Free Rose for Rose: Book Two in the Angels' Mirror Series by Harmony L. Courtney Page B

going to break the news that Peter is the only sibling she has left, Lord? She may have nieces and nephews galore, I don’t know, but You do. And You know why this young lady had to travel like I did. Is there something in her story we’re supposed to learn from?
    Edward’s mind wandered and meandered and his thoughts rose and fell like the sea.
    What was he going to do? And how would he do it?
    Eugenie got hot water boiling for her guests, and Mark just sat there, listening, drinking the juice his wife had put before him. Eugenie got some water and sat down with them as young Rose continued, her voice stronger now.
    “Father is a fisherman and he’s the best of the best. Mostly haddock and striped bass, but sometimes he’ll go on someone else’s schooner to help hunt down some giant Bluefin… nasty to catch, he tells me. Somethin’ fierce, they are. Oh… and his name is Steven, like my brother, but only Steven J. Laurent, not Steven J. Wishart-Laurent.” She paused long enough to give a wistful smile.
    “J. stands for Joseph,” she explained before continuing.
    “Well, anyway, Father… he used to know someone really famous for sticking with a sea storm, Howard Blackburn, and I even met him once. He’s called the “Man of Iron,” but I never knew why.” Again, she paused.
    This time, she shrugged her shoulders. Tears still slid slowly down her face, but she no longer sobbed.
    Eugenie shifted in her seat; picked up Mouse carefully, once he got close enough to catch.
    “Anyway, Father also knew some men who were on the SS Portland who died when I was… um… really little, and… and he always talks of how they were really great and how much he missed them, and I miss Father so much when he’s out at sea. Did I… did I tell you there was a storm when I arrived? Like the one when I got here, but a lot bigger? The lightning… it was scaring my brothers and so I was playing music for them and then they were wrestling, and all of a sudden I was in your restaurant,” she said, taking a pause to catch up on breathing, nodding her head in Eugenie’s direction.
    At that, the whistle blew on the kettle, making everyone jump.
    Eugenie moved to get up, but Mark lay a hand on her arm, “Let me get that,” he said, moving to the counter and loading cups up with chocolate powder, pouring the steaming water over it, stirring it.
    Eugenie smiled, patting her dachshund as he tickled her holding arm with his nose.
    Edward was relieved with the pause, for though he was glad for all the information, catching it all and keeping it straight in his head was wearing him out, despite that not all of it was new. Much of it added up with what Peter – the old man that Max and Daniella had told them about – remembered, too, and that made him smile, in spite of the heartbreak he’d heard already.
    He hoped Rose would begin to discuss the mirror in more depth, but should he push her? He’d been so overwhelmed after his traveling experience it was the last thing he wanted to discuss for the first few days, until he was sure it wasn’t some dream.
    He made a mental note to have Paloma call Daniella in the morning.
    This was more than he could handle alone, and they somehow needed to reconnect this family, even if it was awkward or a little crazy-feeling for Rose. Peter was the only brother she had left, and a few hours ago, they were young and alive and wrestling… at least to her mind. His head spun just thinking about it.
    “Do you need to lay down a while, Edward,” Eugenie asked, a concerned look on her face.
    “Does it show that much?” he sighed. All day, it seemed, he’d been sighing. Just thinking of all the sighing made him want to sigh.
    “I’m afraid it does, my friend.”
    Eugenie then turned to Rose. “He had heart surgery not long ago, so he gets very tired, very easily.”
    At this, Rose’s eyes grew wide, then began to cry all the more!
    “I’m sorry. I fell through the mirror, like Eugenie and Mark