More than Roses

It was the summer of August 2015 when Vanessa's father and her stepmother dropped her off at Maple Hill University. Her father reveled in the thought that, finally, he would have a daughter who would earn a degree in economics. "You have to comprehend how the world operates if you wish to master it," he'd say. Vanessa's elder sister, Sarah, had fallen short of his ambitions, opting for a career in accounting. Their interactions had dwindled over the years. Sarah, now residing in Eastwood City with her lawyer husband, had not returned home in a long while. Vanessa, however, maintained a covert connection with her, exchanging occasional text messages, keeping this communication hidden from their father. He would have vehemently disapproved of Vanessa talking to Sarah, whom he deemed a disappointment for not fulfilling his dreams. Apart from her father, Vanessa had no one left, as her stepmother remained a distant figure in her life.

Her family was immensely affluent, with her father, an orthopedic surgeon, owning his own hospital. Vanessa did not require a college degree, yet she found herself at the university, burdened by a suitcase and flanked by her father and stepmother. This path was not of her choosing; her dreams had always gravitated towards a music career. Music was Vanessa's sanctuary, her lifeblood. She held a special affection for opera and hip-hop. Music, for Vanessa, was not merely a form of entertainment; it was a language of emotions. It had the power to convey joy, sadness, love, and longing in a way that words alone could not. It was a source of solace during difficult times and a source of boundless joy during moments of celebration.As Vanessa grew older, her musical repertoire expanded. She developed a deep appreciation for various genres, but opera held a special place in her heart. The grandeur of the productions, the soaring arias, and the timeless stories of love and tragedy resonated with her on a profound level.

Opera, with its powerful emotions and intricate compositions, allowed Vanessa to tap into a wellspring of feelings she couldn't easily express in her daily life. Each opera was a journey into the human soul, a testament to the beauty and complexity of the human experience.

But her stepmother's influence had coerced her onto an alternate trajectory, a decision she resented bitterly. Vanessa wished fervently that her stepmother had never entered their lives.Vanessa's stepmother, Angela, was a formidable presence in their household. Her life revolved around the world of finance and investments, a world that Vanessa struggled to comprehend. Angela was a business mogul, holding a prominent position in one of the city's leading firms that specialized in analyzing the stock market and conducting complex financial transactions.

Her days were a whirlwind of meetings, conference calls, and strategic negotiations. Angela was known for her sharp intellect and unwavering determination in the cutthroat world of finance. Her success was measured not just by the wealth she amassed but by the respect she commanded among her peers.

Her marriage to Vanessa's father had been a union of two distinct worlds. While her father was a renowned orthopedic surgeon, Angela's expertise lay in the intricate web of finance. Their lives, though intertwined, often followed divergent paths. Angela had little interest in the medical field, and her husband showed minimal enthusiasm for the complexities of the stock market.Despite the apparent disparities in their interests, Angela had managed to steer the family's financial ship with precision. She had a keen eye for investments, turning their resources into substantial wealth. Her vision for the future extended beyond the boundaries of medicine and finance. She saw Vanessa as the heir to a vast empire of financial expertise, a vision Vanessa had struggled to embrace.

Vanessa often watched Angela from the sidelines, her stepmother's phone conversations filled with jargon and discussions that were beyond hercomprehension. The stock market, mergers, and acquisitions, and financial forecasts were the backdrop to Vanessa's childhood. Angela's relentless pursuit of financial success had left little room for the warmth of a traditional family life.

As Vanessa grew older, she began to understand the weight of her stepmother's expectations. Angela had high hopes for Vanessa's future, envisioning her as a formidable force in the world of finance. Vanessa's own dreams of pursuing a career in music clashed with Angela's aspirations. Their relationship had always been strained, a result of conflicting desires and unmet expectations. Angela's disappointment in Vanessa's choice of major was palpable, and her disapproval hung in the air like an unspoken tension. The chasm between them widened as Vanessa yearned for the freedom to follow her own dreams.

The idea of escaping had crossed her mind numerous times, but she had nowhere to flee, save for her sister's residence in Eastwood. Regrettably, her father would inevitably track her down there, rendering it a fruitless endeavor. So, Vanessa begrudgingly resolved to pursue an economics degree, pledging the minimal effort necessary to appease her father. And so it began, with her parents dropping her off, reassuring her to reach out if the need arose. However, all Vanessa yearned for was to vanish entirely, for her life was evolving into a fate she had never envisioned.

