Chapter 1
My name is Rose. Today is April 27th, 2011. On April 9th, 1931 I was born into a not-so perfect life. A few weeks ago I turned eighty years old.In some point of my life, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. In a surgery attempt to rid me of cancer, I instead lost my voice. All of my friends and family are gone except one of my friends, Charlotte.
When I was young, my parents put me up for adoption. I was adopted by an old married couple soon later. They put me in to a local school where they learned that I was very smart. None of my teachers gave me the chance because of my family. Don’t get me wrong we were great people. It was our money that wasn’t so great. I was transferred to a lot of different schools by my parents, looking for teachers who would care about that.
Knock, knock.
I went to answer the door. No one has come to visit me in ages except for Charlotte and my private doctor, Dr. Queen. I opened the door to see a man. He was very tall and very skinny. He had black, messy hair that was all spread out over his head. He looked as if he had just jumped out of one of those old Sherlock Holmes movies. “Hello ma’am. My name is Dr. Trent. Is this the Rose residence”, asked the man at the door.
I nodded. Never in my life have I seen this man. How did he know me?
“My boss was giving you your medicine last week, Dr. Queen. She was… um… unable to make it this week, but I’m here to make sure you receive your medicine”.
I invited him into the apartment, and we sat on the couch while he refilled my medicine pouch.
Knock,knock.
I looked toward the door. “Do you want me to go get it”, asked Dr. Trent.
He started toward the door before I could nod yes. I watched the door slowly open. Dr. Trent greeted the person at the door and asked them if they were expected by me.
They quickly mumbled yes and walked in with lots of grocery bags. It was Charlotte. Charlotte has been my friend since I could remember. We meet in 8th grade. She was the school bully. She had always scared me. One day, GeorgeBasal came up to me. He was the most handsome boy in Gregory middle. I didn’t know that he had used every girl in 8thgrade. I wasn’t the girl who always got the gossip around school. He swept me off my feet. The day he decided to drop me like a toy, Charlotte gave George a dose of his own medicine. He completely fell head over heels for her. Then she dumped him and told him her big scam. From then on, we were the best of friends.
Charlotte had always taken care of me. She bought me groceries, clothes, whatever I truly needed. At the moment, it was money. I have been unable to pay rent in years. 11 years to be exact. She has done everything she can do for those last few years. The doctors at the local hospital made me retire. They were thinking that work was “threatening my health”. I’m still breathing aren’t I?
“Good afternoon, Rose”, muttered Charlotte as she walked into the kitchen. She started putting groceries away. It sounded like she kept murmuring about someone at the market being a pain in her- well, you know.
My apartment was very small. When you first walk in you see the family room. Then there was a tiny hall with a small bedroom and a small bathroom. I also had a small kitchen that had a small window to connect to the family room. What I thought was a small kitchen, was actually just a room with a microwave-oven and a toaster. I also had a mini-fridge. I barely had enough room for my cat, Woody.
I also had a spare bedroom. Sometimes when it got dark, Charlotte stayed the night in that room. I had a bed and a very small television in that bedroom.
