+Author's note

Turn the song on for maximum story telling!

Yet another breakfast sat on the table, slowly to be forgotten, and soon to waste. It has been that way for quite a bit now.

How long you ask? I can hardly keep count.

Poor Marthe, our sweet house keeper. Today's dish were made with upmost simplicity and delicacy. Just the way I loved it. But we both knew it was best that she hadn't troubled herself.

Perhaps she thought her thoughtfulness towards my breakfast would bring back my sense of hunger; A part of me that had long gone.

Nevertheless, I walked towards the side table in our bedroom that Laurent and I had used to dine at.

A small portion of french toast had syrup drizzled over like ribbons. It sat in a small porcelien bowl, with powdered sugar snowed on the top.

I looked sideways and saw a cup of coffee, and a small lean vase sat next to it.

I laughed in spite of myself.

In the vase I saw a single white rose; Freshly plucked from our garden.

Poor dear sweet Marthe. No doubt she thought that if she mimicked my husband's old habits she could clear the discontent from my heart!

I slowly traced my fingers on the rose; The smooth stem had it's thorns cut off, and the white rose was a swirl of soft petals that had the shimmering beauty of a pearl.

Slowly taking the rose from the vase, I stroked it gently as if it were a bird, almost believing it could whisper to me.

Laurent would always laugh whenever I told him of such things.

'Mon chérie, roses can't speak!'

'Perhaps they can! Maybe they just can't stand dull frenchmen.'

'Ah, but it seems zhat 'ou can!'

I smiled as I recalled the sweet moments he and I shared.

Slowly slipping a robe on, I started to walk outside, with the rose as my only companion.

Down the long hallways, I could catch glimpes of the shore through the windows on each side of the walls, the chandeliers gently clinking their jewels as the salty wind blew in.

I should have walked faster, I could have slipped out before I would walk into Marthe, for her presense brought me guilt and shame.

But it was too late, I already stood before the small elderly woman. Her frail frame seemed to shake with ebery breath she took as she stood there, her wide grey orbs looking into mine, questioning me without words.

Her curiousity was justified. I hardly ever left my room this month, and my presense in these very corridors must have brought some amount of confusion.

"Misstress? Where are you headed? Had you had a bite?"

I shook my head.

"No not today Marthe. I feel rather absent minded today and would like a walk"

Marthe slowly looked at my hands and found that I held the rose she had prepared with my breakfast. She smiled, almost knowing she had brought back fonder memories of my husband.

"Alright misstress, please be careful, the wind is a little stronger than usual today"

I smiled wispfully at her, and I went on my way.

I could have sworn Marthe was almost skipped away. She had been worried about me after Laurent's disappearence, and I had caused her great grief.

I had Meals skipped, party invitations declined and suitors sent away. If anyone deserved any bit of happiness, it was she; And I was glad to be the one to provide such emotions to her.

I slowly walked out barefooted. Our house was a white manor that was perched on the edge of a small cliff that overlooked a private beach. My silk robe swayed on my shoulders, dancing in the breeze as I walked towards the sandy shore.

The morning breeze ran it's wild fingers through my hair, and seemed to dance through it.

Oh Laurent! If only you were here to see it! You would have been jealous, even of the wind, for it carrassed me
with such grace and ease.

I walked across the shore, listening to the sighs of the sea, how it's waves lapped across the shoreline like a thirsty doe.

I sat on the beach, the wind dying down as I sat. I listened to the sea, silently running my fingers around the white flower while thinking, no, dreadfully asking the same questions that had been haunting me these past 5 years.

Where had he gone?

It had already been 5 years since Laurent said he would be back. He drove out in that black car of his, but never to return.

It was true, his job required him to leave at random moments, but his departures were never without acknowledgment, or a kiss.

His sudden disappearence had left us all in dismay. Calls have been made, the police informed, friends and families were questioned, but there was no trace to be found of him.

I gazed into the sea bitterly.

'Maybe he went off to that tramp Maria...'

Sorrow had clouded my judgement, and I shook it away. For I knew Laurent loved me far too much, as did I for him.

But I was willing to believe, willing to make him the villian, all to reassure myself that this man was not dead.

Afterall, I would much rather have him alive, committing the despicable than wounded, or even dead out in the cold world.

Once more, I had retreated into my thoughts.

I felt oddly light that day. Perhaps it was the wind. Perhaps it was the sea, that had made me feel so small and insignificant.

I closed my eyes, and reveled in the strange feeling.. how light I felt.. when suddenly,

A set of footsteps was heard.

The soft treading on the sand, I could practically hear the feet sinking into the soft ground.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. I knew whose footsteps they belonged to.

And it was because I knew whose soft treading it was that I refused to turn.

"(Y/n)"

I did not stir, I did not move.

