And Love Walked In

"What is this Emerson!" A female hispanic voice yells. I jolt up from my bed and rub my eyes, but something feels heavy next to me and when I look next to me Rome is laying peacefully on the bed. I smile softly and reach over to touch his cheek when Rosa starts screaming again, "Emerson what if your grandfather walked in, he would of killed you for sure!" she yells and when I turn to her I notice the tears slipping from her cheeks and her body shaking lightly.

I stand up from the bed and wrap my arms around Rosa hugging her softly as she wraps her arms around me. "I'm sorry." I apologize.

"Emerson who is this boy?" she asks still looking at Rome as he sleeps. I smile lightly thinking of what a heavy sleeper he is if he slept through Rosa's yelling.

"Rome, he's a friend."

"And what is your friend doing here without asking permission first?" Rosa demanded treating me as a mother would to her child and at the thought I smile slightly.

"Grandfather wouldn't have approved and he needed a place to sleep."

"Doesn't he have his own home?"

I shake my head lightly my eyes falling on Rome once more enjoy the sight of him sleeping so peacefully. His chest rising and falling with each soft breath he takes. The way his mouth is slightly parted and his arms spread out on the bed. "He has no home."

Rosa frowns lightly her eyes flickering to Rome for a second before shifting back to me. "Your grandfather is out for the day he'll be back by dinner." she whispers her eyes scanning my half naked body, my bruises. "I'll prepare breakfast for you two. Wake up your friend." Rosa whispers leaving me bedroom and closing the door behind her.

"Rosa!" I call watching as the door opens and she peeks through. "Um never mind." I whisper.

Rosa smirks slightly, "Take a shower and I'll come back to tend to your wounds." she whispers before closing the door behind her.

I turn back to Rome noticing he's staring straight at me with a large grin. "Rosa seems nice." he says sitting up. I watch as he stretches his arms and yawns loudly before falling limp on the bed once more. His eyes are still on me as I grab a pair of jeans and slip them on before throwing on a long sleeve thermal. "Did you sleep well?" I ask as I walk to my wardrobe finding an outfit for Rome.

"Yes. Thank you Emerson." Rome whispers and I could hear the honestly in his voice. I quickly find something that may fit Rome before walking into the bathroom and setting the clothes on the counter along with a fresh pair of undergarments and a towel.

"You can take a shower in there before breakfast." I whisper rubbing my arms nervously.

"You're doing to much for street rat as myself Emerson." Rome whispers and I glance up to see him sitting on the edge of the bed his eyes casted to the floor.

"When you care about someone you only want them to be safe and happy." I whisper watching as tears drip from his eyes. I quickly walk over to him and sit next to him reaching up to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Thank you Emerson." he whispers once more leaning down so our lips are only centimeters apart. I could feel his hot breath on my lips as the ghostly trail along my face and soon I find Rome's face buried in the crook of my neck and shoulder. I feel him place lightly butterfly kissing along my shoulder, up my neck and to the corner of my lips. "I should get clean huh?" he says with a hint of a smile in his voice.

I smile and pull away watching as Rome walks to the bathroom and lightly closes the door behind him. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I hear Rosa walk into the room a first aid kit in hand. "What's got you smiling so much Miho?" Rosa asks sitting next to me on the bed and opening the kit to clean the cuts on my face

"Nothing." I mumble softly.

"Hm well I just received a phone call from your father, he says he'll be back my Monday morning, the trip was cut short." Rosa whispers.

"That's in a week."

Ross doesn't respond instead she continues to clean my cuts gently, like my mother should be doing to me. "Emerson I was talking to my husband, we," she pauses for a second as she rests her hand in his lap in a gracefully manner. "We want to report your father and grandfather for abuse." She finally whispers.

"Rosa." I whisper feeling a cluster of emotions. Love, relief, fear but mostly Love. "They'll manipulate the truth." I add.

"Emerson no child lies about abuse. We know that they'll pull you out of the the household and probably into foster care, but I'll arrange it so that you can stay with me and my family. You'll have a home and be able to enjoy your teenage years before they're gone. I'll make sure you are safe and sound, loved and cared for Emerson." Rosa says as she chokes up on her tears. She places her hand over her mouth and stares at the ground in an attempt to compose herself.

"I would love that Rosa, more than anything. But even if it works out how will your kids react? They'll hate me."

"My children are good honest kids and they'll understand the situation, I'll even have a talk with them. I'll make them understand."

"How will we do it, I mean it's just so rushed." I mumble resting my head on Rosa's shoulder feeling her arms wrap around me and hold me close.

"I do not want you to be here when you're father returns, I know he will just take out all his anger on you."

I don't respond to her, I'm lost at words. Just all this hope I fell like it won't work in the end and I'll end up in a worse condition, and Rosa. "We can try."

The bathroom door opens and Rome walks into the room looking clean and fresh. To me he looks like a different person, what I thought was dirty blonde hair is actually sunshine blonde and beautiful. His skin is soft and clean, clear from any blemish or scar. He look beautiful, either way.

"Blueberry vanilla body wash." Rome says as she sits next to me. "Great shit, now I smell like you." Rome jokes softly. Rosa lets out a little chuckle before standing up and leading us out the room, "He loved it since he was a child, when I would tuck him in he would tell me I smelled good and for Christmas I bought him a bottle and he's been using it ever since."

Rome lets out a chuckle as he wraps his arm around my waist. I however feel a bit embarrassed, "Rosa." I whine softly which only causes them both to laugh. Rosa leads us into the dinning room where breakfast is already set for us.

Breakfast was great, Rome ate as if it was his last meal which made me smile. The rest of the day was spent nicely, I stepped foot into the family room for the first time since I've lived in the house. The family room was always avoided as a child, we had no family to share it with. But that day Rome and I sat on the big comfy couch in the family room and watched endless Disney films while munching on candy and junk food. That day it felt perfect, it felt like Rosa was my mother checking in on me and Rome ever now at then. Making sure we were fine, acting as though she is my mother, which to me she will always be.

"I had a great time Emerson, I don't want to leave." Rome admits to me as we lay on my bed facing each other. The Maine is playing softly in the background and the lights are dimmed softly. A warm cozy blanket is thrown over our bodies and the sun is setting outside.

"Stay the night again." I whisper hearing the rain hit the windows.

"You're grandfather will be back tonight." Rome whispers and just as he says that we hear the front door slam downstairs followed by a chill running through the house completely destroying the fuzzy warm feeling that was building throughout the day.

My grandfather's heavy feet stomping up the stairs, rude yet to polite cause Rome and I to jump in fear. "The wardrobe." I whisper pushing Rome to my wardrobe. He quickly climbs in and I shut the doors just as my grandfathers steps into my bedroom.

Hand on the doorknob he glares at me trying to find a change in me, something to prove I went against his orders. "Good evening grandfather how was your day?" I ask respectfully as I calmly fold a shirt that was resting on the foot of my bed.

"Hm." he hums as she enters my room closing the door behind him. I watch as he walks through my room steadily searching in the bathroom, the shower, under the bed until he reaches the wardrobe.

I bite my lip nervously, just as he is about to open the wardrobe a butler walks into the room a look of panic gracing his features. His breathing is unsteady and he is shaking lightly, the butler glances to me before turning back to my grandfather.

"The police are here."