Snow Blooms The Perfect Rose

Foggy days

I was watering the rose. The bud will bloom soon. It was dark red. Sandra was surprised. She said she never had seen this much red rose flowers. I myself had collected the seeds, sowed and watered the roses.

That day, I dreamed Abram. He was lying still on the ground. I was upset and wished to see him for once. But Sandra watched me closely. She made sure I never left home. Whenever I started thinking about Abram, she deviated my mind to somewhere else.

I could see Abram, sitting alone in Larmede, in his tree house, waiting for me. I was his only company in the forest. I was scared about the dream, I didn't know why. But I felt something bad is going to happen for Abram.

That evening all of us were at Lisa's home. Steve, Sandra and Lisa were cleaning grandpa's old boxes he brought from France, when he left there forever. The dust made me sneeze and Sandra told me to stay inside grandpa's room.

I stayed there as I was interested in seeing grandpa's old stuff. Sandra said she will show me everything before putting it back. So I left them and went to grandpa.

Grandpa looked tired but was cheerful that day. Steve's return and his presence clearly had its impact on grandpa.

"Anna, come here. I knew you will come back. You can't take that much dust. You are always ill".

"Yes, but they will show me everything once they cleaned". I occupied the stool near him.

"There is nothing in there. Only some old belongings, some letters and photos".

"I would love to see that".

"I doubt so. You look worried."

"No, grandpa". I smiled.

"No, tell me. I am not like Lisa. I won't tell anyone."

"It is nothing".

"You met that boy again, right?"

"Grandpa, don't say this to anyone. How you know this? Sandra said, isn't it?"

Grandpa chuckled. "So that's true. I knew from that day itself. Both of you saw each other, and you were hiding it from Lisa".

"Yes, I know my face will give me in, every time".

"And Sandra stopped you from seeing him". 

I nodded.

"Look, I correctly guess everything". Grandpa chuckled.

"How is he? Good-looking".

"Stop it, grandpa".

"He is not. That's okay, dear, don't worry about looks. He might be good from inside".

"No, he is very good-looking, speaks well, very much caring, and goes to any extent for people who are closer to him. He is going through so much trouble in life. I can see it in his eyes".

"It seems like both of you are deeply into each other within a short time".

"No, we never talked anything like that, we talk like good friends". 

Grandpa laughed.

"What is it grandpa?"

"I was thinking about Lisa".

"What she has to do with this?"

"No, not that Lisa, my wife".

I heard that Lisa's grandmother's name was Elizabeth, and they used to call her Lisa, later grandpa named Lisa after his wife.

"I heard about that. She was your classmate, right?"

"Yes, we went to school together, and we were neighbors and family friends".