Flower Ch. 08

We walked into the beauty parlor side by side, Gabriella quickly listing the things she had to do before we were on our way, estimating that she'd need at least an hour, and no she didn't need my help. I sighed and told her I would occupy myself as best as I could in the waiting room, even though I didn't exactly long for the glossy magazines and the stories about the rich and famous. The young woman in the reception area who'd been so unhelpful the last time I was there looked at us with her eyebrows lifted when we walked past her and I wanted to tell her "hey, take a good look now, because we do know each other", but she slipped away behind a curtain, once more tapping away on her phone.

I sat down, back straight, on a chair strategically placed in the corner where I could keep my eyes both on the reception area and the front door. I held a magazine in my hands but I didn't look at the pictures and I didn't read the articles. My mind was occupied with thoughts of Gabriella, Elena, Edward, Alfred and, most of all, Sean. One family filled with entirely good and caring people, such a sharp contrast to my husband's family, filled with almost completely selfish people. My thoughts circled around those contrasts, the opposites, good and evil, white and black, wondering if there really was such a thing as completely good or evil human beings, or if it was just circumstances that created the devils and the angels. I sighed and shook my head, I didn't want to try to dig myself into the possible explanations to why my husband was the way he was. If there was a simple answer, if bad circumstances created bad people, if "I was mistreated by my father" was the simple answer to it all, how then had Sean managed to become the caring, giving person that he was.

Gabriella whirled by from time to time, telling me of her progress or asking me to try out a new product while I was waiting. She was mothering me and keeping an eye on me, and I wondered if Sean had asked her to do so, or if it was just one of those things she did, mother goose style, or perhaps more like mother wolf. I laughed softly as the thought hit me that I'd be very well protected with both Alfred and Gabriella in the same room.

The front door opened and I looked up, hoping to see either Edward or Sean in the doorway. Two men walked in, dressed casual, in obviously expensive clothes, both wearing baseball hats. My first thought was to wonder what the two men were doing in such an obviously female environment, my second thought was more like a shocked, silent scream - "no, not this, not now". I stood up, my hurried movements pushing the chair back, sending it to the floor with a sharp bang, of course alerting the two men of my presence. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't move when my husband turned his angry eyes on me and smiled. I pulled my eyes away from him, trying to gather some strength, trying to think what I should do. I could feel myself grow dizzy, my field of vision growing smaller and smaller. As if from a great distance I saw my husband's companion lean over the counter and kiss the unhelpful receptionist. I'd been so wrong about her, she could obviously be really helpful, in the right circumstances.

I stood, frozen, as if hypnotized by the snake in front of me, waiting to be eaten alive. Another sound from the front door made me turn my face stiffly towards it. Sean came walking in, closely followed by Edward who was struggling to get Alfred through the door. Sean turned his smiling face towards me, his eyes so different, so loving, compared to those that kept me glued to the floor. I wanted to tell him to run, to save himself, I wanted to tell him I loved him, but not a sound crossed my tight lips.

Sean looked at my face, my stiff body, took in the rooms, the people in them and then came running. Of course he had to run straight into danger, of course he wouldn't run away, stupid, caring man. He crashed straight into my husband, pinning him to the ground, before he called out to me, his voice commanding "run, get out of her, go, now!"

I started walking with slow, zombie-like movements, then as if my careful actions started a new set of reactions, I started jogging until I reached the door and speeded out through it. I turned back shortly as I danced my way out the door, and in one last scary image of the parlor I saw Sean being hit over the head by my husband's companion. And the very last thing I heard was the sound of my husband's voice as he yelled "remember those friends you used to have?" before I was running in full panic, unseeingly heading somewhere, going anywhere but there.

I ran as fast as I could, until a screaming sound in my head made me stop. With heavy breaths, I collected my thoughts. I'd been able to get away, I was free, but my friends...? Being free didn't mean shit if that meant that my friends would be hurt, did it? I turned around and started walking slowly back towards the parlor, shaking my head to try to come up with a plan. I had a phone, I could call Mary, but then she'd just come running and she'd probably just end up on the floor as Sean had. I had a stun gun, which meant I could take care of one of the men, but since there were three of them, including unhelpful-girl, they would almost certainly see me coming and would probably be able to stop me before I did any damage.

