Edwardus Augustinus is a man on a mission to find normalcy. Tired of always feeling like he is living under a microscope being daily scrutinized by the public and his family, he's set off on a spontaneous adventure. The only thing he left behind was...
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Edwardus woke up to the shrilling sound of his cellphone blasting through the quiet. He quickly grabbed for it so it wouldn't wake Rose but was surprised to not sew her laying next to him when he turned to reach for her. Instead there was a note on the pillow explaining she had to leave for work and there was coffee already made in the kitchen.
The quiet mumbling from the phone reminded him that someone was on the other line.
"Hello?"
"You selfish spoiled boy of a man!"
Came his mother's angry voice.
"Hello mother"
"Don't take that tone with me! You're the one being selfish running off like this."
"It is not selfish for me to need space and time for myself mother"
He gripped the phone and clencehed his teeth, doing his best not to loose his patience with her. Her next words had him shooting up in bed in shock.
"Your father is very ill. He's currently under observation. He had another stroke last night that has left him in a very bad state. All because he's worried about you and your sister. You need to come home!"
He closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. His fathers health is not another thing he wants on his shoulders. In that instant he knew he had no choice but to return home.
"I'm on my way"
"Where are you traveling from?"
"That's none of your concern mother. I'm on my way."
With that he hung up and scrubbed a hand across his face. He dragged himself out of bed and went to stand by the window as he placed a call to his pilot to fuel up the jet to get ready to leave. After a quick shower he packed his things and called the Steven's farm. There was no answer. He called the doctors office but Rose couldn't take any calls.
I can't just leave her like this, not after last night, not without at least saying goodbye.
He quickly sat down and wrote a note explaining he's sorry he had to leave so suddenly and explained that his father is really ill. He did not know if or when he would return to Hollyville but he would try to get in contact with her. He scribbled his cellphone number and his address in case she wanted to reach him by mail.
He wrote a second letter, thanking Martha for her hospitality and explaining that he's had the money wired to her account for the three months he had plan on staying at the beach house. He explained he had a family emergency and had to leave.
After loading everything into the car he drove to the farm and was disappointed no one was around.
Ofallthedaystonotbehomewhytoday.
With a sigh he slipped the letter into the mailbox and drove away. He drove to the doctor's office but the receptionist explain that Rose was swamped with patients for at least another three hours. With a disappointed sigh he handed the woman the letter and asked her to take it straight to Rose. With one last look at the building he drove away.
The whole time he was driving out of town he felt terribly conflicted. He was a place he had spent the best two and a half weeks of his life and it was harder to leave than it was for him to pack up and leave the only hone he's known since birth. When he drove pass the welcome to Hollyville sign he felt his eyes begin to burn with a stinging sensation.
I'm going to miss you Rose, more than you know.
The pilot was ready and waiting for him when he got to the airstrip. In no time after boarding he was jetting through the air. What was to greet him when he gets home was not something he let his mind dwell on for he feared he would only tell his pilot to turn the plane around. He however knew he had a duty to his family and his people to fulfill.
What of my duty to Rose?
He closed his eyes and rest his head against the plush seat of the jet and prayed for sleep to come because his thought were beginning to feel like a thousand vehicles blaring horns in his head.
*** Rose glanced at the letter Natalie had handed her from earlier in the day. She was finally on break and had time to read it. She took a bite of her sandwich and started reading. The smile on her face became smaller and smaller until it was none existent with each word she read. The sandwich in her mouth began to feel and taste like she was chewing on cardboard.
"Rose are you alright?" Asked Susan her new colleague.
"Um..."
"Rose you're crying. What's the matter?"
"I uh, I..."
"Come now. You look like you need the rest of the day off. I've got things coveted here. You go on and get out of here"
She shook her head to disagree but Susan kept insisting. Finally she gave in and thanked her as she got up and rushed out without a second thought. She got in her car started driving to the beach house. The whole time she was praying that the letter was just a bad joke of Edward because he wanted her to come see him. She parked outside and dashed from the car. She knocked but got no answer. She ran to the backdoor and knocked but again no answer came.
"Edward!" She pounded on the door three more time. "Edward this isn't funny!" She knocked again. "Edward!"
"He left sweetheart"
She turned to see her mother walking towards her.
"Mom"
"I received his letter too. He also wired the rest of the money into our account even though he didn't stay the whole three months"
"But he can't do this. He can't be gone"
"I'm sorry honey. The key was in the envelope"
Rose took the key from her mother's hand and quickly opened the door. She rushed to the bedroom and her heart sank when the room was cleared of his personal belongings. That's all the confirmation she needed. She turned to look at the bed where just hours before she had laid with him as they both brought each other pleasure again and again.
She sank to the edge of the bed and sobbed into her hands and then she felt her mother's hands wrap around her and she cried.
