Free The House of Roses by Holden Robinson Page A

Shit,” Caitlin said, closing the laptop.
    “ Not the reaction I was hoping for,” Rita said, setting the flowers on the rolling table beside Caitlin's bed.
    “ Sorry, that wasn't for you. Oh my gosh, that's beautiful,” Caitlin said, turning to look at the flowers. “Ella?”
    “ Ella,” Rita said, fingering the card. A shadow of something Caitlin didn't understand crossed Rita's face, and Caitlin looked at her for a long moment.
    “ Mom?”
    “ Yes, Cate?”
    “ You all right?”
    “ Yes.”
    “ What is it?” Caitlin asked.
    “ She sent them from me,” Rita said softly.
    “ That was nice of her.”
    “ It was,” Rita said, sounding distracted. “Let's set them by the window,” Rita offered, and Caitlin nodded.
    As Rita crossed to the window her cell phone chirped in her bag. “Can you answer this?” she asked, tossing the cell phone. It flew across the room, hit the table, and sent a pink plastic pitcher scattering to the floor. The cell phone bounced back and landed in front of Caitlin.
    “ Sure,” Caitlin said, grabbing for the phone before it could do anymore damage. “Nice throw, Mom,” she said, putting the phone to her ear.
    “ Thanks,” Rita said.
    “ Hello,” Caitlin said, watching as a pool of water formed around the pitcher.
    “ She's not here, but her flowers are.”
    “ Who is it?” Rita asked.
    “ Noonie,” Caitlin said. “Sorry,” she said into the phone. “It's Nathan,” she said, handing the phone to Rita.
    “ Noonie, what's up?  Gotcha. Nathan, what's up?”  Rita asked. “Well, she didn't come up to Cate's room. I assume she left the flowers at the desk,” Rita said, and then there was a long pause. “I'm not sure where she'd go. That's not true. She'd have gone right back. What time should she have gotten back?” Rita said, and another long pause ensued. “I'm not sure. I'll try her cell. Call me if you hear from her,” Rita said. “Please.”
    Rita closed the phone and turned to Caitlin with a deep-set frown. “That's odd,” she said, looking worried.
    “ What's wrong?” Caitlin asked, as Rogan began to fuss.
    “ Ella isn't back yet.”
    “ I gathered that. When did the flowers come?” Caitlin asked, as she stood by the window rocking her son in her arms.
    “ I don't know, but Noonie said she left around noon. She should have been back by now.”
    “ Would she have gone someplace else before heading back?” Caitlin asked.
    “ Ella?”
    “ Good point.”
    “ Ella hates the city, and she would have wanted to go right back and work with her roses. I'm calling her cell,” Rita said, sounding anxious.
    “ Mom?” Caitlin said.
    “ What?”
    “ Step out of the puddle before you call anyone else.”
    “ Oh. Right,” Rita said, tossing a wad of tissues into the watery mess at her feet. Caitlin watched from a chair by the window and attempted to nurse her infant son.
    “ I can't do this,” Caitlin whined, as Rita frowned at the cell phone she held. “What?” Caitlin asked.
    “ It went right to voice mail,” Rita said, rubbing her forehead with her right hand.
    Caitlin seemed to look past her at the television above Rita's head.
    “ Jesus, Mom,” Caitlin said. “Turn up the sound.”
    Rita turned to the television and her face paled immediately.
    “ Oh God,” Rita said, recognizing the twisted wreckage of the SUV she knew belonged to her best friend. There were hundreds of vehicles like Ella's in the city and surrounding areas, but only one with a Hollings House bumper sticker.
    “ They brought her here,” Caitlin said softly, as she listened to the reporter. Rita just stared at her, and for a moment Caitlin wondered if her mother might faint.
    “ Go, Mom. I'm fine, just go.”
    “ Dear God,” Rita said, struggling into her trench coat.
    “ You don't need your coat.”
    “ Dear God,” Rita repeated, tossing the coat onto Caitlin's bed. “She couldn't have lived, Cate. Dear God, did you see the truck?  She couldn't have