You believe her life is a bed of roses?

"You beleive Aria's life is a bed of roses and she shines like the sun right?" Jacob said word for word, then he continued without even waiting for Helen to reply, "Have you ever tried to lie on a bed of roses? Can't you imagine all the thorns that will stick in your back? And can anyone shine like the sun without burning like it?"

Helen frowned, "What are you trying to say Jacob?"

Jacob let out a deep breath to calm himself. He said, "What I'm trying to say is that Aria's life is not as simple as you think."

Helen's frown deepened and Jacob continued, "She's not from our village, not really. She was not born there, her parents are not really Victor and Sonia."

Helen's jaw dropped. "Then.....then..." she stammered.

Jacob: "It's not my story to tell, but you need to know. Victor found her washed ashore when he went fishing one morning eight years ago. She was a little girl of seven back then, as fragile as she is now and cold as ice in the January morning. There was no doubt that she would survive, but many people were worried about some permanent damage to her. This was the condition Aria was found in."

"Then....Then...Who...?" Helen stammered.

Jacob shook his head, "I don't know. Nobody does. When Aria woke up, she did not respond to anything. Even when she started talking, Aria said that she remembered nothing of her previous life, nothing except her name, Aria. Have you never wondered why she doesn't use a last name? It's not a fashion statement, she doesn't remember it."

Helen's eyes glistened with tears as she hung her head.

Jacob continued, "You're sad just hearing that? Think back a little. What do you think happened to a little girl of seven that she was washed ashore in a river on such a cold morning, and she remembered nothing of her previous life, except her name?"

Tears began to drop from Helen's eyes, and Jacob knew he was being cruel, but he did not stop. Helen needed to hear this, to realise this.

"But I don't believe that she remembers nothing." Jacob said and Helen looked up, very surprised. "Why do you think that?" she asked.

Jacob shook his head, "A lot of reasons, but that's not important. What I want you to think is what happened to that little seven years old girl that she has to pretend she remembers nothing? What is it that she cannot talk about?"

Helen said nothing as tears continued to pour from her eyes.

Jacob reached out and held her hand with one hand and wiped her tears with the other. He said, "I'm not trying to make you sad. All I want is for you to realise that no one's life is a bed of roses. Everyone has their burdens to bear."

The next thing Helen said took Jacob by surprise, "But still, she has everything. Everything I want. She even has you."

Jacob tightened his hold on Helen's hands and said, "You have me too."

Helen turned her face away, "Yes. Too. You are torn between me and Aria."

Jacob sighed, "I just need a bit of time Helen. That's all I'm asking."

Helen turned her head to look at Jacob and he said with a smile, "Can you give me that?"