Eastern District School

Chapter 66 - What's on the menu?

Rose declined the use of the pool showers, simply because of its lack of privacy, she did however dry herself off as best as she could and head for a shower in her own en suite. Other than being teased about how red in the face she was, she had enjoyed the swim. She had made some excuse regarding the chlorine in the water and just hoped that there actually was some, so that her embarrassment was not increased.

She had to admit swimming was relaxing, but it also took up an awful amount of energy, she thought, so declined when he asked if she wanted to go for a swim in the morning before heading out to Eastern District. Not only had she declined for the reason that so much swimming in such a short period of time would somehow make her limbs unmovable, but she also couldn't even begin to think how tomorrow would lay out.  

Now as she gazed at the clock on the dresser in her room, she watched the second hand ticking its way around, as she sat on the end of her bed, brushing her hair. She had come back to her room to find an assortment of items laid at the bottom of her bed, including fresh towels, toothpaste and a toothbrush, a hair brush, razors, sun-cream, body-cream, a few other types of female deodorants and even some waxing strips, which Rose had cautiously pushed to one side.

She began to think of what lay ahead within the next few hours. During their swimming, there had been little conversation. Other than the general teasing of her flushed cheeks. She was treading thin ice she thought. He was happy and smiling whilst teasing her, she didn't want to break his facade by asking what their plans were for her mother and Nan meeting his parents. Her mother and Nan were in full belief that Rose and Rich were...an item. Or at least her Nan was in full belief. All for what? To get her mother to travel 350 miles to be in range of Eastern District in the unlikely hope that she might bring some truths to light. The more she thought of it, the more she realised it was a bad idea. 

She could just imagine now, her mother tearing through her bedroom door, demanding to know why she felt she had to trick her to coming over here. That her father was NOT around, and that everything that had occurred over the past week was nothing more than her imagination playing havoc with a few coincidences. That she shouldn't have put her hopes up for anything good in her life, because as soon as something starts looking good...it is usually pulled away!

She shook her head with a deep sigh, bringing her shoulders up , as her brushing motions were reduced to just patting the ends of her hair with the brush. She had been caught up so much that she hadn't initially heard a soft knock at her door. 

"Er, who is it?" she called out, looking around her desperately nervously. Having not long emerged from her shower she was still in the toweling robe she had located on the back of the bathroom door. 

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come and check that everything for dinner would be okay for you and your family. You know any allergies or things they wouldn't like." His voice was muffled from behind the closed door, and she was silently grateful for his discretion. 

"Um, sure. I'll just need to get dressed. How long will dinner be?" she asked, in a sudden panic, she realised, that she wasn't sure what to wear, how formal a dinner this would be. Her eyes swished around to the wardrobe which she knew that beautiful dinner gown hung neatly above a pair of sandals. 

There was a pause.

"Rich?" she asked, and decided to go to her bedroom doorway. Making sure the dressing gown was secure around her, she thought that opening the door just a little way, they would have a better understanding of what each other were saying. More importantly, she thought, she might look into his eyes to see what they poured out to her now.

As she placed her hand on the door handle, she quickly turned it and pulled on the door, just opening it around a foot, enough to peek through, she thought.