Chapter 2: Against All Odds

A few years later... In France.

After Ella's father passed away, Ian sold the livestock and concentrated on what he loved the most, gardening and farming. He transformed the little farm to a famous local farm. His fresh produce was well known to as far as Paris. Many visitors came to tour his farm. His roses were exceptionally famous much desired for wedding occasions.

Always be business oriented, Ella suggested to commercialize their strengths. They opened part of their farm for tourist. Visitors could come to pick their own fruit and vegetable or cut their own roses. The farm was doing better and better. Ella couldn't wait to graduate to start working in the farm to help Ian's blooming business.

oOooo

A blonde man was whistling, riding his horse cart. He stopped the cart at a school's gate and looking for Ella. Today was Ella's graduation day! Her last day of school.

"Ella, your handsome brother is here," cried Ella's friends.

"Introduce me to him, Ella," said one.

"Me, first… I had asked yesterday," begged another.

"I asked her last week," added yet another one.

Ian's blonde hair and blue eyes were just breathtaking. He's a hot stock among Ella's friends. They all fainted at his sight and Ella found that she's not an exception either.

Ella turned to see Ian. She mooned. What a mature young man he became!

"He's not my brother… it's a long story," stammered Ella. "But heck, he's not my brother!"

She usually didn't care in the past, but now it annoyed her to hear someone call Ian her brother.

"Well, then, you'll take him for yourself?" they teased her.

Ella mumbled some good bye to her friends and turned around to hide her red hot face. She then ran to hug Ian. For the first time she blushed at his hug.

"Number one again?" asked Ian.

Ella simply nodded.

Ian used his usual voice and tone, but it sounded especially manly this time. She felt shy but couldn't help to still steal a look at him. Ian had grown to be an irresistible young man. His blonde hair and blue eyes were simply infatuating.

Ian picked up something from the cart.

"Congratulations, Ella! These roses are my gift to you."

"Beautiful," praised Ella, her heart beat everywhere. "Purple!"

She examined the purplish shade of the roses.

"New breed! Their first bloom of the season," said Ian proudly. "They are called Swee…"

He stopped short from saying Sweet Ella*. Suddenly, it didn't feel right. A flash of blond girl images coming to him but they disappeared before he could make any of it. When he's back to himself, he saw thrilled dark eyes before him, staring at him sparklingly with a dash of hope anticipating to hear what he's going to say.

Ian cleared his throat, quickly corrected himself, "I mean… Smart Ella."

Ella smiled shyly, looking to the ground she said with a low voice, "Thanks." Blushing.

Sheesh!, Ian thought to himself, feeling a very strong sense of déjà vu. It couldn't be just an imagination. It was so strong. He shivered thinking about the connection of the word "Sweet", roses, and a blonde girl…

Hurriedly, Ian put a strong control to himself and smiled to Ella. He helped her to ride the horse cart to carry her home…

ooOO/\OOooo

High in the sky… in a real combat…, Stear was busy doing some dangerous maneuver and tricks in the air. Flew to the left, flew to the right, up… Stear was trying to catch the enemy plane in front of him when he heard a loud boom and felt a strong jerk. A disturbing roaring sound of failing engine soon followed. A familiar sound… but this was the first time it happened to his own airplane.

"I'm hit!" screamed Stear panicked.

He pulled and pulled the driving stick to regain control of the airplane declining altitude, hopelessly trying to fly the plane backed up… No use, the plane kept falling down, fast! He pushed the red button to open the canopy and got ejaculated outside with a parachute, but nothing moved. He then slammed the canopy with his fist, banged it, pierced it with his knife, still it didn't open… And the plane just continued to nosedive, fell faster and faster…

"Oh no," groaned Stear desperately. "All machines are the same. They get malfunction at the most crucial time."

