A Dozen Roses Read online

  After they had ordered, the server returned to the table with a centerpiece for the table, along with a note for Nikki. The centerpiece was a radish, beautifully carved like a rose. As Nikki read the note, she saw that it was from Roger; “Another rose for my favorite girl, who spices up my life; all my love, Roger” Nikki was touched by the note and by the rose.

  After a delicious dinner, they headed to their final destination for the evening, the Rose Art Gallery. Nikki thought that it was strange when she saw that the parking lot at the art gallery was almost empty. Then, when they walked into the gallery, they realized that they were the only patrons in the entire gallery. The curator met them near the entrance, and informed that the gallery was closed to the public that night, so that Nikki and her friends could have the gallery to themselves.

  “Feel free to look around as long as you want to” said the curator, and then she handed Nikki an envelope.

  Nikki opened the envelope, to reveal another note from Roger; “Nikki, though there are many beautiful paintings in this gallery, none of them are as beautiful as you my darling, and none of them can take my breath away as you do; All my love, Roger.”

  Nikki loved art, and she, Kennedy, and Brent spent the next few hours absorbing the beauty of the artwork in the gallery.

  It was after ten o’clock, when the three of them drove to Nikki’s apartment, so that she could pack a suitcase with outfits for the next couple of days, as well as personal items, and then, they drove to Brent and Kennedy’s home. Brent carried Nikki’s suitcase into the guest bedroom, and a few minutes later, they all turned in for the night.

  Early the next morning, Kennedy woke Nikki and told her that they had a busy day planned. In thirty minutes, the three of them were out the door.

  After parking a parking garage downtown, they began walking around the area. Soon, they came upon a street artist who was creating a picture on the sidewalk, out of different colors of chalk. The picture was of a woman holding a rose. As Nikki got closer, she noticed that the woman in the picture closely resembled her. The artist was just putting on the finishing touches, and then, under the picture, he wrote; ‘To Nikki, love, Roger’. Nikki noticed that the artist had a photograph of her, which Roger had given to him. Nikki was overwhelmed and very grateful, for the portrait. She took twenty dollars and handed it to the artist, as a tip, for his beautiful work. She told him that she really loved it. She took a photo of the artwork, along with the artist.

  The artist in turn, handed Nikki an envelope. She opened the envelope to reveal Roger’s latest note; “Nikki, I truly admire your generosity and your gentle nature; Love, Roger”

  Nikki was on cloud nine, as she and her friends continued walking. A short while later, they stopped for breakfast, at a quaint dining establishment named “The Wild Rose Café”.

  Nikki was excited that café served all of her favorite breakfast choices. She ordered the egg whites only omelet, with wild mushrooms, spinach and shallots; and organic strawberries. The café even had her favorite hot tea on the menu, which surprised her, because very few restaurants carried it.

  When their food arrived, they began eating. When Nikki’s tea was ready, she held the cup with both of her hands, took a sip of the hot tea, and let sit in her mouth for a moment, letting the tea tantalize her taste buds, before swallowing it, all while keeping her eyes closed.

  When Nikki opened her eyes, she saw that the waitress was holding a small envelope for her. As Nikki opened the envelope, she was giggling like a small child, in anticipation of the latest note from her boyfriend. She laughed as she read the note aloud; “Nikki, I think that it is cute the way that you savor your tea, and the way that you savor life. I miss you and love you; love Roger”

  After they finished their breakfast, Nikki and her friends walked for a few more blocks, until they came to a bookstore, where they saw a long line of people waiting to enter the store. Nikki’s curiosity peaked when Kennedy told her that it was their next stop.

  The three of them waited in line, and talked amongst themselves. Once they were inside the store, Nikki saw what the line was for. A woman was sitting at a table, signing a copy of her latest mystery/suspense novel. Nikki loved reading mystery novels. When she reached the front of the line, the author looked at her, and then at Kennedy, and selected a book that was separate from the others. She wrote a short paragraph inside the front cover, signed her name, and handed the book to Nikki. Nikki thanked the woman, and went to the cashier to pay for the book. The cashier told Nikki that the book had already been paid for.

