CHASING SAPPHIRE🔞

Chapter seventeen: The mother i never had

~Vincent~

I wake up to the sound of my alarm going off, an audial reminder that it was 6am, time to begin my day.

Lazily, I stretch my hand, fumbling to look for the snooze button, while all along the vociferous rhythmic beeping continues.

With a sudden burst of energy, I stand up and click the dismiss button, walking with a groan into the bathroom.

After a shower, I call Rose. She picks on the first ring.

"I'm already in front of the school, Hurry" How did she even know it was me? Isn't it meant to be an unknown number? She hangs up before I can reply, so I just sigh and throw on anything I pick first from my closet.

I look around, once I spritz my perfume. My room, it's messy again. Oh, sometimes I wish I was staying in an hotel. At least, there'd be room service.

I quickly rush down the stairs and out of the school. I see Rose, on the floor, fast asleep. I look at the eye bags. She really didn't sleep last night. My phone rings and she wakes up. It's Mr Roland, Chief of police.

"Let's go" I say and start walking. Not bothering to care if she's behind me.

"What did you come with?" I ask as we stop at my motorcycle.

"A cab" ah shit...

"Okay, get on. Hold on tight." I hand her the helmet get on the motorcycle, she doesn't get on. Instead, I look back and see her hailing a cab. The cab stops and she speaks with the guy then come sto hand me the helmet.

"Thanks. But I'm not getting on this death trap. We'll meet at the station." She says, drops the helmet on the back seat and walks into the cab, driving off.

I sigh and drive off too, just behind them. I speed past them and get to the station before her.

She comes about 5 minutes later and we enter together.

"Rosetta sweetie" A fine velvety voice calls and Rose freezes beside me.

"M-mum" she looks up, her eyes watery already as she runs to the woman, elegantly dressed in a white dress covered by a white fur coat and shoes that could probably buy my entire estate.

"Rose sweetie, I asked you countless times if he was doing anything to you and you said he wasn't. Why lie to me?"

"Where's Daisy?"

"She's in the car. You haven't answered my question"

"He didn't do anything I didn't want him to"

"Sweetheart, do you know the implication of what you're saying?"

"He said-"

"-Bullshit. He told you bullshit. Your father was always good at lying. He is a manipulative bastard"

"Mum!"

"Do not 'mum' me. He can hurt me but I won't take it if he hurts my daughter. When we leave here, we go get a restraining order, I don't care how long it takes, but you're moving in with me. Got it?"

"But-"

"-No buts. The officer has told me everything. And I must say I am disappointed in you for feeding on his lies. But don't you worry, I'll make sure he rots in jail. He uses all the money I send to you right?" Her mum asks and she slowly nods.

"Ma'am-"

"-Yeah yeah. Go give your statements" she says and urges Rose to go. She looks at me and smiles. I smile back and follow Rose.

We get to the interrogating room and a man asks us questions. Thankfully, Rose doesn't lie. Probably because of her mum.

She says all the things he used to do to her. She says, they never had sex but he'd touch her inappropriately. There was a blush on her face, all through, but she said it boldly. And I admire her for that.

By the time we're done, even the cop himself looks angry, but not as angry as I am. He fed her with so much lies and she's probably too innocent to realise that they were lies to manipulate her.

We walk out and she hugs her mum

"Okay. Go meet your sister in the car. Then we'll go straight to my house. I'll buy you new clothes, so you don't have to go back to that apartment. I've sent your cousin to help you check out. I'm proud of you baby, now I need to thank this young man appropriately, have a feeling you didn't do that. Bye"

Rose looks at me, her eyes glazed with an expression I can't seem to understand. She looks away and runs outside. Her mum turns to me and smiles.

"So you're the hero. You're a very handsome young man. Thank you so much for helping my daughter. What can I ever do to repay you?"

"Well...there is one thing"

"What is it? Tell me. Is it money? A job? Anything. Hell I can bribe your lecturers to make sure you pass every course" that makes us both laugh.

"No, that's not it. Uh, It's about Rose..." She gets serious now.

"Yes?" She says, slowly.

"She uh, I think she needs to see a therapist. Her dad-sorry to say-is a psycopath"

"-Oh I know that, continue" she laughs

"I feel he probably messed her up, mentally. I think she really needs to see a therapist or psychologist, anyone"

"Oh? Now that you mention it. Yeah. I will make sure she does. Thanks for caring about her. Do you by any chance have any sort of feelings for her?" I cough.

"Uh, no. I'm actually involved with someone else. I'm just a classmate who happens to care about her, a lot."

"Hmm. Such a shame you're already taken. That girl or boy you're with, their really lucky to have you" Yeah, if only Sapphire would realise that too...

"I'll be going now, I'll send you my house address. You're now part of the family, your name please"

"Vincent. Vincenzo Cali. Rose and I share the same last name"

"Hm, well not anymore. She'd be changing that to Gonzalez, my Fiance's last name"

"You're getting married?" I ask and she smiles, her eyes lighting up. She must really love the guy.

"Yep. Some weeks from now and you are invited" She snaps her finger and a guy in all black appears giving her a white handbag. She brings out an invite and hands it over to me.

"Thank you ma'am. Uh, can my friends come along?"

"Like I said you're part of the family now. You can brings as many of your friends that you want to bring. As long as they compose themselves, I won't have no people disrupting my marriage" she says and I laugh.

"Thank you ma'am"

"You've said that already sweetie. This is my way of thanking you. And I promise I will do more. Your request will be granted, that I promise."

"Nice. Uh, one more thing, can you please not tell Rose that I told you to take her to the therapist? Or she'll have my head"

"Of course, I don't kiss and tell, buddy. Goodbye now, I have an appointment and I think I'm running late!" She says and walks out, turning around to wave at me again. I find myself grinning.

She's just like the mother I never had.