TO HOLD A ROSE

EPISODE IX - LOST

Abel got up by five-fifteen the next morning. His phone rang again before he realised what had cut short his sleep. His feet slotted smoothly into the pair of flip-flops by the bed while he answered his phone. He was quiet for a few minutes. He listened as Rose explained why she had missed his calls, only chipping in with the occasional 'hm' and 'hmm hmm.'

One of her clients was getting married in a few months. And she said the bride-to-be had been impossible to work with. It was either the floral designs on the gown were too scanty or they didn't have enough crystal stones. One design was showing too much of her boobs, and another had left her back too open. Plus she wanted a bridal train of twenty bridesmaids. And as if that wasn't elaborate enough, it had to be different designs for four groups of five bridesmaids.

"She's just crazy," Rose giggled. "I pity her husband. The poor guy must be mulling about dumping her at the altar that day. She wants to kill everybody, but I'll find my way with her."

"Sure you will." Abel sat on the bed with a hand on his chin, his eyes half open and his voice crawling out of sleep. "I hope you're getting some rest though."

"I am babe. Trying my best. So what's up with work?" She asked as if she had missed the text from yesterday.

"Yeah about that," his eyes lost the blurriness in a snap and back straightened. "I finalised the agreement with Joshua. And he processed first part of the payment."

"He did?" Rose's voice went up a pitch. "How much?"

"Seven hundred," he muffled.

"Seven hundred what?" Her voice went another pitch higher.

"Million."

"WHAT? THAT IS HUGE! Congratulations!"

"Yes it is. Thanks babe. But we have one lil' problem?"

"And that is?"

"I'll have to be in Canada soon. Next week precisely."

He didn't hear anything from her side. Only the whizzing of her nose. And then he heard a deep sigh. "Are you there?"

"Yeah... I'm just... uh- taken aback a bit. I mean I know you mentioned it before but it just got more realistic."

Abel could hear her voice crack. He had anticipated she wouldn't be happy to hear it. But neither was he. It had been a struggle up until that point to accept that he'd be away.

Her presence was becoming essential to him. He was growing into being in love with her. Slowly, but surely. He had found himself wanting more from his desire of her. And although he wasn't sure what it was exactly, being close to her would have made it easier. Rose had become a path to exploring his own life, new experiences. And he couldn't think of a tomorrow that she wasn't present in.

"I know how this feels babe. But it's only for a short while."

"Do you have any idea on how long you could be gone for?"

"Let's say a month. If everything goes to plan. Two weeks in Canada and another two in the UK. It should cover only the procurement phase. And when I'm back, after say another two weeks of initiation phase, it'd be pretty much supervision visits. You could even join me sometimes you know?"

She said nothing.

"Rose?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I'm here. I heard you. That's cool... Um I have to go now, have to get ready for the day."

"Oh sure. Yeah no problem," he said in a rush. Her responses had grown tawdry. "We'll catch up later."

Back at the office, activities and traffic had become fast-paced. Abel was spending more time on the phone. Sade, his secretary, never stayed in the office. She spent most of her time handling office errands. And local contractors trooped in and out of the gates as though it were a shopping mall. All parties had to get in sync with Abel's plans since he ran AbTec purely on his expertise and preferences.