Monarchy of Roses

Chapter 1

"Dad, you have your stuff packed?", asked Nika.

"Yeah, I'm a light packer. Luckily your side of the family likes me, it could have been a lot worse", said John.

"I know, since you were a rock star who knocked up Pepere's daughter", she quipped.

John just laughed as he helped his daughter with the bags. Her joked did have a grain of truth since her mother and him had a one night stand back in 1990. John watched as Nika did a spot check and grabbed her bags before heading out to the driveway, her curly dark hair down to her shoulders just like his and her mother's. "Dad, just put everything in the trunk", she said as she opened the doors to the black BMW.

"I don't drive at all but at least we have a nice car, not a fancy rock star one", he laughed as he got in the passenger's seat. Nika just smiled as she turned on the engine and hooked up her phone as it played vintage Artie Shaw.

"You really ought to update your tastes, I think all the music on your phone is made by dead people", he teased.

"I like what I like, I haven't heard anything modern I like. And I play the clarinet, you know. I take busman's holiday's in regard to my music", she replied before backing out of the driveway.

"When we get back we'll have rehearsals since Josh is joining us for this tour, it'll be my last so he'll need to learn our songs really good", said John.

Nika just nodded and was glad that her long hair hid the sudden warmth on her cheeks. "Uh, cool", she replied in a calm tone.

"Yeah, since this is going to be our last tour with me. I want him to get experience being in the band. And we're going to add more stuff to the album, I need to add more overdubs and he's adding more keyboard parts", said John eagerly.

Nika tried to control the blush surging through her pale skin, her heart racing at the idea of seeing Josh at their house. His good friend and musical collaborator was ten years older than her and she'd known him for as long, and had been nothing but polite to her but she couldn't help but feel like a silly teenager whenever she smiled at her.

Nika shook her head and tried to concentrate on finding the exit for I-40 East. She thought about asking Grandmere about her dilemma, as the older woman was more likely to be sympathetic than her grandfather. Soon she turned off on the exit for the interstate as they headed east, most of the traffic heading west towards the city. Past the suburban sprawl of LA and inland Orange County, the desert started to creep up on them as manicured lawns gave way to desert landscaping and the modern style ranch houses gave way to Southwestern inspired homes.

Two hours later they had arrived in Palm Springs and Nika drove to her grandparents home set on the shores of an artificial lake by a golf course. The house was in warm orange adobe with a red tiled roof, the front sandy but landscaped with different varieties of cactus as she thought how her grandfather had adjusted from growing peonies and tulips and snapdragons to desert blooms.

She parked in the driveway and the front door opened as her grandmother Maria Lacroix came over to embrace her and John. "Bonjour, lyubya. Your grandfather is having problems with his knees and he cannot come outside, perhaps later you can wheel him out to the garden", she said in her unusual French-Russian accent.

"Bonjour, Grandmere. I hope Pepere is doing better with the new carer", she said as John took their bags and followed her inside.

"Yes, Michael is a real help. But he's coming tomorrow", said Maria as she ushered them into the parlor.

"Bonjour, mon petite. And I'm glad to see you're doing well, John. I'm afraid it's that sort of day", sighed Pierre Lacroix, his accent still Oxbridge after all these years in California.

Nika embraced her grandfather and then adjusted the blanket across his knees. Pierre had steel-gray hair and wrinkles, but his trademark Lacroix purplish-blue eyes twinkled from behind his glasses. There were hints of the handsome man he had been so long ago and in his regal bearing, his eyes the same exact shade as his granddaughter's. "Maria will make you some tea, please have a seat. My knees keep bothering me, otherwise I would be in my garden", he said with a frown.

"We can take you in to the garden later, Pepere", said Nika.

"I know, but gardening is my passion. I had my garden in England but we left that behind many years ago, your cousin Basil tends it", he sighed.

"Do you want green tea, John?", asked Maria from the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs. Lacroix", he replied.

"How many times must I tell you, please call me Maria", she chided gently.

"Sorry, but Mom and Dad always said to be polite", said John with a laugh.

"Oh, I understand. But you are my granddaughter's father and we've known each other for nearly ten years", said Maria as she placed a kettle on the stove. Even in her mid-60' and slightly plump, Maria still radiated warmth and good cheer. Her round face was dominated by large blue eyes the color of sapphires, combined with her high cheekbones and full lips which gave her a Slavic look and hinted at the beauty she had been many years ago.

"So John, I heard your latest solo album and I think it's brilliant. Normally I listen to only jazz, but I quite liked it", said Pierre.

"Thank you, sir. Josh and I did most of the songwriting and I played guitar, he played guitar but also keyboards and drums. I can play some keyboards but he's a genius at them, he plays all these different instruments and he's a great person to have in the studio", said John.

"Nika my dear, could you please put on some Parker?", asked Pierre. Nika nodded as she connected the speakers to his phone and logged into Pandora as Charlie Parker came over the speakers.

"Excellent, thank you", he replied. The older man handed his glasses to Nika and closed his eyes as he let the music wash over him. Without the glasses, the resemblance between Pierre and Nika was quite striking. Both were tall with wavy hair that was dark brown in her case and gray in his, Slavic high cheekbones and the trademark Lacroix purplish-blue eyes.

John smiled in thanks when Maria handed him a cup of green tea. He took a sip and nodded in approval as he took a bite of a soft oatmeal cookie. He thought back to his first meeting with the Lacroix family after hearing that he had a daughter...