what would have happened. Ever since you stepped into Ravenwolf's doors... who would have thought you and I would have changed this much?" he then slowly stood back...

"My friend will be here in another half hour to close shop... you can enjoy this space until then... I really meant it when I said I wanted you to enjoy the dinner we made..." he then looked over his shoulder.

"See you around..." while he left I slowly sat down, a little baffled.

My hands were shaking... out of frustration, out of sadness and perhaps a sense of loss... I tried picking up my fork a few times, but all I could do was hold onto my head and cry.

I cried for some time before I tried eating again... I managed to finish my dish after wiping my tears away... I made my way to the kitchen to clean up and then stared out into space in the lounge before his friend came to close shop...

Like a ghost, I wandered out into the streets. I walked around town for quite some time before I sat on one of the benches in a nearby park...

The summer night's were warmer, so I was able to spend some time thinking about what to do next... but I couldn't think of anything.

What more could I do if I couldn't return his feelings?

When my body slumped forward a little, I sat back... I was definitely tired from what happened earlier... I looked at my phone and saw that it was close to 11 o'clock now... I stood up and started to walk back into the direction of the nearest bus shelter, but up ahead I saw someone leaning against their car...

When I got closer I saw that it was Kai...

A sense of relief overwhelmed my heart... but in that moment I felt a sense of warmth... there was a bitter-sweetness that rose... 

***

Jackson really did leave for Spain... but he took Edna with him...

After a week, Edna returned, but... Jackson flew to Milan to continue doing business...

Soon enough I realized at the beginning of July that he wasn't coming home any time soon...

Kai had been patient and understanding with me since the night he picked me up... I was a little unsure and distant at first, but eventually I spent more time wanting to be by Kai's side again... even after what happened between Jackson and I.

"Here..." Kenz said, while handing me a palette of water colours... I was outside painting in front of the gardens... Kenz offered to go and get some of my tools because I forgot them. So afterwards she played with Apollo in the gardens while I painted for a while...

About an hour later, Edna came out to check on her vegetable garden. When Nathan arrived, Kenz rushed over to hug him tightly...

The progress in their father-daughter relationship made my heart warm almost instantly... at this point in time, Gerald was also still living in the house. He and Nathan had mended their relationship after coming to a mutual understanding... and as for Cassandra, well... she was having difficulty keeping up with her lawyer payments so I heard she was going to divorce Gerald on some conditions.