Free Rose Blossom by Renee Travis Page B

and seeing the pain in his eyes my fear subsided. Walking over to him, I placed a kiss on his chin and wrapped my arms around his waist, “of course not. My grandmother had always told me to accept things without fear or judgment. She used to quote Hamlet to me: 'There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.' ''
                 He swallowed and gave me a brief nod, but relaxed; I think he was truly worried I would leave him after that revelation.
                 We got into his truck and began the drive down the mountain, in a peaceful silence. I’m not sure what he was thinking about but, like it had been for weeks, my every thought was centered on… him.
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
                  "Rose, you're awful quiet, what's wrong?" I heard Julian ask as he sat down next to me on my parents' couch.  It was Sunday and it had been two weeks since I had met his family. We had fallen into a pretty good routine where he spent all day Sunday at my house.
                  "Yeah, Rho what's going on?" Avalon's voice echoed as she sat down next to me. True to my word I was spending time with Avalon and had gotten her to loosen up a bit in the past weeks. Her brown hair was in a pony tail and she was flushed today, as was Julian, both a little warmer than normal. But I had realized that whatever they ate or did not eat was what caused the temperature change in their skin.
                  I turned to Avalon, she was a curious little thing and my dad adored her. When she was with us and Julian and I wanted alone time, my dad let her go into his study and look at his books. I took a deep breath and smelled the jasmine and copper which floated off of Avalon.
                  Several days before I had given up figuring out why each member of Julian's family's breath smelled like a flower and a darker sent. Either way their scents calmed me down and let me breathe easier, even in the midst of my worse attacks. Besides my theory of what they were had grown; now all I needed was an opportune time to ask about it.
                  "Come on love, tell us what's bothering you," Julian pleaded, his hand cupped the side of my face as he pulled me onto his lap, I wasn't a small girl but Julian made me feel like one. I sighed, I didn't want to admit what had me depressed. It was silly really but with the end of October came the holiday I dreaded more than any other, Halloween. I had never been allowed to participate, too much excitement.  Parties, trick-or-treating, costume shopping, my mother had never allowed any of it.
                  And Mel loved Halloween more than anything.  She always held a huge costume party that I was never allowed to attend. I said as much to Julian and Avalon. They looked at each other shocked and then Julian just shrugged his shoulders.
                  "Do your parents not celebrate it either?" Avalon asked.
                  "Kind of, as you can tell they have the stereotypical jack-o-lanterns and my mother will allow me to be in charge of handing out candy. But anything else is forbidden." I leaned against Julian, turning my face to his chest.
                  "Well this year that will change," Julian told me. I looked up quickly.
                  "What?" I asked
                  "I will convince your parents to let me take you to the party," he said.
                  "Even if you could the party is a week away.  Where are we going to find costumes this late? It's themed, 'famous couples,' " I lamented.
                  "Oh Rhodanthe! Julian's had your costumes bought for weeks and I've had mine bought too! We love Halloween!" Avalon exclaimed.
                  I swiveled and looked at Avalon, when I saw the excitement in her eyes I stared back at Julian, "Why didn't you tell