Chapter 39 Rose with Thorns

The morning rays of sunshine made Jasmine woke up, she pursed her lips and poked his ribs. She turned to look through the windows. "We should return home."

"Surely we have time – "

"No," she broke in tartly, "we do not have time. You, Mr. Rickman, is insatiable."

"And what a trial that must be for you."

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. Jasmine kissed him until he feared they might be forced to delay of returning home. When he slipped his hands from her waist to her bottom and pulled her against him, she placed her fists firmly on his shoulders and arched away. "In case you forget, Alan, we have been MIA for a day."

"Haven't forgotten," he said nuzzling her neck, licking the hollow above her collarbone – and the soft rise of her breasts, "Unforgettable."

"In that case – "

"Repeatable."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Unforgettably repeatable."

"Alan, we have to – "

"Repeatably unforgettable."

"Repeatably isn't a word." Giggling, she fell against him. "We are supposedly to return home this morning and we need to act quickly and surely – "

"We could do the other thing quickly."

"You are impossible."

""Thingie," Alan said, chuckling deep in his throat. "Quick thingie?"

"Heavens! I've made a monster of you."

Jasmine had taken more time than usual prepping herself. To the point of tying her hair in a romantic bun, even snipping a few strands of hair around her face.

"Jassy?" Alan called, his body leaning against the door frame. "You've done something different with your hair."

"A little." Anxiously, she reached up to adjust the knot.

"It look nice." A soft twinkle in his eye and a subtle lift of his lips made her feel better.

They walk out of the hotel hand-in-hand and Alan Rickman being the gentleman that he is made sure he's there to assist her even in the littlest detail.

"Your birthday is in eleven days," he said to her once the traffic lights turns red, cars came into a halt.

"Yes," Jassy answered, clearing wondering what he was going to say.

"I'd like to throw you a party."

"A party?" Jasmine stared at him as though he'd lost his mind. And maybe he had, but the more he thought about it, the more the idea appealed to him.

"As a thank you to all you've done for me and Julia."

"You don't owe me anything and you've done much more."

"Wouldn't you enjoy a party?"

"I suppose," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.

"Of course you would, my dear," Alan said. "It's a delightful idea and would be a perfect opportunity to announce our relationship to all of our friends."

Jasmine's gut knotted. "I – I don't think that's a good idea Alan."

It's happening too fast and Jasmine wasn't even sure how would Alan's family would react on their relationship. Or how would announcing their relationship could affect Alan's teaching career the man has just barely began.

"It would be such a wonderful end to the evening. Just imagine, all of our friends would be in attendance to share our good news and excitement." Alan continued enthusiastically. But in his thoughts, why did Jassy suddenly sound panicked at the thought of announcing their relationship? Was she just afraid of what others think, or was something else on her mind?

They finally arrive at the Rickman household when Julia heard a car's engine going off at their gate, she run towards the door and launch herself at the awaiting arms of her father. "What took you soooooooo long?" Julia playfully whines.

Jasmine giggled, "We're home sweetheart," she said petting the little girl's head just in time when Meredith walk out of the house, her attention on Alan.

"Thank goodness you're here Julie is driving me nuts with her energy." And an overly dramatic sigh escapes her lips.

Jasmine hurried into the kitchen to fix their Sunday lunch and was welcome by warm hugs from Mrs. Woods. She managed to keep herself busy and away from Meredith for the rest of the day, thinking that in doing so, she could avoid the topic of her party. She was wrong.

"Jasmine?" Meredith knocked lightly on Jasmine's door, just as she was getting ready for bed. She hesitantly opened her door.

"May I come in and speak with you?"

Jasmine would rather have a beating, but Meredith didn't give her the option. "Of course."

Meredith sashayed into the room wearing an ivory satin nightgown, her hair loose flowing down her back in glossy waves. "I thought we could have a chat."

Jasmine felt inferior with Meredith and clutched her faded cotton pajamas, she motioned to the bed, where Meredith continued to sashay across the room to sit on the edge. "Alan told me he's hosting a party for you."

Jasmine chose to sit on her lone wooden chair to face the pretty face Meredith.

"I was wondering where have you been yesterday that neither one of you bothered to contact us."

Meredith's words were laced with venom and Jasmine know better never to mess with people who is lovely on the outside but downright rotten on the inside.

"I tried convincing Mr. Rickman to abandon that idea, he just won't listen."

"What a lucky minx you sure are."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh come on, you could try harder than that." Meredith's tone developed a caustic edge before she plastered on a smile. "Alan just sees you as one of his charity case so don't get you hopes up."

Jasmine with the best of her ability ignored her remark.

Meredith stood and headed to the door, she turned her back to look at Jasmine one last time, "You mustn't hope for things you knew will never happen."

Seven days before Christmas

London is being decorated by snow and beautiful Christmas ornaments as it readies to celebrate the upcoming holiday. Lindt, Jasmine and Taylor were on their way to church to attend its Christmas Pageant, while Mrs. Woods will spend the holidays with her family in Wales. Alan, Julia and Meredith went ahead of them. Jasmine never dreamed that going to church would be difficult. She'd managed to fool Taylor and Lindt just to stop them from teasing her too much. It would be too humiliating for her if the two knew how dejected she is for not being with Alan and Julia. Now if she could just continue that ruse.

She smiled and accepted everyone's greetings and was grateful when the angels began making their way into the Sanctuary. Most of them were singing "Silent Night", though one or two of them must have taken singing "O Holy Night". They were on different notes, maybe even different songs. It was hard to tell.

"Cute little rascals, aren't they?" Lindt whispered. She smiled up at him and nodded. "About as cute as they can get."

Taylor was busy video recording the performance a visible grinned on his lips all the while. A timid wave from Julia brought Jasmine's attention back to the stage and her favorite angel pointed at her wings as though Jasmine didn't notice them tied to her back. They'd spent hours gluing the chicken feathers to the paper cutouts, and the result was perfect. Beautiful, white, feathery wings peeked around Julia's shoulders, though they tipped slightly to the left. But that wasn't Julia's fault. Avery was plucking feathers off on that side, and Jasmine prayed Julia wouldn't notice.

Mary and Joseph entered the stage, shifting Julia's attention. The little girl waved to someone on the other side of the church. Jasmine allowed her gaze to flitter across the sanctuary to Alan, her heart jumping to her throat. So handsome in his suit, his hair combed perfectly and a slight smile lifting the corner of his mouth, he waved subtly at Julia. Before Jasmine could look away, he turned toward her and their gazes locked.