by Dakota Lake
“All right Aimee I get the picture, but wrinkles aren't catching and she's a lovely little old lady.” “When are you going?” I asked.
“After school, mom told Rose I would be there around four.”
“Well I can come with you if you want?”
“Really? You actually want to hang out with an old lady,” Aimee asked.
“I don't mind, I have nothing else to do anyway and I would only be sitting by myself back at the cabin so it's company for me as well.”
“Okay well I'll meet you after last period by the lockers. You better let your chauffeur know what you're doing. I can run you home afterwards.” Caitlin joked.
Chapter Sixteen
Rose lived in an old farmhouse hidden down a lonely mud track off the main route, I doubt many people knew about it. I was surprised an older lady would want to live all the way out here by herself.
Caitlin pulled up and parked in front of a small wooden fence that ran around the front of the garden. I stood at the gate looking at the house. Ivy had overgrown most of it and the front yard had grown wild over time. Bushes and flowers had taken over. But even in it's untamed state it reminded me of a fairy garden I had seen in book when I was younger, beautiful and somewhat magical. Caitlin pointed out a dragonfly as it flew overhead.
We followed the small path winding round to a large wooden front door.
“So how old is Rose?” I asked.
“That's the million dollar question. Everyone says she's the oldest resident in town but no one really knows how long she's been here or where she came from? I asked mom and she guessed mid nineties, but it's strange she doesn't look it and she's still very active.”
“Does she have any family?”
“She often talks about her son who's obviously grown up and moved away, but he never comes to visit and if you ask anyone no one remembers a son or any other family as it's been years, no one remembers anything about her.”
“That's really sad, she must be lonely,”
“Well she has a cat, don't panic,” Caitlin laughed. “she's not one of those crazy old lady's with a hundred cats that smells of wee. Just the one cat, an overweight ginger fur ball. I think he's called Oscar. You'll love Rose everyone does,” Caitlin lifted the huge door knocker and tapped the door three times.
“Do you know what you want to ask her?”
“Yes I prepared a list,” She pulled out her notebook and flicked through it.
I glanced over the notes, noticing the questions went over the page.
“What do you think?” she asked. “Think it's too many?”
The door handle started to rattle and the door slowly creaked open.
A small face peeked around the door and looked at Caitlin, the lady smiled and opened the door wider. She looked to young to be the old lady Caitlin was talking about. Maybe she was the cleaner? She was dressed in a long flowing pastel pink dress and wore white slip on shoes on her tiny feet. Her hair was a pastel violet colour with loose curls that hung low down her back, some of it was braided over the top of her head and there was a small white flower pushed into it. “Hello my dears,” said the lady.
“Hello Rose,” Caitlin replied.
I looked back at the woman, a bit shocked that this was Rose, she looked nothing like I expected a lady in her mid nineties to look like. I smiled to be polite trying to cover up the confused look that was probably showing across my face.
“This is my friend Ruby,” Caitlin said gesturing to me.
“Hi,” I said. Rose smiled at me and tilted her head slightly looking at me with interest. “Ruby, what an interesting name.”
I didn't think there was anything interesting about my name and before I knew what was happening Rose had stepped forward and grabbed my wrist.
“What a lovely bracelet,” she said touching the black stones. “Wherever did you get it from?” “Err, I don't remember, I've had it a long time,”
She dropped my wrist. “Well that is interesting.” she said not looking at us anymore, instead her eyes were watching the garden.
I looked over at Caitlin and she shrugged.
“Do come in,” Rose said turning and leading the way into the cottage.
Rose walked off and into another room off the corridor. Caitlin struggled with the door latch, while I looked at my bracelet wondering what was so interesting about it.
It did look old and Rose was an old lady, maybe she had an eye for antique items? I walked along the corridor noticing how nice and warm it was inside and smelled of freshly baked bread. Rose was already seated in an armchair next to a large open fire that was burning. I sat on the long couch nearest the window, that over looked the garden, Caitlin came and sat next to me. “Caitlin, how is your family? Keeping well I hope,” Rose asked.
“Yes very well thank you. Mom's good and dad just got a promotion, my brother Jamie is really into soccer right now and girls. Grandma Dorrie hasn't stopped knitting since she joined that club and I get to wear a different hat to school everyday....yay.” Caitlin said trying to be enthusiastic about it. I had been wondering what was with all the knitted hats she wore everyday, I just thought she had a thing for hats.
“So I wrote down a few questions I wanted to ask you,” Caitlin said grabbing her bag. “Do you girls want tea or something cooler to drink? Oh and I just baked some chocolate chip muffins, they are fresh out the oven,” Rose stood up and walked to the door.
“Tea and muffins sound great,” Caitlin replied. “We'll help,” Caitlin said gentle nudging my elbow. Roses kitchen was pink and very cottage like with pots hanging from the ceiling and teapots on shelves.
Caitlin and I made the tea while Rose laid a selection of biscuits out on a plate along with a plate of muffins which looked mouth watering. Rose carried the tray of drinks back and we followed each holding a plate.
