#JustWriteBits - Anthology

Yellow Roses by Hecubah

The sunshine crawls in with a sweet freshness, warming up the room and illuminating it with a golden light. I shift around, to face an empty cold bed. My wife was nowhere to be found.

I called the police immediately, remembering what she told me last night about being stalked.
When two agents came by my house, I have already called all her colleagues, friends, family members she kept in touch with... I even asked around in the neighborhood if anyone saw her. All in vain.

Only ten days earlier, everything was perfect. I was pacing the long corridor of the hospital, worried sick- of course. After all, it was a huge day.

My wife was in that room, across from where I'm standing, giving birth.
What a magnificent thing! To give life to a new angel, small cute hands, and wondering little eyes. A bliss that makes you accept all the upcoming sleepless nights with a happy goofy smile.

We agreed to name him Sammy, yeah... a boy.

I checked my watch for the millionth time and sat back on the cold hard bench.
"Congratulations! He is very cute and healthy!" I look up, to see an exhausted looking nurse. I thanked her politely before asking if I may see my wife.
She rushes me in, babbling about how the operation was easy, and that I have a strong wife.
I enter the big white door, to find a very pale, faintly smiling Catherine. I walk towards her slowly, gathering my strength and collecting myself. This is really happening!
I kiss her forehead gently, and rub her cheek. "Congratulation, sweetie. The nurse told me you were very strong, and that the baby is perfectly fine." She gave a weak smile and closed her eyes, satisfied.

When Catherine came back home last night, I saw a worried look on her face. I know her far well to miss something like that.
I took the grocery bags from her and placed them on the kitchen counter. She gave me a quick peck and walked towards the living-room.
After Lucy -our new babysitter- left, I plumped on the sofa besides my small family.

We both work long shifts, so we can't watch the baby all day. I got home only minutes ago, too.

I started massaging her shoulders, "Cate, what's wrong? You look worried." She shrugged, "It's okay, just tired." She looked away, dismissing the matter... but I knew something was bugging her. "Come on, tell me. I can tell when something isn't okay." She looked at me, drawing circles with her index on the beige pillow. "I think that someone was following me today. I couldn't brush away that feeling of being watched."
I looked down at her, that is so not okay.
"Did you see who it was? Did something happen?"
She picked up Sammy, and started pacing the small cozy space frantically. "I didn't see who it was, but it was nerve-wracking. I kept getting these yellow roses, in the office, in lunch break, even in-" she stopped talking abruptly, like if she was saying too much. I gave her a puzzled look, wondering why she stopped mid-sentence. "Just everywhere, Marc. It's really odd. It wasn't you who send the roses right?" She paused for a moment, studying my worried face, "No, it can't be you."
With that, she left the room, and went to sleep. It was still early to do that; we didn't even have dinner.

The officer sitting in front of me cleared his throat, bringing me back to present time. "We can't do anything right now, not before 24 hours from now. We truly understand your concerns, sir. ut our hands are pretty tight here." I was just devastated.

A baby cry echoed in the house, indicating that Sammy was up, again. I excused myself to go check on him. The officers stopped me just when I claimed the first step.
"Is that your baby?" I hesitated a little, but collected myself quickly. "Yes, she wouldn't have left him willingly. That makes me even more worried something bad happened to her."

A week has passed since Sammy was home. It was a very busy one... We organized a big welcome party to him, and completed the final touches in his room. Catherine insisted she paints it herself, six months ago. I offered to help, but my busy schedule got in the way.
Yesterday, she went back to work, after a long two months pause.
She works as a secretary, in some big law firm. Her job was more paying that I first expected it to be, and she said she loves it.

When I was sure that the two policemen were long gone, I called Lucy asking if she can babysit Sammy for a couple hours. When she arrived an hour later, I left the house.
The drive was silent, I found myself thinking back of the day Catherine knew she was pregnant. She seemed happy. I came back home late that night. I changed my clothes quickly, and pressed a soft kiss on the side of her head before getting in the bed beside her, trying my best to not wake her up.
She did wake up, eventually. "Hey" Her voice was barely a whisper. I reached to hug her, "Hey, sweetie. Sorry I woke you up."
She yawned, inching closer, "No, I was actually waiting for you to come back. I fell asleep..."
I chuckled lightly, she never managed to wait for me. She always falls asleep before I come back whenever I have a night shift.

"I have a surprise for you." She said closing her eyes.
I shifted, facing her completely.
"In eight months, we won't be all alone."
I couldn't understand what she wanted to say. I adjusted to a seating position. "Marc, babe. You'll be a daddy! I'm pregnant."
I couldn't possibly speak. That was certainly a big surprise.
I shrug off that memory, pushing it away, focusing on the way instead. I'm heading to my old uncle's cabin in a remotely secluded part of town. No one lives here, no one even knows of this cabin, as far as I know.

I open the heavy door, and it gives a squeak. I should oil this old thing.
I walk in, my boots making a loud thud whenever they connect with the wooden floor, causing Catherine to jump each time.
In the center of the room, my beloved wife was tied up, mouth taped shut, and blindfolded. I smooth her hair gently. "Hey sweetie. I got you a yellow rose, again." I place the single rose in her lap, and sit down on a chair facing her. "Didn't you know I am sterile? "

She trashed violently in the chair, waving her head randomly.

"Yes, sweetie. I knew you were cheating the second you told me you're pregnant. And I kept watching you ever since. Even yesterday, I was right by the window when you were having fun with your boss.
You know, yellow roses represents the sun and its life-giving warmth, optimism, joy, and power.
Exactly everything you will never be able to feel again."