Rose

I eyed the heap of shirts resting on my bed. How many does one pack when spontaneously moving to the middle of nowhere for an undecided amount of time?

Ten, I decided. Ten shirts would do.

I stuffed the clothes into the luggage sitting on my bed. The rest of my belongings were packed neatly inside with the photo of Caleb and I resting on top. The only thing left to do was ...leave.

Well, that and break the news to my mother.

I had decided that even though she didn't deserve an explanation, even though her behaviour towards Caleb's death was enough to make me want to get out of this house, I should still at least notify her before she walked into my bedroom one morning and saw it nearly empty.

Would she even care? The thought crept into my mind. It was sad that I didn't have a definite answer.

Hauling my luggage off the bed, I rolled it to the front door and waited — waited for my mother to arrive home from work so I could break the news to her that I had decided to leave life behind for a few weeks.

That was all I needed: a few weeks. Two months tops. Once my heart stopped feeling like someone dragged a knife through it, I would return home and welcome my old life back with open arms.

Well, semi-open arms.

I sat on the couch, my heart beating too quickly in my chest as I planned out how I would tell my mother that her only child was, essentially, abandoning her. Regardless of the approach, she would undoubtedly freak out and find a way to make this all about her and how selfish I was being— typical.

I wished my father hadn't died when I was ten. I wished he was still here to care for me, to tell me the cheesy advice he was spiting out like bible versus. When Caleb died, my father would have known just the words to keep my heart afloat. Instead, I had my mother — the woman whose hugs could freeze raindrops.

Maybe that was why I didn't hesitate to give Caleb every single piece of me. I had been deprived of love for so long that my heart was running on empty. When Caleb offered to fill it, to patch up every hole and crevice ... How could I say no?

Caleb. I winced as the knife dug a little deeper into my heart.

Novels could be written about the memories we had shared on this couch alone.

And that was the exact reason why I had to get the hell out of here.

My head snapped to the door as I heard a key turn. My heart was beating like a freight train as the door creaked open and my mother walked through.

Her eyes instantly went to the luggage before meeting mine.  "What is this?" She demanded.

"Mother," I began, sitting up slowly. "Let me explain."

She hung up her coat, her movements robotic. When she turned to me, a familiar ice was in her eyes.

"Where are you going, Rose?" Her voice sounded strained, like she was trying her hardest not to explode.

I walked around the couch hesitantly and stood before my mother, my eyes begging. "Caleb died, Mom. I can't be here right now."  When she didn't respond, I continued. "I feel like the memories are suffocating me. I can't breathe. I can't sleep. I can't think. Everywhere I look is a reminder of his life and I just ... " A tear slid down my cheek. "I feel like I'm fading into myself and soon there will be nothing left."

A silence stretched on between us. I wrapped my arms around my waist, fighting off the sudden chill creeping into my bones. The verdict hung in balance. I waited for my mother to open her mouth and demand I unpack my belongings.

"I understand," she whispered after a moment to my own dismay. Her voice was so low I thought I heard incorrectly.

"You do?"

"Why do you think we moved houses after your father died, Rose? It was too difficult to be there without him." My mother shifted awkwardly. "Where will you go?"

I smiled. "Purple Woods Inn. It's a little getaway in the middle of a forest."

My mother's face scrunched up in confusion. "You hate nature — always put up a fuss about being outdoors as a child."

I shrugged. "I'm not a child anymore."

"How long will you be gone for?"

I leaned back against the couch, allowing myself to relax now that a burden had been lifted off my shoulders. "I have it booked for a month."

"You can afford that?"

"Yes," I replied. "I scrapped together what I've saved from working. School doesn't start until fall," I added.

My mother nodded. "Well," she took a hesitant step towards me, her arms slightly outstretched.

Despite myself, I wrapped my arms around my mother's rigid shoulders and pulled her against me. A moment later, her arms encased me, too.

This was the first time we hugged since my father's funeral nine years ago.

"Be safe," she said sternly, pulling away. I could almost see water building up in my mother's brown eyes. She blinked quickly and it vanished.

I grabbed my suitcase and pulled it towards me as I opened the front door.

"Take care, Mom."

Her goodbye was muffled as I stepped outside and shut the door behind me.

