Rose Blossom - By Renee Travis Page 0,47

and full of love.

He fell asleep before me and I was a little surprised, but then again he'd looked like he hadn't slept in all the days I had been in the hospital. I stayed awake thinking about being a vampire, a wife and best of all....healthy.

Chapter 13

The night of my birthday I sat on the couch and watched my whole family decorate. I was wrapped in a thick dark red blanket. Mom, dad and I had set up the tree that morning and put on all the ornaments. It was so pretty, standing in the corner near the staircase, all green, silver and gold. There were store bought ornaments and handmade ones hanging from the branches.

A fire was crackling in the fireplace giving warmth and the beautiful smell of cedar, soft Christmas music was piping through the speakers and I swayed a little with the tune. Glancing down at my hands I shuddered. My skin was paper thin and pale; each blue vein looked like I'd drawn on my skin with turquoise marker.

I could smell my cake baking in the oven, real chocolate, I was excited to eat it since I hadn't had real chocolate cake in two years. I heard mom chatting with Loretta as the two women cooked and prepared food for my party in the kitchen. Dad and Mel were hanging streamers of purple and pink all around me while Julian and Avalon were bringing out presents and setting them around the tree.

Occasionally someone would look at me and in their eyes reflected sadness and false glee or restlessness and anxiety. Antoinette sat on the couch next to me, she was in charge of making sure I was comfortable and didn't exert myself, I really couldn't tell if she was upset or interested in the task assigned to her. She watched me like a hawk so at least she was taking it seriously.

"There, done, what do you think Rose?" dad asked.

"It's beautiful! Perfect," I told him. There was a slight sheen of tears in his eyes and I looked away, I couldn't handle it and I didn't want them to be sad.

He climbed down off the ladder and went with Mel into the kitchen, I glared back down at my hands; it was just easier if no one really saw me. If I didn’t look directly at anyone they could pretend I wasn’t really there. I had wanted to stay in my room until everything was finished but all of them complained about it. So Julian had carried me downstairs, dad and he pretty much had to carry me everywhere.

Hearing a deep scratching noise, I glanced back up, Mel and dad were setting up and big white table and putting a lavender table cloth on it.

"What's that for?" I asked.

"Mom and Loretta are bringing the food out; you want to go help, Antoinette?" Dad grunted the words as he had a little difficulty with one of the legs. Mel met my gaze and we tried not to laugh.

Antoinette jumped off the couch and was in the kitchen almost before I could blink.

"Sorry about her, she will come around," Julian bent over the couch and kissed my cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and hungry, but OK," I turned and kissed his lips. My heart was sluggishly beating in my chest and every breath was a struggle. He knew that and the worry creased his beautiful face. Even though he knew I wasn't going to have a permanent death he was freaked about the pain I was in and how I looked.

"Food!" Loretta sang as she entered the room bringing two trays with her. She carried deviled eggs and little bologna sandwiches.

"Punch!" Antoinette's deep voice called as she placed beside the food a large punch bowl full of some sort of bubbling pink liquid.

"Okay, we're not bringing out the cake right now, but I've got Christmas cookies, chips and dip." Mom put her plates down too, she looked older but almost like the mom I missed. Her face and T-shirt were splattered with flour. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing a kiss the cook apron over her jeans.

"Presents?" I asked, mouth watering at all the food.

"While we eat Rhodanthe," mom tried for a big happy grin but only managed a lopsided small one.

My parents and Mel made up plates while everyone else grabbed punch and one or two things for the pretense of eating. Avalon brought me a plate and punch; they