Nate had gone to Vasilio not expecting much, but just hoping, that Rose's mother liked him. What he had not expected, was for him to genuinely like the older woman.
Mother good, mother warm, mother kind.
Mrs Adamos was the mother Nate had grown up seeing on TV. The fictional woman who only existed in story books. For Nate, mother meant a barely there presence. A kiss on the cheek, a hand on his back, pushing him towards the latest Nanny.
"Now darling, we do not have time for this. Mommy had to be in Milan by tonight,"
Mother was the occasional letter in boarding school.
Dear Nate,
Your third step father and I are divorcing. Do not worry sweetheart, your new soon to be step father is a good man.
Love,
Mother
As a boy, he had not understood exactly what it was that he was missing from his mother. And as an adult, he had convinced himself that he did not need such things. In fact, the lack of a doting mother holding his hand every step of the way had made him into the formidable business man that he was.
All it had taken to reduce his long held assertions to ash, was meeting Rose's mother. She had been wary of him at first. And he had understood, to her he most likely seemed like an opportunistic man who had swooped in when her daughter was feeling low and manipulated her. Marrying her for his own nefarious reasons. While it was true that the two of them had not married for love, and that he had asked her to stay married so that he could remain CEO. Nate cared for Rose, he cared with an intensity that scared him given how little time he had known her.
He had wanted Mrs Adamos to at least know that, so he had promised Mrs Adamos that he would take care of her. It was after that walk that the older woman had opened up to him, her affection not only for Rose, but focused on him as well.
It was there in the way she smiled at him. It was in her soft hands against his cheek. Her love showed when she called him 'our Nate', instead of just Nate, and for the first time in his life, Nathaniel Kiriakis understood how powerful a mother's love could be. Less than forty-eight hours under the same roof as her and he was finally beginning to understand how wonderful it felt to have a mother figure who actually had time for him.
Just as he thought he could not like the old woman any more than he already did. She made them wait in the living room, just as they were about to go out to the car, ready to start their journey back to the city. Hurrying into her room, emerged carrying a small box, one that Rose clearly recognized given the way she gasped, a hand coming up to her mouth.
"Mom, no," She whispered, her eyes wet, but the old woman simply shook her head, coming to stand in front of them.
"Rose, your father and I wore these rings throughout our marriage, and I do not regret a single day I had them on," Were those…oh… Nat looked down at the small box, feeling as though he was looking at something sacred.
"What you two have, is still new. But I can see traces of what I had with my David. Wear these rings, and may they hold you together as they did me and the love of my life," She said, by now, Rose was crying freely, and Nate was having trouble swallowing around a lump in his throat, overwhelmed. She popped the small box open, revealing a pair of silver rings. Beautiful in their simplicity, no engravings, no stones. Just a simple metal loop, a silent promise, always and forever. Taking her daughter's shaking hand, Mrs Adamos slipped the smaller ring onto it, smiling wetly as she wiped Rose's tears, pulling her into a hug.
"There, there sweetheart, you are alright," She said, pulling back, she turned to Nate, and he found himself unable to move. Just standing there as she took his hand in hers. Slipping the piece of jewelry, onto his ring finger. It fit like it had always been there, like it had been made just for him.
Seeing that, Mrs Adamos burst into tears, sparking another crying fit from her daughter. Nate found himself with arms full two crying women, his own eyes suspiciously wet. It probably did not mean anything, but looking over at the picture of Rose's father on the wall, Nate found himself making the same promise he had made to the man's wife.
I will take care of her.
It took them half an hour to get into the car afterwards. Rose's mother standing and waving until they turned a corner and she vanished.
They reached the edge of the town soon enough, the sea of flowers once again greeting. Rather than keep on driving, Nate pulled over on the side of the road, and Rose got out as well. Coming up to where he was standing by the hood of the car.
"Is something wrong?" She asked, and Nate shook his head, rubbing his thumb over his finger, feeling the new addition there.
Taking a deep breath, he dropped down on one knee before he could chicken out. Meeting her wide-eyed stare with his hopeful one.
"Rosalind Kiriakis, I know I am doing this backwards, but will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" He held his breath for what felt like an eternity, waiting for her reply.
"Yes, Nathaniel Kiriakis, I will be your girlfriend," She said, crouching next to him.
It felt like the most natural thing in the world to lean forward and kiss her. So that is what Nate did, her lips soft against his. Her mouth opening to welcome him. His tongue taking the invitation and diving in. She tasted just as good as she smelled. Their tongues battling for dominance as their bodies swayed. Their positions not at all comfortable for kissing, but neither of them willing to make a sacrifice and break the kiss.
Back in the city, in an easy to miss corner of the flower shop's garden, a miracle happened. A new plant pierced the earth of its little pot for the first time. Tiny new leaves feeling basking in the glow of the morning sun.