Chapter 5: Recollections and Memories
Jack's Point Of View

I looked over at the beautiful woman who was sitting in my front seat, and smiled.

She was asleep. She was about 18, slim, average height. There were three things that stuck out about her. Her blood red hair, her emerald eyes, and the fact that she was trying to cope with something that was too big for to deal with by herself.

Even in her sleep, she didn't smile. She'd smiled when she'd met me. It was one of those deep down, genuine ones. And just then I knew she was different from any other girl I'd ever seen. I remembered seeing her immediately, and watched her with Grandma. She was gentle, caring, and nice. Naturally.

But something about her said she had a rough side as well. That she could be the worst enemy you'd ever had. She'd stumbled, and my grandma had looked back at me, then smiled.

The name fit her, Rose. She was beautiful and also smelled nice. Yet he sensed she had her thorns.

I shook my head. What a matchmaker.

Grandma was already planning, I'd bet on it. She was the best grandma anyone could ever have, and most generous woman you'd ever meet.

She'd give her house to someone who was homeless, not even thinking of where we would stay. And money, she had way more than plenty of it. But she wasn't one of these people who were stingy and an all around mean person when it came to it. She was very giving, getting me anything that I'd ever wanted and needed, and more.

A sudden flashback from when I was 15 filled my mind coming somewhere from the deep recesses I'd shut down 5 years ago.

A boy tore through the streets, toward the smoke and burning house. His lungs were burning, and he was out of breath but he couldn't give up. His heart was beating 100 miles an hour, but he couldn't slow down to take a breath. He was determined, and he knew what was burning. His mind was filled with the horror of the thought, and he couldn't think of anything else.

He passed the lake that he'd gone ice fishing on, the street he walked down every day from school.

He was almost there. Just a little bit more to go, and he could help.

He flew through the front yard and stopped short of racing up the burning steps, when he stumbled and shook his head in wonder.

"No," he voiced, clearly not believing this was his house that was fiery, hot, and burning to the ground.

An ember from the fire jumped out at him, trying to consume him, and he stumbled back even farther. He hated feeling this hopeless, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop the beast. He sank to the ground beneath his favorite oak tree in the back yard.

What would his mother and father say now? Where would they go, stay in Chippewa Falls or move somewhere else?

Then there was a feeling of indescribable pain, anger, and devastation filling his mind. His mother and father had stayed home today.

They- they were at a neighbor's house just waiting for him to find them. Yeah, that's where they were. They were watching for him through the window, and seeing him beneath the tree, they were going to come out and tell him everything would be okay.

But deep down, he knew that wasn't going to happen. He knew where they were. Knew what had happened. They were burning inside that fireball, not able to get out or go anywhere else.

He turned to the ground and pounded with fury into the grass.

"WHY!" He screamed, remembering his mother's smile that morning as she'd kissed him on the cheek before school.

"Dinner will be waiting on the table when you get home, Jack." She'd said and then watched him walk up the lane to catch the bus.

His father had been on the couch, reading the stocks section in the newspaper. He'd looked up and smiled, said he'd see him after school and to have a good day. He was getting a much-needed day off that day. He hadn't taken a day from his work, even when he was sick unless his boss made him.

He sank to the ground and cried big, hot tears of a 15-year-old boy whose life was seemingly over. They came from somewhere deep inside him, and he felt as though he would die right here. His parents, his house, his dog, were gone. In the matter of a couple hours, his life had changed definitely for the worse.

Fire trucks were coming; he could hear the sirens blaring. But it didn't matter, his whole life of memories were gone.

He shut down his emotions as he saw the fire truck pull up. He would be okay, he had to be. He knew of no one who would take a 15 year old orphan who got terrible grades in school, and was just as bad as someone could get.

His grandma Adrianna would. He got up slowly from the ground and started walking toward the train station.

I felt like pounding something. I would have to go to the gym after I took my grandma and Rose home. There was no other way to get the anger out. I had to work it out.

I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. I would be fine. That was the only part of my heart that was not open to anyone, my parents' death. Except for grandma, nobody knew anything about it. I hadn't told anyone, and neither had grandma. I had shut off those emotions long ago, never to be faced again.

I loosened my hands on the steering wheel, and knew my grandma was watching me. She always knew. It was as if she could read my thoughts sometimes. I put on the blinker and turned down Church St., one of the riches neighborhoods in town. I counted the driveways and looked for a huge white house even though I could get to grandma's and my house driving with my eyes shut. The front yard was neat, and the lights lit up the front of the house. A house he was so used to and comfortable in.

But it wasn't home. Home was in Chippewa Falls, down a dusty road and in a house that's driveway was the only one on the street. A house that was two stories tall and was big enough to fit two big families in.

"Jack?" my grandmother asked me very softly.

I took after her more than I did anyone else in the family. That's why we got along so well.

"Yes, grandma?" I turned around to look at her.

Her eyes were serious and she was looking me straight in the eyes.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, "Just another flashback, that's all."

She didn't like my answer, but didn't say so. I could see it in her eyes. She wanted me to let someone else in that part of my heart that was locked with a key that been thrown away.

She changed the subject, something she did when she knew I wasn't going to cooperate.

"I don't want to wake Rose, do you think you could get her to the pink guest room?"

"Yeah, and then I'll come back for her luggage."

"Thank you, Jack."

"No problem grandma. You can go inside now, I'll be in."

She got out of the car and hauled her suitcase up to the door, where a butler took it and let her inside.

Again, I looked over at Rose.

The soft rising and falling of her chest indicated she was in a deep sleep and probably wouldn't wake up until morning if left alone. I knew it would be no problem to carry her thin frame up to the pink guest room. I could bench press about 200, and I knew she didn't weigh that much at all.

I opened my door, got out, and closed it while walking over to her side of the car. I opened the door, and then undid her seat belt.

My arms came beneath her legs and to support her back. I was right, not even 135. Probably about 130; maybe, if I was lucky.

The butler, Jeremy was watching for me and opened the door when he was still on the second step up.

"Thanks man."

"No problem, Mr. Dawson."

Jeremy was the only one their butlers that still requested formalities.

"I'll be coming back down for her luggage in a few minutes, so you don't have to lock up right now."

"I could go out and get them for you, sir."

"That would be great, thanks."

I started up the stairs and knew I made a mistake when I looked down into her face. Her cheeks were red from sleep, and her face held a now peaceful expression. She was even more beautiful than I'd thought. Her pale and creamy complexion glowed.

Unconsciously, her face turned toward me and rested more firmly on my chest. This was not good. Id just met the girl not even an hour ago, and I already liked her. I took a deep breath and continued up the stairs to the room, not realizing that my grandmother had been watching me the whole time, and smiling.