TO HOLD A ROSE

EPISODE II - A NEAR MISS

The next morning Abel struggled to get out of bed, which was unlike him -he got up everyday by five A.M. But it had been a long night. It felt like his eyes were open all through. And they only saw one person, Rose.

He had walked through the long paths of a large park, holding hands with her while they approached open waters. Then he carried her, as if she were a baby in a woollen wrapper. And he laid her down on the green grass by the flowing stream. He watched her smile and for once, he saw the depth of her dimples. Then they walked another mile before his alarm came off again by six. He rolled over to stop the chiming. He wanted more sleep, but he knew he had to get up now. It was a Monday and he had an appointment for ten A.M.

He said a quick prayer as he knelt by his bed. He finally let out the heavy yawn that had been stuck in his throat. His eyelids fought hard to separate as he sat by the edge of the bed, staring at his rumpled cloths on the small couch. He rhymed his head to the low Jazz music coming from the speakers while he tried to gather some strength. Then he heard a soft knock on the door. "Come in," he said, standing up to open the door.

"Oh, Good morning mom," he greeted her with surprise on his face.

Noelle stood by the door. She greeted him and told him to come downstairs for breakfast before he leaves the house. "I made your favourite," she grinned.

Abel knew exactly why she had come to his room early. He knew she could not wait to hear about how his date went last night. He thought she might be worried if he told her he had ruined the date. That he had allowed his ego overshadow his desire to connect with someone yet again. It wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation, especially as he still wallowed in regret.

He thought to do his workout routine but the thoughts in his head weighed heavier than dumbbells. And after sitting idle for a while, he dragged himself into the bathroom. He didn't have much time left to do anything else. The bath was longer than usual but Rose stayed in his head like an oil stain on canvas. Then he stepped out the bathroom and started to apply cream on his body. Then a voice broke through his thoughts and asked him. Why didn't you call her to apologize after?

"Call who?" he asked himself. Abel was in denial. He hated the fact that he had been thinking about Rose since last night. He tried to convince himself that he had not been hoping for some sort of magic to bring her back to him. That he had not seen her in his dreams. He tried to fight back the idea that he might be falling for the one woman that had rejected him.

She looked beautiful in her yellow dress, the voice said. Like ducklings in a pond on a sunny day.

"She wasn't all that though," Abel said to his reflection in the mirror. He turned away and started getting dressed. He had things that were more important on his schedule. Mr Joshua was coming to his office today and he needed a clear head for this meeting. It could be the biggest job his company ever handled. And he couldn't keep Rose's attitude in his head on a Monday morning

His mother had a little tea cup in her hand at the dining table. Abel descended the stairs with his brown pouch in his right hand. He wore the navy blue suit she bought for him last July, on his birthday. "You look sweet," she said as he sat for breakfast. She had made him sausages, scrambled eggs and baked beans. With a mug of ginger tea.

"Thanks mom," he picked up the mug, and he said, "I hope you had a good night."

"Oh yes I did," she placed her little cup on the table. "And how was your night?"

Abel could not figure out how to tell her how it had gone exactly. He wished he had something else to say besides the truth. Then he said, "It didn't go so great."