The darkness overwhelmed him; cold blankness seemed to be the only thing in this dark room of his. Jacob continued to read his novel as light began to fill his room. The sunrise was always so beautiful to him especially in the winter. Jacob closed the leather-covered book and got up, his dark blue eyes scanned the morning sunrise and he brought himself to think of her. Jacob let a single tear roll down his cheek, as it was a routine now. She was always beautiful to him and he lost her. Jacob walked to the bathroom were he undressed and showered. His shaggy brown hair in a mess. Jacob combed his hair and brushed his teeth, work started early. He quietly walked down the stairs, to see his young daughter already on the couch. “Rose, why are you up so early? Do you want breakfast?” Rose nodded her head and continued watching her show. Jacob kept to himself and made them breakfast, eggs and toast, Rose’s favorite.
“When’s mom coming home? She said she’d be back by now.”
Jacob stopped and spoke quietly
“ Rose dear, mom isn’t coming home”
“Oh? Where is she then?” Another tear ran down his cheek,
“Mom is in heaven, with the other angels, we won’t get to see her again, not for a long time anyway” Rose began to cry, tears fell down her pink cheeks, anger filled her blue eyes. “do you want to stay home from school today?” Rose nodded, “okay then we will have a movie and ice cream day, do you want that?” Once again Rose nodded and her tears suddenly left her pink face. She continued to snack on the toast, as her appetite went away.
  Jacob called in sick for work and put in a movie for Rose. He went back upstairs to change out of his work attire. He sat in front of his computer and began to check out nannies and babysitters. On the side of a web page was an advertisement.
“Lost someone important and need someone new? Well then this dating site is for you! Sign up today.” Jacob scoffed but clicked anyway, It brought him to a websites with beautiful girls around his age who wanted a family, Jacob scrolled through looking at everyone’s interests and goals. But none matched his. Jacob closed his laptop in anger and went downstairs to find his daughter playing with dolls.
“ Hey Rose, wanna’ go to the book store, its time for a new book.”  Rose nodded and grabbed her shoes racing to the car. Jacob laughed to himself and followed her, keys banging against his hand. He buckled up Rose and got in himself. He started the car and pulled out of the driveway. The sky was dark, a storm was approaching and it was coming on fast. Jacob drove slowly; he didn’t want a crash to fall upon his family especially if it would hurt his daughter. He stayed the same pace for many miles until the town approached. Jacob was known around the small town, but not in a good way. Jacob was known for his dead wife, and his beautiful small daughter. The town saw him as a sobering reminder that happy endings don’t exist, he was never very joyful in the town after his wife died and his job at the local grocer didn’t help much. Jacob parked the small Ford and got out . He opened the door for his little girl and she jumped out, smile on her face. Rose loved the bookstore, it was her and her mother’s favorite place and she still cherished it. Jacob opened the glass door to hear a small bell go off, a jingled that thrilled Rose every time. The lady at the desk didn’t look up from her novel but waved them to the side. Rose grabbed her father’s hand and pulled him through the isle of the bookstore. She pulled out every book on the shelf and Jacob quietly put them back one by one. A lady around Jacob’s age came up to him, helping him put the books back.
“Hi, I’m Keyarrah, can I help you with anything?” She smiled and giggled as Jacob started. Jacob’s concentration broke, resulting in him dropping the books. “ Do you want help sir?” Jacob nodded his words still caught in his throat. She knelt by him and put the books back.
“I’m Jacob, nice to meet you, do you work here?” Jacob then glanced at her name tag, “ of course you work here, and I’m so stupid, sorry.”
“It’s okay really, what brings you here?” she pushed more books on the shelf.
“ My daughter shares my love of books so I come here quite often, it keeps her happy.”
“ As it should, books are wonderful I love them so much.”
“What’s your favorite book, Keyarrah?”
“ Oh, um you probably never heard of it but it’s called, Ellyn Le by Krystale Lash” Jacob smiled,
“ I love that book so much it is the best of that series.”
“ You read the series?! That’s so cool, she is coming out with a new book in a couple of weeks” she smiled and put the books down. “Would you like to get to know each other over a cup of coffee sometime? He quickly jerked his head, “How about next Saturday?” Once again Jacob nodded and just like that they were courting each other, just a maiden and a knight making eye contact for the first time. Rose came around the isle and put all the books back in their original area, while showing Jacob a new book she was interested in. He purchased the small book while grabbing himself a novel. They exited the small bookstore and he waved to Keyarrah and smiled, today will be good. Getting Rose into the car was becoming a chore, something that Jacob couldn’t stand. So instead of loading her up, they walked to the grocer that Jacob worked at. They bought tubs of ice cream and cones and soda for Jacob. They walked back to the car and he got Rose in without a fight, then again she wanted to watch the new movie that Jacob had bought for her, but he didn’t mind. The storm was a lot closer now and rain began to down poor, no roads were safe. Jacob drove carefully while his daughter played in the back, mouth full of chicken nuggets and fries. The rain came down harder and harder, and conditions became worse as the time progressed. Jacob pulled into the garage and shut the door behind him. He pulled Rose out of her seat and she ran inside, leaving crumbs trailing behind her. Jacob grabbed the groceries and put them on the granite counter inside. He gave Rose her ice cream and put in the movie, leaving her to do her own thing.
