Rose Falls

Andy - 13.07.16

'You're up early,' my mum comments as she emerges into the living room the same morning.

'Yeah, I was sent out a couple of hours ago to help Grandma with something she wanted doing,'

She frowns and places her hands on her hips.

'What sort of work was this?' She asks and I shrug.

'Shopping,'

'She sent you out to shop for her this morning?' She glances up, thinking this over for a moment, 'but she's already got all the food she needs,'

'Yeah I realised that once I was putting all the new groceries away,' I state, shaking my head. My mum laughs lightly at this.

'Oh well, at least it got you up and moving I suppose,'

'Yeah,' I say, though I'm still not quite sure how I feel about her trying to get me to socialise. Whilst I was sure I didn't want to bump into anyone who thought they knew me, it was half pleasant seeing a recognisable face around here despite how Ty really doesn't seem to be like how he used to.

As I watch my Mum parade round the kitchen searching for a cup to make her coffee, I recall the words my grandmother had said to me earlier.

'Mum?' I question and she pauses momentarily to glance at me sat at the table.

'What's up?' She questions and I consider my words for a moment.

'Grandma said something strange before,' I say and she turns herself so she's leaning with her back to the counter.

'She always says strange things, Andy, I just recommend you ignore her when she goes a bit funny,'

'No but this was really weird,' I say, frowning, 'and it was about Rose,'

'Well she's definitely talking crap, Andy. Don't listen to her conspiracies. It's cruel to assume things about the poor girl. I just wish she'd let her rest in peace now,' My mother looks irritated, tapping her fingers on the cool surface of the counters repeatedly.

'What conspiracies? She has conspiracies about Rose?'

She laughs, though it's devoid of any humour.

'Of course she does, Andy. She's forever saying them when you're not around. But she's an older woman now, I feel as though she's just being paranoid and looking too deeply into it,' my mum grabs her coffee from the side, mixing it briefly with a spoon before throwing it into the sink and leaving the room. I hurry after her, determined to know what she's talking about.

'Wait, how come she doesn't like saying them around me?' I ask her, confused as to why I'd be excluded from this.

'Because I've warned her that you're sensitive when it comes to things to do with Rose. The stories she comes out with I don't want you to be involved in, so I tell her not to say anything when you're around,'

I stare at my mother and blink as if I'm seeing a different person. My mum wouldn't hide things from me or lie to me. She wouldn't want to do either and yet she's been doing that all along.

'Mum, I'm not some fragile doll,' I retaliate, 'I can handle things to do with Rose on my own,'

'That's what I'm afraid of. I don't want you to cope on your own. I want you to know we'll always be here for you and whether you like it or not, at this moment in time you are fragile,'

She sits herself down in the chair beside the window where she can watch the rain outside as she sips her coffee.

'Tell me one of her ideas about Rose,' I plead as I sit beside her. She shakes her head in annoyance.