* * *

I half expected to show up the Purple Woods Inn and have the woods be, well, purple. To my own disappointment, all the trees were an ordinary green.

I thanked the taxi driver as I hauled my luggage out of the car. I stood there for a moment as the car drove off. I breathed in through my nose, felt the fresh air fill my lungs as they expanded in my chest.

Freedom.

Smiling to myself, I rolled my luggage behind me as I walked up the gravel pathway. The path stretched into a small clearing where four wooden cabins sat in a half circle, each with a small porch, fire pit and a different coloured roof.

My mother was right: I never liked the outdoors as a child. Each camping trip we took as a family was met with my cries and inevitable temper tantrums.

But as I looked at the cabins in front of me, at the vast trees seeming to stretch on infinitely ... I had the creeping suspicion that I would enjoy my stay here at the questionably named Inn.

I was staring at the first cabin, looking for any indication of where I was supposed to go or who I was supposed to speak to, when I heard footsteps approach behind me.

"Rose?" A deep voice called from behind me.

I spun around and came face to face with a ruggedly beautiful man. My gaze instantly went to the grey knit beanie on his head and the brown waves falling to his shoulders. I eyed his pale red flannel and worn out grey jeans.

"Are you Sebastian?" I asked wearily, recalling the name of the man I had spoken to on the phone.

He smiled kindly. "I am." Sebastian took a step forward with an outstretched hand. "Welcome home."

"Home?" I repeated skeptically, shaking his hand.

Sebastian chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. "Somethin' we say here to make guests feel welcome. Let me get that for you."

"Thank you." Sebastian grabbed my luggage and nodded towards the cabins behind us. His hair swayed with the movement.

"Follow me, Rose." He lead the way up the rocky path to the second cabin in the row of four — the one with a pale yellow roof. "I hope you like nature," he said conversationally as I followed behind him. "The woods stretch on for acres. Just be careful going in there after sunset."

I fanned myself with my hand to fend off the creeping heat as I eyed Sebastian's long-sleeve shirt. "Why?"

Sebastian paused to turn around and glance at me. "The woods are full of scary creatures, Rose." His voice dropped to a low whisper. "And I don't mean humans."

I felt goosebumps rise on my skin as I frantically glanced at the woods surrounding us.

"What does that —" I stopped speaking when I saw the amusement on Sebastian's face. I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms firmly over my chest. "Very funny. Is that another thing you do here to make guests feel welcome? Scare the newbies?"

Sebastian tugged down his beanie as he laughed. "I think we're going to get along just fine, you and I."

I followed Sebastian up the porch steps. "Ghost stories aren't funny," I commented, leaning against the wooden wall and crossing my arms over my chest.

"Then I suggest you stay away from cabin number four's fire pit after dark. Miss. Williams is a bit of a scary story legend around here," Sebastian said as he toyed with the ring of keys attached to his jean pockets.

I made a mental note as I glanced at the fourth cabin with the red roof.

"What about you?" I asked.

He looked up at me from beneath his lashes. His eyes, I noticed, where the darkest shade of brown I had ever seen. They looked like a black hole. "What about me?"

I blinked quickly, clearing my throat. "Ghost stories," I replied. "You're a fan?"

Sebastian's mouth stretched upwards into a lopsided smirk. "There's only so much to do for fun around here, Rose."

I pushed off the wall and grabbed the handle to my luggage. "Guess that's a yes."

The door swung open and Sebastian gestured inside. "All yours."

I peeked my head through the doorway, into my new home. "Thanks," I said, smiling as I turned to face Sebastian.

"You're very welcome. I'll give you some time to settle in. I'm staying next door if you have any questions." His chin jerked to the cabin next to mine with the green roof. "Or if you want to hear any ghost stories."

I scoffed as I stepped through the door. My body was aching for a long shower, warm tea and a nap.

"And, Rose?" Sebastian said after a moment. "Don't go into the woods after sunset. There aren't any monsters but there are a bunch of hungry animals. Alright?"

I smiled at Sebastian. "I don't plan on being an animal's supper, Sebastian."

"Great." He waved quickly before walking back down the porch steps.

"Sebastian!" I called after him. He turned around slowly, facing me with raised eyebrows. "Purple Inn?" I asked.

His face stretched into a grin before he walked away.

___

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