“Oh my goodness! There gorgeous.” The patio lead into a circular rose garden. In the center of the garden was a sitting area. It was nice, cozy and secluded.
“I take it you like the garden. These are Lincoln roses. I chose them for their rich red color and scent.” He said as he lead me to a loveseat, with him sitting next to me. On the table was an assortment of cookies and some drinks.
“Would you like some tea or coffee?” he asked.
“Coffee and any chocolate cookie, please”
I sipped my coffee and nibbled my chocolate chocolate chip cookie.
I gather up my courage and ask “ What will happen now?”
He turned to face me and said “ I want you to stay here a few days.
I called a friend of mine after I brought you here Friday morning. I have him looking for Max. I want to be sure that he wont hurt you again, when you go home. We can think of something to tell your family and work?”
“ My family wont give a dam about me,” I said bitterly “ but I will have to explain at work, if I still have a job”
“ Why will you family not?” He sounded a little surprise at me response.
“ Well, after what Max did to me, I told everyone it was Max and his friends. No one believed me. Not the police, not my sister, or mother, nor my friends. They didn’t doubt that someone ra--hurt me, they would not believe it was him. And there was no DNA evidence, I was bathed clean. So no one was ever punished, not trial was ever performed. I was really depressed and tried to k-k-kill myself.”
He leaned over, put his arm around my shoulder and lean me back into him.
“ That was one of the reasons I changed my name and moved. That and because no charge were ever brought against him, so he and his friend were free to roam about town. I knew that I would go insane if I ever meet any of them again. And to see them for the rest of my life, I couldn‘t handle it”
We sat quietly for a while, It truly was so peaceful here. The roses, the patio, the shade trees. The sound of water in the background and birds singing. Red cardinals, they match the roses.
“ I don’t know what to say at work. No one know about the ra-- umm-- my past.”
“ I can have my doctor call, saying you were injured and will be in bed rest for a week or two”
“ That would be good. But I would need documentation and a release to work form. I can fax in the information to the administrator.”
“ That wont be a problem.” He said as he stood up took my hand a help me up from the seat. “ Let’s take a walk to the pond.”
The walk to the pond was quite, each of us in our own thoughts.
The scenery was beautiful. Plenty of trees shaded our way to the pond.
The pond was a figure eight in shape with a wooden bridge over the center. All different sizes of koi fish were in there, a blazing orange in color.
I grabbed some pellets of fish food and tossed some in. I grabbed another handful and walked to the center of the bridge and sprinkled some on both side. Over the side of the bridge I could see about thirty fish, pushing for the some of the food.
“ Come see this” I yelled to Gabe.
“ It’s too hot, I’ll stay in the shade” He replied.
I tossed the last of the pellets into the water and made my way back to Gabe.
He held his out to me and I took it.
