Summer Rain And Roses

The right opportunity didn't come up for another week, but John and Rose finally sat down with Kevin to talk about their decision. They met at a restaurant near the hospital, just after John's shift. While Kevin marvelled at the double coincidence of running into Adam on two separate occasions, he didn't express any surprise when his lunch partners revealed the true reason for this meeting.

"So when do you guys want to talk to Dad?" he asked, after swallowing a mouthful of coffee.

John looked to Rose, and she lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. "The sooner the better, I suppose," she replied.

"Today might be good," Kevin suggested. "Dad mentioned that Mom is meeting some friends tonight so she won't be home. This might be a little easier without her there." He wasn't sure how much his mother knew about Rose's background but if he had to guess, he'd say she was in the dark. And if he was right, having John and an unknown woman show up at her home would cause her endless suspicion and curiosity. She wouldn't rest until she knew every detail of this tricky situation. He loved his mother but for all concerned, it would be best to keep her in the dark for a little longer.

Although he and Rose saw each other on a daily basis at work, it had been a while since he'd seen John. His cousin appeared to be healthy and happy; pretty simple terms for two characteristics that were so important in life.

"I'll give Dad a call, just to make sure he's okay with us coming by. Does seven o'clock sound..." A sudden thought made him interrupt his own flow of words. "Damn, I just remembered something. I'll have to call Kelly."

"What happened to Tammy?" John asked, his lips twitching slightly in an effort to withhold a grin.

"And she's still bitter about it," Rose added. "You should see the looks she gives you sometimes."

Kevin rolled his eyes. "I've seen the looks. I know, I know, you warned me about an office romance. I should've listened to you." Tammy had been fun, exciting, and sexy-as-hell but frankly, she'd also been a bitch. She'd made it abundantly clear that she didn't like John and that alone should have been a clue to how unsuitable she was for him. Back then, he hadn't seen it that way but hindsight was always so much clearer.

John looked at him with mild surprise. "I didn't know she worked with you too. I guess that would make things awkward."

"Well, hey, at least Kelly doesn't work there. I just have to tell her our plans are being postponed for tonight."

"Nah, it was only a movie. We can see it some other time. This is more important." He could see the immediate relief in her face and knew he had made the right decision. In hushed tones at the office, Rose had told him that she didn't like the secretive aspect of her relationship with John. While she had agreed it was a necessity in the beginning, she had moved beyond that stage and now found it uncomfortable. He didn't want to delay this meeting with his father any longer. It was time.

As the Jeep slowed to a halt, John peered through glass that was partially obscured by frost. "I don't think Kevin's here yet," he said.

"We're a little early," Rose remarked. As she spoke, twin shafts of light cut through the darkness and they both turned to see a car pulling up behind them. "There he is."

John moved the Jeep forward to a proper parking spot and cut the engine. Turning to look at Rose, he could read the nervous apprehension in the whiteness of her face. They had barely spoken two words to each other on the ride over, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. He reached over now to squeeze her gloved hand, hoping to lend some support in the small gesture. "Ready?"

Meeting Kevin on the path that led up to the house, they stopped for a moment to look at each other. Kevin spread out his arms and patted them on the shoulders. "Don't look so serious, guys. It's all going to work out fine. You'll see."

Rose wished she possessed his optimism. She couldn't seem to shake the feeling that this wasn't going to go well at all. As she trudged up the pathway, her hand firmly in John's grasp, she tried to steer herself into a more positive frame of mind. There was nothing to be afraid of. She'd done nothing wrong. She would be open and honest with Robert and how he'd react was beyond her control. That was all she could do.

Once inside the house, they busied themselves with removing boots and coats. As Kevin hung their outer garments in the closet, Robert appeared before them. With a warm smile, he greeted them all, stopping to kiss Rose on the cheek.

She gave him a tentative smile, searching his face for a clue as to how he might be feeling. She saw nothing beyond his usual friendliness and kindness. Although he had no idea why they were all here, she had still expected him to exhibit some sign of wariness or suspicion. Sensing nothing of the kind from him, she began to relax a little. Perhaps this would go smoothly after all.

Robert led them to the formal living room. As they sat down, he asked if anyone cared for a drink. When they all declined, he settled onto his chair, closet to the fireplace.

A few seconds of complete silence ticked by; the only sound came from the crackling and popping of logs in the fireplace. Before the moment could grow completely awkward, Robert spoke up. "I haven't seen you for a while, John. You're looking very well."

