Black Roses & Blood Thorns

Chapter Two

"No, she isn't, at least not in front of me," I murmured.

"Rose! I'm home!" My mother hollered from downstairs, followed by the sound of the screen door slamming shut behind her.

Clara sighed, "Here I'll take your bags to one of the bedrooms, and you can go see mom." I said taking Clara's suitcase out of her hand.

Clara nodded and headed down the stairs, as I carried her bag into the bedroom across from my own. It was a bit larger than my own and the window in it overlooked the backyard.

In the back yard was to the farthest corn was a small ram shackled shed, and then in the center of the yard was a tall large oak tree, its branches stretching towards the sky. Hung off of one of the oak tree limbs was an old swing, it swayed in the breeze.

"Rose, honey can you come down here for a minute?!" I heard my mother holler from downstairs, sighing I went to look away from the window but just out of the corner of my eye I saw a large shadow move, by the shed. Furrowing my brow in confusion I rested my forehead against the windowpane and stared. But there was nothing.

"Rose!" my mother hollered louder this time.

I turned my heel and left the room, but I couldn't shake the feeling within the pit of my stomach, it was a heavy and uneasy feeling.

"What mom?" I asked once I got downstairs and made my way into the kitchen, Mom was standing at one end of the kitchen island, and Clara was at the other end. Clara's face wore an expression of silent anger, mother's lips were pursed and her arms were crossed. I could easily tell, that something had happened while I was upstairs.

"Rose, can you take the car and run into town and get a gallon of milk for me, were out?" She asked glancing towards me, away from Clara.

"Um, yeah sure thing," I replied grabbing the car keys off of the island, I could feel the tension in the air.

"Clara, do you want to come, we could maybe explore a bit downtown, check out the local library?"

My mother shot her gaze back to me, her eyes sharp.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," Clara replied giving me a tight smile, as she led the way out of the kitchen. I glanced back over my shoulder; mom had rested her elbows on the island, and her head was in her hands. At that moment she looked so sad and defeated. But as badly as I wanted to hug her, and tell her that everything would be alright and get better, I knew that it wasn't the right time. So instead, I followed Clara out the screened door.

As soon as I got into the car, Clara exploded into a flurry of angered words.

"Who does she think she is, judging me for my life decisions?" slamming shut the car door behind her.

"What do you mean? What happened in there?" I questioned.

"The reason Erin and I split wasn't anything to do with him." She admitted looked down at her hands clasped in her lap.

"Okay..." I said as I slid the key into the ignition and started the car, "So, then why did you and Erin split?"

"I might have started seeing the chief editor, of the magazine." Clara bit her lip.

"You what? When and how come you never told me this!" I demanded; Clara winced at my reaction.

"I wasn't exactly proud of myself for what happened, and it wasn't like I planned on any of this. Alec was just so sweet and kind, and he listened to me." Clara's voice softened at the mention of Alec.

I recalled the one time I had met Alec; it was a year ago when I was visiting New York, I had met Clara at the office and he was standing in her office. He had seemed nice, but I had never imagined him to be Clara's type.

"So anyways, corporate found out about the relationship, and they terminated my job." Clara let out a long sigh, running a hand through her hair. She stared out the window as we passed empty fields and run-down houses.

"So, when did you tell Erin this?" I asked, staring at the road ahead of me.

"That night, I mean, how else would I have explained how I lost my job?" she asked, with a bitter laugh.

"Wow, I wished you had told me this, but anyways beyond that how did Erin take it?" I asked as we entered the town. It was quiet, with not much traffic and not many shops. Besides the average grocery store, hardware store, and an antique store that was closed more days than it was open.

"Well, he didn't take it very well, that's why I'm here, with a wasted college degree, and a ruined career."

"You're not the only one here Clara, I'm here with you and so isn't mom." Clara closed her eyes and leaned her head against the window, I could see now, what I hadn't earlier, Clara was exhausted.

I parked the car in front of the library, and Clara and I sat there in silence.