Interlude

Chapter 11

- Back then -

Dev's father made no effort to conceal his anger and disappointment. Anjee tried to intervene, but father and son matched each other in their stubbornness.

At the same time Cathy fell increasingly ill. She spent long days in her room with headaches that grew more and more frequent. Rose found out much later but her father's business had suffered terrible loses. For one reason or another, contracts were not being fulfilled on time.

Dev and Rose spent the last year of high school with an underlying sense of anxiety and despair.

One evening, weeks after her eighteenth birthday, the things really turned.

The annual spring carnival had arrived. It had been set up at the outskirts of the suburb on an open green master about a mile away from their oak tree. Every year Rose and Dev went together.

This year Dev went alone. Rose went with Miles Hutchinson.

The gossip around them had grown. Everywhere Rose went, it was assumed she was either meeting Dev or waiting for him. The boys in their class didn't go beyond friendly conversation no matter how many hints she dropped. Conversations with Dev had gotten strained. They spent most of their time either arguing or making up for some previous misunderstanding. Rose knew that for the large part she was responsible. Dev was trying his best to make her happy and do what she liked. But the more he did that, the more Rose realized how much he knew her and how little everybody else did.

In a moment of rash boldness, she asked Miles Hutchinson if he wanted to go to the spring fair together. He was a sophomore at college on a weekend visit to her parents' house.

Thirty minutes into the evening Rose realized that Miles hadn't quite understood her question or rather she hadn't made herself quite clear. Because he seemed to be content in believing that they were casually strolling the make-shift lanes of the carnival as nothing more than friends. At one point she found herself standing by herself.

"Where's Miles?" A voice accused in her ears with such suddenness she gasped in shock, one hand snapped to her chest.

"Dev!" she cried. "You scared me."

He frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well?"

"Some of his old friends wanted to catch up with him. So..." her voice trailed, averting his gaze. "I haven't even tried Penny's new ice cream flavor yet."

Dev sighed, feeling his irritation seep away at the sight of her innocent pout. "I haven't either." he admitted, running one hand through his hair. "Let's go."

Miles Hutchinson was forgotten. Everyone else was forgotten. The spring fair felt brighter and more cheerful. Rose found herself immersed in pure happiness that came only with Dev. They played carnival games, rode the Ferris wheel and sampled odd flavors of chocolate from their favorite local ice cream maker. Rose dragged him toward a young photographer who took photos of them against the fabulous backdrop of the festivities.

It was well past midnight when they headed back home. He had his arm around her and she let her head rest on his shoulder. When Dev stood at the threshold of her front door, she pulled him in without hesitation. Her parents were out for the weekend. Another visit to another doctor in hopes of finding another treatment for the mother. Rose pushed those thoughts away as she ushered them into her bedroom and locked the door.

Rising on her tip toes, she kissed him. It was a touch, just a tentative nervous moment, as if she were measuring her own courage. When he took a step ahead, lowering his face to hers, she pressed her mouth again, this time in a strong, insistent kiss. His arms naturally came around her waist, pulling her flush against him. She held his shoulders dragging him, till the back of her knees hit the bed.