A familiar bark pulled me out of my thoughts, and when Alfred almost pushed me to the ground with his greetings I couldn't have been happier. I threw my arms around him and laughed and cried and cried and laughed, Alfred patiently waiting for me to collect myself. He licked my tear-stained face and told me "wroof", when I had cried myself dry, and I had to agree, it was time to get going.

I started walking, Alfred walking closely by my side. I had a phone, a stun gun, a dog, but I still had to get into the place without being seen; think-think-think! I stopped in sheer disbelief, cursing my thick scull. I just needed to get in without being seen? Pretty much like when I'd just recently needed to get out without being seen? With one final curse I started running, heading for the back streets and the back door.

I ran all the way back to the parlor, but stopped a few steps away from the door, fiddling with the key in my pocket, needing to think my plan through. It wasn't much of a plan, really, it was as pitiful as the script to any blockbuster action movie, that scene where the odds are most definitely not in the hero's favor. And stun gun or not, I wasn't much of a hero. I started backing away from the door. I couldn't do it. There was no way that it would work.

A low bark and a challenging look from Alfred stopped me, and when he walked up to the door and barked that low, commanding bark again, I felt my cheeks grow red. I'd been thoroughly put in place, by a dog. The message was loud and clear - "let's get it done".

I pulled myself together, pressed the Mary-button on my phone and whispered help when Mary answered, then tucked the phone back into my pant pocket, call still open, unlocked the door and slowly sneaked it open. I opened the curtains carefully, exhaling slowly as I saw that there was no one in Gabriella's office. Alfred kept his body pressed to my right leg, and he seemed to understand that we had to move slowly and quietly.

Opening the door to the room, I could hear the sound of two loud voices, my husband's very familiar, angry voice, and an unknown, much calmer voice, probably his companion's. I couldn't tell what they were fighting about, but hoped that their loud words would hide the sound of the slightly squeaking door I was trying to push myself through. The abrupt end to their loud discussion made me freeze in the middle of the short hallway, turning my head back and forth, trying to find a place to hide, quickly. Edward's calm words seemed to distract them, but they also made my heart fill with dread.

"May I please be allowed to take a look at my nephew before he bleads out completely? You do both know that he is a police officer, don't you? And that means it's probably in both of your interest to make sure he's kept alive?" Edward said, using his calm doctor's voice.

"Shut up and sit back down!" my husband answered, his voice loud and annoyed.

I felt Alfred grow tense by my side and put a hand on his back, hoping that I could keep him by my side, just for a few seconds longer. So far, so good, but what now? They all seemed to be in the waiting room and the reception area, even unhelpful-girl, I could hear her complaining about things taking too long. Three evil persons guarding three good ones, and one trembling Rose to the rescue. There was just one thing I could do, really, wasn't there?

I walked out into the reception area, a gasp from the receptionist alerting all of them to my presence.

"If you let my friends go, I'll let you have me instead!" I said with a low, but surprisingly steady voice.

I turned my head quickly towards the waiting room, where I could see my friends all sitting up, even Sean who was pressing a towel to his obviously bleeding head.

"Nooo, get away from here!" Sean called out, almost desperately, and I could feel his pain vibrate through my body.

I turned my eyes back to the bad guys, just in time to see my husband's lips spread in an angry smile made out of pure evil.

"I think we'll just take you, and your friends..." he said, before he started walking towards me.

I pushed my hand beneath my t-shirt and grabbed a hold of Mary's weapon-of-choice, but before I could pull it out, Alfred ran straight at my husband and threw himself at him, cute golden love-bundle once more turned into a fierce, barking, wild animal. My husband held his arms and hands out to protect himself against Alfred's angry growls, barks and bites. He was pushed back and shouted for his friend to "sort that thing out, once and for all". I saw his friend grab what looked like a gun. In stunned disbelief I saw him take aim before I grabbed my own weapon and fired, aiming for the companion instead of my husband. I saw electricity send the man to his knees, but at the same time I heard a shot going off from his very real gun. I closed my eyes and fell to my knees, I didn't want to see what had happened, I didn't want to see Alfred hurt.

