THE GOLDEN ROSE

Chapter 2 - Invisible String

Zacatecas, Mexico - Present Day

The flight landed at Ruiz International Airport and Shawn took a taxi to the address he had in his phone. Roger had been loathe to give it to him, but Shawn could be convincing if he chose to be and so here he was. He had had moments of doubt, but as soon as he would close his eyes and drift off, there she was, the beautiful woman, Camila, and the weird version of him, in their funny clothes. And all he could think of was la rosa de oro. Whatever that was. He had looked it up and found about a hundred different references. A hybrid rose created for the Mexican 200 years of independence in 2010, a Spanish romance novel, an episode of a Mexican telenovela, the album by a South American band, a B&B in California, a cocktail from a famous hotel in Mexico City, a weird sexual position (he made a note of that one) and a confectionary company out of Florida. But there was one that jumped out at him, an old story of a lost treasure, and the tale originated in Zacatecas in the eighteenth century. There was very little information, but he somehow knew it was the one.

The taxi pulled up in front of the huge mansion that Camila had been provided by the organisers of the private event. He was suddenly nervous. He had been compelled to come here, like he had no choice in the matter, but how did he explain that to her? She was his friend, one of his best friends. He'd like to be more, but so far that hadn't happened for them. He had always felt drawn to her, from the very first time he had seen her on tv on the X Factor and when he had met her, even though she was pretty much already with Austin, he had felt it, a connection that went far beyond normal friendship.

He was reminded of the Taylor Swift song...

Time, curious time
Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs
Were there clues I didn't see?
And isn't it just so pretty to think
All along there was some
Invisible string
Tying you to me?

He grabbed his bag from the car and stepped out. The house was enormous and so old, there was a name carved above the lintel but it was so ancient it had worn down and he couldn't read it, but he had a strange feeling just looking at it. He knocked on the door and a woman answered. She was talking to someone behind her in Spanish and when she turned to look at him a look of shock froze on her face.

"Shawn!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Sinu...." He didn't know what to say, I was just passing by, thought I'd drop in? Camila left her cardigan at my place and I'm just returning it? I heard she was putting on a show and had nothing to do so thought I'd come watch? Or the truth, I had some weird dream with Camila and I in it and felt compelled to come here....

"Mama, who is it?" His heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice, as it always did, but there was something else today, it was the same voice as in his dream, and he knew when he saw her....

"Shawn?" she stared at him and he stared back and they both just knew.

"I had to come," he said and she nodded. Sinu looked from one to the other and frowned.

"Is it ok if he stays Mama?" Camila asked with a smile that said that it was, no matter what her mother thought about it.

"Of course, mija. Come in Shawn, I'll get Luisa to take your bag up to your room and get it made up for you."

"I don't want to be any trouble," he protested. He stepped into the entry and froze. This was where he had stood when he had seen Camila in the dream. He looked up at the staircase. There. He had seen her right there. This was the house.

"Pish, it's a huge house, there are about a hundred rooms, plenty for you mijo."

"Thanks Mama," he said. He had always called her that, and she didn't blink.