“So what is it you would like to talk about? Your mother said you needed information about Heaven's Point for your school assignment,”
“Yes, anything you can tell me about the towns older buildings and their history would be really helpful, like the old bakery, the water mill any historical buildings you can think of. What it was like to live here back then and maybe mentioning the towns name and where it originated from and the theories surrounding the whole fallen angels thing,” Caitlin said rolling her eyes at the last part. “Oh they are not theories my dear,” Rose said lowering her tea cup to her plate.
“Right, well how about we start off on the towns trades and how they’ve grown and established themselves over the years.” Caitlin said with her pen ready on her notebook.
Rose talked about the old water mill and how it was run and the families that had looked after it over the years, they had just started discussing the old school that had since been turned into a swimming pool when Caitlin's cellphone started ringing.
She reached down and picked it out of her bag, her hand was still moving from side to side on the notebook taking notes. She answered and started chatting. I busied myself finishing my muffin while I listened to Caitlin on her cell to what sounded like her mom. Then I heard Roses thoughts, it was the first time I had heard her since we'd been here.
I wonder which one of them gave her that bracelet? Definitely not my son, he would of picked a prettier one, she's not even a natural blonde....
I had to fight the urge not to touch my roots of my hair with my fingers, so I grabbed another biscuit to distract my hand.
“It was my mom,” Caitlin said shutting her notebook. “Dad's got to drive back to the office and mom needs the car to go shopping and pick my brother up. Dads dropping her off here, do you think....” I was one step ahead of her and had already heard her thoughts.
“I'll get Micah to come and pick me up. I'm sure your mom doesn't want to drive all the way back out to the cabin,”
“Ruby can wait here,” Rose said, collecting the cutlery and loading the tray. I wasn't to sure about Rose, but staying meant she might let something else slip and I w
anted to know what she was talking about earlier.
I smiled at Rose but it felt wrong, something about Rose didn't seem right.
I pulled out my cell and messaged Micah about where to pick me up from, hoping he would actually get my message today.
“I hope I've been able to help you with your school work Caitlin,” Rose said.
“Yes, you've been very helpful, I've got more than enough information here, I just have to type it all up when I get home later.”
Rose walked back to the kitchen with the tray just as a car pulled up outside.
“That was quick, she must really want to go grocery shopping.” Caitlin groaned grabbing her bag. I looked out the window and saw a tall lady with frizzy dark hair sticking out from under a knitted hat, she was wearing gloves and what looked like two scarves and a heavily padded coat. The man driving the car waved at us at the window, then he reversed back off the drive and the lady started walking towards the house.
“She hates the cold, you should see her when it snows she can hardly move with the amount of layers she wears, she sort of waddles.” Caitlin giggled as her mom knocked on the front door. Rose opened the door, Caitlin's mom stood on the other side hopping from one foot to the other. “Is it cold out there Maggie?” Rose asked.
“Yes there's a cold chill in the air, you make sure you stay warm tonight. Oh and were having a bake sale next week at the town hall any cakes donated for sale would be deeply appreciated. Raising funds for the animal shelter and everyone loves your home made cup cakes Rose.” “I'll see what I can do,” Rose replied.
“Come on Caitlin, I can't feel my toes. Keys, keys.” her mom said hurrying her out of the house. Caitlin tossed her mom the keys and turned back to Rose. “Bye Rose, thank you for helping me,” “Anytime my dear.”
“See you at school Ruby,”
I waved bye and Rose shut the door.
“Would you be a dear and help me in the kitchen,”
“Of course.” I politely nodded and followed Rose to the kitchen, my cell beeped, it was Micah. Be there soon.
I didn't know how long he meant be soon, so I offered to wash up the tea cups and it wasn't long before I was helping Rose prepare her dinner.
Rose had kept her thoughts quiet and not said much else.
“You have a lovely garden.”
“Thank you, it's where I like to spend most of my time but not so much recently the weather doesn't agree with me on the colder days.”
“Would you chop the carrots for me please,” Rose asked.
“Sure,” I moved round to the chopping board while Rose peeled the potatoes.
“So Ruby do you have a boyfriend?” she asked, my thoughts went straight to Mack but I quickly shook him from my thoughts.
“No, no boyfriend.”
“That's a shame, you're such a pretty little thing. I'm sure someone's got their eye on you,” she said scrapping the peelings into the trash.
I thought it was funny how she was lying outright to my face as that was not what she was thinking thirty minutes ago. I glanced at the clock on the wall hoping Micah wouldn't be too long. “I just need to pop the little girls room, could you fill and boil the kettle for me,” she asked before she left the room.
I filled the kettle and switched it on and went back to the chopping board. Rose had only been gone for a few minutes when I heard the front door slam shut. I walked over to the kitchen door but before I could get to it, it started opening onto me. I stepped back out of the way and a boy with a red checked shirt walked in holding a brown bag. He looked at me a little shocked when he realised I was behind the door.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
The way he had said 'you' was a bit odd. I recognised him as the boy I had bumped into at the nightclub, I still had his jacket in my bedroom.
“I was helping Rose prepare her dinner. I'm waiting for my ride to pick me up.”
