Page 64 of Roses and Skulls

She’s nervous but I’m going to be with her every step of the way. I’m not going to let her slip back into old behaviors.

By the time we get back to the warehouse, she’s shaking.

“You have to trust them, Rosie,” I say, shutting off the engine.

She glances around the parking lot, looking for any signs that this might be a trap.

“How much are you going to tell them?” I ask.

Her eyes are swirling with emotions. “I… I can’t tell my mom about Draven. She will blame herself. I have to protect her from that.”

I reach out and run my hand down the side of her neck. “Do you want me to go in with you?”

She nods but doesn’t make eye contact with me. “I can talk to them alone but if you could be around, just in case…”

I lean over and press my lips to hers. “I’m yours for the day,” I say, pulling away from her. “You can do this and then we will go from there, okay?”

Billie Rose takes one last deep breath, nodding. I jump out and open the door for her before she gets a chance to do it herself. She peeks up at me, her beautiful blue eyes sparkling in the sun.

The warehouse is quiet when we enter. A breeze blows in from the back, the patio doors open wide. Dirk and Jesse are sitting at a picnic table, their backs to us. Jesse has her head on his shoulder. His fingers scratch gently over her scalp as they stare out towards the lake.

Billie Rose clears her throat to get their attention. I press my hand to the small of her back and guide her towards them as they turn. Jesse tries to rise but Dirk places a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in place. I’m sure he’s scared that his daughter is going to spook easily.

She did just runaway yesterday, so I don’t blame the guy.

Rosie sits down across from them, and I set the chimes down in front of her and then squeeze her shoulder, letting her know she’s got this and then I turn to walk away.

“Wait,” she squeaks. “Please stay.”

When I spin around, I catch the glare that’s being thrown my way, but I don’t give a fuck. If my girl wants me to stay then that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

She gives me a little smile as I sit down beside her, then turns and focusses on her parents.

“First of all, I’m sorry for running,” she begins, shifting in her seat. “I know that’s not the club way.”

Neither of them says anything, letting her continue.

She picks up the chime made of crystals, sending rainbows over the patio and she focusses her gaze on her mother. “I made this one because it reminded me of you. You know, with the rainbows and all.”

Jesse is an artist and many of her paintings involve rainbows. My dad said it fit her personality. Her young life was a dark storm, but she always expected a rainbow at the end.

“It’s the first one you made,” Jesse notes as her daughter hands it to her.

Billie Rose glances at me nervously. I give her a reassuring smile. “Grandpa told me that he could hear wind chimes after the accident. He said they were whispers from Heaven.”

Dirk drags his eyes away from his daughter and focuses them on his wife. It’s scary just how much he loves them. I have no doubt he would do anything for them. Anything. And I’m coming to find that I feel the same.

Jesse blinks, tears falling to her cheeks. “He… he was alive?”

Billie Rose drops her head, nodding. “I thought maybe I could hear his whispers through them but none of them worked, so that’s why I sold them at the shop.”

Dirk glances away.

“Oh, baby, how did you get them back?” Jesse holds it up in front of her face, admiring the beauty of her daughter’s imagination.

Rosie sits up a little taller. “I got them back because of you.”

Jesse shakes her head, confused. “I don’t understand.”

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