An Elf's Rose
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Lord of the Rings Movies › General › Lord of the Ring Stars
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Adult +
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22
Views:
1,557
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Recommended:
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Category:
Lord of the Rings Movies › General › Lord of the Ring Stars
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
22
Views:
1,557
Reviews:
9
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is work of fiction! I do not know the celebrity(ies) I am writing about, and I do not profit from these writings.
chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
Rose and Robert left the hospital together early that Sunday afternoon and headed to Karyn’s apartment. Robert had a camera with him and was planning to take photographs of the balcony and railing for his lawyers. He brought Rose with him so they could bring Orli’s car home.
“You’re going to let me drive his car?” Rose asked incredulously, when he mentioned it.
“It’s insured, sweetheart. No worries,” Robert chuckled.
Rose stared and laughed when they’d reached his Jag. “I guess a beemer is small potatoes when compared to this.”
He wasn’t sure what she meant, but was glad to hear her laughter. They’d been short on laughter the last agonizing hours.
~~~
Rose followed Robert’s Jaguar into the hills of Brentwood, off Sunset Boulevard, OJ’s stomping grounds. She had never been here before, but had heard that it was very chi-chi and ritzy, but very conservative in it’s luxury, unlike flamboyant Beverly Hills. It had never occurred to Rose that Robert might be wealthy.
She drove slowly up a long uphill driveway and parked the BMW next to Robert’s Jaguar. He was walking towards the front door, jangling his keys when loud ecstatic barking stopped him.
He turned to Rose, an apologetic look on his tired face. “Could you do me one more favor, sweetheart?”
“What? Of course! Just ask.”
“It’s Maude, Orli’s mutt,” he said, his smile a replica of Orlando’s, making Rose’s heart lurch. “She needs to be walked. The poor girl’s been cooped up since last night.”
Rose shrugged. “Sure.”
And with thRoseRose became Maude’s official caretaker in Orlando’s absence.
~~~
Twilight was deepening when Maude barked at the sound of the doorbell. Rose ran barefoot across the granite tiles, shushing as she went.
“Maude, hush, you’ll wake him up,” she admonished. “It was hard enough to get him to hang up the phone and lay down.” Maude wagged her tail happily and licked her new best friend’s hand, knowing she’d done her job well. “Oh, I know, you’re a good girl,” Rose told her, scratching a floppy velvet ear with one hand and pulling the door open with the other.
A tall, elegant blonde in a black business suit stood in the halo of the porch lights. She peered at Rose with a puzzled look on her face.
“Can I help you?” Rose asked shyly, wondering if this was another well-wisher. They’d been coming to the house off and on all afternoon, bringing flowers and food. Maude slipped out from behind Rose and sniffed the woman, wagging her tail, clearly expecting to be petted.
The woman completely ignored the dog. “Who in the hell are you?” she asked rather rudely.
Rose opened her mouth in surprise, then shut it, teeth clicking. “Well, the way I see it, I should be asking you that question,” she retorted, a tiny frown appearing between her brows.
“Where’s Robert?” the woman asked, dismissing this as inconsequential.
“He’s not available at the moment –“
“Not available? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” And with that, the woman tried to get in the door.
“Excuse me, Ma’am,” Rose said, blocking the way with her body. “I’m afraid I can’t let you in. I don’t know who you are and –“
“Listen, sweetheart, he and I have unfinished business to attend to.” The woman glared at Rose, but she was not intimidated. I could knock her ass flat with one kick, she thought.
Apparently the woman saw something in her eyes because she stepped back.
“I’ll let him know you came by,” Rose told her. “Maybe you can leave your card or something.”
“Well, aren’t you hilarious. Is he amusing himself by robbing the cradle now?”
“What?”
“Or maybe you’re one of Orli’s little girlfriends.” She smiled viciously at Rose’s blush. “Be careful, sweetheart. That angelic face hides the heart of a dangerous beast.”
Rose growled, unaccountably infuriated by the woman. Who the hell was she?
“You don’t know anything about –“
“I’ve had the dubious pleasure of being the recipient of Orlando’s attentions,” she interrupted, pulling a fat envelope out of her Gucci bag. “This is in fact daddy’s payoff, to keep my mouth shut. Signed, sealed and delivered. Tell him the check is deposited but that if he or his boy ever comes near me again, all bets are off and I go straight to the police. Got it?”
