The Rose of Anthacena

Chapter 3

          Within the next three weeks, there were many changes in Rose's life. Tanya was married and moved out of the house. Rose couldn't say that she particularly minded not seeing Tanya anymore, for ever since Tanya became engaged, she had been rather condescending and cruel to Rose.

Another big change was that Kaysey and her mom moved in. When Rose asked her dad if it was alright, he shrugged.

"Couldn't care less," he replied offhandedly. "I'm hardly ever here anyway. Do what you like." So Kaysey and her mom moved in, and Rose's life grew brighter.

* * *

Mrs. Meyers met Rose's father for the first time a month after she and Kaysey began living in his house. Mr. O'Reilly got home from work five hours earlier than normal, at 5:00 p.m. (He knew he wouldn't be needed for the rest of the day.) On the way home, he stopped at the grocery store to get cream puffs for Rose (who, although he admitted it to no one but himself, was his favorite child of the three). Once he got home, he headed to the kitchen to put them in the freezer. As he was doing so, he heard noises behind him. Figuring it was Rose, he started talking.

"Hey, Rose, I bought you some cream puffs today," he said, not turning around. At first, silence greeted his words, then he heard smothered laughter--quiet, but definitely not Rose's. He turned around quickly, and met the laughing gaze of a woman he had never seen in his life. Mr. O'Reilly looked at her for a moment, wondering who she was. Then he realized something.

"Uh-you must be Mrs. Meyers," he asked stiffly.

"Yes, I am. And you must be Rose's father," she replied, her eyes still laughing. He nodded his head as he shook her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said. She smiled as she replied.

"Likewise, I'm sure," came her response.

'Well-ah-I'll be going now," Mr. O'Reilly managed after a moments of awkward silence. He left the room, breathing a sigh of relief once he was gone.

"That was awkward," he muttered as walked down the halls. "And embarrassing," he added as an afterthought.

* * *

The next day, he had his usual day off work. Dereck had a baseball game, so he took Rose out to dinner by herself. He knew she liked spending time with him, and this was a perfect opportunity. As they ate, he asked her about school, college, etc. Then, finally, he told her about his experience of the previous day.

"I met Mrs. Meyers yesterday," he said. Rose smiled.

"Oh?" she asked. He then proceeded to tell her the whole story, and when he was done, she was laughing so hard she was crying.

"Well-" she gasped, finally catching her breath, "I have to say, I don't think most people meet that way!" Her father smiled.

"Probably not," he agreed. Then, after a pause of some moments, "So...you've never really told me much about Kaysey and her family. What are they like?" Rose told her father everything she knew.

"Well, it's not their loss that he's dead," Mr. O'Reilly remarked once she was finished. Rose nodded her head.

"Definitely not," she agreed. Then she hesitated. "Maybe-once we go home, you could meet Kaysey," she suggested.

"I think I'd like that," her father replied.

"She's a lot of fun to hang out with. Wait." She stopped herself. "Did I-say that already?"

"Once or twice," he said with an amused look on his face. 'Apparently, she's really fun."

* * *

When Rose and her father got home that night, Kaysey was waiting inside for Rose, and pounce on her as she came in the door.

"Rose! Guess what?! The-" Kaysey stopped in the middle of her sentence. "Oh. Hi, Mr. O'Reilly. I'm Kaysey Meyers," she said as she stuck out her hand.

"Hello, Kaysey. I'm very pleased to meet you," Rose's father said as he shook Kaysey's hand. "Rose here has told me a lot about you." Kaysey looked at Rose and fake glared at her.

"Oh, really?" she replied. 'I'll have to ask her about that one!" Kaysey had managed to keep a straight face while she was speaking, but she couldn't handle it any longer and burst out laughing. Her laughter was infectious, and she soon had Rose and Rose's father laughing along with her. At last, however, they all stopped laughing.

"I'll leave you girls to talk about whatever," Rose's father said as he left the hallway. As soon as he was gone, Kaysey turned back to Rose and grasped her arm.

"Let's go to my room," she suggested. Rose agreed, and Kaysey started talking as they walked down the hall together. Her voice was excited and a little higher.

"Rose, I just saw it online!"

"What?" asked Rose.

"The last Captive movie! It's supposed to come out next spring..." their voices faded as they reached Kaysey's room room and closed the door behind them.