"We meet at last"

My body shook, tears brimming at the tip of my eyelashes, betraying my angry actions. My tears told the tale of my anguished heart without my own consent.

"Please.. turn around"

"I will not!"

How dare he! He had come back in such a casual manner, as if he had only went out for a walk!

How dare he come unannounced, unheard of till the last second! So unromantically, as if all my sorrows for the past 5 years were all nothing but a dream, and rendered useless!

Had could he?

"(Y/n).. ma chérie..."

I closed my eyes, but to no avail. A hand gently raised my chin up, and I unvoluntarily opened my eyes to face the man I so loved and despised at the moment.

"Laurent"

His name was a mere whisper on my lips.

Laurent.. his face was stained with mixed feelings of grief and joy, he gazed into my eyes with that pained expression of his.

We stared at each other, the wind whispering around us, with the sea singing of it's lonely tale.

"So..."

"..."

"You're here Laurent"

He smiled sadly at me, and slowly carassed my face.

"Non, I 'ave been with 'ou all zhis time"

I glared up at him.

"And how is that?"

"'Ave 'ou not thought of me? Certainly I must 'ave been in 'our dreams, 'our thoughts-"

"That's not the same, and you know it"
I snapped back at him.

He had a sad smile hang on his lips.

"I'm sorry mon chérie.. it was zhe unevitable.."

His words struck my heart, and I could not keep up my façade any longer.

"I know.."

I sobbed into his arms, and he held me tight as we both sat on the shore together.

"I wish I had been with you.. how...."

"Shh.. it's all over mon chérie.."

I slowly subdued my sobs, and burried my face into his neck; Inhaling his musky scent.

His light stubble was rough against my skin, his soft breathing soothed me as it always did when we used to lie in bed together.

We held each other in silence, I could scarcely believe that he was here. It almost felt that this was only temporary, that he would soon disappear as suddenly as he came.

I shivered at this notion, and Laurent seemed to read my thoughts. He brought me even closer to him and gently mummured in my ear.

"Non chérie, I will not leave 'ou alone again"

I smiled happily, and we placed our foreheads together.

A tear rolled down my cheek.

"I never thought.. we would meet again.. not like this.."

Laurent gave a sad smile.

"But zhat is not important. What is important is zhat we are together again"

Despite my tear ridden face, I flashed a wicked grin at him.

"Have you greeted Marthe?"

He gave a dark chuckle.

"Not so soon mon chér..!"

We laughed as he helped me up, and we started walking up our house.

It was like a dream, and I could have walked up those stairs with him for eternity! How I missed him!

Laurent and I had reached our garden, and sat on the marble bench that was surround by bushes of soft hydrengeas.

He slowly pushed a small ball of the strange flower towards me, and closing my eyes, I took in it's subtle scent.

"What stories do 'ou 'ave for me through my absense?"

I handed him the rose Marthe gave me.

"People have panicked. Many of our friends have called to check up, and several men have been gloating of your absense, and had called me numerous times to meet them"

"And did 'ou?"

"No, never. Not even for all the talking roses for the world either"

Laurent's eyes twinkled.

"'Ou prefer dull frenchmen after all"

We laughed out loud, the sound of our merry making echoed throughout the garden.

And when our laughter died down, Laurent brought the white rose before his eyes, examining it closely.

"Ah.. but zhe rose? It is just 'ow I 'ad picked it for 'ou.. did 'ou do zhis?"

I shook my head, a sad sweet smile on my face.

"Marthe prepared it for me. Maybe she thought it would ease my loneliness..."

My voice trailed off, and I gazed blankly into the garden. Seeing this, Laurent put the rose down and gazed into my eyes once more. He kissed my forhead.

"I cannot undo what 'as been done.."

He grasped my hands.

"But I can promise that nothing can keep us apart anymore"

I slowly looked up into his blue eyes, and we both smiled, knowing that his words were true.

+++++++++++++++++

Laurent and I walked hand in hand back to the beach. Lightly treading the sand together, we reached a small figure sobbing on the shore.

Marthe wept bitterly, her small frame shaking as she wet the sand with her tears.

"Marthe.."

I gently put a hand on her small shoulder.

"It's ok.. Laurent's here! Everything's going to be better now.."

Slowly kneeling down, I hugged her, Laurent doing the same.

Marthe gave a wail, and I tried to brush strands of her grey hair out of her face.

"Be good.. ok?"

Laurent took my hand, and we walked away, hand in hand. We were together at last.

And Marthe was left crying by the shore over what used to be my body.

+++++++++++++++++++

"She had no complications before?"

"Non sir..!! she was fragile and thin, but not deathly..! It all was so sudden!"

Several doctors stood by the shore, surrounding (Y/n)'s lifeless body. She had a small smile on her face, while holding a rose in her hand.

"It's so peculiar.. she smiles, as if she is the happiest woman in all of France!!"