Stear scrambled to look for the instruction manual, but from the window he saw the greenish color of the grass approaching fast… He then surrendered to his faith…

Good bye, Patty, thought hapless Stear. Archie, mom, dad, Albert, Annie, Candy… He felt lucky that he already gave Candy the music box. He thought of a string of people from the closest one to the not-so-closed ones.

Elisa, Neal… love you too. He smiled to himself. Since he's going to die, he decided to make peace with everyone.

Then Stear sat on his seat bravely waiting for the final impact. He felt a few minor bumps and waited for the final huge one.

One second... two seconds… three seconds…

Hurry… hurry, thought Stear, tortured.

But nothing happened… Suddenly the plane seemed to stop moving.

One second.. two seconds… three seconds… Still nothing moved. No explosion, no nothing… Finally Stear slowly opened his eyes.

WOW!, thought Stear.

The plane got entangled in trees branches. The position was nose down, just a few centimeters above the ground, he estimated. Rejoiced, Stear tried to unbuckle his seat belt, but it got stuck... He then cut his seat belt with his pocket knife.

The bumpy impacts somehow fixed the canopy. Now, it opened easily. With his backpack, excitedly Stear jumped to the ground. He screamed happily, did some random short dancing and kissed the ground joyfully. He then went back to the plane to make a radio contact to let his military base know about his position and get rescued.

But… he smelt something... Gas! The gas tank apparently leaked, leaving gasoline trickling to the ground.

Ddddddddrrrrr.

Almost at the same time, Stear heard the sound of weapon being fired.

The Germans, Stear thought recognizing the distinct sound of the machine gun. He saw a few soldiers marching to his direction.

The German soldiers shouted something in German that he didn't quite catch. Stear lifted up his hands to show them that he surrendered. Then at one's command, he heard that familiar subtle sound of gun click and everyone had guns pointed at him, ready to fire.

Now, I'm really toast, thought Stear. Good bye world. Bye again Patty…

Drrr

Stear heard the sound of the machine gun being fired. At the same time, he heard BOOmmmmm!

Miraculously, his plane fell from the tree, right in between the Germans and himself. The plane shielded Stear from being hit by the Germans' bullets. In a flash, Stear ran away, as fast as he could. In terror he felt as if a bullet was going to hit him at anytime. Then, he heard a very loud boom followed by a very bright light. He felt he's flying, blown away a few meters to the front.

The plane exploded, thought Stear without turning around to confirm his idea. He picked up his falling glasses and continued to run without looking back… Just ran as fast as he could…. Entering a forest…

oooOooo

Ella and Ian were doing accounting and bookkeeping of their farm business in their house.

Bunk!

They heard an unusual noise coming from the front door.

"What's that?" asked Ella.

She shivered. It sounded like something fell and hit the front door. Ian heard it too. They straightened up, looking at one another. At the time of war, anything could happen. Ella was so scared.

Ian cautiously moved to the door and carefully peeked through the keyhole. A body?

Ian opened the door slowly and a solider body fell on his feet. He was unconscious, full of blood. A pair of glasses lay not far from his face.

"An American soldier," said Ian in fear. He recognized the flag sewn on the soldier's uniform. He read the name, Cornwell. Ian cried to Ella, "Ella come. We put him in bed."

Ian lifted the solider up and put him in bed.

"Get father's clothes and disguise equipment… Some Germans might chase him," instructed Ian to Ella. Ian busily tried to take off the soldier's battle uniform.

"Here, hide his glasses," Ian told Ella.

Ian changed the soldier's clothes and put on a white wig hair on his head. Trembling, Ella wiped blood from the soldier's face and hands. With Mr. Boyt's make up equipment, Ian disguised the solider as a sick old man. They were just finished when they heard a loud bang at the door.

Ian and Ella looked at one another. With his head, Ian made a sign for Ella to go back to her seat.

Ella hurriedly went back to her seat pretending to do accounting. Putting a scared innocent look in his face, Ian opened the front door. The Germans were here. They entered to do some brief investigation. Not finding what they were looking for, soon they left…

In the USA

Three days after Stear's burial ceremony… Candy and Annie took Patty, who had been staying with Annie, to her own home.

