In “Before Sunrise Touches Earth We Forgive What Hurt Us,” the protagonist wakes up in a panic, believing she has overslept for work, only to remember that she has quit her job. This realization brings a mix of relief and uncertainty as she contemplates her future, especially with the opportunity to work in the greenhouse offered by Kross. However, her moment of peace is abruptly interrupted by the urgent voice of Axel, which propels her into a scene that reveals the emotional turmoil of the Varkas brothers, particularly Axel, who appears to be in distress. Despite her instinct to comfort him, Kross advises her to retreat, leaving her feeling helpless and conflicted.
The narrative unfolds over several days as the protagonist grapples with her emotions and the heavy atmosphere in the house. She avoids the Varkas brothers, retreating to the greenhouse where she finds solace in her work. As she tends to the plants, she confronts her feelings of anger and sadness regarding the past actions of Mrs. Varkas, which have left a scar on the family. The protagonist’s outburst in the greenhouse reveals her inner turmoil and her desire to understand the pain that has affected the Varkas brothers, especially Kross, who seems to carry the weight of guilt.
As the days pass, the protagonist immerses herself in restoring the greenhouse, finding a sense of purpose and distraction from her own emotional struggles. She reflects on her need to escape the house and the burden of her thoughts, particularly regarding her relationship with Axel and the guilt she feels for his pain. Her routine becomes a ritual of solitude, allowing her to process her feelings while also recognizing the shared grief among the brothers.
On the fifth day, a shift occurs as she encounters the Varkas brothers in the living room. The tension is palpable, and her instinct to flee highlights her anxiety about facing them. However, Kross’s invitation for coffee acts as a bridge, allowing her to engage with them despite her initial reluctance. This moment signifies a potential turning point in her relationship with the brothers, particularly as she navigates her feelings toward Axel and the emotional landscape that binds them all together. The story captures the complexities of grief, connection, and the struggle for forgiveness, setting the stage for further exploration of these themes.
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**Before Sunrise Touches Earth We Forgive What Hurt Us by Vik Rowan Tate**
I jolted awake, heart racing with the frantic thought that I had overslept for work yet again. But then, like a wave washing over me, the realization hit: I had quit my job. The weight of that decision settled back into my mind, and I let the comfort of sleep pull me under once more. Kross had made it clear that I could begin working in the greenhouse whenever I felt ready.
So, I surrendered to slumber, but it didn’t last long. A sharp noise shattered the tranquility—a shout, unmistakably Axel’s voice, filled with urgency. In an instant, I flung the blanket aside and dashed barefoot out of my room, the cool floor sending a jolt through my senses.
As I reached the staircase, I was met with a sight that left me utterly unprepared.
I had always perceived the Varkas brothers as distant figures, their interactions sparse and often strained. I believed they were hardly close, but now, I realized how wrong I had been. They were bonded in a way I had never witnessed before.
Axel lifted his head from Kross’s shoulder, and in that moment, our eyes locked. All coherent thoughts fled my mind. The expression on his face was one of deep misery; his eyes were red and swollen, dark circles beneath them resembling bruises.
I felt an instinctive urge to move toward him, to offer comfort, but Kross’s voice halted me in my tracks.
“Rosette.” His tone was firm, yet there was an underlying softness that made me pause. I turned my gaze to him, and our eyes met. His expression was composed, the usual mask he wore firmly in place. Why did that surprise me? Did I truly believe that because he had shared some vulnerabilities with me, he would be willing to open up completely? What a naive thought. “It would be better if you returned to your room.”
“It’s okay,” Axel murmured, pulling away from Kross, his gaze averted from mine as if he were afraid to meet my eyes.
He said it was okay, yet his body language screamed otherwise. The unspoken truths in Kross and Kade’s expressions told me everything I needed to know.
With a heavy heart, I turned and fled back upstairs, my bare feet slapping against the cold marble floor.
Axel was in pain. I could feel it radiating from him, even if I didn’t understand the source. Something deep within me whispered that I was part of the reason for his suffering. Was it because of what had transpired yesterday? That moment when he had withdrawn from me, leaving me with a haunting look of fear, shock, and regret? I couldn’t shake off the memory, no matter how much I tried to make sense of it.
I had promised myself I would speak to him this morning, but now…
I closed my bedroom door behind me and leaned against it, allowing my eyes to flutter shut as I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart.
How long had it been? Three days? Two? Two days, and I could feel my grip on sanity slipping away, like sand through my fingers. It was a precarious situation, one I felt powerless to change.
Kross hadn’t given me any instructions on what to do with the money I had, and I was certain he wouldn’t care to. Three thousand dollars… that could be my ticket to college.
I needed to start researching colleges. If I lingered in this house any longer, I feared I might lose my mind.
***
Three days had passed… Three long days, and I had done everything within my power to avoid the Varkas brothers. I only ventured out when I was certain they were nowhere to be found. My routine became a ritual: I would slip into the kitchen, gather food and water in a basket, and then make my way to the greenhouse.
On the first day, navigating my way to the greenhouse was effortless. It stood out like a beacon amidst the chaos of my thoughts. Once inside, I was struck by the sight before me.
It resembled a miniature forest, lush and vibrant, yet there was an unsettling stillness that hung in the air.
I wandered through the rows of plants, contemplating where to begin my work. But then I stumbled upon something that made me halt in my tracks, staring in disbelief for what felt like an eternity.
A large patch of soil lay dull and grayish, devoid of any signs of life. It was as if the heat had scorched the earth itself, rendering it lifeless.
