Garden of Roses and Tears

David Fiori sat alone in his study, intently writing a letter to his only daughter, Kerensa. The small, desk lamp shed just enough light to guide his hand across the parchment.

David paused a brief moment and listened. He quietly placed his pen upon the rich, dark swirls of the mahogany desktop. Creeek . . . there was that sound again. It was the vibration of a door closing somewhere in the large, old Victorian house. Perhaps, Brian had decided to come home earlier than previously planned. Or, perhaps he was allowing his imagination to take an unwelcome hold over his usual, lucid and level headed thoughts. David continued to sit motionless in his chair. Suddenly, his head jerked up in surprise. There, standing before him, was a man with a gun in his hand. David froze with fear. "There is something very wrong here." Brian O'Brian's face was twisted in a mask of anger and emotional pain, "Just look at the facts!" Brian was talking to someone, hoping that person would agree to help him. He so desperately needed his commitment and assistance. He sucked his breath in sharply, and spoke again. "David was a healthy man, he was young and he exercised, watched his diet, he couldn't have a fatal heart attack!" Brian could feel his own heart beating furiously within his chest walls.

His colleague and friend was dead. He found him lying in his study, wedged between the desk and the wall. The theory was, that he had been working on his research project and he just plain keeled over from a massive coronary. Dr. O'Brian knew better. Call it a gut feeling, or anything else. He learned a long time ago never to intellectualize the obvious away. He learned that even though evidence could point in one direction, it didn't mean he should believe it. Although, Dr. Fiori's blood tests were indicative of a massive coronary, such as elevated CPK levels, and ischemic heart muscle, he still believed otherwise. No, he knew otherwise! Now, all he had to do was convince them.

"And the will," Brian remarked again. "Don't you think that was highly unusual?" Brian did not wait for the other man to answer. "His attorney called me this morning FIX, GARDEN OF ROSES to inform me of the changes. He told me that David came to him the day before he died, and asked him to draft a new will. I've known David Fiori for many years, I can tell you that everything he did was well thought out and precise. He never acted on impulse!" "Tell me about these changes," the other man finally replied, facing Brian as he spoke. His deep, sapphire blue eyes mirrored true empathy for the doctor. "His daughters name is Kerensa. She'll be twenty-one in a few months. She was David's only living descendant. She is currently living in Miami with a woman who has raised her since her mother died. She was around four or five years old at the time." Brian took a deep breath and continued, "Kerensa never relocated to Buffalo when her father took the position at Children's hospital, several years ago. David entrusted her with a friend of his deceased wife. I can tell you that he adored his daughter." There was no disputing the reflection of concern upon Brian's face. "That is why this entire affair does not make sense to me," he continued on. "For David to change the contents of his will, make me his daughters guardian, and tear her away from her life in Miami, is a message, a very strong one. Unfortunately, he never had the chance to tell me what it was." "What are you asking me to do?" the other man was rubbing his chin, now deep in his own thoughts as he asked the question. "I'm asking you to take this case and protect Kerensa Fiori. I know my colleague was murdered and I fear Kerensa is in mortal danger. She will arrive here in less then twelve hours, I must inform her of these plans." FIX, GARDEN OF ROSES "No!" the man stated emphatically. "I do not want her warned of something that is only speculation. I suggest you not tell her, you could risk her possible interference with this investigation."

