Yes

He smiled, then sewed her tummy right back to normal. Well, at least the outside was normal. He pulled out a needle, and injected her with a sedative, in a few seconds she was out cold, giving him the opportunity to take the cuffs around her wrists and ankles, the ones that were keeping her from grabbing or kicking at him, then he unhooked the straps that held her body down, across her breast, hips, and knees. Then he unlocked the chin strap, and worked the plastic bite (the one he stole from the dentist’s office) back and forth, her teeth had sunken in to the plastic from biting down on it so hard for so long- it was a rather long and tedious procedure.

She was free, so he slid his table that held all the right utensils for surgery and an empty jar toward the back of the room, stripped his gloves off, put on a new pair, and leaned over the table and pulled her hands onto her torso, then proceeded to pick her up and put her shirt back on.

Out of the room he walked, down the hall, up the elevator to the roof, and laid her on the hard flooring of the roof. He then ran quickly back into the room and returned with a blanket and a jacket. He flattened the jacket, the one he had taken off of her before he started his procedure, on the floor and rolled her onto it. Then he unfurled the blanket and put it on her, then kissed her cheek, since he would never see her again.

He went back to the room on the fifth floor, locked the door, and started cleaning up. When he was done, he tossed it out of the window into the bushes that were uncut. He closed the window, and went out the door, never to see it again, either.

Then he went home, never to be found out.

└ α τ Σ Γ τ ħ α τ ñ ï ġ ħ τ

I woke up freezing cold, when you live in Chicago in the winter, it’s not a nice gesture to be left on a roof top. Oh, and when your stitches hurt, the ones from the surgery you were awake for, without anesthetic, the one you were kidnapped and strapped down for; the one where he put something in you. What is it, though? Just thinking about it gives me butterflies in my stomach.

I stood up, my knees were wobbly, my tummy aching like I would never imagine it could, but I was freezing to death. I pulled the jacket over me, shoved my arms into the holes, wrapped the blanket around me, and started for the door.

☼☼☼☼

They don’t call it the Windy City for nothing. Jim skipped along the sidewalk, not caring if anyone looked at him funny, today was the day! His hair was getting messed up in the wind, and even though he actually combed it for her, he didn’t care! Today was the day! He had the ring already in his pocket, he put his hand in there and fingered the ring ,just to make sure.

“Hey, B-babe!” he said as she opened the door with her hand across her stomach. “You ok?” Jim asked with a furrowed brow as he looked at how she moved, it wasn’t right.

“Oh, yeah, just a little cut….” she let him in. “Jim, you’re freezing! And look at your hair!” she giggled. He loved her laugh, he loved her. Today was the day!

But will she say no?

He looks really happy today, I thought as he paced when I came back in the room after making sure the stitches were moist with the antibiotic cream I put on it before Jimmy came. He looked really happy, and that made me happy, of course. The one you love is happy, what could make you happier, except a ring, of course. I smiled as I thought of when that day would finally come, every time I had brought it up to him, he blushed and wouldn’t say a word until I changed the subject.

“You ready, Jolie?” he smiled and held out his hand, which I grabbed and we walked out the door to meet our 7 o’clock reservation.

Yes, Jolie is my name, it is French for cheerful; pretty. I love my mother for naming me that, I’m not too fond of the actual name, but I love the origin and meaning.

“Jimmy, I think I love you,” I dropped the bomb on him at the amazing restaurant he picked out. He just smiled. Oh, no! He doesn’t love me, he wasn’t ready for that! I freaked out in my head. Little did I know.

Jim was so nervous, his giddiness went away, all he was doing now was sweating all his body’s water through his hands and forehead.

“Babe, why are you sweating? It’s freezing outside, and it’s not hot in here.” she touched his arm and looked at him worriedly. “Are you getting sick?” she frowned.

“No, it’s nothing; I’m just a little shaky that’s all.”

“But why?”

“Uh, I’ll tell you when you’re older,” he gave her a goofy grin. She smiled back and they continued on with dinner.

Jim decided to take her home, instead. He would put some extremely romantic 80’s music on and slow dance the night away with a finale and a ring. His finale included a puppy.

“Excuse me, I need to use the little boy’s room,” he stood up and blushed.

“No problem, take your time,” she grinned, and when he kissed her cheek it broadened.

He walked casually into the restroom and pulled out his cellie and called his best friend, Michael.

“Dude, today’s the day,” he smiled so wide, then frowned, and his knees started to shake.

“No way, man! Did you ask her yet?”

“No, that’s why I’m calling. I need to go to the human society and pull out a puppy by the name of ‘Henry’.”

“Why?”

“Because she loves puppies.”

“No, why is it named Henry? You don’t name a puppy Henry, you name it like Fluffy or crap like that!” he replied.

“It was her grandfather’s name.”

“Oh, ok, man. Is he paid for, or do I need to take cash with me?”

