The Redeemed Soul [Dorian Gray]

Apologies

Time was passing by very quickly as the Hallward family got busy with Rosemary's achievement. They were shopping most of the time, trying to get her as comfortable as possible once she reached France.

"You will need this. And that." Diana hovered as she took yet another scarf and coat.

"Mother, I will be fine!" Rosemary exclaimed. "My trunk cannot take so many clothes."

"You're lying, Rosemary. Your eyebrow twitched."

"Basil!" She hit him playfully.

"Not even your brother will support you this time." Diana intervened.

"That's because you two always form a side against me." She replied.

"Which is because you don't like forming a team." He answered.

"I do too!"

"You do not."

"France." Diana breathed out, stopping their argument. "I cannot believe that you will finally be leaving this place once and for all."

"Once I'm comfortable there, my first task will be to help you shift there with me." Rosemary revealed. "We could open our own shop facing the lights and I could continue to teach children."

"I could apply for a teaching job as well." He suggested.

"We can start over, away from this wretched city."

"But you can't know that people in Paris won't be the same as London." He voiced out  the concern in their minds.

"Anything is better than here." She stated in a low voice.

Once they reached home, Basil once again inquired on what happened at the mansion with Dorian Gray. "What happened, Rose? I have an idea about the tactic that you were going to use but why didn't it work?"

"Basil..."

"The annoyance technique works on everyone, Rosemary. I'm surprised as to how he was able to resist throwing you out." He joked.

"I couldn't get the painting even though I promised you." She replied. "And I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your fault that he has changed. But you look pretty shaken up ever since you walked through the front door. Is everything alright?"

She didn't want to lie but she had no choice. If she told him the truth, which wasn't her truth to reveal, it would break Basil. She could not predict his reaction nor his next words, but lying would be transparent as well.

"Everything is fine with me." She replied a half-truth, enough to convince him.

"Should I ask him one last time?"

"No!" She answered almost immediately, making him suspicious. "I mean, you don't want to seem desperate for the painting. Besides, portraits are...petrifying."

She was going to say horrifying but everytime she thought of that word, she saw the decaying portrait in front of her eyes. She felt its gaze on her at all times, feeling as though it was looking at every move that she made and every step that she took.

"I should just join the exhibition next year."

"Why don't you go ahead with the painting of the city that you drew during New Year's?" She suggested.

"That's not a bad idea, actually."

"Then it is settled. You are going to participate this year and-"

"Will you come?" He asked, knowing that her train was later the night of the day of the exhibition.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world." She smiled, not being able to believe the escape herself. "But until then, let us get that painting ready for the show."

Basil rushed to Agatha's house to confirm his name on the list along with Diana, which only made it easier for Rosemary to pack all of her art supplies and kits. She was uncertain about leaving her family but she knew that would have to do that. Her escape was her only power.

She packed the last remaining clothes and shawls that they had bought that day when someone rang the front door. Her eyebrows knitted together, wondering who that could be since her family couldn't have returned so quickly.

She walked down the stairs, completely unaware of who was waiting on the other side, and unaware of the small change that her future was going to be facing. She opened the door and closed it almost immediately but a hand blocked her from doing so.

"Rosemary." He whispered.

"Dorian." She acknowledged his presence.

"Can I please talk to you?"

"No." She answered, opening the door just enough for her to see him but not the other way around.

"I only need fifteen minutes. Please."

Thunder shook the city and the rain increased, drenching the young man even more than he had been before. He was not wearing his bowler hat or his coat. It looked like he had run all the way to her house, not caring about the consequences of the weather.

Rosemary considered the situation. If she closed the door and something happened to him on the way back, she would blame herself for eternity. If she allowed him inside and something happened, she would blame herself for letting him in in the first place. Either way, she knew that she was going to regret both the decisions and so, she chose to go with the one that would end with answers.

"Fifteen minutes." She stressed.

"Thank you." He said eyes wide open, scared to be close to her once again.

"Wait in the living room. I'll get you a towel." She informed him before walking into the kitchen.

When she came back, she found Dorian staring into the embers of the fireplace. Lightening and thunder went off once again, making the windows shutter in the impact.

"Here." She handed him the towel. He turned to look at her and fell to the ground. "Dorian!" She exclaimed, falling to her knees to hold onto him.

"I-I'm sorry." He started to speak. "I have been a fool for so long and I..." He shivered. "I cannot ask you for your forgiveness because I do not deserve it."

Rosemary was still holding onto him, not sure how to feel about his apologies but only thought about what was right and what was ethical. "Were you going to kill Basil if he had insisted on seeing the painting?" She asked. "Were you going to kill me?"

Silence took over the crackling of wood in the fireplace. "Yes." He breathed out.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I love you."