"Oh Patty, I actually need your help for my class. Could you stay with me today?" asked Candy.

Patty knew Candy lied. They had been making some excuse not to leave her alone after she tried to commit a suicide a few days ago.

"Candy, Annie, I'll be okay," said Patty, plastered a fake smile on her face. "Stear is buried, time to move on." She lied, blatantly.

Candy and Annie looked at one another, in doubt. But Patty insisted on. They followed her wish and took her back to her house.

Thus, Patty tried to slip her life to the same regularity as before… Going to school, meeting friends, going picnic…

But she just couldn't. After months later, Patty still woke up with the same nightmare. Stear reached out for her, cried for help,… the same bad dreams again and again. She sensed fear and it didn't get any better with each passing day. One afternoon… it shook her especially strongly. She remembered her promise to Candy, Annie, and to Stear's parents to be good, but now it didn't matter anymore.

"Stear is not dead!" screamed Patty, fighting horrible senses that's raging in her head. "How dare they to claim it that way!"

She's not delusional. Not until she saw the body would she'd be willing to accept it. Until then, he's alive and she knew he's in need of help, somewhere.

Disregarding Candy and Annie who wouldn't listen anyway, resolutely, alone, Patty went to the Lakewood mansion and banged at the door.

"Sir William, may I see you?" cried Patty.

"Sir William, we get to find Stear," repeated Patty continuously.

One servant notified George about the disturbance since aunt Elroy was too bereaved to talk about the topic. George came out to meet Patty.

"May I see Sir William?" asked Patty.

"He's not here, Ms. O'Brien," said George apologetically.

"His nephew is not dead. Ask him to come out! Stear is missing. He gets to be rescued!"

"Ms. O'Brien. I'm sorry for the loss…," said George sympathetically.

"He's not dead, George!" Patty didn't want to hear anymore sweet words. She wanted some action… A real action!

But George kept politely declining. He didn't lie. Sir William wasn't there, he already recovered his memory lost and went on a business trip.

Soon, the request turned to a desperate appeal.

"Please George…," beseeched Patty desperately. "Please… have Sir William organize a rescue team to look for Stear."

Seeing George remained unmoved, Patty slumped to the floor and hugged George's legs. "I'll work as his slave… I give my life to him to pay back for his generosity."

George knelled down on the floor with her.

"Ms. O'Brien, I'll convey your message to Sir William. Promise," George said gently

Patty was so disappointed and totally losing it.

"Convey?" blurted out Patty.

Patty started to laughed hysterically and she just couldn't stop it. She kept laughing until she felt her kegs failed her and she rolled onto the floor. Sir William was the only person she knew and could think of to organize a complex, high-cost search-and-rescue team to help her beloved. No one else could. She was so desperate that her appeal wasn't granted…

Totally losing her self control, soon she lied on the floor, grasping for air, kept giggling with tears streaming down her face.

"Sir William!" screamed Patty while lying on the floor. "I dare you to meet me… "

George nodded to his staff to call Candy and Annie. Patty felt the two girls hugged and comforted her. She was too light headed to struggle, she cried in their hugs and the two girls took her home.

I'm good for nothing, Patty thought bitterly.

They just took an easy path by assuming Stear died! She's angry to herself for not able to rescue Stear… She's angry to Candy and Annie because they believed that Stear was dead. She's angry to the world...

Her faith though was stronger than ever. Patty got drawn closer to church and she found peace only in prayer. She went to church often to sit alone holding her cross tightly and stared at the huge cross in the altar. She prayed earnestly for Stear's safety , wishing for someone to find Stear, to rescue him, and to take care of him.

One nun finally started to notice her and they started to talk...

TO BE CONTINUED –

NOTE:

* Anthony gave his rose name Sweet Candy. Manga, chapter 2, page 1.

Thanks for reading.