A happy "wroof" had me opening my eyes just in time for some loving dog-kisses all over my face. I pushed my hands through his fur, looking for injuries but couldn't find any. I looked up and saw my husband on the floor, his bloody hand held against his leg, his face white from pain. The shot had obviously hit someone more deserving. I can't say it made me feel exactly unhappy.

A loud cry made me turn around just in time to see unhelpful-girl approaching, murder in her eyes. Right, there were three of them, I'd forgotten. I closed my eyes and braced myself for some sort impact, but a surprised huff and a loud thump had me opening my eyes again to a grim looking Gabriella waving her right hand in a universal "ouch, that hurt"-signal, the girl lying on the floor with nosebleed and a stunned expression on her face.

I jumped up and ran to Sean, throwing myself in his arms.

"I told you to run, you know" he said in a low voice.

"And I told you to stop telling me what to do" I answered before I kissed his mouth to shut him up.

The front door opened once more, and a slightly sweaty Mary came walking in, phone in her hand, an eyebrow lifted, pointing at the phone and then at me.

"For the love of everything holy," she said with both anger and laughter in her voice "you call me to ask for help, sending me into full panic mode, then you let me listen to your stupid "let my friends go" speech, making me completely insane, and then you top it off with that last silly "I love you more" smooch. I've been running all the way here, heart in my throat, hoping that I wouldn't be too late, and when I finally arrive you're sitting there on top of Sean, once more, as if nothing has happened..."

She looked at us all, her eyes finally reaching my husband's companion, who was now getting up from the floor.

"Completely, freaking, useless worry, once more!" she said as she walked up to the companion and hit him in the face, twice, effectively sending him to the floor once more, before she added with a happy sigh "Ahhh, that helped!"

She pressed a few buttons on her phone, gave a cryptic message and the address to the beauty parlor to whoever she had called, before she turned her eyes on us again.

"Right," she said "Sean and three spineless creatures need medical attention, anyone else? Gabriella, hand?"

Gabriella nodded and Mary texted something on her phone, before she put the phone back in her pocket.

"Sean," she said with a calm voice "time to call the cavalry, the right one, and let them know they've got some garbage to dispose of."

I let my head rest on Sean's shoulder and closed my eyes. He kept one arm secured around my waist as he called his "police friend", and I sensed he didn't want to let go of me, not just yet. I didn't want to let go of him, not ever, but I kept that thought to myself, wanting to secretly enjoy the feelings that were bubbling inside of me, just for a little while longer. No more fear, no more pain, no more sadness, just... love.

Perhaps I fell asleep, or perhaps I sank a little too deeply into my dreams about a happy future, because Sean was laughing softly and greeted me with a "hey, sleeping beauty" after what seemed like just a few seconds. I looked up and saw Mary standing a few steps away, her eyes soft and blank, a small smile playing on her lips, giving her face an almost longing expression, a feeling that I had never seen her show before. When she realized I was looking at her, she let her smile turn into her normal, wicked one before she lifted an eyebrow and stated that it seemed about time to see if all the pieces fit as perfectly as they seemed to. My cheeks grew red, I pressed my face against Sean's shoulder and bit my tongue to keep from giggling. Only a stupid woman would argue with my friend about time and things fitting as they should, and I wasn't stupid, not anymore.

* * * * *

I held her in my arms, and I wasn't going to let go of her, not now, not ever; my sweet Rose. I was just going to have to get used to my heart stopping completely from time to time, as it had done more than a few times these last few days. Seeing her running in full panic from a rapist, watching her disappear under water, her white face when her husband reached for her, her "take me instead of my friends" speech, all heart-stoppers. And in between those frightening moments, her hand on my face, her head leaning on my shoulder, her arms around my neck or chest and her kisses, all heart-stoppers in their own rights.

My body was still pumping adrenaline, but her soft breaths against my neck helped me calm down, slowly and steadily. It seemed she had fallen asleep, and I didn't want to wake her up, but Mary had just told me that she had a car waiting for us, just outside the door. I woke my sleeping beauty with some whispered words and we sat for a little while longer, her head pressed against my shoulder, her body shaking slightly. I wondered if she was crying and I wished once more that I could take away her pain. When she looked at me with laughter in her eyes instead of tears, I knew with absolute certainty that we were going to survive this ordeal, together.

