Chapter 9 - The Worst Days

It was with forced cheerfulness that we gathered round to celebrate Meloire's birthday.

None of us could bear to leave the hospital so dad brought the cake and we had it in the waiting room. I feel bad for our little berry but maybe she is too young to remember it. She inherited those Noir lips poor thing. Maybe they'll straighten out as she gets older.

The hospital seems so empty despite the bustling people. Those sweet little girls are just completely unaware of what is going on around them.

Plum won't even name them while Nuala is in intensive care. So for now they are just little girl Sorbet. My heart just aches.

Blue is always nearby. He gives me the space I need but somehow knows when I need his arms around me to hold me up.

"How are you holding up?"
"Not well. How can I deal with this Blue?"
"You can't, not right now. Just find away to get through until you are ready to face it. The doctors are doing their best for her so now we just have to wait and hope for the best." All I could do was nod dumbly. What he said made sense but with this hole in my heart it is hard to feel anything.
"Come on," he said grabbing my hand. "You need to get out of this place."
"But Nuala!" I protested.
"Nuala is resting and you need to be a positive berry when you see her which you aren't going to be sitting around this depressing place."

"Where are we going?" I asked as it finally sunk in that we were driving away from the hospital.
"Some place you can rest, I hope." He said cryptically.

We pulled up in from of a large house surrounded by hedge rows and fences.

"Blue? Who's house is this?" It doesn't make any sense. Why has he brought me to some strangers house.
"It's mine, and yours if you want it to be."
"Mine? I don't...I don't understand."
"I wanted to ask you yesterday when I arrived at the hospital but I couldn't bring myself to do it when Nuala was sick. But I realised watching you this morning that nothing is going to change how I feel and now might just be the perfect time." He sighed. "I want to be with you Rosé. I know neither of us are ready for marriage but I thought, maybe, I thought you would consider living with me." He finished shyly.

It was that look that cut through to me. Blue was never shy, he was forceful and strong and dramatic and....Did he just say he wants me to live with him!
"Oh Blue," I breathed through tears of both joy and sadness. "Yes, I would love to live with you."

I couldn't sleep but wandered around the house is a daze looking at all his amazing collections.

It didn't take long before I got too restless to stay there though and we headed back to the hospital. The rest of the family had drifted away and I found Plum in the waiting room is head in his hands.

"Plum," I cried rushing to his side.
"She's, Nuala's..." he couldn't finish. He didn't need to.

They didn't even let us see her body or say goodbye. They just brought the ashes by unannounced. Plum took the girls back home. I think they are the only thing keeping him going. He finally agreed to name them Pear Sorbet and Peach Sorbet. He said those were the names that he and Nuala couldn't decide between.

Cheri's school work is starting to slip and she could be found out after curfew more and more.

I swear she is with a different guy every time but we all need a distraction right now.

Mum has gone back to travelling and dad, for once, put aside his moping for mum and is putting a major effort into being there for Meloire.

Even Blue seemed overly occupied with work these days. The hole in my heart grew wider by the day.

I'm not sleeping any more. I see my beautiful sister every time my eyes close. I needed something, anything to get my mind off it. So I am delving deeper and deeper into discovering who the leader of the criminal element in town was. The more I learn the more incredulous I am. How can it go so deep. This group, whoever they are, has influences world wide! I am beginning to suspect that more than a crime syndicate it is an organization out to do evil. I am digging for clues any way I can.

Maybe I'm taking risks but I don't care. When the blood is pumping  through my veins at least I can feel something other than emptiness. More than that I am driven by an uncontrollable need to get to the bottom of this, to make sense of this one thing in my life.

Plum called this morning.

He just can't stay in that house any more without dwelling on Nuala. I don't blame him so I went to talk to Blue.

"Blue?" I asked suddenly unsure.
"What is it Rosé?" Did he seem distracted?
"Well Plum isn't doing so well. I was wonder if, well maybe, if he could come and stay with us. Just for awhile." I said in a rush.
That got his attention. His eye snapped to mine and held them for a long moment.

Slowly a smile spread over his face. "Rosé, I think that is a wonderful idea.  I know I have been busy at work lately..."
"No I know you are busy I understand," I said interrupting.
"It's still not what I want. Very soon this will all be done with and I can be home concentrating on you, but for now it will be very nice to have some more life in the house. I think it is perfect."
"Oh thank you Blue," I said releasing tension I wasn't even aware of until that moment.

So Plum brought Pear and Peach to stay with us. Blue was right, again. They are just the breath of life I need. I swear I will protect them with every bone in my body from the evil of this world. I will not loose them like I lost Nuala.

Now I have a purpose. I will stop those who are out to do evil in this town for the sake of all those I have loved and lost.

For the first time in weeks, I slept