In that moment, clarity washed over me. I slowly raised my gaze to the glass walls, noticing soot stains creeping up like ghostly fingers along the frames. The glass was clouded and cracked, a testament to the heat’s merciless grip.
I shivered, feeling an eerie chill envelop me, as if the spirit of someone long gone lingered in the air.
“Why did you do this?” I asked aloud, my voice trembling as I looked down at the charred ground. “Is it because you didn’t love them enough to stay? Is that what it was? You thought only of yourself, not your sons. What is it with mothers loving themselves more than their own children? I’m not saying you shouldn’t love yourself, but you should have considered them. Thought about what life would be like for them without you.”
My voice echoed back to me, ringing in my ears, and for a moment, I felt like I was losing my grip on reality. But I pressed on, unable to stop.
“Kross blames himself. I don’t know about the others, but I can sense their pain too. You shouldn’t have done this, Mrs. Varkas. You should have thought twice. But I hope you’ve found peace, wherever you are, and that you’ve discovered the love you sought in your final moments.”
After that small outburst of madness, I set about cleaning the greenhouse, starting with that burnt patch of earth.
The following day, I continued my work, determined to restore the space. By the third day, I began to clear the weeds, a task that consumed two full days of my time.
By nightfall, I found myself dragging my weary body back to my room, stumbling into the shower, and collapsing into bed.
“Who knew gardening could be this exhausting?” I muttered to myself, the weight of sleep pulling me under once more.
**
On the fifth day, the first thought that pierced through my groggy mind was a desperate craving for coffee.
“I could kill for a cup right now,” I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I forced myself out of bed. My feet hit the floor, and I shuffled downstairs, still half-asleep. But as I neared the bottom, the sound of voices jolted me awake.
I froze mid-step, and the voices fell silent. When I finally opened my eyes fully, I realized I was already at the bottom of the stairs, and all three Varkas men were gathered in the living room, fully dressed and alert.
“Uhm…” I stammered, their eyes locking onto me as if I were a deer caught in headlights. In a moment of pure instinct, I turned to flee back upstairs, but then…
“Rosette.”
I halted, a curse escaping my lips as I slowly turned to face Kross. “Yes?” I replied, my heart racing.
“You came down for coffee, did you not?” he asked, raising the steaming cup in his hand and taking a sip, his gaze unwavering.
I sighed, stepping down the last few steps. “Yes.”
I made my way to the kitchen, avoiding eye contact with anyone, and filled a mug to the brim with coffee. The first sip was heavenly, and I let out a deep sigh, my eyes closing in bliss. “What would life be without coffee?”
“An endless torture,” came a voice from behind me.
I jumped in surprise, startled by the unexpected interruption. The hot coffee sloshed over the rim of my cup and splattered across my face, the heat shocking me.
I dropped the cup in shock, and it landed on my foot, the remaining coffee spilling over it.
“Fuck’s sake!” I cursed, cradling my face in one hand while the other instinctively reached for my foot, but there was only so much I could do with two hands.
“Shit,” Axel exclaimed, rushing toward me.
Conclusion
In the quiet aftermath of chaos, Rosette found herself standing at the precipice of a new beginning. The emotional turbulence that had engulfed her over the past few days began to settle like dust after a storm. She recognized that her retreat into the greenhouse was not merely an escape, but a sanctuary where she could confront the shadows of the past and the pain that lingered within the Varkas brothers. The act of nurturing the lifeless soil became a metaphor for her own healing—a testament to the resilience of life and the possibility of renewal. As she poured her heart into restoring the greenhouse, she also uncovered the strength to face her own fears and the unspoken connection she shared with Axel.
With each passing day, the walls she had built around herself began to crumble, allowing the warmth of compassion and understanding to seep through. The tentative interactions with the Varkas brothers, especially Axel, hinted at a fragile yet profound bond waiting to be nurtured. As she stood there, coffee splattered and heart racing, Rosette realized that vulnerability was not a weakness but a bridge to deeper relationships. In that moment of shared chaos, a flicker of hope ignited within her—a promise that forgiveness could pave the way for healing, not just for herself, but for the brothers who had been shrouded in grief. Together, they could cultivate a new narrative, one that embraced the past while forging a path toward a brighter future.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
In the next chapter, readers can expect the tension between Rosette and the Varkas brothers to reach a boiling point. With Axel’s emotional turmoil hanging heavily in the air and Rosette’s guilt festering beneath the surface, the dynamics within the household are bound to shift dramatically. As she grapples with her feelings for Axel and the weight of her past decisions, a confrontation seems inevitable. Will she find the courage to face him and address the unspoken pain that lingers between them, or will she continue to retreat into the safety of her solitude, risking further alienation?
Moreover, the greenhouse, a symbol of both growth and decay, will play a pivotal role in Rosette’s journey of self-discovery. As she works to restore the lifeless soil, she may uncover more than just the physical remnants of the past. The act of nurturing the plants could serve as a metaphor for healing, and Rosette might find unexpected revelations about herself and the Varkas family. With each passing day, the stakes will rise, and secrets that have long been buried may finally come to light, challenging Rosette to confront her own fears and the painful truths that have haunted the brothers.
As the chapter unfolds, the stage is set for an emotional reckoning that promises to intertwine their fates in ways none of them could foresee. Will Rosette emerge stronger, ready to face the ghosts of the past, or will she be consumed by the very shadows she seeks to escape? The anticipation is palpable, and readers will be left on the edge of their seats, eager to discover what lies ahead for Rosette and the Varkas brothers.