Jacob went upstairs to put away some of the other things they bought and then came back down, his new novel in hand as he was ready for a new book experience. He sat on the chair next to the couch were his daughter spread everything out, in an attempt to keep the couch to herself. Jane never would have allowed that, but she isn’t there anymore so Jacob didn’t care. Rose giggled as the cartoon made different noises, which could only be funny to an 8 year old. Excited to read the new the new novel, Jacob plopped down into the deep chair which needed replaced but that’s too much work for them. He glanced up every few minutes to check on Rose to make sure she as okay. While reading Jacob’s mind went to Jane. They met at the fair, on the Ferris wheel and at that moment sparks flew. They kissed the first time at an ice cream shop and then were married on a beach. Jane loved a flower, that’s the reason Rose was named the way she was. Jane thought them to be beautiful and serene. The peacemakers of the earth, she wanted her daughter to be a peacemaker and a kind hearted, beautiful girl. Which Rose was, She had deep blue eyes like her father and gorgeous dirty blonde hair like her mother. Her freckled pink cheeks were always beautiful and Jacob thought of Jane when he saw them. Jacob closed his novel and ran his fingers over the binding, the beautiful gold print always seemed to awe him. He set it on the coffee table and closed his eyes, scanning his brain for a memory, a memory of her.
Suddenly Jacob heard Rose scream, his eyes popped open and in an instant he was over her body, sheltering her. Tears began to roll down her cheeks, Jacob could tell she was scared…but of what? Jacob slowly got up to see his daughter having her eyes fixed on the stairs, and a loud thumping in her room. Jacob grabbed a knife from the kitchen and slowly walked up the stairs, unaware of what he would be facing. He slowly rounded the corner as something jerked on his jacket causing him to spin around. To his surprise his small little girl was behind him, protecting herself. He continued to creep down the hall, darkness oozing from the long hallway. Finally, the were at the door, were thumping was the only sound other than their terrified shortened breaths. Jacob pushed the door ajar but only by the slightest and looked in. There on the floor of Roses room was Jane, Jacob pushed the door open all the way, to see his supposed dead wife on the floor. He rushed to her; tears came out her beautiful blue eyes, and two words she spoke.
“I’m home” Jacob’s eyes filled with tears, he was holding his wife in his hands, his bloody, calloused hands. Her soft skin was pushed against his, more tears flowed from the coupled eyes, and nothing could make them happier than this moment.
“I-I thought you were dead” Jacob buried his head in her blonde hair, sniffling away his tears. “I went to your funeral, I saw your body.” Jane continued to cry and nodded,
“Yeah, I know, I saw you. I saw you bury me alive” Jacob kissed Jane like if it was all just a bad dream; he wanted to feel that he thought up her death. She is intoxicated with him there with her. Then around the corner, they heard a whisper. A simple word that brought more joy to the home
“Mom?” Tears began to fall harder down their faces
“Rose darling, is that you?” Rose peeked around the corner with tears in her eyes and ran to her mother, all in a big circle. Jane pulled away and wiped her tears, “ I have something to tell you both.” Jacob began to feel uneasy, he pulled them up and took them downstairs were the rain was in a constant down pour. He sat Jane at the table and Rose was next to Jacob, standing with arms crossed, terrified to hear what would come out of her mouth.
“First off, I’m alive and it is me.” The room was silent they wanted more than that; they wanted a how, and then a why. “ Second, um, I have an important job that required me to um, die.” Jacob looked concerned “ um, I was being hunted and the only way to keep you safe was to go into hiding.” Jacob began to speak but Jane hushed him. “ I know I should have told you I hadn’t died and I should have told you the story, before you married me you should have known my career choice, but I am home and I am never going anywhere… Ever” Jacob nodded and stepped forward.
“ Who did we bury then?” Jacob’s eyes were full of fear and anger
“ A clone, she was made to look like me so I could complete my task.”
“ Oh and why did you decide to come back in the middle of a rainstorm?” Jane gulped and continued
“ My car broke down yesterday so I had to walk, I got her e in the middle of the storm”
“Why did you climbed through our daughters window?!” Jacob was furious, the fact that his wife crawled through a window to get in was beyond him and he couldn’t think about how she didn’t knock.
“ I- I’m sorry” she lowed her head in shame, she understood her situation and how she should have acted differently. Jacob walked around the table and wrapped his arms around his wife, as she proceeded to wrap her arms around Rose, a knock came to the door. Jacob let go and walked to the door, who would be here at this time in this type of storm? He pulled it open to see Keyarrah, he quickly pulled the door closed and pushed himself outside with her, it had been a few days since their date and they were a couple, they liked each other and he wanted to be with her. Keyarrah kissed him slowley pushing him against the door. Jacob pushed her off even though he didn’t want to and explained what happened. Keyarrah slowly backed away and walked to her car.
