A Dissection of the Heart

It's a Date

“Miss Rosalind Anderson, I presume?” A man asked through the speaker of the phone. Rosalind’s brow crinkled in confusion as she looked around outside her window with her gun at the ready. “That depends on who’s asking,” she said, cautiously. She could hear laughter on the other end, it did not sit right with her. “Miss Anderson, that was quite the show tonight. I would like to meet you again.”

Rosalind scoffed, “Well, whoever the hell you are, we haven’t met a first time. Now open the gate before I lose patience with this B.S.” Speciale raised an eyebrow to her as if asking what was wrong. Rosalind rolled her eyes in response, relaxing her grip on her gun as if to tell him it was okay to relax. “Allow me to remedy that, we can go to dinner,” the voice cooed, an air of cockiness seeping into his voice. “Pass!” She replied quickly, “Open the god da.mned gate.” Rosalind frowned, thoroughly annoyed.

“You don’t get it,” the voice said, suddenly dangerously low, “I’m not a man you can say no to. And you aren’t leaving here without accepting my invitation. Now, you can make plans with me like a good little bi.tch or I’ll send my men here to kill that friend of yours. Your move.”

What should she do? Rosalind looked to Speciale, she had just got him back in her life and for better or worse he was the closest thing to a best friend she’s ever known. Speciale noticed her stare and tried to reassure her with a nervous smile of his own, still gripping the wheel with one hand. ‘Everything good?’ He mouthed to her.

“I’m having a party at my place tomorrow. Dress casual,” She spoke quick and curtly into the phone before ending the call and throwing the cell into the cup holder. She grit her teeth, a few tense moments of silence passed before a buzzing alerted them of the opening gate. Rosalind released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, relief flooding her system. Speciale gave a nervous chuckle as he put his gun back into its hidey hole and pulled forward through the gate. Rosalind put the gun she held back into the glove compartment.

Her breaths came fast as her anger built and refused to be quenched. Suddenly, Rosalind’s fist flew forward, punching into the dash. “DAMM.IT.” Speciale frowned, he knew she hated feeling cornered. He reached over and placed a hand on her thigh in an attempt at calming her rage. “This is all your fault,” she grumbled with a sigh. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” He couldn’t help but smirk as he drove.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they drove the back roads back to the sleepy town of Hakone. Rosalind’s hand tracing patterns into the back of Speciale’s as it rested on her nearly exposed thigh. Eventually he cleared his throat, pulling her out of her daze to listen to him. “So, you’re throwing a party?” She flashed him a cheeky smile, “I suppose I have to now, huh? Want to stay over and help?”

Speciale whistled, “How could I say no to getting to taste your cooking again!” They both laughed, the mood returning to a light, care free feeling. “Good answer,” she chuckled, “I guess we’ll do a big barbeque.” He nodded, smiling as he thought of the ribs, brisket, pork, and sides that he’d get to taste test for her. He knew he wouldn’t have much of a hand in preparing the food, he was a sh.it cook and she knew it, but he could taste test for her all da.mn day.

“We’ll have to get the back patio ready, and I guess we should hit up the meat market in the morning too,” Rosalind began checking off her mental list. If he was going to insist on an evening out with her she’d make sure there was plenty to preoccupy herself with. She may just be able to avoid the threatening owner of the voice, she hoped silently.

Rosalind stared out her window at the passing shadows, suddenly very tired from this ordeal of a night. The ride passed quicker than she expected and before she knew it, they were pulling into her driveway. “Okay, so I think we deserve a drink after tonight then we’ll head to bed. Unless you want to try to start setting up tonight?” Speciale chuckled as he took out the keys from the ignition and opened his door, his hand finally leaving Rosalind’s thigh. She noticed how much colder she felt without his touch. “I think your neighbors would hate us setting up for a party so late, don’t you?” She smiled, joining him outside the car. “Yeah I guess I didn’t think about that. Drinks and bed it is then!”

Speciale whooped quietly as they made their way up to the front door. Rosalind quickly unlocked the door and made her way in, undoing the bun on her head. Speciale watched as a waterfall of honey gold curls cascaded down his friend’s back. “I’m thinking I need a nice glass of sake! What do you want?” She spoke to him as she began shedding her layers, throwing them haphazardly onto the couch as she made her way to the kitchen.

“Uhhh,” Speciale stuttered, watching her walk away from him as he fumbled with the door and hurried to catch up with her. “I have whiskey, I know how you used to like that,” she offered, not minding him as she poured a wine glass full of sake cut with sprite and took a big drink. “Ahh, that’s nice.” Her shoulders relaxed as she leaned against the counter. He gave her a lop sided smile, “I think I need a whiskey, Andi.”

She smiled, nodding, before fetching down a glass for him. She bent down to peruse her liquor collection, smirking as she felt his stare on her back side. “Whiskey, here we go!” She chirped, standing up to pour him a glass which he gratefully accepted. They sipped their drinks, laughing and joking about old times and the havoc they used to wreak. Soon, their drinks were finished and their bodies hummed with a comfortable buzz.

“C’mon,” Rosalind said, setting aside her glass for her future self to clean and leading Speciale out of the kitchen and down the hall. She opened a door at the end of the hall, flicking the lights on as she entered. A white four poster bed, complete with a sheer canopy and curtains, was the first thing Speciale noticed in the center of the room. A vanity covered in neatly organized makeup was tucked into one corner near a large window. He noticed two doors, one to a closet and the other he presumed was the master bathroom. “Your room,” he asked.

“Yeah, that a problem?” Rosalind said nonchalantly as she stripped and crawled into bed. Speciale chuckled, flipping off the light before following suit. He crawled into bed beside her, his hand running over her soft skin gently, tickling her. She giggled and curled her naked body into his, soaking in each other’s warmth. “Nighty night, Special,” she cooed, placing a light kiss on his cheek before flipping over so that he was spooning her. “Night…” He mumbled, half convinced he was having a drunk hallucination brought on by the whiskey. Slowly, he faded from consciousness, breathing in the sweetly floral scent of her hair.