"Millicent tells me you're back at work at the hospital. I suppose some time off was just the thing you needed."

"Yeah, it helped," John agreed, with a quick glance towards Rose. "I guess it helped me get a better perspective on things."

"Well, glad to hear it." Robert's steady gaze fell on Rose next. "And it's been a while since we've seen each other. How are you?"

"Just fine, thank you," she replied. As President of their division, Robert's office was on a different floor and he was often away on business. She only saw him occasionally in passing or during important meetings. While it was lovely to chat with him like this, she wanted to get to the matter at hand. She felt that John and Kevin wouldn't bring up the subject until she was ready, and it was up to her to broach it. "I'm sure you're wondering why we're all here."

"I...well..." Her voice trailed off as she put a stop to her stammering introduction. She tried again, trying to slow her racing thoughts. "First, I want you to know, Robert, that I will respect any decision that you come to tonight. I'm grateful for the opportunity you've given me within the company but if things come to an end, I'll understand." For the first time, she glimpsed some concern and confusion in Robert's face at her declaration. She continued on, unconsciously leaning forward in her chair. "Here's the big issue. John and I have been seeing each other for the past five and a half months. We waited this long to tell you about it, because we weren't sure how serious our relationship would get. And, well, it's pretty serious." She broke off for a moment to slip John a tiny smile. "I don't see it ending any time soon."

"Not by a long shot," John cut in quietly. "I know about the history with Rose's father and how he almost ruined Carter Enterprises. I also know how you hired her anyway. But I think that Rose has proven herself to be an asset to your company. I hope you don't punish her because of our relationship."

"John!" Rose said, rather sharply. She was also inwardly praying that she could remain at the company, but that decision should rest with Robert and possibly with Laird. She wasn't going to beg to keep her position.

"I've known about this from the beginning, Dad," Kevin stated. "You know as well as I do that Rose shouldn't be blamed for what her father did. That's why you hired her. And I hope you try to convince Grandfather of that fact."

"Kevin!" Rose felt her cheeks start to redden. She hadn't expected these two to start defending her and she could only imagine what Robert thought. Her turtleneck sweater seemed to be choking her and she tugged at the snug material around her throat. Parting her lips to speak again, she abruptly closed her mouth at the sound of chuckling. She stared in wonder at Robert, completely at a loss as to how he could find humour in this situation.

After his short bout of laughter, Robert cleared his throat, looking towards Rose with an apologetic smile. "Forgive me for laughing. I can see by your face that you're quite confused. You don't have anything to worry about, Rose. Yes, I hired you, knowing all about your background. You've more than proven your worth at the company and I'd be a damned fool to let you go."

She stopped fiddling with the neckline of her sweater and let her hand fall to her lap. With his reassuring words, she seemed able to breathe easier. "What about Laird? I've never even met the man but I know he won't be as understanding as you."

Robert took his time in responding but when he did, his tone was firm. "Yes, I think we should. Let's get this out in the open, once and for all." He paused to take a quick glance at his watch. "In fact, if you wait around for another hour or so, we can do this tonight."

"Yes, he wants to go over some details before his trip to New York tomorrow. This was set up before Kevin told me you'd be coming by. I figured our meeting would be over by the time Dad got here." Looking at Rose, he added, "Assuming, of course, that you'd like to do this tonight."

"Yes," she said, without hesitation. She was in agreement with Robert and wanted to get this over with. She'd spent too much time and energy trying to hide the truth from Adam and Laird. It wasn't fair to everyone involved.

Robert asked how the two of them had met and they retold the story, starting with that fateful day when Rose had brought Joshua to the Emergency Room at County General. Robert seemed delighted to hear their various tales but unfortunately, Rose's heart wasn't in it. In the back of her mind, all she could think about was the impending confrontation. And she had no doubt that it would be a confrontation. She supposed she could consider this the opportunity to get to know Laird Carter first-hand; her chance to form an opinion of him based on a face-to-face meeting rather than hearsay. Though she dearly wanted to approach this with an open mind, she couldn't help being clouded with a feeling of dread.

The melodic chime of the front door bell brought all conversation to a halt. Robert rose from his seat. "He's early. Well, here we go."

As his uncle disappeared to answer the door, John tried to think of something encouraging to say. Nothing came to mind, however, and he resorted to briefly squeezing Rose's hand again.

