Rose's Thorns

Off Guard

The day has never been longer and nor have reviewing cases been more exhausting. His fingers felt numb from tracing the letters all day, he sighed for the 3rd time then felt his watch not sure if his fingers could pick anything any longer.

3:37 pm ?

Shouldn't it way past that?

It was 3:00 pm the last time he checked and that feels like hours ago.

He tried to review one more case out of the three remaining but it was like his fingers and mind had lost whatever connection they seehad. Frustrated, he closed the file and called for Ellis.

"Sir," He replied.

"Isn't it appropriate for us to call it a day?" He asked, his voice barely holding it's usual vigour.

"Of course sir." Ellis replied unable to hide his relief. He had been wanting to hear that since forever.

Theodore smiled as he picked his walking stick a question he had been trying to ignore popping in his mind.

'How is she fairing?'

He had left immediately she had gotten the tools she had asked for, he smiled as he remembered her asking for a jam box.

"I cannot work well without music."

"Use a Headphone." He had suggested to which she quickly agreed. Her enthusiasm was refreshing and knowing that she had some kind of talent which she enjoyed doing made him feel sorry for her. He paid his horticulturist a substantial amount, would that have been enough to fend her bills?

Would she have turned out different?

Ellis had openly commended the garden she mentioned and knowing just how picky he could be, she must have done a wonderful job.

Would he have liked it too?

Would they have the same taste?

"We are here sir." Ellis said and opened the door to the passenger's seat. He simply nodded in response, glad the question had came when it did, he was about to delve into the world of self pity.

***********

Marina swayed her hip to the sides despite the position she was in, she was squatted with a clipper in her hand while the other held the stem of the rose flower. It was one thing that led to the other. Immediately she was shown the chocolate cosmos, she knew what the problem was, the location was wrong for a plant that loves sun. It was sheltered by Alocesia, Victoria and monstera. Someone must have done a bit of rearranging and had thought the maroon would look amazing in between large greens which it did but the lack of sunlight, the cold weather and the pooling water in the pot were not exactly conducive for the plant.

Carefully, she had picked out the dead parts, drained the water from the pot and even uprooted the plants. She decided to change the soil, and add more pebbles in the pot to maximize aeration. She had done the same for all the twenty pots and changed their position. This time she opted for an area with better sunlight and in doing so she found herself rearranging the whole place.

By the time she was done, she was soaked in sweat and exhaustion but one look at the pots of roses arranged beautifully on the other extreme, she took in a deep breath and turned to it whispering.

"What is worth doing is worth doing well."

The thorns had been on her mind ever since she saw the way he caressed each flower, she was sure he had pricked his hand at one point but had refused even a change in expression. She had even thought to advice him against touching the roses but seeing how he tried so hard to hide being pricked, she realized it would only hurt his pride but now that she had the opportunity, she would de-thorn each and every one of it.

Increasing the volume to the highest, she adjusted her position and broke off the next thorn.

********

Theodore walked out of the bathroom, the black robe loosely tied around him getting drops of water from his drenched hair. He had wanted to check on her first but had thought better of it, he felt drenched and it was past four already, she was most likely done so there was no need to rush.

Putting on the cloth the maid had arranged on the morning table, he headed for the door knowing Ellis would be waiting right behind it and he was right. He was right there in different set of cloth and his hair not as gelled as it was earlier.

"Sir, to the garden?" He asked hoping it would be. It had been a punishment keeping his curiosity at bay for hours.

"I see you have been curious." Theodore teased making him smile awkwardly.

"I have been curious too." He added chuckling. Ellis smiled wider shaking his head, his awkwardness dissipating.

"Let's go." Theodore said as he began to walk away.

As they approached the garden, Ellis was surprised to see the guards that were supposed to be with marina in front of the building.

Could she still be working?

Or did she sleep off again?

The greetings of the guards alerted Theodore and he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Jo?" He asked.

"Yes sir." He replied, his heart picking it's pace.

