The next morning I woke up with a  throbbing headache. Oh, man. What did she do to me? I sat up in my bed, observing my bedroom. Nothing was out of place. I shook my head and got out of bed, grumbling to myself. Then, I heard someone knocking on my door. Obviously it was my dear Aunt Svetlana. She poked her head into my room and asked, "Are you alright, dear?"

I nodded and sighed. She would have thought I was going to crazy if I told her what happened last night after she left my room. Once she got my reassurance, she gently closed the door and left me to my thoughts. I went into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. I looked at the white bottle of medicine that was on the counter and hesitated. Should I go back to it?

Deciding that it was not worth it, I pulled my hand back and took off my clothes to take a shower. When I got dressed, I entered the kitchen where Aunt Svetlana surprised me with an American breakfast. I was literally dying for some normal food. The blueberry pancakes smelled and tasted like heaven itself. So far, my day was starting out good. No weird woman appearing and scaring the daylights out of me.

"Rose," Aunt Svetlana called out.

I looked up and replied, "Yes?"

She had this solemn look on her face. She took a deep breath and continued, "I fear the flower shop won't last long."

We were having this conversation again. She was worried about her health and how I was going to support myself. Her health was going downhill for the last few months. I grabbed her hand and said, "Auntie, you're going to be okay. The flower shop will stay open, I promise."

She put her hands over mine and asked, "We still have $70,000 to pay back. How are we going to do it? If we raise the price of our flowers, no one would buy."

"We'll pay it off. We'll find a way. I don't want you worrying about this. Mother was a good woman but she had poor management skills over money. But I promise you that everything will work out."

"I had spent so much money on the flower shop and now I have very little in my account. I love this job, that's not a lie, but it isn't going to survive for very long. The company sent another letter—"

"Another one already? But I've already told them that—

"They don't care. I'll take all of my savings and pay at least one-third of the debt. The money we earn from the money flower is too little."

I sighed and said, "Fine."

She gave me a smile and patted my hand before she let go. She took up and started to clean up the dishes. I helped hr and we drove her small vintage car to our flower shop. I got out and found Dimitri standing there with his hands in his pockets.

"Dimitri?"

I was surprised. He turned around and said, "Thought you were closed today."

Aunt Svetlana walked up behind me and shook Dimitri's hands. They exchanged a few friendly (I think) words in Russian. He looked at me and asked, "Have you had breakfast?"

"Yes, I have," I smiled.

"Lunch with me today?"

"It's not even 8:30 in the morning and you're already asking me out to lunch?"

"Why not?"

I chuckled and replied, "Yes, I'll have lunch with you today. Now leave if you're not going to buy any flowers."

I helped my aunt open up the flower shop and brought out fresh flowers to the wooden tables outside. Dimitri carried two water-filled metal buckets out, following my aunt's instructions. I picked up a bundle of sunflowers and turned around. I was stunned to the spot. Across the road was the very same woman who appeared in my room last night. I gasped and dropped the flowers. She walked to where Dimitri and I were standing and placed her hand on his back.

I swallowed thickly and said, "D-Dimitri."

He stood up to his full height as if nothing happened. "Yeah?"

I grabbed his hand and pulled him next to me. The woman dropped her hand and said, "Take care of him."

"Rose."

"Rose?"

She slowly faded away into thin air. I was seeing her again. Was I going crazy? Dimitri grabbed my shoulders and turned me around to face him. Concern was written all over his face as he looked at me.

"Rose."

I blinked my eyes and shook my head. I cleared my throat and said, "Sorry about that. I thought. . .never mind." I picked up the bundle off the ground and hurried into the shop. A headache was present so I went to my purse and took two pills of painkiller.

"Rose—" Aunt Svetlana looked up and frowned when she saw my face. Dimitri soon came into the shop.

She pushed my hair back and asked, "Why are you pale as a ghost, my love?"

"It's nothing," I replied, feeling a little lightheaded. "Really, auntie."

She nodded and went back to working. Dimitri didn't look convinced. He looked at me and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He returned back to helping my aunt and relief filled my chest. I didn't want any of them pressing me for answers and thinking that I was going crazy.

