Page 17 of Roses for Rosie

“That didn’t look harmless to me, Rosie. That looked abusive. Nobody should treat you like that.”

“He doesn’t. Well, not usually. It’s just when he’s drunk and I mess up.”

“Since when is working for a living grounds for a beating?”

“You don’t understand.”

“Damn straight I don’t understand. I watched my mother let my father drink himself to death and beat her for too long. I never understood that either.”

He gives my father a look of sheet loathing. For a moment I think Adam’s going to kick him, but then he turns back to me.

“You can’t go home with him tonight. He’ll hurt you.”

“Oh, I’ll be all right. I always am.”

“No, Rosie. I won’t have it. I couldn’t stop my dad from hurting my mom, I was just a kid then. But I can stop him from hurting you and I will stop him, if you want me to or not.”

“But…”

“No buts about it. I will take him inside through the back door and leave him in the storeroom until we can clear everyone out of here. Then I’ll take him back to your house and get him settled. After that you are coming with me.”

“With you? Where?” I squeak.

“To my hotel room. There are two beds in my room. You’ll be safe from him. I can protect you there.”

I gulp. Spending the night in a hotel room with Adam Smythe could be a fantasy come true. Just think of the things we might do. Alone. With a big bed.

Or it could be my worst nightmare. Just think of the things we might do. Alone. With a big bed.

Before I can make my case, Adam heaves my father up off the ground and tosses him over his shoulder. I lead him around the back of the building and unlock the door. He deposits my father like a sack of potatoes on the floor and indicates that I should lock the door to the storeroom behind us.

I comply, still too stunned to argue.

“Sorry about that everyone,” Adam booms to the crowd still in the bookstore when we round the corner and enter the public space again. I hover in the doorway, listening for sounds indicating my father has woken up while Adam works the crowd.

His famous author smile is plastered on his face again and his tone of voice is different. The authentic, concerned, vulnerable, completely human voice I heard when we were alone is gone. The tone he uses in all of his public appearances is back. It’s a bit louder, a touch harsher, full of confidence and charisma. I always believed that was the real him before. Now I see through the act.

He’s playing the crowd. He’s selling them on the image of himself he wants to portray. He’s acting the part of a famous author. And they are buying it, they are all eating out of the palm of his hand. In a few minutes, he dispatches the stragglers, making them think that leaving was their idea.

Vivian shuts the door behind the last of them, turns the sign to “Closed, but still awesome” and flips the lock.

“What did you do with him?” she asks Adam. “Are you OK?” she asks me.

Before I can answer, Adam takes charge of the situation. “Rosie’s father is passed out in the storeroom. Rosie and I will take him home if you can finish up here.”

“It’s been a long night. How about we leave it until morning?”

“I’ll be in early tomorrow to clean everything up, Vivian. I promise. I’m so sorry about tonight.”

“No need to apologize, Rosie. We all know how he is.” She sighs and looks in the direction of the storeroom. “He didn’t hurt you, did he?”e didn’t hurt you did he?

“Not much,” I shrug. I’ll just wear long sleeved shirts for a while to hide the bruises. She doesn’t need to know.

Vivian gives me a hug and turns off the lights in the main store, following Adam and me back to the storeroom. Adam walks her out to her car and sees her off safely before returning to help me get my father home.

“You really don’t have to do this,” I tell Adam, staggering a little as I slip my father’s arm over my shoulder and hoist him to his feet.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t deal with him on your own.”

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