Beyond The Roses Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyrighted Material

  Other Books By Monica James

  Dedication

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Connect with Monica James

  Copyrighted Material

  BEYOND THE ROSES

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is coincidental. Any trademarks, service marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their respective owners and are used only for reference.

  Copyright © 2020 by Monica James

  All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without the express, written consent of the author.

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  Editing: Editing 4 Indies

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  THE I SURRENDER SERIES

  I Surrender

  Surrender to Me

  Surrendered

  White

  SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL SERIES

  Something Like Normal

  Something Like Redemption

  Something Like Love

  A HARD LOVE ROMANCE

  Dirty Dix

  Wicked Dix

  The Hunt

  MEMORIES FROM YESTERDAY DUET

  Forgetting You, Forgetting Me

  Forgetting You, Remembering Me

  SINS OF THE HEART DUET

  Absinthe of the Heart

  Defiance of the Heart

  ALL THE PRETTY THINGS TRILOGY

  Bad Saint

  Fallen Saint

  Forever My Saint

  The Devil’s Crown-Part One (Spin-Off)

  The Devil’s Crown-Part Two (Spin-Off)

  THE MONSTERS WITHIN DUET

  Bullseye

  Blowback

  STANDALONE

  Mr. Write

  Chase the Butterflies

  Beyond the Roses

  For my father. You’re in my heart. Always. I love you.

  Sometimes, I wonder what it would feel like to be somebody else. I have no preference who, just someone other than me. They wouldn’t have to be tall, or thin, or even beautiful. In fact, I’d rather they were ordinary, that they’d blend into a crowd because after being extraordinary, all I wish for is…silence.

  “Lola? LOLA!”

  A mother’s role is to protect, teach, and love their kin unconditionally. And most mothers embrace this responsibility. Some even say that having a child changed their life forever. It gave them a purpose. Unfortunately for me, my mother, Camille Van Allen, missed the memo.

  Sighing, I lower the newest Dan Brown novel and remove my earbuds.

  There is no questioning my mother’s beauty. Her long, chestnut hair is usually styled in a low chignon, just as she wears it now. Her large green eyes would appear alien on anyone else, but her high cheekbones, pink pout, and slim, delicate nose complement her gracious look. She’d never be seen in anything but designer threads, and although I didn’t understand it, I accepted it because I never knew my mother being anything but…perfect. And for that, I envied her because…I’m anything but perfect.

  “Sorry, what did you say?” I give her my full attention.

  “I said, I wish you’d reconsider and come to Europe with us for the summer. Isn’t that right, Dermott?” This is all bullshit, however.

  My father peers at me through the rearview mirror, his kind blue eyes reflecting his sadness, but he nods since my mother is awaiting his reply. “Yes, that’s right, but I know given your…circumstances”—his pause reveals my circumstances can’t be swept under the rug as easily for him as it can for my mom—“why you want to do this.” Yet another pause. There seem to be a lot of those lately.

  I have accepted that normality isn’t in the cards for me. I accepted it four years ago. Many days have passed since then, but unfortunately for me, a new day doesn’t bring new hope. My future is mapped out before me, and I don’t even have a say in how my story ends.

  Discreetly wiping away the betrayal tears that slip from the corners of my eyes, I try my best to smile. My mother, on the other hand, is seconds away from slapping the insolence from my father’s cheek. But she says nothing.

  This is a common occurrence for the Van Allen family. We don’t air our dirty laundry. We especially don’t discuss matters that would tarnish the family name. Regrettably, I’m a matter that has stained our reputation.

  Peering out the window, I press my forehead to the cool glass, wishing I could feel the sunrays on my skin. Breathtaking landscapes of thunderous waterfalls, lush green forests, and untouched rocky plains pass me by. The sight is beautiful. It’s nice to get in touch with nature, seeing as my apartment on the Upper East Side encompasses the hustle and bustle that New York is famous for. Where I’m going, I’ll be lucky to get cell reception. Not that it matters because who would I call anyway? My heart aches at the thought.

  The farther my dad drives, the more remote and isolated things become, but that’s the plan. That’s what I signed up for.

  The GPS spits out directions, the cheerful, robotic voice the only sound filling the stale air. To the outside world, we’re the perfect all-American family, and once upon a time, we were, but behind closed doors, my family hasn’t been happy for a very long time. It saddens me to think that I’m the reason behind that sorrow.

  My father raises his knowledgeable eyes, reading my heartache instantly. He feels as if he has failed me, but he hasn’t. Some people are just born unlucky.

  Tall pine trees line the graveled road like regimented soldiers, never wavering from their position of keeping watch over all those who travel down this shaded path. I know we’re close; I can feel the sudden shift in the sky.

  The navy Mercedes begins its journey down the winding dirt road. The sun has long gone, hidden away, and a chill passes over me, the unexpected cold an omen of things to come, maybe?