Vanessa, in due course, settled into accommodations in an aging building, located a considerable distance from the university gate due to her tardy arrival. With most nearby apartments already claimed, she found herself rooming with a second-year student named Grace, who was on a political science scholarship. Initial discord yielded to camaraderie as they discovered common ground in matters of fashion, culinary preferences, and musical tastes. Vanessa developed a particular fondness for afrobeat, an affinity shared by Grace.

As the academic year unfolded, Vanessa's academic inadequacies became increasingly apparent. The burdensome workload threatened to overwhelm her, and she frequently voiced her frustrations to Grace. It was Grace who suggested seeking a tutor, though the cost of one posed a formidable hurdle. Vanessa's financial resources, however, rendered this obstacle insignificant, and she decided to procure a tutor who happened to be a third-year economics student. Her choice, influenced in part by his striking appearance, would assist her in her quest to excel in her forthcoming examinations.

Their tutoring sessions were scheduled for Fridays and Sundays, maintaining an entirely professional demeanor at the outset. Although he refrained from partaking in any refreshments she offered, their interactions grew more familiar as they progressed. He proved adept at economics, yet he remained a somewhat enigmatic figure on campus. Vanessa's inquiries about him yielded minimal information; he was a reclusive figure who appeared at the university briefly, only to retreat to the town's outskirts. He seldom engaged in conversation with others. This revelation provided Vanessa with some relief, absolving her of any responsibility for their limited interaction.

She harbored an increasing curiosity about the stranger who had assumed the role of her tutor for the past two months. She knew nothing of his place of residence or his activities outside of tutoring sessions. As examinations approached, he ably prepared her for the tests, providing insights into the types of questions she could expect and the most effective methods for answering them. Vanessa's results in the examinations were highly satisfactory, sparing her the ordeal of repeating a year. She possessed ambitious aspirations for her life, and repeating a year would have delayed her pursuit of those dreams.

While elated by her academic accomplishments, Vanessa recognized that she would no longer encounter her tutor. She had grown accustomed to his presence and, regrettably, had developed a crush on him. She cherished his distinctive scent, the meticulous grooming of his hair, and his impeccable attire. Such feelings were unwarranted and unbidden, yet Vanessa was unwilling to relinquish them. For the first time in a long while, she yearned for the presence of a man in her life. The notion was absurd, for she knew virtually nothing about him, yet an irrational part of her longed for his company. She fantasized about waking up to his baritone voice serenading her with her favorite opera songs, with his arms enveloping her as she lay in bed. Vanessa recognized the futility of these thoughts, but the slim likelihood of them ever materializing did not deter her. She never saw her tutor again after the examinations; he seemed to vanish into thin air. She had never obtained his phone number since their appointments had always proceeded smoothly and punctually. Vanessa briefly considered attending his lectures, but she dismissed the notion as foolish. She consoled herself with the belief that if their connection were meant to persist, fate would eventually intervene, reuniting them on campus.

The university subsequently entered a vacation period, prompting Vanessa to return home. Grace had already departed, opting to stay with an uncle in Baltimore. Vanessa found herself lonely at home. Although she reached out to Grace through phone calls, her attempts went unanswered, and Grace did not return any of the calls. Vanessa grew increasingly concerned but ultimately assumed that Grace was capable of managing her affairs, just as she had done for Vanessa when they were at the university. Vanessa sporadically conversed with her sister, Sarah, who was adjusting to motherhood. Sarah's husband had encouraged her to cease working until their child was at least two years old. This arrangement left Sarah with abundant idle time, and Vanessa suspected that her sister experienced even more profound boredom than she did. Vanessa decided to pay her sister a visit, a prospect that her father would have sternly opposed, just as he had when Sarah had her first child. When her father informed her of his three-day conference trip to New York, Vanessa seized the opportunity to visit Sarah. The last time she had seen her sister was during a brief visit when Vanessa had fabricated a story about their father falling ill. Sarah had not stayed overnight, as she and their father had clashed that day. Vanessa suspected that they had conspired to exclude her.

Vanessa packed her bags and boarded the bus to Eastwood City. She couldn't help but reflect on her sister's life. Sarah had faced her own challenges.Vanessa's thoughts often drifted to her mother, a radiant presence in her life. Her mother had been a nurse, working alongside her father at the hospital. She was the embodiment of beauty, both inside and out. Vanessa remembered her mother driving her to school every day, her warm smile dispelling any early morning blues. They shared a bond that transcended the typical mother-daughter relationship; they were best friends. But life had a cruel twist in store for them. One day, her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, a diagnosis that struck their family like a bolt of lightning. Vanessa, though still young, was old enough to understand the gravity of the situation. She knew her mother was fighting a battle, and she clung to the hope that her mother would emerge victorious.