Although he could only hear a murmuring of Robert's voice, he clearly heard Laird demanding to know why his grandsons were here. After a split second of surprise, John realized that he must have recognized their parked cars.

A minute later, Laird strode into the room, closely followed by Robert. The Carter patriarch's sharp eyes immediately came to rest on Rose. "Who are you?" he asked rudely.

Without flinching from his gaze, she stepped forward with one hand outstretched. "Rose Philips. It's an honour to meet you, Mr. Carter."

The older man shook her hand automatically, his thick eyebrows knitting together as he contemplated her name. "Philips," he repeated. "Rose Philips, you say?"

John practically jumped to his side. This was happening too fast. Way too fast. "Why don't you sit down, Grandfather. What would you like to drink?"

John could almost visualize the turnings of Laird's mind and it didn't take long before the widening eyes indicated he'd made the connection. Laird stared at Rose, taking in the dark, wavy hair that bordered on being curly; the shape and colour of the eyes that returned his stare. "Ethan's daughter," he breathed, his face registering shock.

The booming sound raised the hairs on the back of John's neck. It had been a long time since he'd heard his grandfather so angry. He noted that the tips of the man's ears were turning red. The inflamed colour was creeping up his neck and would soon infuse his entire face; not a good sign.

Everyone began talking at once and that only seemed to infuriate him more. "One at a time, for God's sakes. Robert, explain yourself."

"I will, Dad. But first, why don't we all sit down, like John suggested. Let's try to keep things civilized."

"Fuck civilized. I want to know what that traitor's daughter is doing in your house."

"Dad, I'm warning you, watch your mouth!" Robert barked, in an equally authoritative voice. "You're right, this is my house and while you're in it, you will treat everyone here with respect." Taking a deep breath, he visibly tried to calm himself. "Can we please start again?"

Laird's jaw was so tightly clenched, John was surprised he could speak at all. "I prefer to stand," he stated stubbornly.

"Fine." Robert brought two fingers to his temple, seeming to gather his thoughts together. "It's hard to know where to begin, so I'm just going to say this bluntly. Five years ago, I hired Rose into Carter Enterprises."

For a moment, Laird's eyes seemed to strain out of their sockets. "What? Into Mergers and Acquisitions?"

"Care to tell me why?" In an effort to keep his voice down, he sounded unnaturally choked.

"She's intelligent. A keen sense of business. Ruthless if need be, but knows when to approach with caution too. When I hired her, she didn't have much experience. But over the years, she's grown in leaps and bounds. She's helped bring millions of dollars into this company."

"And if she's at all like her father, she'll help take millions out of it," Laird shot back.

He looked down his nose to give her a withering look. "Am I supposed to take your word on that? How naive do you think I am? For all I know, you wormed your way into the company with the very intention of gaining Robert's trust and then stabbing him in the back."

Though Rose was fighting a losing battle, she insisted on defending herself. And John couldn't let her stand on the field alone. "There's something else you should know," he said. "Rose and I have been seeing each other for the last few months."

"Seeing each other," Laird echoed, sounding somewhat mystified. "What do you mean?"

John stepped closer to Rose, placing an arm around her shoulder. He gave his grandfather a pointed look and took some satisfaction from the dawning realization that grew on the man's face.

"I don't believe this! You're telling me that you have a relationship with this woman?"

Laird's index finger was now pointed straight at Rose and John had to fight the urge to slap it away. "That's right. I happen to care about her very much. You can't hold her responsible for what her father did years ago. That's ancient history."

"It's not ancient, John. It's *my* history. And Carter Enterprises is part of your history too, whether you choose to believe it or not. You've always taken our wealth for granted. Do you know how hard I fought to build this company? But you can't understand that, can you."

"Oh, here we go with the speech!" John cut in angrily. His temper had been simmering on a slow burn but the bubbles were now bursting to the surface. "I knew you would find a way to turn this around on me. When are you going to learn that you can't control my life?"

"Maybe when you stop acting like an adolescent boy who gets his head turned by any pretty face that comes along." Laird turned on Rose, once again with an accusing finger. "You planned this from the beginning, didn't you? Admit it! From working in my company to latching on to my grandson, you knew what you were doing all along."

"That isn't how it happened," Rose insisted. "I...I don't know what else to say. There's no way I can prove it to you."