After an hour or so, Dimitri had to go back home. He told me he would come back to pick me up for lunch. By that time, our shop had received roughly about ten orders. I was moving around the shop as fast as I could.

"Rose, we're out of carnations and lilies!" Aunt Svetlana shouted from the storage room. That meant that I had to go the flower market and get some more. I grabbed the car keys and got into the car. The engined came to life and I started to drive a little faster. I glanced at my watch and it read: 11:20.

If I hurried , I could get back in time for my lunch date with Dimitri. The road ahead was straight and not busy because we were out of town. I fished out my phone and accidentally dropped it.

"Rose, slow down!"

I looked up and screamed. A woman was walking onto the road. I turned the steering wheel and lost control of the car. It crossed onto the other lane and nearly missed the truck. I closed my eyes and put my hands in front of me. The car rolled over onto the side of the road and I was on the verge of passing out. Being upside down in the car, I was stuck inside. I closed my eyes and opened them again to see same woman who had wings.

Her face was the last thing I saw before my eyes fell shut.

I grunted and opened my eyes. Around me were paramedics and a few police cars. I was laying flat on the asphalt out of Aunt Svetlana's car. Two paramedics rushed over to me and kept pushing me down. I ached all over.

One of them said something to me in Russian and I had no idea what he was trying to tell me. I looked to my side and saw that woman again. She looked elegant in her gown. She knelt down and said, "Close your eyes."

But I didn't want to. I shook my head and she reached out to me. I felt my eyelids getting heavier by the second. What is she doing to me? I shook my head again, trying to stay awake. I wanted Aunt Svetlana here. I wanted her now. I groaned and tried to push myself up but I didn't have any strength left. It was all very strange.

Then, the paramedics helped me onto the gurney and got into the ambulance. I could no longer see the woman. I finally relaxed and let the weariness get to me.

When I got to the hospital, the doctor did varies scans and checkups on me. About half an hour later, Aunt Svetlana arrived with Dimitri. She rushed to me and grasped my hands tightly.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" she asked, looking at my arms for bruises. But surprisingly, I didn't have any cuts or bruises at all. I was perfectly fine.

"Auntie, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded and smiled at her. The doctor came in and she literally interviewed him which gave Dimitri the opportunity to talk to me. He looked worried.

"What happened, Rose?" He asked, frowning slightly.

I shrugged and said, "I was being stupid. I dropped my phone and wasn't looking where I was going."

Then, I remembered the woman's voice that told me to be careful. I swallowed and faked a smile even though I was shaken up. Dimitri looked at me as if he was hoping that I would say more. I shook my head and continued, "I won't do that again. Besides, my aunt and I don't have a car anymore. It's pretty banged up."

"Where were you going?"

"To the flower market. I had to make an early trip to get some flowers that we needed."

"Nothing strange?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at me.

I hesitated, but nodded with a smile. If I told him, he wouldn't believe me. Nobody would. Right now I just wanted some time alone. I needed to think clearly. Was I seeing things again? Those weird things that haunted my childhood. Maybe it was time for me to go back to my pills again.

"I think it's a little too late for our lunch together," I said, "How about dinner?"

"Are you sure you're gonna feel good enough later?"

I nodded.

Aunt Svetlana did not approve of my decision on going out to dinner with Dimitri. She wanted me safe at home and tucked into bed. Despite that, the doctor did say I was lucky to be alive. Anyway, I told her that I was fine while in truth I was not. Strange things were happening and I couldn't find any explanation. In an accident like that, I should have been terribly injured or dead. But I was not.

And here I was sitting at the table of a restaurant alone. Dimitri went to get something and would be back in a few minutes. I sipped my drink casually and looked out the window. Everything seemed normal. There were people walking outside and enjoying their time together. I set my glass down and my eyes wondered to the group of people that came in.

There was another man I had seen before when I was younger. He had black hair and blue, blue eyes. Shocked, I unintentionally knocked my glass over, spilling my drink over the table. I stood up abruptly and a waitress came over to clean the mess up. I looked back at the same place and he was not there. I excused myself and walked out the restaurant, looking left and right.

