Chapter Ten #2
No answer. Because what could she say?
“I am sorry. I shouldn’t have used you. I have enjoyed my visit, though. It has been an amazing chance to explore. Seeing you has made me feel loved and happy again.”
Louisa pulled her into a hug and spoke into Rosie’s hair, like she did when they were growing up. “I am glad you came to me. I will always look out for you. Want to talk about it?”
Rosie shook her head as tears streamed down her face.
“Unfortunately, you may have to.” Louisa sat down beside her. “Maybe you could shed some light on this.”
Showing her a video on her phone, it was Louis proposing.
Someone had caught it from behind him, and now that rejection was all over the internet.
The whole world could see his broken face.
The comments varied from kindness and understanding of both sides, to downright vile.
Rosie’s hand went to her mouth. Her job was to control that.
She had spent the past few days hiding, while he still had to go out in the world and was dealing with this alone.
Why, oh, why had she said no?
“What happened?” Louisa asked quietly. “Who is he?”
Rosie leaned against her sister. “His name is Louis Ledger. I love him.”
“Then why did you say no?”
“Our parents disapproved of him, and I listened to them.” Rosie lowered her head in shame. “I thought it would be the easier option instead of fighting with them all the time.”
“No, Rosie . . .”
She sniffled. “They were worried that he would put his career before me. That he would always choose it. He is a hockey player, you see. An amazing one at that. I broke up with him because they broke me.” Wiping her face, she met her sister’s gaze.
“They surprised me with a visit. They had been living with me for weeks. Then they told me I was to join the company. Did you know mother is unwell?”
“I did.” Louisa nodded. “But only recently. The day you called actually, so I had a sneaky suspicion they had something to do with your arrival. Explains why they called, because you would have told me anyway.”
Rosie sighed. “They wanted me to leave my job, and my life, to work for them. I told them no and asked them to leave. But I still yearn for their approval. Like a child.” She paused and took a breath.
“I went to work and broke up with Louis right there, because my emotions were all over the place. I was angry, and he blamed our parents. He was right, but it made me so angry when I felt I couldn’t make my own choices.
I accused him of controlling me in his own way because he was using them against me. ”
“And let me guess,” Louisa said coldly. “You made your mind up without giving him a chance to defend himself. Then you got angry because he didn’t fight for you?”
“How did you know?”
“You’re predictable,” Louisa replied. “You hurt him and still expected the world. Have you ever considered that you control him?”
Rosie paused, suddenly feeling sick. She made demands of him. He left decisions to her because he knew she wanted control. She had just exploded at him and run away, accusing him and making him feel guilty to fight for her.
Oh, no. She had controlled him.
“What happened next?”
Feeling rightfully chastised, Rosie continued, “After that, I stormed up to our boss. I wanted to quit, but he managed to persuade me to just take some leave. That is when I called you.” Her lip started trembling.
“Louis came after me. I didn’t expect that, and I certainly didn’t expect him to propose.
I was so angry at him. All I could think about was our parents, and how they’d make life miserable if I said yes. ”
“So let me get this straight,” Louisa said, sounding slightly frustrated. “You broke up with him, because our parents decided he wasn’t right for you, but he came after you to win you back. And you are angry at him about it?”
“I asked for space,” Rosie muttered. “Which he did not give me.”
Louisa’s face became an angry mask. “Ros, you can be so difficult at times. He was giving you what you wanted, you just didn’t see it. He would have lost either way.”
“How?” Rosie snapped.
“He came after you. He chose you over everything, proving he would drop his life, and his career, if it meant getting you back,” Louisa explained.
“He was proving you all wrong. And you got mad. However, if he didn’t do it, he would have proven our parents right.
No doubt you would have been mad at him for not trying. ”
That made awful sense.
“I am glad you said no.” Her sister was now on her feet, shaking her head.
“Why?” The little girl in Rosie desperate for affection and to do everything right reared its head. What had she done wrong?
“He proved you were worth fighting for. He still protected you on that flight even though he was in pain. But you gave up on him. You chose our parents over him.” Louisa walked to the door.
“You showed him that he wasn’t worth fighting for.
You accused him of controlling you, Rosie.
There is a difference between trying to love you and making you love him. ”
Rosie covered her face with her hands in utter disgrace. Louisa was so right. That man had done everything asked of him, without actually being asked. And she still rejected him.
“What have I done?”
“Let them win,” Louisa responded. “You needed space, but he still went after you to show he wasn’t leaving you.
The moment you said it again, he backed off.
He is human with emotions, too. Your emotions wanted you to run, his led him back to you.
Don’t be angry at that. Be grateful he listened and respected you, and at least tried to win you back.
” Louisa came back and kissed her hair again.
“Sometimes it is okay to fight for yourself. Our parents will never be content. It is why I left. It is about time you fought for yourself and figure out what you want.”
“I want Louis,” Rosie admitted. “What do I do? I don’t deserve another chance.”
“You will if you fight for him.”
“What if I am too late?”
Her sister sighed. “Then that is your fault. Well, mostly our parents’ fault, and something you have to accept. But you reacted, and you are the one that said those words. First, we need to try.”
“We?” Hope bloomed in Rosie’s chest. It felt nice not being alone.
“You think I am letting you face all of this by yourself?” Louisa smirked. “I am going with you. If our parents appear, you have backup. And most importantly, I want to meet the man who loves my sister enough to randomly propose on a flight with a borrowed ring. He sounds brilliant already.”
That was the reaction Rosie had wanted toward Louis from her family. That one comment was enough to bring her hope.
“Okay, Lou Lou. Let’s do this.”