Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne shook the mop vigorously, continuing her assault.

Louisa darted around, clutching her head, and even as she reached the door, she didn't forget to throw back a threat, "I—I'm not done with you guys!"

"Your goddamn wisteria creeping into my yard, I'll burn it all down tomorrow! It's so annoying!"

With that, she took off running, because Roseanne was already chasing after her with the mop raised.

"Get lost! Come back, and I'll hit you again!"

Roseanne dropped the mop, letting out a deep sigh, but then she noticed Norris with a serious look on his face, making her heart skip a beat.

After a moment, she hesitantly spoke, "...I'm sorry, Dad, I..."

"When did you learn to do that?"

"...Huh?"

"You know... that thing with the mop..." Norris mimicked her mop-swinging action.

Roseanne was speechless.

"Cough! It's better for a young lady to remain graceful and elegant, not resort to brawling."

arms with him, "You've got to admit that felt good,

Uh!

Norris agreed, "...It did."

with the wisteria on our side

there was a small patch of land between their homes, which Louisa had taken upon herself to fill with soil and plant vegetables, dousing it daily with

was generous, and Madge disliked conflict, so they had never brought up the

the branches were blocking the sunlight for her vegetables, so

lip, not realizing her parents had been put

"Dad, what they said..."

air! They don't know anything, just gossiping. I know my daughter

Roseanne's eyes grew moist.

BUMS

tell your mom about this;

day of the Christmas, it was time to

by Madge, "No more sleeping,

being the

Cole,

school in his teens to work on construction sites and in his twenties started his own business, had amassed his first fortune and then ventured into the

a luxury car, he was

the grandparents lived

on the second day