Chapter Two-
Sitting in the back of the Renault upon the cushioned black seats, Cal looked at Rose as she stared out the window with an empty look on her face.
"Where to sir?" asked James Andrews, the driver of the car looking into the rearview mirror but keeping an eye on the red-light as to not miss his turn to go.
"That cafe on Rolland Street that we went to last week. You'll love their French Toast sweetpea, and the tea is simply divine." Said Cal, turning his glance back to Rose.
"Yes, I'm sure it is." replied Rose not taking her eyes away from the window.
"Now Sweetpea, about the..." Cal couldn't finish what he was about to say, because the car jumped and he spilled his glass of wine on the slacks he was wearing. "What the Hell was that?" Yelled Cal, looking angrily at James.
"Just a bump in the road sir, nothing to worry about." James said nervously.
"These are new pants! I bought them yesterday! How do you expect me to get this out? Fool, can't you do anything right, how hard is it to drive a car?"
"Cal! Leave the poor man alone. It's not his fault there was a bump in the road," said Rose, taking her eyes away from the window.
"Well if he would learn how to drive..."
Rose was furious at Cal for yelling at their driver over hitting the bump. 'It wasn'this fault...' She thought. She stared out the window, trying to calm herself down, 'Calm yourself, Rose. No need to get Cal mad at you...' Her train of thought was interrupted by Cal's arrogant voice demanding that the driver stop at the cleaners after breakfast.
"Yes, Sir." James stated calmly.
Rose continued looking out the window, staring at the couples walking
down the street, and the children laughing at the park.
"Rose, sweetpea? We're here." Cal said in an unusually kind tone. James opened the Renault's door for Rose, who squinted in the sun that blinded her. Cal followed her out of the car, and held her arm, leading her into the small cafe.
They sat across from each other at a small wicker table in front of a large window facing the park.
"What would you like, Rose?"
Rose looked at the neat menu in front of her, opening it slowly, she read a few meals, and decided. "Well, I think I will have the french toast, and tea. Like you had mentioned in the car." Rose knew this was a good response, because it would please Cal, and make him think she actually cared about what he had said.
"I think I shall have the same." Cal responded.
The waiter brought them both tea first, while the meals were being cooked. Rose was sipping it very slowly, staring out the window.
"What is your fascination with windows?" Cal remarked, with a small laugh.
"Nothing. I just love England in the springtime." Rose gave a minute smile, and turned her head towards Cal. "It's so alive you know? As a matter of fact, all of Europe is so beautiful this time of year."
"So I take it you are enjoying my engagement present to you, sweetpea?"
"Of course, Cal. I am enjoying it. Why wouldn't I?" She added the last part quietly.
"I knew you would. Rose, I have noticed that you have been a little melancholy lately. I thought today we would go to the park this afternoon, and buy some paintings, since you seem to enjoy them so much." He stared back into his tea, waiting to hear her reply.
"Oh Cal! That would be ever so wonderful! I would enjoy that so much.
Thank you." Sudden enjoyment rushed over Rose, and she tried hard to hide it. Cal never took her anywhere to buy paintings. She always had to go off with Trudy to buy them, like in Paris, earlier that month.
"Shall we eat?" Cal said, happy to see that Rose's eyes had a sparkle in them, not as empty as before.
Rose noticed the food was there; she leaned over and gave Cal a small peck on the cheek as thanks, and began to eat.
Sitting in the back of the Renault upon the cushioned black seats, Cal looked at Rose as she stared out the window with an empty look on her face.
"Where to sir?" asked James Andrews, the driver of the car looking into the rearview mirror but keeping an eye on the red-light as to not miss his turn to go.
"That cafe on Rolland Street that we went to last week. You'll love their French Toast sweetpea, and the tea is simply divine." Said Cal, turning his glance back to Rose.
"Yes, I'm sure it is." replied Rose not taking her eyes away from the window.
"Now Sweetpea, about the..." Cal couldn't finish what he was about to say, because the car jumped and he spilled his glass of wine on the slacks he was wearing. "What the Hell was that?" Yelled Cal, looking angrily at James.
"Just a bump in the road sir, nothing to worry about." James said nervously.
"These are new pants! I bought them yesterday! How do you expect me to get this out? Fool, can't you do anything right, how hard is it to drive a car?"
"Cal! Leave the poor man alone. It's not his fault there was a bump in the road," said Rose, taking her eyes away from the window.
"Well if he would learn how to drive..."
Rose was furious at Cal for yelling at their driver over hitting the bump. 'It wasn'this fault...' She thought. She stared out the window, trying to calm herself down, 'Calm yourself, Rose. No need to get Cal mad at you...' Her train of thought was interrupted by Cal's arrogant voice demanding that the driver stop at the cleaners after breakfast.
"Yes, Sir." James stated calmly.
Rose continued looking out the window, staring at the couples walking
down the street, and the children laughing at the park.
"Rose, sweetpea? We're here." Cal said in an unusually kind tone. James opened the Renault's door for Rose, who squinted in the sun that blinded her. Cal followed her out of the car, and held her arm, leading her into the small cafe.
They sat across from each other at a small wicker table in front of a large window facing the park.
"What would you like, Rose?"
Rose looked at the neat menu in front of her, opening it slowly, she read a few meals, and decided. "Well, I think I will have the french toast, and tea. Like you had mentioned in the car." Rose knew this was a good response, because it would please Cal, and make him think she actually cared about what he had said.
"I think I shall have the same." Cal responded.
The waiter brought them both tea first, while the meals were being cooked. Rose was sipping it very slowly, staring out the window.
"What is your fascination with windows?" Cal remarked, with a small laugh.
"Nothing. I just love England in the springtime." Rose gave a minute smile, and turned her head towards Cal. "It's so alive you know? As a matter of fact, all of Europe is so beautiful this time of year."
"So I take it you are enjoying my engagement present to you, sweetpea?"
"Of course, Cal. I am enjoying it. Why wouldn't I?" She added the last part quietly.
"I knew you would. Rose, I have noticed that you have been a little melancholy lately. I thought today we would go to the park this afternoon, and buy some paintings, since you seem to enjoy them so much." He stared back into his tea, waiting to hear her reply.
"Oh Cal! That would be ever so wonderful! I would enjoy that so much.
Thank you." Sudden enjoyment rushed over Rose, and she tried hard to hide it. Cal never took her anywhere to buy paintings. She always had to go off with Trudy to buy them, like in Paris, earlier that month.
"Shall we eat?" Cal said, happy to see that Rose's eyes had a sparkle in them, not as empty as before.
Rose noticed the food was there; she leaned over and gave Cal a small peck on the cheek as thanks, and began to eat.