  But I quash it down and welcome my arrival at Strawberry Fields with a different mindset. I’m energized and enthusiastic because this is the most valuable I’ve felt in months.

  The tires crunch over the gravel as Dad drives the road with care. He takes a sharp left, and up over the hill, I see it—the white Gothic-style mansion.

  “Look, they have horses.” My dad’s animated tone reminds me of when he took me to see the lions at the zoo when I was seven. Life was so simple back then. I’d give anything to get that back. It was a time of innocence when my world wasn’t filled with words I didn’t understand.

  Returning to the present, I realize my father also yearns for that time. He wants his perfect daughter back, but I haven’t been perfect for a long while.

  My father pulls the car up beside the domed entrance, and both my parents exit the car with enthusiasm. Collecting my belongings, I swing my legs, placing my sneakers onto the rocky ground. Taking a deep breath, I will my body to move. I stand, thankful that no tremors wrack my frame.

  A small win for me.

  My mom passes me my suit
case from the trunk, turning up her lip when she sees me stand at my full height of five feet three. “Lola, really? Surely you have something nicer to wear.” My scuffed Chucks, torn blue jeans, and PETA tee are not Camille Van Allen approved. Once upon a time, I wore the cocktail dresses and fancy jewels, but that isn’t me anymore.

  “You look like a homeless person,” she says, adding insult to injury.

  My last tether snaps. “I hardly think I can get away with wearing heels, Mother.” My tone drips with venom. I suddenly wish I caught a cab instead of asking them to drive me.

  Thankfully, a vibrant voice sounds across the grounds, interrupting a no doubt nasty moment. “Welcome, you must be Lola.”

  When the middle-aged woman comes to a stop in front of me, her compassion shines through with no obvious ulterior motives. She’s here out of the goodness of her heart, and I instantly like her.

  “Yes, that’s me.”

  “Hello, Lola. I’m Ms. Carrington, but you can call me June. I’m the administrator here.” I like her even more because I recognize her name from the welcome packet I received.

  “Hello, June. I can’t wait to start. Just point me in the right direction.” As June looks at me closely, I have no doubt she’s read over my application and everything I disclosed.

  Peering up at the enormous manor, I suddenly have a premonition that once I leave, I’ll be a different person. I don’t know why or how. I just know that once I walk through those doors, my life will change.

  “Bye, Dad.” I shuffle over, giving him a tight hug.

  “Goodbye. I’m proud of you.” He squeezes me harder.

  I pull from his embrace and smile. “Make sure you eat lots of gelato for me.”

  His eyes crinkle as he laughs. “You got it.” I don’t hear the sound too often, but I guess there isn’t much left for him to laugh about.

  Standing off to the side, my mother waits for some emotional farewell, but she’s all for show. I look into her green eyes, eyes so similar to mine. Mine may be hidden behind thick black frames, but there is no doubt I inherited my looks from her. But unlike her, my looks will fade. They already have.

  “Bye, Mom. Have a safe flight.” I amble over, feeling awkward as I give her a loose hug.

  “We will, honey.”

  Taking one last look at them, I draw the difference between past and future. My future is waiting just past those doors. With that mindset, June and I walk toward the entrance. Life is too short for delays.

  Peering up, I stop a few feet away, masking the sun with a cupped hand over my brow. The air is fresh, the sun warm. The sense of discovery still surrounds me, so with a skip to my usual heavy step, I follow June.

  The moment I set foot inside the foyer, I’m hit with the elegance Strawberry Fields encompasses. High decorated ceilings, pristine white walls, and polished marble floors are just the start of what is set out before me. I look around in awe; not because I haven’t seen such luxuries before, but because there is a tenderness I’m unfamiliar with.

  A gentle Bach piece soothes and welcomes all of those who are on the same expedition as me. Regardless of our extravagant surroundings, there is no denying why we are here. The thought weighs heavily like a manacle around my heart, shadowing my newfound excitement with melancholy. Shaking my head to dispel such thoughts, I quicken my step to catch up to June.

  “This is your room,” June informs me over her shoulder, just before stopping in front of a wooden door.

  “Take your time getting settled. There are a few more volunteers yet to arrive. You being here means so much to us.”

  I can’t help but smile at her kindness. “Thank you.”

  June may be one of the only people who can understand what I’m going through because, sadly for her, she sees it every day.

  She doesn’t linger.

  I clutch the cool door handle, but a voice behind me stops me from entering. “Hi! I’m Zoe. Fellow volunteer.”

  Turning, I see a woman of similar age to me standing mere feet away. Her dark hair is short, only a few inches in length. It seems to emphasize the clarity of her blue eyes. She extends her slender hand, which I shake. Her warmth thaws my chill.

  “Hi, I’m Lola.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Without pause, she takes the suitcase from my hand and wanders into my room, dragging it behind her.