Rose stared at her uncomprehendingly. When she didn’t take the envelope, the woman dropped it on the welcome mat.
“Ta ta, sweetie. “ She turned to go, then looked at Rose again, bending toward her with a conspiratorial whisper. “Take my advice, woman to woman. Don’t turn your back on the boy. He’s nuts, despite the pretty face.” She made a circular motion at her temple with her forefinger. “In fact, I’d recommend losing him quick, ‘cause you don’t know when he’s gonna flip out.”
Rose didn’t reply and the woman shrugged. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She watched the woman walk over to a parked Porsche. Not till the woman had driven away down the driveway did she stoop to pick up the envelope.
It was an expensive cream-colored, heavy paper envelope with the return address of a legal firm printed in the corner. Rose brought it in to the kitchen and set it on the island where Robert was sure to find it. She stared at it, imagining an evil glow radiating from it.
She wasn’t sure what the woman was talking about, but she remembered seeing Orlando’s eyes change when Sean had whispered in his ear as they play-fought on the balcony and the fighting had then turned deadly earnest.
Had Orlando “flipped out” on the woman somehow? Had he “flipped out” when he broke his hand? She’d seen the hole he’d punched in the armoire. She’d also seen the weapon collection on the walls in his rooms. Rose felt dread in the pit of her stomach.
She turned to the kitchen telephone and made a couple calls.
~~~
Robert shuffled into the kitchen around midnight, his stomach growling loudly, and saw the envelope and Rosie’s note.
He picked up the note first.
Hiya Robert,
Hope you slept well. I called my parents and they’re coming to pick me up. We’re going to swing by to get my car at the hospital. I’m going to stop in, maybe they’ll let me see Orlando one last time tonight.
I want to thank you for being so kind and patient with me and letting me take care of you. I needed to do that for someone today.
Tomorrow is Labor Day (I totally forgot!) and it’s my first day of classes on Tuesday. I was going to work at the shop one last day, but I called tonight and quit. So I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, I’m sure, at the hospital bright and early.
I hope you don’t mind my coming. I know Orlando and I have know each other for a very short time, but I’ve come to care about him a lot. He is a very sweet and gentle person, smart and funny, confident and strong, and you must be very proud of him.
I know he’s going to be very upset when he wakes up and finds out what’s happened. He’s going to need a lot of strong people around to help him come to terms with – well, you know. I’d like to be one of those people. I’d like to give back to him a little of what he’s given me – helping me feel confident about my body and my strengths, and making me – well -- feel beautiful like I never have before.
Don’t worry about Maude. She’s been walked and fed and I’ll be by tomorrow again if you want, to do the same.
Love,
Rose
The words began to blur and Robert rubbed the tears away. “Orli, you are one lucky boy. I hope you come to realize that,” he whispered.
P.S.: A blonde woman came to the door and dropped off the envelope. It looks important. She never told me her name but did say some rather nasty things about Orlando, which I’m sure are not true. I didn’t enlighten her as to the situation because she pissed me off. I hope you weren’t waiting for her or anything because I wouldn’t let her in.
R.
Robert frowned. He hoped Victoria hadn’t spilled her guts. He didn’t want Rose exposed to that sordid affair just yet. It sounded though, like Rose could take care of herself very well, without his help. “You go, girl,” he chuckled.
~~~
Rose spent the entire day perched on the stool at Orlando’s side. She was thrilled because when she’d come in, she found Orlando off the respirator and breathing on his own. The swelling had started to come down and around two am that morning, they removed the breathing tubes from his mouth. They had placed an oxygen mask on him, but it was leagues above where he’d been.
She held his hand and caressed him, spoke to him of her upcoming term and the classes she was taking, and sang lullabies until her throat was hoarse. The young nurse that had given her his braid brought her water and a box of tissues for her intermittent tears. Robert also came and went, bringing this and that doctor to have a look at Orlando and pick his brain.
The young nurse, Tanya was her name, was telling her about spinal cord injuries and their different variety of disability, depending on the vertebrae that were fractured, and how Orlando might end up. Rose turned to look at him, feeling tears threaten again, and gasped. Tanya stopped speaking and saw that his eyes were wide open.