As Kerensa entered the study, it was difficult to see through the dimmed light. Only the light on the desk was lit, and it cast eerie shadows against the tall, handmade bookshelves. Suddenly making them appear ominous. Kerensa's eyes attempted to adjust to the obscure light, and that was when she saw him. He was sitting there at her father's desk, as if deserved to be there. FIX, GARDEN OF ROSES 29 As if he had earned some special privilege to share in her father's past joy. Kerensa stared in disbelief. Yes, indeed it was the rudest man Kerensa had ever encountered. Worse yet, he was sitting in her daddy's chair! "What are you doing here?" She carefully asked, "and where is Dr. O'Brian?" The man feigned surprise for a brief moment, but it disappeared quickly, and it was replaced by a low, sarcastic chuckle. "Kerensa Fiori, I am Dr. O'Brian." Kerensa froze. That was impossible. She stood there momentarily speechless. He stared back at her, even in the twilight, his eyes seemed to freeze a hole right through her heart. Kerensa's mind searched wildly in recollection of what her father had ever said about him. Had he ever mentioned his age, or what he looked like? Suddenly, her mind was drawing a blank. This man only appeared to be in his late twenties, possibly thirty. He was too young to belong in Kerensa's mental image. He was too attractive to be close to, let alone share a house with. Oh no . . . no . . . no . . . this will never work out! Her head was reeling, she felt dizzy and her heart was pounding right out of her chest. This was her living nightmare, just when she didn't think it could ever get worse, there he was. "You would have known who I was if you had asked me for some identification when I picked you up at the airport. "Oh, but that's right," he continued mockingly. "You were doing such a great job defending yourself from the purse snatchers!" The lighting in the study abruptly looked brighter, or perhaps Kerensa could clearly see the sneer on his face because she was more intuitive than she had ever been. FIX, GARDEN OF ROSES "How dare you!" she cried. "You could have introduced yourself to me then, yet you deliberately led me to believe that you were some . . . some . . ." "I didn't lead you to believe anything, Kerensa. You did a good job of that on your own. For future reference, I suggest you ask for ID first before blindly walking away with a man who could be a killer." "You were still misleading and it was a very dirty trick." "Only children play tricks," Brian interrupted, his voice level and crisp. "I called you into my study to discuss with you the rules of this house. Rules you will abide by. If you're thinking of leaving here, forget it. May I remind you that I have a legal document that says I am your guardian until which time you turn twenty-one. That is still a couple months away. Frankly, I don't care if you like this arrangement or not, that's not important to me." He paused now, his ice blue eyes unwavering. Kerensa stared furiously back at him. "Unfortunately for both of us, we must abide by this contract." It was in your father's will. If you do not stay with me on your own accord, then I will make sure the courts keep you here. I trust you will cooperate." He only paused long enough to make his point strike its unwilling target, then his even toned, military voice continued again. "There will be a curfew in this house. You will be in by twelve midnight every night of the week. There are no exceptions. Before you go anywhere, you will notify me regarding it first. I'll decide if you are to leave or not. You must lock the door to your room at all times. As bizarre as this sounds to you, Kerensa, you will abide by my orders."

Kerensa gaped at Brian in amazement and skepticism. She could feel the blood warming her cheeks as anger began to consume her. She took a deep breath before finally speaking. "Maybe all your life you controlled everyone around you, but let me tell you something, you will not control me."

She glared at him for several moments before turning on her heals and walking in the direction of her room. At the blink of an eye he was beside her, his heavy hands were like steel vices as they reached out grasping her shoulders. "Get your hands off me! she cried out in surprise, feeling powerless and vulnerable beside him. Yet his hands remained steadfast on her shoulders as he bent down to even his face against hers. He was in her space, so close that Kerensa could feel his warm breath on her cheek. "I wouldn't have to put my hands on you if you were respectful enough to stay in the room until our conversation is over," he smoothly said. She attempted to yank herself away from him, but was unsuccessful. Instead, she turned her face towards him and glared impetuously into his eyes. "This is not a conversation, it's a dictating session where you think you have the right to map out my life. Do you really think you can manhandle me into some kind of subservience by treating me this way?" He laughed aloud. "Our situation has nothing to do with subservience, Kerensa, but it will be on a need to know basis. When the time comes, I will tell you more. Now do you understand me?" Kerensa stared at him in total confusion. "No, I don't understand," she snapped angrily in return. "You're not making any sense at all to me." Brian slowly released his grip on her, but his blue eyes remained fixed on her face. "It's quite simple, Miss Fiori, follow my orders and we'll get along just fine." Kerensa continued to stare into Brian's eyes, refusing to look away. His last statement infuriated her even more, yet she would not allow him to intimidate her. She promised herself on the airplane that there would be a new her emerging, and it was going to start here, tonight with this man. "This isn't the military, nor is it a jail. I will not respond to you when you talk to me like I'm an incarcerated idiot. I was living on my own before this ridiculous arrangement occurred. Being my guardian does not give you the right to run my life. I repeat, Dr. O'Brian, I can take care of myself." "Your ability to care for yourself has yet to be proven tome. All I've witnessed thus far is a young woman who lacks street smarts. I don't care if you were living on your own before you moved here. None of that matters right now. Goodnight, Miss Fiori." Suddenly he turned on his heels and strode away, leaving her alone within the room she cherished so much. Kerensa had never felt so empty and completely void of life as she did at this moment. "We'll see about those rules!" She screamed back at him.