The Burning Rose

Chapter 3

A beautiful rose with thorns,

Your beauty, I hope, does not hurt others.

With my love, I will give you the world.

Morning dawned with the sunlight breaking the dark night. James woke up from his sleep in the lab, stretching his stiff body. The sound of a ringing phone broke the silence. Quickly, he picked up the receiver.

'James here,' he said hoarsely.

"James, this is Professor Anderson. There's something you need to see. Come to the lab immediately."

James tidied up his things and hurried to the main lab. Upon entering the room, he saw Professor Anderson standing in front of a large screen displaying footage from surveillance cameras around the burning newspaper factory.

'Look at this,' Professor Anderson said, pointing at the screen. 'This footage shows a suspicious person in the vicinity of the factory before the explosion occurred.'

James watched carefully. In the footage, a man in a dark coat was seen carrying a large bag and entering the factory. His face was hidden under a hat and scarf.

'I believe this person has something to do with the explosion,' James said. 'We have to find out who he is.'

Professor Anderson nodded. "I've sent this footage to the authorities. But we can't just wait. We have to investigate further."

James felt adrenaline coursing through his body. "Okay, I'll start by finding more information about the explosives used. Maybe we can find a trace of it."

***

The sun shone brightly the next day. The raindrops were slowly drying up. Lolly and Cookie carefully climbed down the tree house steps. Preparing for Auntie Marie's wrath that would send chills down the spine of any child.

Auntie Marie waited for them at the door with her hands on her hips.

"Where were you all night? You naughty children! I'm so worried!' Auntie Marie's eyes flashed with anger.

'We got stuck in the tree house, Auntie,' Cookie replied, looking down. 'We're sorry.'

"No, Auntie. Just scold me, I made him come with me because Daddy hasn't been home all day." Lolly ran over. Standing in front of Cookie, she didn't want her best friend to get hurt just for keeping her company all night.

'I don't accept any of those excuses, you're supposed to stay home, whether your dad comes home or not' Auntie Marie snapped at her, she really didn't understand any of the little girl's excuses.

"Come on Auntie, I took her to the tree house because I wanted to catch grasshoppers in the meadow. We wanted to go home quickly, unfortunately it was raining all of a sudden".

Cookie defended his best friend. His stomach was already hungry, no matter what they had to stop Auntie Marie's anger.

Auntie Marie took a deep breath, then hugged them tightly. "The important thing is that you are safe. But next time, hurry home if the sky is cloudy"

Lolly and Cookie nodded in unison. After that, they were allowed to enter the house and enjoy the hot breakfast that had been prepared.

In the middle of breakfast, James, Lolly's father came in with rumpled clothes, a tired face and messy hair. He hurriedly picked up his daughter. Apologizing for falling asleep in the lab during the heavy rain last night.

"Where is your wife, James? I haven't seen her since yesterday? Your poor daughter was left alone. I wouldn't mind if she was here so I could take care of her with your son. But, I see her moody not cheerful as usual".

Auntie Marie greeted James at the door. Concerned about the father and son's condition.

"Aah, hmm, she went to the city. She has an agenda with her community. You know she belongs to the antique fair community." James was at a loss for an answer. Of course, he could not explain that his relationship with his wife was not good. James felt very guilty for his daughter, as she would certainly not be returning to their home.

"Auntie Marie, thank you. I'm going home." Lolly bowed her head at the door and went home immediately after breakfast.

The house that was usually filled with joyful laughter was suddenly full of silence. James and Lolly were silent in the living room. The awkwardness made them unable to look at each other. James felt like a failure as a father to his daughter. He slowly looked down at his daughter's messy pink hair. Glumness adorned his daughter's tiny face.

"Lolly darling, I'm sorry to you" James started the conversation with an embarrassed look on his face.

There was no reply. The princess just looked down at the floor.

"Lolly..."

"Hiks, how could you leave me alone. You're always busy taking care of this and that. Did you know that I was trapped in the tree house with Cookie because of the heavy rain last night? Did you prevent mom from leaving? Can't you make time for me?"

Her tears filled the room. She had never been so sad. The little blue-eyed girl shed all her tears. This was her first wound at such a young age.

"I don't know where to start with this, but I never meant to ignore you. I apologize for not being able to keep your mother, and it looks like she won't be returning to this house. But, I never asked you to hate her. Because this is all my fault."

Silence fell over the spacious living room again. However, James had to persuade his beloved daughter.

"What makes you have to work so late, dad? I don't care about her anymore, because she doesn't care about me anymore, I often hear she receiving calls from men I don't know, I don't care about that anymore, Daddy." Lolly shouted out her frustration.

"I have to solve the case of Cookie's father's factory that caught fire some time ago, I found something strange, Lolly. I saw a suspicious person in this video" James showed the video he got today.

"I seem to have seen this man, dad. Aah, but I can't remember" Lolly looked thoughtful. She was trying to remember where she had seen the man.

"Really? Ah, no way, Cookie's father's factory is in the city, far away from our house"

"But I think I've seen him before, dad"

"Never mind, it's okay. You don't have to think like that. I'll try to make time for you. I'm sorry, but can you promise me to be happy?" James asked hopefully, now all he had was his beloved daughter.

"Sure, but you have to allow me to go to the tree house with Cookie every 5pm"

"Whatever you like, do it baby"

Cookie fulfills her promise with her best friend to play at the treehouse that afternoon. They agreed not to be sad that day. James smiled as he sent his daughter off to play. He rubbed the small picture of his daughter.

"Lolly, aah, this is the first time your teeth have fallen out after eating lollypop, isn't she cute, my wife?"

Silence. There was no reply.

"Ah, yes, you're not here," James smiled. He couldn't stop his wife from staying with him.

"You know what? Our daughter Rosie, looks just like you. She's beautiful, her lips are red like a rose, but I hope her beauty won't hurt anyone. Roses have thorns, don't they? I hope Rosie grows up happy, I hope Lolly can eat as many lollypops as she likes".

Jamesunderstands that, no matter how deep the love is, it's useless if your partnerdoesn't appreciate it, doesn't reciprocate it with the same love.