“ I guess it means we’re done, See ya’ Jakey”
“ Bye” Jacob came back inside to see his wife braiding his daughter’s hair “ Jane, we need to talk…alone!” Jacob stomped up the stairs with Jane following after him. He took her into their room and said very few things. But one of those things was memorable “ Jane, I want a divorce.”
Jane was chocked up on her words, but why now, didn’t he love her? Jane was puzzled but Jacob continued.
“ You left and I found someone, someone who won’t leave me.” Tears pooled in Jane’s eyes “ I once loved you, but the decisions you made caused this heart break. We aren’t even really married I signed the papers. You can stay in the guest suite until you find a house and then you go…understood?” Jane nodded and walked down stairs. Then Jacob called Keyarrah
“ Hey..”
“ Hey”
“ I um just wanted to say I don’t want us to end, you mean the world to me and…” Keyarrah cut him off; she said three words that got them back together
“ I love you”
The storm was almost done and he couldn’t wait to see Keyarrah, he waited till the roads were safe and put Rose in the car with him. He drove slowly not knowing what the roads would hold, then suddenly a car came to close and ran into them, hitting the back end of the car. Were Rose was. Jacob quickly pulled himself out of the car, to see a red substance trickle down the side of the car. He was angry; he pulled the door of the car off its hinges and grabbed his daughter. Cradling her in his arms he ran to the city, away from the wreck. His leg was injured and his head was bleeding but all that mattered was her. He moved quickly, cars stopping to see what was going on. The pick up that hit them followed as though he was upset at his attempt. Jacob moved faster, nothing would keep him from getting his little girl medical attention. He ran into the clinic, yelling for anyone to help them, he then saw three nurses that grabbed Rose out of his hands and raced her back to the room. There he collapsed, eyes closing with a medical beep fading as he did. Jacob’s eyes began to open, his vision blurry with the medical beep in the background. Two people were next to him, Jane and Keyarrah. Jacob jumped up in anger.
“Where is she?! Where is my daughter?!” Tears once again began to pool in Jane’s eyes
“ She’s gone, she lost so much blood that there wasn’t enough to keep her body running.” Jacob began to cry, he first lost his wife, then his daughter.
“Can I see her then?” The nurse in the corner of the room nodded. Jacob got up to find stitched in his leg and head. He walked down the hall the medical robe swaying. The small nurse opened the door and let him in. “ Why? Why did this happen?” Tears bled from his eyes, he wanted nothing but to hold her I his arms the way they did before, before she was gone. He picked her up slowly and carried her to the stretcher where they would wheel her to the morgue. Jacob pulled himself to the bed were she previously laid and sat there, tears flowing from his devil blue eyes. He slowly got up and went back to his own room. Tears still flowing down his face he laid back on his bed and let the words of the nurses consume him. He laid there silently a blank stare and nodding to every thing that he was told. He was able to leave but his arm was broken and so was his heart.
Days were bleak and boring, he couldn’t go a day without crying and they weren’t small tears. Jacob would continue his days as he once did but his grief was worse. He ran a small business in town and many days they would be closed, he never walked back into a bookstore or read another book, he hated life. Life hated him. He pushed out Jane, she was the reason it all went downhill in his mind. It was all her, it always was. Keyarrah was only seen once or twice a week and their relationship wasn’t very strong. Jacob would hear his daughter’s voice at times, and it gave him hope, but just a shred. He thought there was still hope, hope she was alive. If his ex wife was, she could be too. He spent to many days dwelling on this thought; in the end it would kill him. Jacob spent many days away from everyone and the lives around him began to improve. Keyarrah’s bookstore was booming and she couldn’t keep customers out. Jane met someone new and they were living happily.
Months passed, 9 to be exact and Jane had a small baby. A baby boy named Chris. This brought joy to Jacob because that meant a new baby in the household. Jane’s second husband left her and she had no place to go. She lived with Jacob again and he wasn’t to thrilled. Jacob was married to Keyarrah and he was happy again. Keyarrah was happy with child maybe two and their marriage was thriving. Jane was jealous, she hated the idea of her ex, happy and married again since she couldn’t have that. Jane became obsessed with the idea of a perfect match, a one to raise her child and she became mad with the idea. She was gone most the time because of her job. To which none knew much about, Jacob felt as if he was raising Chris and he really was. Jacob didn’t forget about Rose, while messing with Chris he would think of the daughter he once had. Above his bed was a picture frame, a frame with a rose and falling petals. He thought of it of her life, young and beautiful, going to soon. Chris was a lot like Jacob even though he wasn’t the father and never seemed he would be. Keyarrah went to work everyday as her store was growing and creating more and more business. Jacob worked there with her during her pregnancy, she couldn’t do much and she needed him to do the heavy lifting, literally. Jacob walked her to work and if it was a slow day, he’d leave and keep her there, she had everything that would be needed.