This was driving me crazy. It had to stop. I felt a hand on my arm and whirled around to face the person. It was Dimitri to my relief.

"Rose, what are you doing out here?" he asked, looking concerned.

"I saw. . ." I started to explained, but then remembered why I didn't the first time, "I just thought I saw someone I knew."

He looked behind me and said, "Let's go inside."

I nodded in agreement. But that man—I knew that man. We went back to our table and a new drink was already served. I drank half the glass, trying to calm the unsettling feeling in my stomach.

I was so distracted tonight that I didn't notice the luggage beside Dimitri. I frowned and asked, "Where are you going?" I gestured to his black bag.

"I have to fly back to the States to check on my job."

"Speaking of jobs, what is your job?"

"I'm a bodyguard. It's dangerous, but I like it."

I smiled and asked, "So how long will you be gone?"

"A week or two. I'm gonna see if they can move me here instead," he explained.

I sighed and replied, "I haven't been there for a long time. Kinda miss it."

He shrugged and said, "Well, you can go and meet me there. We can spend a few days there after I get everything organized and fly back here."

It sounded nice, but Aunt Svetlana would disagree. I shook my head and smiled, "Nah, my aunt will need my help here."

I glanced out of the window and saw the same man I saw earlier. Chills ran up my spine as I sank into my seat. I quickly looked away and picked up my glass to drink the cold liquid. I blinked a few times and gave the window another glance. He was gone. The man from my childhood. He was here. I looked at Dimitri and faked a smile.

"Excuse me," I said and headed straight to the bathroom.

I locked myself inside a stall and took deep breaths. What was wrong with me? Why was I seeing all of this? I reached into my pocket and a white pill was in my hand. I contemplated whether I should take it or not. This was getting out of hand. Seeing all these things were driving me crazy.

I just wanted a nice life. I steadied my breathing and slipped the pill back into my pocket. I went out of the bathroom and sat back down at the table. We ate dinner in silence. I was not in the mood to start a conversation. I was getting paranoid.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri asked, looking suspicious of me.

I nodded and answered, "Yeah, I feel great."

What a lie that was.

Was I to tell the man that I liked that I was seeing things? No way. He'd leave me before I could even say 'sorry'. No one wanted to be with a crazy person. I cleared my throat and asked, "So how long have you lived in the states?"

"Over ten years. Family wasn't at its best back then," he answered honestly.

I felt sorry for him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I mean, things have gotten a lot better now."

"That's good."

I was held down as a man stood over me. He raised his hands that held a knife above me and I screamed. I tried pulling and pushing in every direction, but nothing worked. The knife came down and through my stomach. I gasped, feeling pain spread all over my body. Tears streamed down my face as blood gushed out. I felt disappointment and sadness as my head turned to all the beautiful white flowers on the ground. The pain was unbearable and my eyelids felt heavier by the second.

I shot up in bed, gasping loudly. Sweat covered my body completely. I was shaken up by my nightmare. I looked at my alarm clock and sighed in tiredness. It was two in the morning. My mouth was dry. I stretched a little and winced when I felt a sharp pain in my stomach. I pushed the comforter away and looked at my blouse, checking for something that was out of ordinary. 

Why did it hurt?

I got out of bed and went into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw how pale I was. To sum up everything: I was scared to death.

Why did all of this start happening now?

That nightmare. . .it scared me so bad. But it hurt more. I felt tears threatening to spill out. I sat down on the bathroom floor and wiped away the tears that escaped from my eyes. I needed to do something. I needed help.

I finally updated. Whoo! I was hoping to make this chapter longer, but because it's my birthday today, I decided to publish this chapter than planned. I hope you enjoyed it because I nearly had to rub my brain for more ideas.

Anyway, guys! Don't forget to leave a comment and vote!

I would love to know what you think and communicate with all of you again. It's been too long. . .don't you agree?

Hugs and kisses from your author and friend,

Iris