  I follow suit, and the first thing that captures my attention is the two wide windows directly in front of me. They are fitted with sheets of Tiffany glass. The stunning stained image is spread across both windows. The scene is of a pink weeping willow. The petals litter the side panel and extend along the top; the vibrant colors highlighted as the sun breaks through.

  Once I tear my eyes away from the magnificence, I admire the room’s generous size. A stunning sky-blue duvet covers the bed, and matching throw pillows rest quaintly against one another.

  The plush carpet feels soft beneath my feet as I turn in a small circle, absorbing the quiet.

  “You weren’t expecting this?” Zoe asks, leaving my suitcase at the foot of the bed as she flops onto the mattress, stomach first. I stifle a giggle behind my hand.

  “I don’t know what I was expecting,” I confess honestly. “I thought it was going to be a little more… rustic.” I didn’t look at any photos online because I didn’t care what my housing looked like. That’s not the reason I decided to come.

  Zoe sits up, her intelligent eyes focusing on me. “So…why are you here?” I wheeze in a strangled breath, surprised by her flippant attitude. I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose, swallowing loudly.

  “Ah, c’mon, life is short…we both know that. There’s no point in being coy. This is my third year here, and in my experience, we all come here for a reason. Mine is my little sister passed away from cancer three years ago.”

  The spectacular walls, ones I once admired, are now closing in on me as I’m finding it harder to breathe. I bend at the waist and wrap my arms around my middle, wishing I’d paid more attention to Dr. Carter when he detailed ways for me to deal with stress.

  “Lola, all those drugs you’re on…they’re to help you.”

  “Help me how?” I was so angry. I still am. Why did this happen? What did I do to deserve such a punishment? What did she do to deserve such injustice?

  “If you don’t take them, you’ll—”

  No.

  Why is life so cruel?

  I slam my hands over my ears, needing to block out the voices in my head. But the more desperate I become to escape my future, the louder things become.

  “…they’re trial drugs for a high-grade glioblastoma, also known as grade four astrocytoma, which is growing on the right side of your brain.” Tears prick my eyes because no matter how fast I run, I can never outrun fate.

  “Lola, are you all right?” Zoe’s voice portrays concern, but her sympathy only makes me feel worse.

  Hidden beneath the pretty pastels, the comforting calmness, and the soothing works of Bach is the epicenter of what this place is. The superficial ruse can’t mask the truth. Strawberry Fields is a sanctuary, a summer camp where terminally ill children come to forget and just be kids.

  And the reason I’m here—I’m here to volunteer because those children are me.

  My name is Lola Van Allen. There’s no easy way to say it, but…I’m dying.

  “Lola, can you hear me?” Zoe’s words fade in and out of focus, but I’m familiar with the muted voices. It started when I was twenty-one.

  I did what every socialite my age did—I shopped, partied. I didn’t have a care in the world. But when I began hearing voices no one else heard, I thought I was going crazy. And when the voices came with debilitating headaches, I went to the best doctors in New York because I knew something wasn’t right. They ran endless tests, and that was when they found it—a black blob inside my head.

  It turns out, the blob was a glioblastoma, also known as grade four astrocytoma, which was devouring the right side of my brain. In la
yman’s terms, I had an inoperable brain tumor.

  However, I refused to accept my fate, adamant there was some mistake. This didn’t happen to people like me. How naïve I was because no matter who I saw, the prognosis was always the same.

  The symptoms amplified weeks later. I was a car wreck. Not only did I have blurred vision, occasional blackouts, and spoke with a stutter, but I also walked with a slight limp. It goes without saying the supposedly best years of my life ended up being my worst.

  All of my so-called friends hit the road when things got serious, proving to me just how superficial and shallow my life really was.

  My mother couldn’t deal with everyone looking at her differently because word spread the Van Allen name was tarnished. That’s how smallminded the social circle my mother belonged to was—the circle I once belonged to.

  But I made the most out of my shitty situation. For the first time in my life, I opened a book and studied. I became the master of my own disease; educating myself, I was determined to find a cure. I exhausted every drug my doctors gave me, but to no avail. The chemotherapy drugs may as well have been aspirin.

  It took me a long while, but finally, my perseverance paid off. A doctor in Germany claimed to have found a drug that broke down the protein in the tumor I had, thus reducing the size. Trials were taking place in Germany, and I wanted in.

  I phoned my doctor, Dr. Carter, who was aware of the trials. He said I didn’t have anything to lose, and I was put on the wait list.

  Three weeks later, I was taking every color of drug known to mankind four times a day for the next year. The side effects were hideous, but so was having the sword of Damocles hanging over my head. I was constantly sick with flu-like symptoms as the drugs depleted my immune system. My hair fell out completely, which was fine, as it was thinning from the chemo anyway. But to my mother, I highlighted the fact that her perfect life wasn’t so perfect after all. She preferred me the spoiled brat I once was as opposed to the sick young woman I became.