“Orlando!” Rose cried softly. “It’s Rosie, I’m right here. Can you hear me, sweetheart?” Her joy deflated when he didn’t respond, but when she looked up at Tanya, there was a big grin on the nurse’s face.
“Yes, he’s starting to wake up.”
Rose and Robert left the hospital together early that Sunday afternoon and headed to Karyn’s apartment. Robert had a camera with him and was planning to take photographs of the balcony and railing for his lawyers. He brought Rose with him so they could bring Orli’s car home.
“You’re going to let me drive his car?” Rose asked incredulously, when he mentioned it.
“It’s insured, sweetheart. No worries,” Robert chuckled.
Rose stared and laughed when they’d reached his Jag. “I guess a beemer is small potatoes when compared to this.”
He wasn’t sure what she meant, but was glad to hear her laughter. They’d been short on laughter the last agonizing hours.
~~~
Rose followed Robert’s Jaguar into the hills of Brentwood, off Sunset Boulevard, OJ’s stomping grounds. She had never been here before, but had heard that it was very chi-chi and ritzy, but very conservative in it’s luxury, unlike flamboyant Beverly Hills. It had never occurred to Rose that Robert might be wealthy.
She drove slowly up a long uphill driveway and parked the BMW next to Robert’s Jaguar. He was walking towards the front door, jangling his keys when loud ecstatic barking stopped him.
He turned to Rose, an apologetic look on his tired face. “Could you do me one more favor, sweetheart?”
“What? Of course! Just ask.”
“It’s Maude, Orli’s mutt,” he said, his smile a replica of Orlando’s, making Rose’s heart lurch. “She needs to be walked. The poor girl’s been cooped up since last night.”
Rose shrugged. “Sure.”
And with thRoseRose became Maude’s official caretaker in Orlando’s absence.
~~~
Twilight was deepening when Maude barked at the sound of the doorbell. Rose ran barefoot across the granite tiles, shushing as she went.
“Maude, hush, you’ll wake him up,” she admonished. “It was hard enough to get him to hang up the phone and lay down.” Maude wagged her tail happily and licked her new best friend’s hand, knowing she’d done her job well. “Oh, I know, you’re a good girl,” Rose told her, scratching a floppy velvet ear with one hand and pulling the door open with the other.
A tall, elegant blonde in a black business suit stood in the halo of the porch lights. She peered at Rose with a puzzled look on her face.
“Can I help you?” Rose asked shyly, wondering if this was another well-wisher. They’d been coming to the house off and on all afternoon, bringing flowers and food. Maude slipped out from behind Rose and sniffed the woman, wagging her tail, clearly expecting to be petted.
The woman completely ignored the dog. “Who in the hell are you?” she asked rather rudely.
Rose opened her mouth in surprise, then shut it, teeth clicking. “Well, the way I see it, I should be asking you that question,” she retorted, a tiny frown appearing between her brows.
“Where’s Robert?” the woman asked, dismissing this as inconsequential.
“He’s not available at the moment –“
“Not available? What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” And with that, the woman tried to get in the door.
“Excuse me, Ma’am,” Rose said, blocking the way with her body. “I’m afraid I can’t let you in. I don’t know who you are and –“
“Listen, sweetheart, he and I have unfinished business to attend to.” The woman glared at Rose, but she was not intimidated. I could knock her ass flat with one kick, she thought.
Apparently the woman saw something in her eyes because she stepped back.
“I’ll let him know you came by,” Rose told her. “Maybe you can leave your card or something.”
“Well, aren’t you hilarious. Is he amusing himself by robbing the cradle now?”
“What?”
“Or maybe you’re one of Orli’s little girlfriends.” She smiled viciously at Rose’s blush. “Be careful, sweetheart. That angelic face hides the heart of a dangerous beast.”
Rose growled, unaccountably infuriated by the woman. Who the hell was she?
“You don’t know anything about –“
“I’ve had the dubious pleasure of being the recipient of Orlando’s attentions,” she interrupted, pulling a fat envelope out of her Gucci bag. “This is in fact daddy’s payoff, to keep my mouth shut. Signed, sealed and delivered. Tell him the check is deposited but that if he or his boy ever comes near me again, all bets are off and I go straight to the police. Got it?”
Rose stared at her uncomprehendingly. When she didn’t take the envelope, the woman dropped it on the welcome mat.