Their home transformed into a battleground against the relentless disease. Chemotherapy became a regular part of her mother's life, and the toll on her was evident. Her once-lustrous hair fell victim to the potent drugs, leaving her with a shorn head. She lost weight rapidly, her strength waning with each passing day.

Vanessa, with tears in her eyes, recalled the moments when she would sit by her mother's bedside, holding her frail hand. She wanted to be strong for her mother, to show her unwavering support. But behind the brave facade, she was a child struggling to comprehend the impending loss.

The doctors had given them the grim news that the cancer had spread to her mother's liver. There was nothing more they could do, except watch and wait. Vanessa's heart ached as she remembered the day when the doctors informed them that they could only offer palliative care.

Her mother's unwavering strength remained intact, even in the face of impending doom. She continued to smile, to offer words of encouragement, and to share moments of tenderness with Vanessa. It was as if her mother was trying to protect her from the harsh reality of what lay ahead.

Then, on the eve of Christmas in 2009, Vanessa's mother drew her final breath. The room, once filled with the sounds of joy and celebration, became a silent witness to their profound loss. Vanessa cried all night, unable to fathom a world without her mother's presence.

The loss left a permanent void in Vanessa's heart, a wound that had never completely healed. She had so much she wished she could have shared with her mother—her dreams, her aspirations, and the music they both loved. She longed to hear her mother's laughter, to feel the comfort of her embrace, but all she had now were memories.

In the years that followed, Vanessa found solace in her mother's love for music, a legacy that lived on. She continued to play the piano, finding refuge in the melodies that had once filled their home. And as she sat in that opera theater, enveloped by the music she cherished, she couldn't help but feel her mother's presence, as if she was there beside her, sharing in the magic of the moment.Vanessa cried for days, unable to eat or sleep. Sarah had been her rock during those dark times, missing a year of school to support her.

As the years passed, the pain of her mother's loss gradually faded, but the memories remained. Vanessa wished her mother were still alive to share her dreams and aspirations. She would have told her about her roommate, her tutor, and the conflicting emotions she was experiencing. Her mother had nurtured her love for music, buying her a piano and signing her up for lessons. Those were the happiest moments of her childhood, playing music with her mother by her side.

Vanessa's musings brought her to her sister's doorstep. Sarah's face lit up when she saw Vanessa, and they shared a long, heartfelt hug. It had been too long. Vanessa took in her sister's appearance, noticing the toll that motherhood had taken. Sarah had lost weight, her hair was disheveled, but she was still undeniably beautiful.

They spent hours catching up, reminiscing about their shared past and laughing about Vanessa's infatuation with her tutor. Sarah teasingly claimed that Vanessa was in love, a notion Vanessa denied but couldn't help but consider. Her tutor had left a lasting impression, and she found herself missing his presence more than she'd like to admit.

Sarah's husband was away on a business trip to the UK, leaving her alone for the next two weeks. She had her daughter for company, but two-year-olds weren't the best conversationalists. Vanessa, however, relished the time spent with her sister, cherishing their connection and the shared memories.

Eventually, Vanessa had to say her goodbyes and return home before their father's return. She packed her bags, left Sarah's house, and headed to the nearest bus stop. The journey back home was long and uneventful, but Vanessa couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. She had reconnected with her sister, shared her dreams, and felt a renewed sense of purpose.

She arrived home around midday, but her stepmother was engrossed in a phone call with her boss and paid little attention to Vanessa's return. Vanessa settled back into her familiar routine, with thoughts of her tutor lingering in her mind, hoping that fate would someday bring them back together.

Vanessa's return to her daily routine brought with it a sense of monotony. Her father remained busy at the hospital, tirelessly attending to his patients, while her stepmother conducted her business affairs from home. Vanessa's presence went unnoticed, lost in the whirlwind of their responsibilities.

Despite the lack of familial warmth, Vanessa immersed herself in her studies. She was determined to excel academically, driven by the desire to prove her capabilities to her father, even if it meant pursuing a field she had little passion for. Economics, once a daunting subject, began to make more sense with each passing day, thanks to her dedicated tutor, Marvin.

Vanessa missed their tutoring sessions, not just for the academic guidance but for the camaraderie that had developed between them. She couldn't deny her feelings for him, but she also knew the unlikelihood of anything more than a professional relationship. Marvin had become a distant memory, a phantom presence she longed to see once more.