Disclaimer: Not mine, obviously.
Summary: See previous chapters.
Clarissa Hale
It was supposed to be the second-happiest day of my life, but all I can do, all I have done in the past weeks, is cry for our loss.
People say that the happiest day of a woman's life is the day that she marries. The second happiest day is when she watches her children marry.
When I first envisioned my future son-in-law, I thought of a tall, strong man with merry eyes and dark hair. I wanted someone who could both protect my daughter and make her laugh. Someone gentle enough to calm her fiery temper, and mischievous enough to keep her on her toes. Someone who would love her with all he was, as much as she would love him, who could appreciate her beauty and personality both.
Royce King was the ideal match for my Rosalie, socially and financially, and even if he only wanted her as a trophy-wife, she would have been happy with all the children that he would have given her.
Roses are the most precious and beautiful of flowers, despite their thorns, so it was an obvious choice to name Rosalie, my daughter, the most precious and beautiful of women, after them.
Rosalie was beautiful on the day I dressed her in her prettiest clothing, did her hair, and sent her to the bank with my husband's "forgotten" lunch.
Rosalie was beautiful when she left the house for the last time, going to visit her friend Vera, glowing with joy at the chance to see her godson, Henry.
The morning that we found her missing, with nothing but Rosalie's ripped coat with its scattered brass buttons, signs of a struggle and so much blood half way between Vera's house and ours was the day that everything in the world turned ugly and dark.
They say that you will never truly appreciate what you have, until it is gone. I wanted my family to have a secure future, so I sacrificed Rosalie's chance for happiness and a loving marriage, in exchange for our own social elevation.
Only now, when it is too late, do I realize that I would give up all the wealth and prestige in the world, just to have my daughter back.
My daughter, my golden joy, is gone. I cannot even dream of what might have been through Royce, for he was found murdered yesterday, like several of his friends over the past fortnight.
I cannot transfer my love to the child that Rosalie so desperately wished for, her dream that will never come true, for there will be no such child.
I cannot rail against or swear revenge upon the unknown monster who took my Rosalie's life, for no trace was ever found.
I am still young enough to bear more children, if God sees fit to grant them after how miserably I failed Rosalie. If He does see fit, I swear that I will do better by them than I did by her. I have learned my lessons about what is important in life, though it took my daughter's death for me to realize it.
My daughter is dead, and I cannot change the past, but it is time for me to stop weeping, and to become a better person than the woman who cared only for her social standing.
It will be hard, for change does not come easily, but I will do it for Rosalie.
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A/N: Trying something a bit different this time. Elizabeth and Jade knew that they probably wouldn't see their children again, because of the Epidemic and the Civil War. Rosalie's parents thought that she was weeks away from marrying and therefore raising their social status. Losing a child tends to be a wake-up-call regarding Life's Priorities, and I wanted to reflect that.
I may do Pastor Cullen next, Mrs. Brandon. I'm also thinking of doing Sue Clearwater at some point. Let me know if there is anyone in particular that you want to see.
As always, reviews are very much appreciated, and flames will be laughed at. Then used for roasting chestnuts, even if I don't have an open fireplace...
One benefit of living alone is that there is no one to yell at you to shut up when singing Christmas Carols.
Thanks, Nat