A Rose for the Sister She Lost

CHAPTER 1 - THE ROSE ON THE STREET

"Would you like a rose, ma'am?"

The little girl asked it with such bright hope that Elena Maris couldn't help smiling.

"Of course, sweetheart."

"These are beautiful. I'll take one."

As Elena reached in, the gold pendant slipped from beneath her black silk blouse. It hung at her throat, a ruby rose set in gold.

The girl's smile vanished.

She stared hard at the pendant, blue eyes wide, her body leaning forward as if pulled by a string.

"Ma'am... your pendant looks just like my mom's."

Elena gave a polite laugh at first. Then something cold moved through her chest.

"No, sweetheart. This is my family's pendant."

The girl hugged the silver bucket tighter. "Does it say Rosewood on the back?"

Elena froze.

The red rose trembled in her hand. No one knew about the engraving. Hardly anyone alive even knew the word.

"Rosewood..." she whispered.

She looked down at the child again, no longer seeing just a girl on the street. She saw the braided blond hair, the serious little mouth, the certainty.

"Where is your mom now?" Elena asked.

The girl's face changed. Not fear. Not exactly.

Just the careful expression of a child who had learned adults often asked questions but did not always help.

"She's across the street," the girl said softly. "But she told me if I ever saw that pendant, I had to ask your name first."