Her Silence

Chapter Twenty Five

"Excitement always leads to tears." Arundhati Roy

James's POV

The following Saturday had arrived, and Rosie and I were stood in nearly the exact same predicament as we had been the week before. Harry's parents were stood in my hallway to pick him up, only today it was half past ten instead of the butt crack of dawn. It must look like some sort of Mexican standoff, no one talking, though staring at each other in undeniable hostility. I haven't a clue why.

            "You have a very well-behaved son, Mrs Rodgers." Rosie signs, and I close my eyes out of fear towards what the woman will retort to Rosie's innocence.

            "Yes. I know." Rosie blinks, apparently not expecting such a response. No smile of thanks, no look of pride. Simply something clipped, as though it was common knowledge. I guess Harry's politeness is common knowledge, to a certain extent. "Where is he, anyway? We've been waiting far too long now." I pinch the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

            "He's getting ready." I say. "Won't you come in properly? You're welcome to have a tea or coffee." I don't know why I offer. Perhaps to be the bigger person.

            "Ye-" Mr Rodger's begins to reply.

            "No. We really do have to get going." Harry's mother interrupts. I've established that Mr Rodgers really isn't that bad, he's quite clearly his wife's bitch. Whipped. Completely. "Harry!" She screeches, making us all jump. I glance over at Rosie who currently looks like a nervous wreck. She looks at me and nods, turning and making her way up the stairs to go and hurry Harry up. "Where are you going?" Mrs Rodgers asks, demandingly. Rosie doesn't turn around and keeps walking. "Oh, you're deaf now?" She also asks, mockingly. I nearly swing for her, and her husband flinches, looking mortified. Rosie had frozen but is now looking down at the rude woman murderously. I stand in literal shock with no clue as to what is going to happen.

            "If it saved me from having to hear your voice, I willingly would be. But I'm not. I can hear incredibly well, thank you very much, but to save me from pain please can you stop talking? I don't know how Joan can remotely bare you." I cover my mouth in shock, and also to stop me from laughing out loud. Mrs Rodgers goes to open her mouth to most likely insult Rosie relentlessly, but Rosie beats her to it and holds her hand up as though to dare her to speak. "You really are a horrid, horrid lady. You ignore the angel of a mother in law you have, and you certainly do not even understand how perfect your son is. I'm going to guess your mother detested you, and you envy the mother that your husband has. No wonder Harry doesn't talk about you, even when we ask. He is undoubtedly ashamed. He isn't stupid, but you are: the more you push him away, the nastier the bite is going to be when it all comes back to damage you. Because I can assure you, it will." She stops and turns to see a very confused Harry standing on the landing.

            "What are you talking about?" He asks, naively. He had been facing Rosie's back so hadn't seen what she had been signing to his mother. Thank God. I mean, he may have agreed, but I fear he would lose respect for Rosie.

            "Just how amazing you are!" Rosie signs, forming the most forced smile I've ever seen. I nearly laugh, again. Harry smiled and gave her a quick hug before slipping past her and making his way downstairs. I hear the bathroom door shut and I instantly enter panic mode and dread to think about the state that Rosie will be in. I hurry the family out of the door, saying goodbye to Harry, wishing him a merry Christmas as we won't be seeing him over the next few weeks. I don't say a word to his parents. As soon as I've turned the key in the lock I dash up to the bathroom and hammer on the door before barging in. Sure enough, Rosie is sitting with her head next to the toilet, her eyes wide.

            "Have you been sick?" I ask, astonished.

            "No. I needed to put my head against something cold."

            "And the toilet was your first go to? Very hygienic." She shrugs her shoulders. "You weirdo. Come on." I hold out my hands and she takes them, allowing me to pull her up. "Would the bad ass like a coffee?" She nods. Proud doesn't do justice of how I feel towards her right now. I doubt Mrs Rodgers had ever been put in her place before Rosie axed her down. Rosie was certainly the person to do it. As I wait for the kettle to boil my phone begins to ring and Rosie looks to see who it is. When I see her eyebrows knot together, I wonder who the hell it could be.

            "Mr Rodgers." She tells me, her eyes locked on mine. I walk over and answer it immediately. 

"If this is an apology, we don't want to hear it from you. It needs to come from her."

            "Oh, of course. No, whilst I am sorry about my wife's comment, I'm calling to let you know three slots have become available tomorrow for viewings. Would you and Rosie be free?" My phone was on loudspeaker, so I look at Rosie making her coffee and I'm relieved to see her nod her head enthusiastically. Mrs Rodgers hasn't put her off completely.

            "That's fine with us. Do we need to bring anything?" Rosie comes over to the counter and places down two cups of coffee. I lean over and plant a kiss on the top of her head. She looks at me with bright eyes.

            "Not at all. Just a phone so you can take photos, etcetera. If you're interested in any then we will provide the forms, etcetera. Well, that's all for now then. I'll see you both tomorrow at three o'clock. I'll come and pick you up, seeing I know where you live, etcetera." He hangs up before I can even reply. Assertive doesn't cover that man. There was an odd silence between Rosie and I, both of us clearly being lost for words. I take a sip of my coffee to spur my thoughts on.

            "Do you think the man has a fetish for the word etcetera?" Rosie signs, making me spit my coffee back into my drink. "What? If he thinks people are going to take him seriously by saying that he's got another thing coming."

            "Rosie let the poor man live, he's married to a total bitch and lacks a grasp of the English Language." I tell her sarcastically, making her snigger. "You've impressed me today Rosie – had she make that remark a month or two ago and you wouldn't have been able to breath. Look at you now. My big girl." I wink at her, Rosie rolling her eyes viciously back at me.

            "I thought you were going to say something sweet at the end!"

            "That was sweet!" I begin to wind her up.

            "Yeah, sweet if I was eleven years ol-" Rosie's eyes widen and begin to well up. It's going to be a long night.

*****

What a chapter! There were little twists here, there, and everywhere... Rosie took Mrs Rodgers DOWN! I had so much fun writing that part!

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