Alfonso's Bride

Good goes wrong-5

"Where are we going?" Alfonso smiled and continued deep into the forest.

"We want the painters to do their thing so that we don't disturb when we are at the house...so we are going to my secret place."

He too didn't know what he was doing, he had been selfish about this beauty, he had never even taken Melanie here but here he was taking Helena. It was different though, Melanie hadn't wanted the house repainted. She didn't love fruits for dessert. She had not stared out the window the first day she got here. Melanie was not calm, she was talkative and funny which meant parties was where she belonged.

But Helena, Helena was calm and sweet, she seemed to fit in nature perfectly. She liked quiet and the music of crickets and birds. She had not told him that but her nature said it all to him.

"Are the painters going to paint the walls off-white?"

"I told them to use cream, the one we bought yesterday then the off-white for your room, the balconies and the bathrooms."

She nodded picking up a flower to stick it on her blonde locks. He opened branches in front of them then turned to lift a log up then opened a line of reeds revealing the secret heaven to her too. She gasped looking at the stream cascading swiftly as it sparkled under the sun.

There was a rose bush on one of the banks leaning on a huge boulder which was partially dipped in the water. A few trees interlocked on the top giving shade at some parts and sparkle to the revealed parts.

As if on cue a bevy of butterflies flew around some settling on flowers while others tried to settle in the water. The grass was greener on the far bank and more flowers seemed to grow, but he had never crossed to that side. He had never gone beyond the trees that closed that part. He had just been to the stream and back to his house. But then he was only younger then.

"What is behind those trees on the other side of the stream?"

"I have never been there, to be honest I came here twice when I was only a child. I was afraid it would not be as magical as it used to be but it seems like it got better."

"Let us cross over." She whispered and he nodded pulling her towards a tree branch that lay across the stream. They slowly moved across and she ran through the lawn towards the trees and stopped abruptly when she realised she had left him behind.

He jogged towards her and led the way. He stepped into another world of mystery and turned back to see her reaching up for a flower tangled on a tree branch. It was a rare flower, a dark rose with patches of red and streaks of white. There were more where he was watching but she had not seen that.

"You have to see this," he said to her and she beckoned for him to come, with her hand.

"Will you be able to get that for me..."

"There are more this side..." He leaned into the tree and grabbed the flower for her. She held the rose in her finger following behind Alfonso.

"Let us go then." She jogged behind him and her jaw dropped when she saw the scene Alfonso revealed to her. There were more of dark roses and some were red with streaks of black.

A steamed waterfall  fell into a wide plunge pool and the water arose as vapour but falling back on them as a bitingly cold shower. He felt the water with his hands and when he pulled back he could not feel his fingers. It was freezing cold in there.

She sat on the lawn playing with a rose she had picked.

"I prefer you place the one you are holding instead of the one on your head" she shook her head at him and he sighed removing his shoes then socks. He started removing his jacket.