“Nope, he’s paid for and ready to be taken home, when you get to my house-you know where the key is- there is dog food in the pantry, take one can and slop it into the bowl on the floor of the kitchen, take it and the dog into the guest bedroom, and under the bed in there is a doggy toy, give that to him so he won’t bark,” he almost ran out of breath.

“Ok, no problem man! Good luck!”

“Thanks so much man, I totally owe you one. Later!”

“Text me her answer! Hasta luego!” said Michael, and then they hung up.

“Crap, crap, crap!” Jim muttered as he hurried back to the table- his call lasted 7 minutes. Who takes that long to pee?

“So sorry!” he felt himself blush.

“Well, that’s what I get for telling you to take your time,” she smirked at him. He sighed, oh how he loved her.

They ordered and enjoyed a splendid dinner. What he loved the most about her, was that she ordered fettuccini alfredo, not a salad, she wasn’t one of those who must eat something light so the man won’t think she’s a pig. Oh, how he loved her.

They took a cab back to his house- all tidy, except one thing: a dab of wet dog food on the floor. Jim just about had a heart attack- but Jolie didn’t seem to notice it.

“I-I’ll take your coat, Darling! Go a-ahead and sit on the couch!” he suggested, she smiled and nodded while heading over to the couch, and he scrambled in the opposite direction to the kitchen. Jim sighed with relief as he walked to the couch, kitchen all cleaned.

“Can I retrieve you a drink, m’lady?”

“I’ll get it,” she stood. She never wanted you to bother with anything for her. Oh, how he loved her. Then she staggered.

“Jolie?” he put his hand on her shoulder and looked into her face, she was bent over with her hand resting on her abdomen.

“What?” she looked at him with big eyes, and cocked her head, trying to play it off like nothing happened-but he saw.

“You ok?”

“Uh, yeah,” she furrowed her brow and looked to the side, giving Jim the ‘you’re going coo-coo’ face. He just said ok and lead her into the kitchen, where Jolie got water, and Jim got Dr. Pepper.

“Let’s go in here,” he smiled. Jim strolled over to the audio system and put on slow dance/pop songs from the 80’s. He set his drink down, and opened his hand to hers. She grinned as wide as the Cheshire cat, and set her water glass down and took his outstretched hand.

And they danced. They danced the night away, for five hour;, soft, slow, joyful, cute little tunes to keep up their energy.

And now’s the time. Jim thought, and his tummy turned and he started sweating. She didn’t seem to mind.

He pulled away.

“Babe?” he held her hands and looked deep into the pools of crystal others call eyes.

“Yeah?” she smiled and had a questioning look on her face.

“I need to go to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.”

He had to go to the bathroom! And here I thought he was gonna tell me he loved me or something- but no! He had to take a pee! I was so upset. I plopped onto the couch- the mood of the night ruined. How could he do that do me?

Jim rushed into the restroom and puked. That’s better. He sneaked out of the bathroom to the guest bedroom and picked up the puppy and brought him into the hall and tied him to a chair, hoping he could get the mood back- and the puppy bark just at the right time. Henry was wearing a ‘Marry Me!’ shirt.

“Sorry, Babe,” he returned and smiled. He then lied on the couch and rested his head on my lap and let me play with his hair as 80’s music swallowed the room. Just then, those darn butterflies seemed to flutter in my stomach, nothing was happening- why was I getting so nervous- ow! Like always after the butterflies comes a sharp pain where the psycho cut me open. I tried to hold it in- the mood was coming back; the music, the hair, the head, the Jim, the one and only love of my life, the – puppy? The sound came again: woof!

A huge smile broke out on my face, and I looked down at Jim, he was smiling too, then he covered it and tried to play it off.

“What was that?” He’s such a bad actor! Oh, Lordy, I love that man. He sat up, and since I was feeling better, I hopped off the couch and hurried toward the hall, and he turned on the light and I saw it! It was a gorgeous nova scotia duck tolling retriever puppy with a ‘Marry Me’ t-shirt on!

“Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit.” was all she said before she turned to Jim and saw the ring, and saw him on one knee, and passed out.
~~~
“Doctor! Why won’t you tell me what is going on!?” Jim screamed.

“Did you do this to her?” the doctor pulled up her shirt to reveal the poorly stitched up long, wide gash on her tummy. Jim’s face twisted with horror and disgust.

“No! Of course not! No wonder she was grasping her stomach when we were at my house…” Jim remembered. Then he thought of something,” If some psycho cut her open, would he just stop there? Would he have taken something…Or put something in?” The doctor’s eyes widened.

“I’m thinking I need to re-open this gash, would you be ok with that?”

“Yes, yes! Make her well!” Jim pleaded.

“Ok, everybody ready? Good. Time: three o’clock a.m. Cutting stitches. Scissors. Opening wound-“

The recorder picked up a fluttering noise:
The fluttering of butterfly wings.