"Why are you still here?"

"Sir, the suspect is still in there, she has been there since morning."

"Suspect?" He asked and the clueless man replied.

"Yes sir."

"Jo, don't you think it would be better if you call her Ms Marina. She is not a suspect to you, is she?"

"Yyyess sir."

"I am sorry sir." He added, his voice shaking. His boss wasn't exactly some kind of terror boss, infact he had never even scolded anyone but probably because of his aura or his charisma or probably the straight face he always carries, no one messed with him. They all somehow agreed to respect themselves and give him the utmost respect. Moreover, his father would not hesitate to wipe anyone who crosses him off the surface of the earth.

"It's okay."

"Ellis, could you tell Lara to get food for three people?"

"Okay sir." He replied, signalling to the guards to watch him carefully to which they nodded.

Theodore walked into the building, his mind trying to provide him with an accurate direction to the area where the Cosmos was but half way there, a unique scent caught his attention.

'The rose shouldn't be here.' He thought.

'Nor the Jasmine.'

Did she change the arrangements?

Marina stood up finally done with de-thorning the roses. She couldn't believe she had accomplished all of this today. Her legs were almost giving up and unwilling to be seen sprawled on the floor, she turned to leave when she saw Theodore heading in her direction.

She did not know when but she had held her breath and just like the last time, her heart had picked up it's pace, the only difference being this time, she seemed to know exactly why and somehow even understand it.

The judge was wearing a white shirt paired with a black trouser. The shirt clung to him exposing his well defined physique.

How?

Does he gym?

His hair that was always held up was now totally falling on his face giving his normally gorgeous face a cute touch and somehow even though it doesn't make sense, she believed he was taller.

His eyebrows were furrowed together as he tried to manoeuver his way still unwilling to spread his hands. He still walked with his head held high exuding so much grace that she found herself asking if it was even normal for someone with such a critical disability to carry himself with such charm.

If this was another person she would have laughed at what she would consider as an exaggerated way of hiding his insecurities but in his case, she thought it was brave, charismatic and maybe even beautiful and a little bit, just a little bit attractive.

Lost in her thought, she hadn't realized when he covered the distance between them and before she could think of the most appropriate thing to say, he was invading her personal space, his broad shoulders towering over her sending her already racing heart in an overdrive. He smelt like mint and something expensive, she could hardly think straight as he continued moving totally unaware of her presence. She tried to move back but she had hardly taken two steps when her back hit one of the pillars of the building.

'Oh lord.' she thought as she tried to force her mind to snap out of it but every time she thought she had succeeded he would take another step and her eyes would somehow pick up another gorgeous feature of his. In just a span of 10 seconds, she had managed to catch the speck of green in his blue stormy eyes, the small dark mole very close to his left eye. A kind of natural lining where his vermillion was darker than the other part of his pouty reddish lips, a slight cleft chin and .....

Suddenly he stopped and quickly stepped back

"Who's there?" Came his husky voice and despite her apprehension, she still couldn't help the funny feeling in her stomach.

'It probably is all part of being anxious.' she thought.

"I asked who is there." He repeated, this time louder and more authoritative. This caught the attention of the other guards and they came rushing inside.

"Sir it's, it's me." She managed to say.

He raised an eyebrow forcing her to explain.

"I was about to inform you when you realized on your own."

"Why?" He asked.

"Why are you still here?" He clarified.

"I was de-thorning the roses."she replied still in a daze.

"De-thorning the rose?"

"You had pricked yourself last time and I thought you would not want to abandon the only way you appreciate the flowers just for the fear of getting pricked so I decided to de-thorn them."

She knew she was running her mouth but she didn't know how to stop. She couldn't risk being misunderstood by him.

The guards looked at the floor covered by thorns and whispered to each other before one of them volunteered to say.

"Sir, there are thorns all over."

Theodore nodded slightly without turning away, he couldn't. She had caught him off guard so much that he couldn't even move.