Love's Dark Rose by Serena Axel (top rated ebook readers txt) 📖

Loves Dark Rose


He presses his lips to mine. Breathless, I utter, “Babe I’ve gotta’ go.”

The last thing I want to do is leave David, but I'm afraid someone will see us and tell my Mom. I pull away, and everything in my being tells me what a fool I am not to stay with him. I reach for the door and his hand touches my arm.
“Please Julia, I don’t want you to leave. I can’t eat or sleep when we’re apart. You are the very air I breathe.”

“David you know I love you. And it is true. He is the other half of me. The mirror inside which I dwell, and see myself smiling on the other side. The fingers of my hand. The heart beating in my chest. “My heart is breaking, but I must go.”

Bolting out the car door I run up across the lawn, and peer in the porch window. Mom is asleep in her armchair with a book on her lap, still wearing her reading glasses. She has spent long hours at my father's bedside in the hospital since the cancer returned. That alone is strain enough on me, but the sneaking around is wearing on me just as badly, and I'm tempted to tell her. No, this is not the night to do it. I have to be quiet as a mouse, not wake her, and slip in the side door. Nervously I turn the knob, enter with my shoes in my hands. Relieved. So far, so good. I walk cautiously across the wood floors, trying to avoid those squeaky boards with a skewed smile. I take the back steps from the kitchen two at a time, glance back out of habit these days, and then dash down the hall to my room. I can breathe, finally. In a flash I'm safely beneath the covers, undetected, and I smile.

****

On my way with Tommy to the hardware store I have a million questions swirling through the walkways of my mind, like the leaves that dance madly as the cars goes by. The trees along the avenue are skeletal; shivering frames ready to be wrapped in the upcoming winter’s blankets. The starkness of the season reminds me of death; the loss of the verdant hills saddens me.

“Slow down, I am only a few minutes late,” I say.

“I’m in a hurry. What time did you get in? If you’d been dressed, the store would open on time,” he snaps back.

“ “What does it matter? It’s our store. If anyone’s waiting I’ll apologize. Tommy can’t I drive? I‘m a good driver…not one ticket.”

We pull up to the curb at the front of the store, and Tommy screeches to a stop. I look up to see the familiar “Capulet’s Hardware” sign; there’s a lump in my throat. I half-expect to see Dad coming out the door.

“Here’s the spare set of keys, and thanks for picking up the slack. I can’t believe Burt just up and quit when we really needed him.”

“Guess it’s good I didn’t look for another job,” I answer grabbing them.
“If you work weekdays I can handle the rest,” Tommy says to me.

Once inside, memories flood over me of when I was small, and used to play here with a young boy. We ran through the aisles and played in the drawers filled with all kinds of treasures. Daddy would come out and scoot us into the office, and in this different wonderland we’d both sit in his big leather chair and twirl. Many times I’ve asked what happened to the little boy, and am just told, “He moved away.” Nothing more said, and the subject always changes quickly.

The store was a gift from my grandma…sorta’. When she died, my dad’s inheritance bought it. I never knew my grandpa, and his death was always very hush-hush. My dad smells like the store, a sweet aged pine scent, deeper than his skin. It goes to his very soul. His hands are rough, and nearly twice the size of mine, but he’s a kind and gentle man. He played football long ago, and is fond of reminiscing. He was a star, just like my brother Tommy.


The thick oak counter needs a good cleaning, and before long the reflecting lights dance like imaginary fairies on water. I sweep the floors, and now the wastebaskets shine. Customers drift in and out,and offer best wishes and a speedy recovery for my father.

While on the ladder dusting where no one has cleaned for years, out of the corner of my eye I see a tall, dark guy walk in.

“Excuse me miss do you carry sixteen-penny sinkers?”

“Down the second isle on the right,” I say kindly. “Let me show you."

I climb down and go over, and he touches my hand.

“We have to be careful. Eddy is helping out today. He’s in the office.” Leaning into me he smiles. I feel weak in the knees, and can’t think straight.

“Will that be all for you?”

He walks closely behind me and brings them to the counter.

“What about lunch?” He asks.

“I’ll meet you at our place for a coffee at two-thirty.”

“I’ll be there.”

Until I met David I’d never thought much about love at first sight. He reaches over and takes my hand.

I look up to see Eddy ambling out of the office. He looks directly at our hands; I have to think quickly. I pull mine away.

“Oh hey, Eddy, this is David. He’s a new customer.”

Eddy looks at David and extends his hand. He blurts out “ Hi I’m Julia’s boyfriend.

Oh Julia did you remember about our date tonight?”

I stop, and roll my eyes. I’m fuming. “Let me take care of David, then we can talk.”

“Okay, tax included you owe me seventeen thirty-nine. Here’s a discount card. Bring it back the next time you come in. Thanks for your business,” I say as nonchalantly as my quivering voice will allow.

“I have a couple of months on this job, so I‘ll be back.” He walks out the front door. I am ready to tear into Eddy when I see a bud vase with a rose in it. David must’ve put it there when he came in. I smile, pick it up, and inhale the heavenly scent. Love is changing my world. The scent of it is his exhalation.

Eddy calls from the back, “Julia I’m going for lunch can I bring you something.”

“No thanks. I’ll wait and go get a coffee later.”

“Suit yourself,” he says as he leaves through the rear.


*******
Hey Julia!" Trish the waitress calls out and motions to me. "He's out on the back patio, and he's very impatient." Her voice is high, filled with something of the expectation I am feeling. Maybe her heart is hammering too.

This little getaway has been a refuge for us. We sit in a secluded spot on the patio, beneath the green, spreading arms of a palm, and make plans for our future. Our families have no clue we've even met, and would not allow any relationship. David Montague’s family had my grandfather sent off to prison for embezzlement. The circumstances of his trial... were a travesty of justice.David's ancestors were clever. While in prison he became seriously depressed and killed himself. But our love can stand this test, this history, and so we agree. There is no reason, no heavenly reason to continue feeding the hate, even in the face of the many earthly reasons.

I hurry to the patio. My heart races . I see David.

David looks up as I reach the table, and as he stands we embrace.

“I don’t care who know about us. We have to do something. Oh Julia, I can’t bear to be away from you—not for another hour or day.” David is anxious and reaches for a small empty box that used to house the nails he purchased.

“Here.”

“Do you need more?” I question.

I reach over to put the box in my purse.

“Can you open it?”

I grab the small box and open the lid. There isn’t a nail to be seen, only the most gorgeous diamond ring.

“Honey, you all right? I can’t live without you, and when you leave me I can’t stop thinking about you. Not for a second. Will you be mine forever…will you marry me?”

I’m shocked, but then again not. Perhaps it’s the box. A silly box…with a gorgeous diamond ring nestled inside…I’m shocked.

“David I love you. But darling how can we? Our families hate each other”

“We can go to Vegas or a justice of the peace. We can move away, just the two of us. You’re all I need to be happy.” He reaches over and grabs the ring and then takes my hand and slips it on my finger. Just then I hear a familiar voice, and look over