Chapter 13 - Motherly Hug
Rose hesitated at the door of Anna\'s room. She placed her hand on the door both stepped back for the tenth time since she got to the door. She wanted to be a companion and help the poor girl in coma but she felt she was really stepping out of her plan by getting involved with Anna.
She shook her head and turned to leave. It was best to go back to her room and sort out her thoughts than lurk around Anna\'s room. The door opened and Mrs. Whitfred stepped out of the room and smiled at Rose.
The smile on the woman\'s face reminded her of her mother and she found herself smiling back. "I was about to check on Anna," she immediately told Mrs. Whitfred with a well-constructed smile on her face.
"Oh come in. I was about to leave but I will introduce you to Anna before I leave. I won\'t be back for a while and I don\'t want her to get too lonely. She might be unconscious but she feels and she hears everything. She loves motorcycles just like I said and I promised to buy her one when she is old enough. She loves songs by Mira. I play it for her frequently. You could also tell her things about you and about young girls stuff," Valerie narrated to her with enthusiasm as she turned and walked back into the room.
"Yes, I will," Rose accepted the task. It meant Mrs. Whitfred trusted her well enough to let her stay with Anna even when she was away and that was a great leap away from the situation when she first arrived.
Valerie did not trust Rose completely and she was only using Anna as a means to test how trustworthy Rose was and that was definitely under the watchful eyes of the two nurses taking care of her Anna. She could not risk her precious daughter\'s safety. "I will be away for a month," she told Rose.
Rose was surprised by that information but said nothing. She simply nodded. She was not close enough to ask her why she was staying away for that long. She moved close to Anna\'s bed and watched the pale girl. The girl might never wake up again just like she died in her last life.
Rose could not help but feel emotional at the thought of that. And yet another girl was in such a close death situation due to someone\'s inhuman and selfish desires. She suddenly felt a need to treat the girl right since she was also once close to death and even died. The pain of loneliness if someone dies alone was probably more than any kind of physical pain.
She remembered the arm that hugged her tightly in her last moment. It was what made her death easier. The comfort and assurance that someone was there for her was more than anyone would need in his or her last moment. It meant a lot. If she could be a source of comfort to the young girl whose life was hanging on a thin thread, she felt that was enough good as a repayment for the little comfort she enjoyed in her last life.
"I will take care of her well. I will do my best. I won\'t let her be lonely," she turned and told Mrs. Whitfred who was standing beside her in front of Anna\'s bed with determination.
Mrs. Whitfred might have pitied Rose and decided to treat her well after witnessing her being tormented by her nightmares but she still doubted Rose a little because of the situation her family was in when Rose came into their family and she felt Rose was still a little suspicious and had to be watched.
However, the look of determination she saw Rose show her was so sincere she could feeling the suspicions she had slowly tear off till there was almost none left. Smiling, she pulled Rose into her embrace and hugged her. "Thank you. I was scared that she might get lonely when I am away but you have saved me the stress of worrying over her. Please keep her company," she appreciated.
Rose almost asked Mrs. Whifred for the name of shower gel and lotion she uses because it smelled just like that of her mother. That warm embrace, although it was given to her because she was going to take care of Anna felt so motherly it almost drove her to tears. She pulled away and walked to the side of Anna\'s bed to hide away the tears that began gathering in her eyes threatening to drop.
Valerie joined Rose beside the bed and held Anna\'s pale hand. "Anna, I have to go. The show takes up my time, you know. I don\'t want you to be lonely. Rose, your new sister will take care of you. She is a nice girl and I am sure you will like her. She will accompany you. I will miss you. I wish you were awake to go with me. Rose will join you to watch the show on the TV. I hope you will enjoy it. I will do my best. The cloth you designed will appear. I know I said it was not good enough but I helped you make it into something beautiful. You will like it. Wake up so that you can wear it for me."
Valerie rubbed her daughter\'s hair and sighed. She will definitely miss Anna a lot when she leaves. Anna used to go with her since she turned six. She was not a burden during the preparation and always tried to make herself useful. She used to help get her mother coffee when she turned ten she offered her mother a handkerchief to mop her brow when she sweated. There was no way she won\'t miss her daughter.
Rose glanced at the unconscious girl on the bed and she could almost swear that the girl was wishing she was awake to go with her mother. It was a pity she could not afford such luxury no matter how wealthy her foster mother was. She could not help but pity the poor girl.
"Hi, my name is Anna. I am jovial and want to keep you company. I want a friend and I don\'t care if you want me to be around you or not but I will stay with you for as long as I can. I love talking and I might disturb you a lot so, please forgive me in advance," Rose tried to be as cool and nice as she could no matter how hard it was. She used a little of the method she used to get close to the sister\'s in the orphanage.
She had a quiet and reserved personality even before her mother\'s death and she could only play around with those very close to her but after her rebirth, she knew that she could not survive like that and had to get along with anyone that could benefit her in any way. It was hard at first but it got easier shortly before her adoption after she got to witnessed how her connections paid off.
She was sincere about helping Anna because of her death experience and she was willing to help the girl leave this world comfortably. She was unsure of what she might discuss with Anna at that moment but she was determined and so doing a research won\'t be a hard thing right? She had a lot of researches to do. She had to read about motorcycles and about celebrities.
All these did not discourage her. She smiled at the girl on the bed with a more determined look on her face.
Mrs. Whitfred turned away from her unconscious daughter and faced her new daughter, "Please take care of her for me," she pleaded.
Rose could easily know that the woman loved Anna a lot from the expression she wore. It was as though she was begging Rose to save Anna\'s life rather than keep Anna company until she returns.
Rose nodded her head readily. "I will."
"I am leaving now Anna. Bye," Valerie said placing a kiss on her daughter\'s forehead. She turned and hugged Rose again. "Thank you, Rose."
"No problem. She is my sister." Rose enjoyed the warm hug and inhaled in a manner Valerie won\'t find repulsive. This was her mother\'s scent, although a little different. She felt at lose when Mrs. Whitfred pulled away but she still wore a supportive smile that would fit into the moment.
Valerie felt nothing was amiss as she turned and walked out of the room.
Rose ran after her after recovering from her emotional turmoil. "Be safe," she shouted after Mrs. Whitfred just before the door of the elevator closed.
Valerie had to smile despite how sad she felt that Anna was not going with her when she saw Rose and heard her. This girl was getting more and more likeable.