10 of 12 Rose of My Heart

[KB.]

This leads into Four Strong Winds.

Rose heard a car door shut and she walked to the window like she did every time she had heard that sound for the last four years. She almost fainted from surprise. She had long ago given up hope that she would see what she always got up to look for. She started to turn off the old Coltrane song that she had playing on their stereo, but it fit the sentimental mood. She watched as her heart walked slowly up the steps that led to their house; he was trying his best to hide his limp. He had been gone for too long, she had started wondering a year or so back if he would ever start his pilgrimage home. She had found time in between to not tell him what he meant to her. They had written each other a few times through out the years. Neither saying fully what was on their mind. They kept it to the abridged version for the most part. She had so many thoughts racing through her head. It shouldn’t have been possible to think of so many things in such a short period of time. He looked almost the same except he had a few more wrinkles around his mouth, no doubt from the easy frown, and the wince he tried to hide with every step he took.

Jonas walked towards the front door of a place that used to be theirs. His squatter’s rights had long since expired. He tried with every ounce of pride he had left to hide the stupid limp of his. The limp may not have been so noticeable, but the wince had to be. He wondered which looked worse. It had been Patrick’s old Harley that had done him in; that Harley used to belong to Jonas, but he gave it up after a particularly bad spill. That was how he had met Patrick the first time. Jonas had been drunk on cheap bourbon and took a corner too fast. Patrick had seen him, and helped him up, hid the bike, and carried him to the hospital with a tale of a bad fall. That was three years ago, a year after he had left this place he used to call home.

Rose thought about the day he had walked into the bar where she worked. He was more than a few years older than she was, and he was a handsome man, she had even called him “hot”. Now he just looked feverish, but he was still handsome in his own way. They had talked about a lot of things over a few months worth of Saturday nights. He had been so many places, always roaming, and she had never really been out of this small Louisiana town. Never had a reason to go anywhere, but that hadn’t kept her from wanting to travel. They discovered they had a common enemy, moderation. Those days were passed her and him now. That enemy had been replaced by more easily fought foes; for the most part. The lack of moderation had played a big part in the leaving. That was the biggest and strongest foe of them all; it would come out of nowhere like some giant in a fairy tale about beanstalks; yelling fe-fi-fo-fum across the whole land. Once that warning had been shouted the wind blew and he had flown away with it; nothing but an autumn colored leaf tossed away from his friends.

Jonas thought about vodka, whiskey and gin; over grown monsters all of them. He thought about leaving; unable to resist the wind. The door was right there in front of him; glaring like a hungry junk-yard dog. Daring him to get just one inch closer. He had to get past this inanimate guardian; the harbor that sheltered him from the storm in his heart was beyond that door. He tossed the dog a bone and knocked; softly with a careful rhythm. He prayed for a smile to brighten the dark day, he prayed for love to make him warm again.

Rose watched as he carefully knocked on their door; he had bowed his head for a moment before doing so. She figured she knew what he was asking, pleading for. She hesitated a moment, there was nothing to forgive; he had done what we needed to do. If he had stayed things would have been far worse than they were. Neither of them would have made it through. It took a separation to make the whole stronger. Sometimes the sum of two parts was not greater than the individual. Rose moved from the window and opened the door.

Jonas had almost had to think about knocking again when he heard the door begin to open. His heart was in his throat; it was about to leap out and run away towards the false safety of that too long bridge. He raised his head from his constant prayer, and when he saw her smile his heart was still for a moment. The moment turned into what seemed like an eternity; Rose reached out to him and took his hand. Jonas started to ask her something, but she put her other hand softly to his lips. “We’ve been through this a hundred times before. There is no question that needs answering today. Come in Jonas; let me warm you for awhile. You look cold”.



KB

[KB.]

By the way "He had done what WE needed to do" was intentional. Just saving you some copy/pasting.

[KB.]

almostfamous;652788 wrote: look at it again


Kiss my skinny ass.



:D

[KB.]

Oh well like I said, when I read it; it looks like I want it to look. Thats why your constant red pen marking my email account is so important.