The Thistles of Rose

33 • Mesmerised

♚ Luca ♚

"Can I take this off now?" Rosa asks, referring to the scarf I tied around her eyes.

"Not yet," I immediately declare, pressing down on the accelerator. The car speeds down the quiet, long road, passing all the inferior houses in a blur.

She sighs, playing with her glasses in her lap and bouncing her leg anxiously. I can tell she's getting impatient, but it'll all be worth it.

Aurelia was asleep and she didn't want to leave her because she's teething, so she always wants Rosa or me around. Though, she's taken a liking to her weird Uncle Marco. Rosa didn't want to put the pressure on Roman because she knows how cranky Aurelia is right now.

But I had to show her this as soon as possible and now was the only time I could do it.

When I turn into the black gate, it automatically opens for me. I know she wanted a traditional-style house, so I tried to make the front gates match that theme while having practicality for protection in mind. Hence, hedges and a black lantern accompany the stone pillars that stand guard at the front.

I've been working on this for the past couple of months now. Every spare second I had would be here fixing this place up to match that of her dreams. I'm beyond fucking excited to show her that I've now become impatient.

I stop the car at the entrance and pull the scarf off her eyes, leaving one hand on the steering wheel. She opens it up and wraps the embroidered scarf around her bare shoulders.

"Welcome to our new home," I introduce her.

Rosa's eyebrows furrow in confusion. I nod my head towards the front, and she floods with realisation, her expression basking in light. Quickly, she puts her thin-rimmed glasses back on.

Slowly, my tyres tread along the paved grey floor past each perfectly trimmed, short hedge as it lines the path up to the mansion. A small, stone fountain is situated between each hedge and silky, blue water glides out from the middle and into the embellished bowl.

I admire her wide-eyed, jaw-slacked reaction as she rakes in every feature of her surprise.

At the end, we drive through an arch which has white flowers wrapped around it like vines, and she gasps when the mansion comes into clear view. The three-story, ivory mansion has black windows embedded into it with black-rail balconies and a traditional, colossus black door. Two pots of hedges sit on either side, both blossoming red roses.

The car rolls to a stop outside the front door and I get out, running around to her side. When I open the door for her, she takes my hand as I help her out. Rosa turns in a slow circle of astonishment, gazing at her reality all around her.

"I can't believe you done this," she speaks, softly, into the melody of the waves crashing against the coast and the birds singing.

I'm lost in her as my eyes strum past her delighted features. She's at her most beautiful when she's happy just as much as when she's sad.

"Why?" I ask, intertwining our fingers together.

"I just...," she trails off, solemnly, turning to me with clouded eyes, "never thought anyone would go through all this trouble just to make me happy."

I hold her face in my hands, cradling it like an injured dove. "I will always do anything for you. Always, always, always. Because I'm only able to breathe when that pretty smile of yours lights up your face."

"Every single day, you just do things that make me fall even more in love with you," she tiptoes, sliding my sunglasses up so she can see my eyes clearly.