“Where is she?”
“She's in the bathroom.”
“Did you come here alone?”
“No my friend needed some help with her school assignment, she needed to ask Rose a few questions about Heaven's Point I sort of tagged along.”
“And which friend would that be?”
“Caitlin,” I answered his question even he was acting rather odd. “I still have your jacket at my house,”
He nodded, fiddling with the edge of the brown bag. Rose walked through the door. “Emmett, I didn't even hear you come in. Did you get any lavender oil I forgot to add it to the list,” “Yes I remembered it anyway,” he said, his eyes glued to me.
“Emmett this Ruby. Say hello and stop staring its rude.”
“Err hi,” he said to me.
I smiled but everything about this felt awkward. He started pulling items from the bag he had bought in, it looked to be mainly cooking ingredients.
“Stop it, I can do it.” Rose said smacking his hand away. Why don't you help Ruby with the vegetables. He picked up a parsnip and started peeling.
“How do you two know each other?” I asked, I didn't like to sound nosey but I was curious about them both.
Rose looked at Emmett and smiled.
“Emmett is friends with my son, he's like family to me.”
Emmett scratched at his chin, he didn't look up but I could tell he was not comfortable with whatever this situation was.
I gathered the peelings into a pile wondering how a boy in his late teens was friends with her son who was probably middle aged, that and I thought her son had moved away years ago. “Emmett, have you seen Ruby's bracelet, it's so unique, do look,”
I looked over at him, his eyes casually glanced at my wrist.
“Yeah it looks old,” he said casually.
I looked at Rose wondering why she was so interested in my bracelet, I tried to hear what she was thinking but the kettle whistled making such a noise that I couldn't hear anything. Rose walked over to the cooker and reached for a pan and set it down. Emmett went over to the kettle and lifted it up, I heard the trail end of Rose's thoughts, He's never this quiet around a girl, there's something about her....
I moved back to the chopping board and started chopping the potatoes into section, wishing Micah would hurry up.
I no longer wanted to be here, there was something about Rose I didn't like. There was another knock at the door and Rose walked out of the kitchen. I put the knife down and left the potatoes. “That's probably my ride, I should get my jacket.”
Rose found me in the front room, I'd just put my bag on my shoulder.
“That thing is waiting outside for you.” she said but I wondered if I'd heard her correctly. “Thanks for letting me wait here for my ride,”
She didn't say anything but instead just watched me with her tiny beady blue eyes. I took one step through the doorway and she turned to me.
“You'd be a wise girl to stay away from him and his sorts they'll bring you nothing but trouble,” “Do you mean the guy outside?” I asked, but she didn't reply, instead she ran her hand along the top of the fireplace checking for dust.
“He's my friend,” I said wondering why she disliked Micah she didn't even know him. “They don't have friends dear. They only use people to get what they want. There's a reason they're called wicked. Save yourself the heartache and stay away from him, his kind are good at breaking hearts they've been doing it for years.”
She walked back into the kitchen and I looked around wondering what had just happened. A car horn sounded outside and I hurried out the door. I jumped into the truck, which was just as cold as outside.
“Micah why is the heat not on? It's freezing in here,”
“It packed up halfway over here.” he shrugged and thumped the heating system.
“Hitting it wont help, I think Seth needs a new truck.”
Micah reversed out. “Your directions suck. 'Turn when you see the big rock',” he said mimicking and repeating the message I had sent him earlier.
“Yeah that big rock,”
I said pointing at it across the main road.
“There are a hundred of those along this road.”
“Well you found me now, but if you don't like ferrying me around maybe you could convince Seth to let me drive the truck, then you wouldn't have to worry about driving me around and you could do other important Micah things.”
“You are so clumsy, do you really think Seth's going to let you drive his most loved possession?” “This is his most loved possession, that's a joke right?”
“No it's the first thing he bought when he got his first pay check. I don't get it either but he loves this old thing.”
I looked over at Micah from the corner of my eye. Rose had referred to him as a thing he didn't look any old random thing to me, everything about him was so perfect it made me feel insignificant, it was like he was to good to be true. He didn't look wicked to me but then again I didn't really know Micah that well, I was sure he had dark secrets that he was keeping well hidden.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“Sorry, I wasn't,”
“You make me paranoid when you stare.”
“Why? I'm sure loads of people stare at your perfectly sculpted face.”
“Yes but they don't end up inside my head, so knock it off. Unless you want to walk back home,” “Fine. And why exactly is it that I can do that, being able to get in your head?”
“Because you're different like you brother,”
“Different how exactly?”
“Ruby, I'm not answering that. I'm sure Seth will talk to you soon.”
“Probably not, he seems to be working more and more, like he's avoiding me.”
“He works hard Ruby, for you,”
“You make it sound like I eat everything and it's a struggle to put food on the table, the dog gets more treats than I do.”
“I mean he's saving money for you to go to college.”
“College I haven't even thought about college, I don't even know what I want to do next year?” “Well you can always work at that fast food joint in town if all else fails. You know cause your grades aren't that....never mind,”