We walked out of the beauty parlor, hand in hand, but I let go of her when I was met by my friend, Ben, at the homicide unit. We exchanged a few words about what had happened, he slapped my back and laughed at my head injury, then told me to just go on home. It felt strange to leave things unresolved, but I trusted Ben to do what was needed. And if he didn't, the team of darkly dressed men with suspiciously military bearings that Mary was talking to seemed very capable of "sorting things out" too. A medical team arrived and asked me to take seat, quickly cleaning my wound and using some kind of staples to stitch me back up. After a few minutes of pain, I stood up, took a relaxing breath and turned towards Rose, a Rose who was no longer where she'd been just a few minutes ago.

"Rose?" I called, worry hitting my gut at full speed "Rose?"

Gabriella and Edward turned towards me with surprise on their faces and Mary came running with her team of security experts, scanning the street for signs of her friend.

"Sean!" I heard Rose calling from an alley, a short distance away "Sean!"

I ran as quickly as I could, Mary falling in beside me, her team shadowing us into the alley. When we saw Rose standing still with a knife pressed to her throat, a dark shape hiding behind her, we all stopped.

"He s-s-says I need to go away," Rose told us with a low, anguished voice "that's the only way to stop the flowers being picked. He doesn't want the flowers to be taken. Too many... gone already, counting them, hurts?"

Mary tilted her head slightly and took a step forward.

"How many flowers have been taken?" Mary asked with a low voice.

"Four flowers times three, and one special flower to go" Rose answered, her voice scared but questioning.

"I've seen the pattern but just four times two, this year and last year, have they done it before?" Mary asked, her voice calm and concentrated.

"Four flowers times one two years before, and the one that is special... hours ago?", Rose answered.

"How many hours has the special one been gone?" Mary asked, still calm.

"Four hours' times forty times two plus ten" Rose answered, her voice slightly calmer.

"Two weeks," I heard Mary whisper before she asked "the one who is special, what is her name?"

"Lily," Rose answered with a soft voice "my Lily, sweet Lily, sister Lily, is her name."

"Sweet Lily, sister Lily, we have her safe" Mary answered with a low voice "strong Lily, silent Lily is her new name."

The knife fell to the ground and Rose took a few quick steps away from the sad-looking man behind her. I dragged her into my arms and watched Mary walk slowly towards the strange, confused man.

"Silent Lily sleeps four streets times two straight west from here, in a safe house that I know, may I take you to her?" Mary said, watching the man until he nodded, a strange jerking motion.

Mary started walking and when she passed us she looked up, nodded and spoke quickly with a low voice.

"I think we've found the missing puzzle piece, the one with people being pushed into traffic, but I'll call you later and tell you more about it..." she said, before she turned around the corner followed closely by the man who was busy whispering numbers.

I stood still, just staring after them, thinking about the strangeness of the conversation, the strangeness of the whole situation. A soft sound from Rose made me look at her, and I saw tears running down her face.

"That poor man and his poor sister," she said, wiping tears from her cheeks "she must be the girl you were telling me about, the one that got away?"

I nodded, perhaps she was right, it did make a strange kind of sense. I shook my head in an attempt to clear my thoughts, walked Rose out of the alley and guided her into the big, black car that was still waiting for us. I asked Gabriella and Edward to come with us, thinking that we could all use some company, that it might be good for all of us to talk, to share what we'd been through, but they just shook their heads tiredly, Edward quietly asking Gabriella to give him a ride home.

After a short drive in the silent, luxurious car, we walked, once more hand in hand, up the pathway to my house, the house that used to belong to Edward, and his father before that, the house that I longed to fill with joy and laughter. I opened the door and let Rose in, never letting go of her hand, keeping my eyes on her face to see what she thought of the place. It had taken me hours upon hours of renovation to fix the place up just the way I wanted it, and was anxious to see if she liked it too. I walked her into the kitchen and she stopped, gasped, her eyes growing large, round and blank.