Page 20 of Rum and Roses
“You want Raising Canes?”
I turned my head, resting my chin on his chest. Looking up at him. “Mhm.”
“Sandwich combo with an extra side of canes sauce and a large sweet tea?”
I smiled bigger.
How did he know that?
I nodded.
“Sure thing Princess.” Silas smiled, planting another kiss against my forehead. “Let me hold you a bit longer and then I will order us some dinner.”
I nodded, shifting in his arms. I snuggled him. Feeling nothing but bliss within his embrace. I could get used to this.
13
Silas
The basement was damp, emitting an earthy scent that was once a comforting shield that now felt heavy and suffocating. I sat down on the floor across the room from Rosalie’s bed. She lay curled up in her little nest of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. Her face was usually vibrant, but today it was pale and drawn. The sharp angles of her cheekbones were more pronounced. A tremor ran through her. My brow furrowed, realizing that she was burning up with a fever.
I bit down on my lip, rising to my feet. I went to the bathroom and ran a washcloth under cold water, making my way across the room. I sat on the edge of her bed, placing the cool cloth onto her forehead.
A sickening certainty tightened in my chest. I couldn’t keep her here forever; she needed sunshine. As much as I wanted to keep her hidden from the world for forever, I knew that wasn’t plausible. She would wither away down here, and I simply refused to allow that to happen.
I reached out, my calloused fingers gently brushing a stray strand of her strawberry curls from her forehead. Even while sick, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid eyes on.I remembered the first time I met Rosalie, how nervous she was for her first day of training at the cafe. Her laughter was a ringing melody above the sound of the espresso machines and milk frothers. I missed working with her, but I prioritized her safety and well being above all else. I had kept her down here for nearly two months now, and the lack of sunshine and fresh air seemed to be taking its toll. Rosalie whimpered, leaning into my touch.
My eyes softened. “How are you feeling, Rosie?” I whispered.
A soft breath escaped her lips. “Tired… achy… warm.”
I know that the word ‘achy’ meant more than mere fatigue. I had seen these symptoms time and time again. The creeping weakness, the burning fever, the subtle changes in breathing. It was her cough that worried me the most. A dry, hacking sound that scraped at the back of her throat. I wasn’t a doctor, but I had enough medical knowledge to know that she needed medical attention.
God damn it…
“I need to get you some medicine…” I said softly, combing my fingers through her hair in an attempt to comfort her. “I’ll get you feeling better in no time.”
She smiled weakly at me, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes in the way it usually did. I held myself back from frowning. “How? I can’t… just go to the… doctor.”
“I’ll figure something out, don’t worry,”
She was right. They would recognize her. The whispers, the news broadcasts and missing posters. This town was small, and they talked far too much. My eyes drifted around the basement, and the various supplies I knew I had hidden within the cupboards and shelves. It was enough, but not for a cough like that. Not for the long term.
The first thought to cross my mind was obvious: we need to get the fuck out of this town. Staying in this small, tightly-knitcommunity where everyone knew everyone wasn’t an option. We needed to disappear, to become ghosts in a crowded tapestry of a larger city where the people didn’t ask questions, let alone acknowledge the strangers they passed in the street.
The real question was how could we vanish without a trace? Her strawberry curls gave her away and…
A lightbulb went off in my head.
We could leave at night, and have her in a disguise. I didn’t want to dye her hair, but maybe we could cut it. It would grow back, and then have her wear a wig. Las Vegas, Nevada was only about a nine and a half hour drive from Silverton, Colorado. No one would ever look for us there. I needed to get her better, to get her on the same page with the plan. There we could start anew… change our names, our identities. She could go back to ballet, I had more than enough cash in my trust fund, not to mention my savings.
I leaned down, planting a soft kiss against her temple. “I’m going to get you some medicine, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can… just rest while I’m gone, okay?”
Rosalie nodded, rolling over.
I took the washcloth I placed on her forehead and took it back to the sink, running it under cold water again. Making sure it was as cold as it could be before I returned to her side, placing the cloth back onto her forehead. I lifted her sheets, pulling them over her to ensure she was comfortable. I then filled her water cup with ice water, leaving it on her nightstand along with a plate of saltine crackers in case she wanted to try to eat something before I returned. Making my way back upstairs, I locked the door to the basement behind me.
Reaching for my motorcycle keys, I paused as I heard my phone ding, but I ignored it for the time being. Rosalie’s health and wellbeing was far more important than whoever the fuck was trying to contact me right now.
