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."

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

Uh!

Norris agreed, "...It did."

with the

had taken upon herself to fill with soil and plant vegetables, dousing it daily with waste. The Cole family's wisteria had merely climbed over the wall, not yet reaching

never brought up the issue of the land, inadvertently letting Louisa

the branches were blocking the sunlight for her vegetables, so she pulled them all out." Norris sighed, "Your

lip, not realizing her parents had been

"Dad, what they said..."

hot air! They don't know anything, just gossiping. I know my daughter better than anyone; you're

Roseanne's eyes grew moist.

BUMS

not tell your mom about this; she tends to

day of the Christmas,

Madge, "No more sleeping, get ready, dress nicely,

children, with Norris being the third, having two older brothers and a younger

Maddox Cole, who

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

mansion, and driving a luxury car,

the grandparents

year on the second