“Ta ta, sweetie. “ She turned to go, then looked at Rose again, bending toward her with a conspiratorial whisper. “Take my advice, woman to woman. Don’t turn your back on the boy. He’s nuts, despite the pretty face.” She made a circular motion at her temple with her forefinger. “In fact, I’d recommend losing him quick, ‘cause you don’t know when he’s gonna flip out.”
Rose didn’t reply and the woman shrugged. “You’ll find out soon enough.” She watched the woman walk over to a parked Porsche. Not till the woman had driven away down the driveway did she stoop to pick up the envelope.
It was an expensive cream-colored, heavy paper envelope with the return address of a legal firm printed in the corner. Rose brought it in to the kitchen and set it on the island where Robert was sure to find it. She stared at it, imagining an evil glow radiating from it.
She wasn’t sure what the woman was talking about, but she remembered seeing Orlando’s eyes change when Sean had whispered in his ear as they play-fought on the balcony and the fighting had then turned deadly earnest.
Had Orlando “flipped out” on the woman somehow? Had he “flipped out” when he broke his hand? She’d seen the hole he’d punched in the armoire. She’d also seen the weapon collection on the walls in his rooms. Rose felt dread in the pit of her stomach.
She turned to the kitchen telephone and made a couple calls.
~~~
Robert shuffled into the kitchen around midnight, his stomach growling loudly, and saw the envelope and Rosie’s note.
He picked up the note first.
Hiya Robert,
Hope you slept well. I called my parents and they’re coming to pick me up. We’re going to swing by to get my car at the hospital. I’m going to stop in, maybe they’ll let me see Orlando one last time tonight.
I want to thank you for being so kind and patient with me and letting me take care of you. I needed to do that for someone today.
Tomorrow is Labor Day (I totally forgot!) and it’s my first day of classes on Tuesday. I was going to work at the shop one last day, but I called tonight and quit. So I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, I’m sure, at the hospital bright and early.
I hope you don’t mind my coming. I know Orlando and I have know each other for a very short time, but I’ve come to care about him a lot. He is a very sweet and gentle person, smart and funny, confident and strong, and you must be very proud of him.
I know he’s going to be very upset when he wakes up and finds out what’s happened. He’s going to need a lot of strong people around to help him come to terms with – well, you know. I’d like to be one of those people. I’d like to give back to him a little of what he’s given me – helping me feel confident about my body and my strengths, and making me – well -- feel beautiful like I never have before.
Don’t worry about Maude. She’s been walked and fed and I’ll be by tomorrow again if you want, to do the same.
Love,
Rose
The words began to blur and Robert rubbed the tears away. “Orli, you are one lucky boy. I hope you come to realize that,” he whispered.
P.S.: A blonde woman came to the door and dropped off the envelope. It looks important. She never told me her name but did say some rather nasty things about Orlando, which I’m sure are not true. I didn’t enlighten her as to the situation because she pissed me off. I hope you weren’t waiting for her or anything because I wouldn’t let her in.
R.
Robert frowned. He hoped Victoria hadn’t spilled her guts. He didn’t want Rose exposed to that sordid affair just yet. It sounded though, like Rose could take care of herself very well, without his help. “You go, girl,” he chuckled.
~~~
Rose spent the entire day perched on the stool at Orlando’s side. She was thrilled because when she’d come in, she found Orlando off the respirator and breathing on his own. The swelling had started to come down and around two am that morning, they removed the breathing tubes from his mouth. They had placed an oxygen mask on him, but it was leagues above where he’d been.
She held his hand and caressed him, spoke to him of her upcoming term and the classes she was taking, and sang lullabies until her throat was hoarse. The young nurse that had given her his braid brought her water and a box of tissues for her intermittent tears. Robert also came and went, bringing this and that doctor to have a look at Orlando and pick his brain.
The young nurse, Tanya was her name, was telling her about spinal cord injuries and their different variety of disability, depending on the vertebrae that were fractured, and how Orlando might end up. Rose turned to look at him, feeling tears threaten again, and gasped. Tanya stopped speaking and saw that his eyes were wide open.
“Orlando!” Rose cried softly. “It’s Rosie, I’m right here. Can you hear me, sweetheart?” Her joy deflated when he didn’t respond, but when she looked up at Tanya, there was a big grin on the nurse’s face.
“Yes, he’s starting to wake up.”