Kentucky's Best

Chapter 5

Harry walks outside to see if Rose is okay, when he finds her asleep on one of her other dogs he just shakes his head, leans down and picks her up, walks back in the house, lays her on the sofa and covers up with a blanket that's draped across the back. Harry then returns to the room his uncle is in.
"Rose fell asleep, if you want you can return to the clinic. I'll stay here." Harry says. "I'll call Aunt Beth and see if she will bring Steph here. That way when Rose wakes up I can just go home from here."

Marty nods. "I can do that. Just don't piss that young lady off, or hurt her any more." Marty says as he walks toward the door.

Stepping out onto Rose's porch, Harry calls his aunt once he knows she bringing Stephanie to him he goes back inside to check on Rose and Butch. Thirty minutes later Harry hears a truck pulling up so he steps out onto the porch see Beth helping Stephanie out of her vehicle, she then reaches in and grabs a pizza box.
"I thought you might be hungry." Beth smiles. "I got your favorite vegetarian pizza."

"You didn't have to do that." Harry says kissing Beth's cheek. "But thank you, and thanks for bringing Steph here. I'm not sure what time I'll be leaving."

"It's fine love." Beth says. "We all love Rose and what she's done for this community. Besides that she has saved Marty's life several times over the years." She says surprising Harry.

"How?" Harry asks Beth.

"You'll have to ask her or him to tell you the story. I need to run." Beth says. "I have to get a basket of cupcakes to the nursing home."

"Okay, thanks again Aunt Beth." Harry says as he takes the pizza and picks up his daughter.

"You're welcome hun, I'll see you guys tomorrow." Beth says with a wave.

Walking back in the house, Harry sets the pizza on the coffee table just as Rose starts to stir.

Rose hears her front door shut and frowns, she then reaches up and moves her hair out of her face, the first person she sees is Harry's adorable daughter Stephanie, then she sees Harry. Sitting up Rose looks around.
"How's Butch doing?" She asks.

"He's okay right now, not better, but not worse either." Harry says. "You hungry? Beth brought pizza."

"Not really, but I should probably eat something anyway." Rose says. "You want to eat in here or the kitchen, I have a booster seat Steph can use if she needs to." She adds.

"Kitchen would be better, and what do you have a booster seat for?" Harry asks. "I don't see a toddler running around here."

Rose tries to swollow the lump in her throat. "It was used for Tony, my brother, before he died. I still have all his stuff. Plus I baby sit your cousin, Kimberly's, son from time to time." Rose says.

For some reason hearing Rose say that pissed Harry off, it was almost like every time he was around her she would say something to remind him of his wife's death. He forgot all about the dog in the other room, all the heart ache and pain Rose, herself, has been through. Harry was thinking only of himself.
"Little miss do good, always there for everyone in the community." Harry sneers. "Sounds like to me all you want is that shoulder to cry on, for everyone to pity the poor little girl who lost her family. Well let me tell you this, you'll get no pity from me." Harry snaps causing Rose's mouth to drop open at the sudden attack. "You're not the only one who is suffering, I lost someone to, someone I loved dearly. My wife had so much to live for, a 6 month old baby, me. Rhonda didn't deserve to die by that drunk asshole." Harry yells. "So I don't want to hear about all your shit." Harry says as he stomps out and puts a crying Stephanie into his truck and leaves.

Rose drops and sits where she's at shocked. She has never been yelled at like that before. And for it to come from someone she didn't know and thought she could like once she did get to know hurt more than she was willing to admit. Rose didn't even realize she was crying until Rascal came in through the doggie door and licked the tears from her cheeks. Giving him a hug Rose jumps to her feet and goes to check on Butch, seeing that it was time for another treatment she gives that to him exactly the way Marty told her to, then she goes to the barn and takes care of the rest of her pets.
She didn't need anyone, she's been alone this long, Rose thought as she fed the goats and pigs. She'll survive without anyone around to help out as long as she needs to. Going back to the house Rose locks the doors, throws the uneaten pizza in the trash, then she, Rascal and Benny, her pigmy pig, walk to the room Butch is in and goes to bed.

Harry walks into his rented home and puts Steph down in front of the TV, he then walks to his room and picks up a picture of his wife and just looks at it. Rhonda and Rose were so different, one blonde, the other had jet black hair. Rhonda kept hers in a cute spikey cut and Rose's hung in beautiful waves to her knees. His wife's eyes were the color of the sky on a clear day, but Rose, hers were a shocking purple, Harry has never seen before on anyone. While staring at his wife's picture Harry realizes he sees Rose not Rhonda and that just upsets him even more. Not understanding why Rose is messing with his life the way she was.