Chapter 2

"Next time come with me. It isn't all that fun to shop with Sanji."

Nami had just put her clothes away when she looked to Robin and frowned.

"A new book? Seems like we won't be seeing you for some time." Nami chuckled. "I will let you read now. You aren't even listening to me any more."


I felt cold air in my face and I could hear Tim's voice. Slowly I opened my eyes, but I quickly closed them again because the sun was too bright.

"Jenna, Jenna!"

Tim's voice forced me to open my eyes again.

"Thank god, you are awake!"

"You don't believe in god." I mumbled when I tried to sit up in the bed.

"Don't!" Tim pushed me back. "You have to rest. The others are coming back soon."

I started to remember what happened. My mother's roses. I looked up and saw that gardener and wanted to yell at him, but Tim was faster and yelled at me.

"Are you crazy? I thought you were going…."

Tim couldn't say it out loud but I know what he wanted to say. I looked at him with my "I-Am-Sorry-Face".

"Fine. Rest. I have to go now. And you!" Tim looked at the gardener. "You come with me."

I watched as they left my room. Then it hit me. I had been so stupid. I shouldn't have run. I knew it could be my death. Tim was right to be angry. But the roses…


"You didn't think your first day would be like this?"

"I didn't…"

"I am sure it wasn't your fault. Mister Blumingfield didn't tell you about the roses, did he? Oh he is a busy man." Tim looked at the gardener, but he didn't let him respond. "Let me explain the situation. Those roses belong to Mister Blumingfield's wife. Jenna was four when her mother died and those roses remind her of mother."

"Secondly, Jenna has the same disease as her mother. Her heart is weak. Furthermore her immune system is now weak because she has rarely left her room."

"Thirdly, it is a secret that I still visit Jenna. You aren't going to tell Mister Blumingfield and I won't tell anybody what happened today."

The gardener only nodded.

"Fine, I have to go now. You can go back to the garden, but please, leave the roses alone."


For over an hour I had sat on my bed and thought about what happened. I was angry at the gardener, but also at me. Tim was worried, my family would worry if they heard of this, but I worried only about those roses.

"Jenna. I am back, and I bought you a dress!" Natalia came into my room without knocking. This was just like her. "You are in bed? Is something wrong?" I could hear a little panic in her voice.

"It's nothing." I hoped she would calm down.

"I was afraid that today's dinner would be cancelled." Natalia sat on my bed and had a light blue dress with her.

"Dinner?" I frowned. "Is this a business dinner?"

"Yes and no. A new family moved in next to us and they are coming to visit. Their son is almost as old as you are." Natalia smirked. "And they are rich. That's why I bought that dress for you."

"Is this a new attempt to marry me?"

"I think so. I know it is annoying, but there's nothing we can do." Natalia stood up and left the dress on the bed. "See you downstairs."

I didn't feel as well as I had in the morning, but I stood up and walked to the window. I was in a very bad mood. I didn't want that dinner. I sat on the window board and hoped that Tim would come, but knew that was not going to happen.

I looked out of the window and tried to think about something else. I looked at roses, but this didn't cheer me up. It had the opposite effect because I thought that if my mother were still alive my life would be easier.

But I forgot all about it when I saw the gardener and my father outside. They were talking and my father was showing him around. Then he noticed me and pointed to me. I wasn't sure if I understood right, but I opened the window.

"Jenna, let me introduce you to our new gardener, Hans."

I smiled politely and wanted to close the window when I heard my father ask Hans to bring flowers to my room. When I thought of what happened in the morning I didn't want to see him now.

I sat on the bed and took up a book. I hoped that when he saw me reading he wouldn't talk to me. I didn't have to wait long. When he opened the door I looked at him, smiled and read on. I didn't hear him close the door.

"Miss Jenna."

My heart almost stopped.

"I wanted to apologize." Hans was scratching his neck and didn't look at me. "I still think that it doesn't do any harm to cut a few roses. Furthermore they look beautiful in the vase."

He looked to the vase on the table. Now my really heart stopped. The roses which he cut this morning were in the vase. Immediately I stood up, went to the table and looked at the vase.

I took one rose and in my anger I forgot about the thorns. Of course, I hurt myself and let the rose fall on the ground. I bent down so I could pick up the rose, but before I reached it I touched Hans's hand who was also reaching for the rose. I stood up and looked at him.

"They were already cut. It would have been a waste."

I got a weird feeling when I looked at him. For a moment I didn't see that he was handing me the rose. I just looked at him and felt my anger disappear. I took the rose and put it in the vase. He was right. They looked beautiful.


After Hans left I started to prepare for the dinner. I had put on the dress which Natalia had brought me. The dress was very beautiful but I didn't care about it. Now I was brushing my hair. I didn't want to go down and listen as my father praised me. He really wanted me to marry, even though I didn't like the idea.

Maybe if Tim could have been here I would have enjoyed the dinner, but it seemed like he wasn't coming today. I bit my lip and stood up. I had to act lady-like now and I am very good at it.

I left my room and walked down the stairs. Half way I saw that the guests had arrived. My father and Natalia were talking to a blond man. Next to him was a woman with black hair and behind them a man with long moustache.

I smiled politely and walked to them. I had to do it, for my father's business.

"You are an angel!" The blond man yelled and ran to me. Then he kneeled and grabbed my hand. "This house has two angels." He kissed my hand.

"William!" The woman dragged the boy away.

I stood there and couldn't say anything. I had never seen such man and they wanted me to marry him?


Robin closed the book. She wanted to read on, but it was time for her tea. She was sure that Sanji was in the kitchen and he would surely make her tea. She stood up, took the book and walked to the kitchen.

On her way she started to read again. She held the book up. She knew the ship well enough to walk around blindfolded, but as she turned the corner…

"Oi! Look out!"

Robin blinked and looked up. She had just run into Zoro.

"I am sorry." Robin smiled politely, picked up the book and walked passed him.

"Wait." Zoro's voice stopped her. "I think that is your's."

For a moment Robin didn't respond. Zoro was holding dried rose. She looked at the rose and thought of how similar it was to the ones in the book. Was the gardener Zoro? Robin couldn't imagine it. Neither could she imagine that she was Jenna. She shook her head and tried to forget this ridiculous idea.

"Even if the book is interesting don't read it while walking. You could get hurt." Zoro mumbled as he left.

"Thanks." Robin looked after him. Well, that was weird…


Wow...really I never though that this story would get this attention. Of course, I am glad^^ and I try to write fast and well inorder not to disappoint you...