With an abrupt movement, Laird spun around and walked several paces to stand by a chair, leaning one hand against it. John traded glances with Rose, glad to see that although she was upset, she was still able to hold her ground. The sudden silence after their shouting match almost seemed eerie. John shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his stomach muscles tensing. This wasn't over. The man was up to something.

When Laird finally turned his attention back to the group, his face was a mask of stiff composure. "You may all think I'm some kind of a monster. Believe what you want. But I'm doing what I think is right. Ms Philips, you're fired."

Kevin spoke up for the first time since his grandfather had walked in. "You can't do that!"

"She works for me and I say she stays. Unless you want to find someone else to run Mergers and Acquisitions."

The threat was issued and seemed to hang in the air like a palpable cloud. John held his breath and as his gaze flickered over the others in the room, he knew he wasn't alone.

Laird's lips quivered and his voice sounded close to a sneer. "All right, have it your way. You have the right to run Mergers as you like. Just as I have the right to do this." His eyes bore into John's with fearsome intensity. "If you continue to see this woman, you will be disinherited. You won't have a single penny of Carter money or a single ounce of my support. I will no longer consider you to be my grandson. Do I make myself clear?"

Although a part of John had almost been expecting this reaction, the iciness of his grandfather's words still stung. Disappointment and hurt left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he nodded. "Perfectly clear."

"I choose Rose." He didn't even have to think about the decision. It was the only answer that made any sense. It was that simple.

Without a second glance, Laird began marching out of the room. "Fine. I want you out of the carriage house by the end of the week."

Robert followed his father to the door, leaving the three younger people standing in the living room. They all looked a little shell-shocked.

Kevin was the first to break the silence. "He didn't mean it, John. He's just letting off steam. He'll come around."

John emitted a humourless laugh, running a weary hand through his hair. He plopped down on the nearest chair. "You've gotta be kidding me. When has he ever said a word he didn't mean? Maybe this is for the best. I've never lived up to his standards as a Carter or as his grandson. Now I don't have to worry about disappointing him."

Feeling another surge of anger, John shot to his feet again. "And what has being a part of his family ever brought me? Money? Yeah, sure. What about support? He says if we keep seeing each other I'll lose his support. Well I say, how can he take away something that he's never given me in the first place? I don't need him and I sure as hell don't need his fucking money!"

As Robert appeared at the doorway, John clamped his jaw shut, feeling his cheeks flood with heat. "Sorry, Uncle Robert," he murmured.

If his uncle was offended by his outburst, he gave no indication of it. Rose went to him immediately and grabbed his hand. "Thank you for what you did, Robert. For standing up for me like that. I can't tell you how much it means to me." She impulsively reached up to give him a hug. "I hope you're not in too much trouble."

He gave her a brief smile. "Don't worry, I can handle my father. But I have to tell you honestly, I don't know if he'll ever accept you, Rose." He turned his head to look in John's direction. "You have to prepare yourselves for that. Both of you."

Rose was struggling with her own feelings, but she tried to speak honestly. "I guess I'm still hopeful that Laird will come around, like Kevin says. It isn't right. It isn't fair that John should be cut off from his family because of me." Coming to stand before him, she looked up to meet his eyes. "I'll understand, John, if you change your mind."

She found herself wrapped in another hug, as his arms embraced her tightly, rocking her slightly back and forth. "Are you crazy?" he whispered. "You're stuck with me. Whether you like it or not."

She smiled, savouring the surrounding warmth of his body. "Well," she whispered back, close to his ear, "it's a good thing I like it, then."

A little while later, Robert's guests began to depart. Kevin headed out first and John stepped out after him to warm up the Jeep. As Robert helped Rose into her coat, she had to ask him something that had been on her mind. "If you don't mind me asking, Robert, what was so funny when Kevin and John started defending me to you? About my job, I mean."

For a moment, Robert looked confused, but then he nodded in understanding. "Before Dad got here and the four of us were talking? Right. Well, Nicole, John's mother, told me a few weeks ago that she suspected a woman was in John's life. Someone that was making him very happy. I just never expected that woman to be you." With a final kiss on her cheek, he stated, "I'm delighted that it's you, Rose. Regardless of what my father thinks, you and John have my blessing."

Bidding him goodnight, she blinked away the unexpected moisture from her eyes. This night had been an emotional roller coaster and if she allowed herself, she could unleash a whole dam of tears. But she couldn't let that happen. She had to be strong; for herself and for John.

Bracing herself against the icy wind, she hurried her pace to reach both the waiting car, and the man who waited inside.

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