Passion's Killing Floor

I walked out of the bathroom, carrying my dirty clothes so I could put them into the laundry basket; I had laundry to do today… joy. I walked into the living room to see Mindy sitting on the couch with her teddy bear; fully dressed.

“How long have you been out here?” I asked her. She just sat there playing with her bear as always. I shook my head and threw my clothes into the basket. “You want cereal?” I asked her and she nodded. “Well come here and choose one. I’ve got like, ten different kinds.”

She ran over into the small kitchen and I hoisted her up onto the counter so she could see the shelf. She pulled one down and handed it to me. I put her down on to the floor and got her cereal for her. She sat down at the small table and ate, silently. I made a bowl for myself and sat on the counter. Breakfast in the middle of the day, if Sara knew she’d kill me.

There wasn’t a lot to do today, Danni may be coming over later, but that’s about it. Ville was right when he said the day would pass slowly. I was anxious for the day to be over or at least for it to be night so I could talk to Ville. He said he would go to the studio today to help pass the time, so talking to him for now was out of the question. All that was left to do was to watch the telly, really, and do my laundry. I wasn’t ever happy to be doing it, but it would give me something to do.

Mindy came up beside me and set her bowl in the sink and sat on the couch. She just played with her bear, she hardly ever did anything but that. I put my own bowl in the sink and hopped off the counter and picked up my laundry basket, setting the soap I needed in the basket with it.

“Come on Mindy, I have to do my laundry.”

She hopped off the couch and walked beside me. We took the lift down to the middle floor, where the washing area was.

* * *

Mindy and I were sitting on the couch, watching cartoons and eating pizza. Danni would be over in another hour, we were going to watch movies. She’d probably end up staying the night, just like she always did when we watched movies.

Ville still hadn’t called yet, just the occasional text here and there. The last one I received at about five -almost six- said “We’re just a night’s sleep away from meeting, my love.”

There was loud knocking on my door, Danni, of course. I just knew.

“It’s open,” I yelled and heard her let herself in. She plopped down on the couch in between Mindy and I.

“So we’re gonna watch movies all night,” she squealed.

“No, we’ll watch them until ten, because Mindy can’t stay up too long or she’ll be grumpy.”

“fine, till ten. I think I might crash on your couch. Boyfriends being a git again. I should just break up with him.”

“Then come live with me, no way. We’ve been there, done that.”

“I’ll get my own place, besides, you want your man to move in with you,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

I scoffed and went to the kitchen, grabbing a soda out of the fridge. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I pulled it out, I had a text from Ville.

“I’m finally out of the studio. Just a night away from you, I cannot wait to see you. I may not be able to sleep tonight from the excitement.”

I hit the reply button and typed back my own message. “Well, you know I’m always up. Danni’s over so I won’t get sleep whether I’m excited or not -which I am.”

I walked back into the living room and sat down with Mindy and Danni. She’d set up the movie already, sitting back as it started. My phone vibrated again.

“Don’t let her on video chat or she might die.”

“Quite possibly.”

“Who are you texting? Your man candy?” Danni asked from beside me.

“Maybe, it’s none of your business.”

“It’s cause you are that it’s none of my business.”

* * *

I rolled over in my bed and ran into my laptop. I peeked my eyes open, closing them when the sun from the window hit them. The video chat was still up on my computer, but Ville was no where in sight. I didn’t bother turning it off, but got up to get ready; it was eight and Ville and I were meeting at nine. I rolled out of my bed and walked into the bathroom, doing my business, brushing my teeth and running my fingers through my hair.

“Clothes,” I said to myself, heading for my dresser and pulling out a green t-shirt, my holey jeans -haha, holey jeans, get it? It’s okay, most people don’t… and socks. I proceeded to change, throwing my clothes into the laundry basket I left in here. I pulled my make-up bag off the top of the dresser, looking into the small mirror and applying a little- just to look presentable.

I sat on my bed and pulled my boots over to me.

“You know you can see the reflection in the picture by your bed,” came from beside me. I gasped, turning around to my computer, Ville was sitting no his couch, leaning back, one leg resting on the other. “But I was a gentleman, don’t worry. I didn’t look, I saw and left to look for something to do.”

“You better have, or I’d have to hurt you when I saw you. And that wouldn’t be a good way to start a day.”

He laughed and sat up right, “You look lovely, dear.”

“Thank you, you’re not half bad yourself. I’ll be right back, I’ve got to kick Danni out and get Mindy up.”

“I’ll be here waiting.”

I left the room and walked into the living room, pushing Danni off the couch. She sat up and looked around before getting up and leaving without a word. Mindy was in the guest room, or now her room I suppose, sleeping and I set down beside her, gently shaking her shoulder to wake her up. She sat up in her bed and waited while I got her clothes out for her. I waited outside her room for her to get dressed and took her to the bathroom when she was done, so she could brush her teeth and I could do her hair.

Once we were done she walked into my room and sat on my bed. I took a seat beside her and pulled my computer onto my lap. Ville was still there and smiled when he saw me.

“Just a bit longer and I can hug you to no end,” he said happily.

“I would let you hug Mindy, but she’s hiding under the covers from you. So she might just crawl under the table,” I joked, showing him the lump that was Mindy.

He laughed, “I have a way with kids, so she won’t hide, she’ll run screaming.”

* * *

Mindy and I sat at a table in the coffee shop waiting for Ville. He and I were texting, he said he was just about here, so to be looking. Earlier he said he wouldn’t be hard to miss, just look for the giant lanky man, with a messenger cap on. The shop door bell rang and I looked over once again to see if it was him. I turned my head and was met with the description he gave of himself. He saw me and lit up.

He came towards our table and I met him half way in a hug. He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up a bit. I took in his scent, cigarette smoke, tea and what must be his own personal scent. We pulled away, but he kept his hands on my arms.

“God, I’m so happy to see you,” he said, hugging me again, this time kissing my cheek when he pulled away.

“It’s good to see you too, Ville.” We walked back to our table and I looked over to Danni and she was staring, wide eyed, mouth open. I laughed under my breath and took my seat across from Ville.

“You must be the infamous Mindy, yes?” he asked her. She nodded, smiling. He held out his hand. “How do you do, m’lady? I’m Ville and it’s my pleasure to be in your presence.”

She cautiously took his hand and giggled.

“You’ve gotten more out of her in ten seconds than I’ve managed to do in three days,” I laughed. He turned back to me and smiled, taking my hand in his.

“And how are you? Even though I talked to you a co uple minutes ago. It’s so different,” he said, running his thumb over my knuckles.

“I’m great, just really happy and excited. A bit nervous, but that’s Danni’s doing.”

“Speak of the devil,” he said as Danni appeared at our table setting down tea, coffee and muffins.

“Move over to your man’s side. I’m sitting here too,” she said.

I got up and moved to sit next to Ville as she took my previous spot next to Mindy. Ville grabbed my hand under the table. I looked at him and he was still smiling; it just never left his face. I took in his appearance; dark grey shirt, blue jeans, navy jacket and a blue scarf… His hair was pulled back into a small bun and he had a messenger cap on; just like he’d said.

“So, Danni, you seem relatively calm for someone who’s just about died every time I’ve spoke to her,” Ville said to her, she giggled just like Mindy did when Ville spoke to her.

“Now we’re on to the shyness covered with giggles, at least you’re not giggling uncontrollably,” he said to me. “thank you for meeting up with me. Very much,” he leaned in and kissed the side of my lips, making the butterflies visit in my stomach once more.