  Once they were outside, Nikki opened the book to read what the woman had written; “Nikki, Life’s mysteries are what make life so intriguing and thrilling. Best wishes, Karen Rose”

  As Nikki flipped through the pages of the book, she found what she was looking for, another note from Roger. “Dear Nikki,” the note began, “Life is a big mystery. We never know what the future holds for us, but as long as I have you by my side, I can accomplish anything. We can encounter the mysteries of the future together. Love, Roger.”

  A few blocks later, they walked into a mall, where a sports expo was being held. Nikki and Roger shared the love of sports, but their favorite sport was baseball.

  As Nikki looked around at all of the booths, where former and present athletes were signing autographs, she saw one of them beckoning to her. As they walked closer, Nikki realized that it was Pete Rose. When he called her by name, she was pleased, but not surprised. He allowed her to move to the head of the line, where he wrote a birthday greeting on a photo, before autographing it for her. As he handed Nikki the photo, he also handed her another envelope from Roger.

  Nikki, Brent and Kennedy found a quiet table, away from the crowds of people and sat down. As Nikki read the note, she began to cry. Even though the note was a bit corny, it made her feel warm and tingly all over; “Nikki, as great as baseball is, it doesn’t come close to how great you are. You are more exciting than the seventh game of the World Series. Being with you is more thrilling than catching the ball of the game winning hit, as it flies into the stands. When I as with you, I can do anything; bat a thousand, catch any ball, and strike out any batter; Love, Roger”

  After they left the mall, they returned to the parking garage, to get the car to drive to the next destination; ‘Rose’s Tavern’. They had a light lunch, and shared a bottle of wine, as they listened to a jazz band. Nikki loved jazz music, as she found it soothing and relaxing. As she sat there, sipping her wine and listening to the music, the bartender handed her another note from Roger; “Nikki, not even the best jazz music is as smooth and beautiful as your voice, which I miss hearing. I will call you on your cell phone at midnight, Pacific Time, so that we can ring in the New Year together. Till then, be happy, my angel; Love, Roger.”

  After Nikki, Kennedy and Brent left Rose’s Tavern, Brent suggested that they all return to the house and get a nap in, before they went to a very special New Year’s Eve party. They were able to get a few hours sleep, before it was time to go to the final destination of the night.

  Before they drove to the secret location of their next destination, Nikki agreed to wear a blindfold, and earplugs, so that she could not see or hear where Kennedy and Brent were taking her. When Nikki was finally allowed to remove her blindfold and earplugs, she realized that they were at a concert. Then, she discovered the true surprise, when the band; Guns & Roses walked out onto the stage. It was one of Nikki’s favorite rock bands.

  From ten o’clock to eleven fifty, Nikki and her friends jammed to the music. Then, at ten minutes before midnight, the lead singer of the band, Axl Rose asked the crowd to quiet down. When the arena was silent, Axl asked; “Would Nicole Zimmermann please come up on stage?”

  Nikki was very nervous, but she was also very excited, as she made her way towards the stage. The crowd parted, to let Nikki through. When she
reached the stage, Axl held out his hand to help Nikki onto the stage. He led her to a chair, and after she was seated, he performed a song just for her.

  As the song ended, and the applause died down, Nikki’s cell phone rang. Nikki looked at the caller ID and saw that the call was coming in from London. She quickly answered the phone, and began talking with Roger. Nikki told him how much she missed him, and how much she was enjoying her birthday surprises. She also told him that she loved him even more than before. She did not even care that thousands of Guns & Roses Fans were listening to her side of the conversation.

  As the countdown to the New Year began, Roger and Nikki counted down together. Then, at the stroke of midnight, Roger wished Nikki a Happy New Year, and then wished her a Happy twenty-fifth Birthday. After talking for a few more minutes, Roger told Nikki that he had to get back to work.

  After Nikki put the phone back in her purse, Axl Rose told his fans that it was Nikki’s twenty-fifth birthday, and he led them in singing Happy Birthday to her. Then, he kissed Nikki on the cheek, and told her that Roger was a very lucky guy. Before Nikki returned to where Brent and Kennedy were standing, Axl gave her a signed photo of the band, and a note from Roger.