In Full Bloom: Sequel to 'The Crying Rose': The Trilogy of the Rose (Volume 2)

IN FULL BLOOM:

Sequel to ‘The Crying Rose’

B. A. Beers

In Full Bloom: Sequel to ‘The Crying Rose’

Copyright © 2001 by B.A. Beers

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher.

First Edition/ Writer’s Showcase Press / August 2001

Second Edition/ July 2012 

ISBN: 13: 978-1478285731

ISBN: 10: 1478285737

Dear Reader:

This book was originally published in 2001 and is the sequel to
The Crying Rose.
In readying this text for release, it has been re-edited, and an excerpt from the third book in this series,
Bouquet
, has been added
.
 

Although the text has received many layers of editing, typos and/or errors may still exist.  Help me rid this book of these reader irritants by sending me your "finds".  Contact me at: [email protected]

Future readers of this book will be forever grateful, as am I.

Yours in reading,

B.A Beers

July 2012

DEDICATION

To Mom
(My best friend)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my mother, Margery, and sister, Patricia, for their continuing efforts on my behalf

ONE

T
he pain of his cramping legs penetrated his awareness, making him suddenly realize that he had been kneeling in this position for some time. Settling his large frame to the floor to ease his discomfort, he kept his eyes on the brown-haired beauty before him, who was clutching two open envelopes against her chest. While he stretched out his legs, a yawn escaped him. Reaching up, he rubbed his eyes. He felt rather embarrassed that his body was betraying his fatigue. Running his fingers through his dark hair, he sheepishly glanced back at the woman, and noticed that his movement had been unseen. Her concentration was still focused on the pages of the photo album that was on her lap. She was, in fact, in a world all her own.

Well, old boy
, he thought to himself,
this encounter is still in the infancy stage
.
You were able to take the first steps when she opened the package to reveal the two letters and the photo album she now clings to, but it is only a start
. Watching her, he silently mapped out their next goal. Yes, it is
their
next goal, not just his goal for her; from now on, they were a team. Team, he liked the sound of it. It meant a partnership was formed and a mutual bond linked the two of them. For some reason, not recognized by him, his body began to tingle at the idea. Instead of fighting off the feeling, he closed his eyes and let the experience pass through him.

When he reopened his eyes, they were met with a very red, swollen pair. He blushed, when he realized she may have witnessed his display of emotion. Smiling to cover his embarrassment, he hoped to have it returned, but was slightly disappointed when he noticed that she was not seeing him. She was lost in her memories. He knew this was a very good sign, but part of him wanted desperately to shake her, and bring her to the present leaving the past where it belonged.
You are a hypocrite
, he screamed to himself. You want from her what you can’t do yourself. He clenched his hands into fists then muttered a profanity under his breath.

***

Grandma Jo was still sitting on the couch and observing them. She noticed Dr. Mark Stevens stretch out his long, 6’ 4”, frame while he yawned widely. Her heart went out to this man, who had, in the past year, become an important part of her life. Glancing at her watch, she realized that twenty-four hours had passed since the arrival of the package that had summoned them to this place. It didn’t seem possible that so much had happened in only one day’s time frame. The package had been the key that had brought Mark from the clinic to Sami Carter, a former patient, and subsequently her arrival, also. It had taken many hours to awaken Sami from her hypnotic trance, which was from the shock of the package’s arrival. Together, they had probed into her past, overcoming great difficulties unlocking the secrets to revive her. Sami, at times, had not been too cooperative. Grandma Jo, however, felt that she had obviously missed the crucial turning point last night when she fell asleep. Yet, seeing Sami now, with the contents of the package at hand, and knowing that finally they had gained some ground toward helping her, Grandma Jo felt relieved and sighed deeply.

***

Mark jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. Quickly, he looked up at the owner of the hand, and instantly relaxed as he gazed into the comforting face of Grandma Jo. She recognized and understood the fatigue that she saw written on his face. She loved this boy, and knew that sleep was what he needed now. It was her turn to ‘step up to bat’ and take over, giving him time for the much-deserved rest he needed to recharge his body. She smiled down at him, and motioned with her head for him to follow her.

Mark peered back at Sami to find her consumed with the photos again. Satisfied that she was fine for the moment, he rose to his feet.

Sami caught his movement and looked up from the album. Mark thought that her features made her appear to be both extremely old and young at the same time. Her eyes locked on him. He grew anxious being on the receiving end of that look.

“What?” he asked her quietly.

Sami’s mind was screaming. Questions were bouncing around inside of her head. She found herself wanting so desperately to stop them, but found it hard to concentrate on one thought.