Status: Updates.
Rose Petals
One.
“Kari, if you don’t go on this date, I will kill you.”
Kari looked at Amanda and frowned. “But I’ve never been on a blind date. How do I know that I won’t end up like those girls in the movies?”
“You don’t. That’s the thrill of going on blind dates.”
Kari rolled her eyes and faced her best friend. “Some pep talk.”
“Oh, look at that.” Amanda passed her a royal blue dress. “Try that on.”
Kari loved her best friend, but hated that she decided to plunge herself into her love life. There was something that Kari loved about her singleness. She was free from the tears her friends frequently shed on her couch, eating up all her ice cream, and controlling her DVR. But nights were often long and solitary and while her friends enjoyed double dates and movie nights, Kari often sat alone in her apartment, wishing she could sit alongside her friends.
Kari emerged from the dressing room with the fitting dress on and blushed at the hush that passed over her friends.
“Cute,” Amanda said, standing. “Is this the winner?”
Her friends replied with a loud cheer. Kari smiled. “Aw, ya’ll know I can’t afford this thing.”
“No problem,” said Anna. “We’ll front the bill for our little sister’s first date.”
Kari laughed, a mixture of sadness, anxiety, and hope growing in her chest. “Thanks.”
The group left the store together and headed towards the coffee shop. The smell of strong coffee and the bustle reminded Kari of her job at Stoppa & Deponte, the law firm where she has worked since fresh out of school. The scene was what Kari had become accustomed to. She could only imagine how awkward it would be for her at some high end restaurant where the only noise is the grind of a fork on a plate and the low playing jazz music.
“Do you want me to help you with your hair and makeup?” Amanda offered, sliding into their usual benches.
“Yes, we could hook you up for your first date,” Anne chimed, flagging down a waiter.
“Thanks, but you’ve done enough. I think I am just going to wear something normal, like a nude color on my face and some blush, only a little more than what I am wearing now. The dress is enough color for me.”
Anne frowned. “I swear, Kari, you are the most modest plain jane I have ever met in my life. Have a little color. At least put a light pink on your lips.” She ordered our usual and passed back the menu.
Amanda sighed. “Sweetie, you know we are best friends, so I feel like it is my duty to tell you the truth. And the truth is, you’re a little boring. You must embrace life, step out of your little box. Life starts when you do. Just step out of your comfort zone.”
The waiter returned with the beverages.
Kari sipped from her black coffee while the two other women dumped creamer and sugar into theirs.. “I mean, it just isn’t my personality. But I guess you are right. How about I put a little red on my lips, huh?”
The girls cheered happily. “When you walk into that room with your royal blue dress on and that red lipstick, God help the man sitting at that table. He is in for it.”
Kari sighed. “I hope so.”
Kari looked herself over for the thousandth time. The blue dress looked as if it were made for her, but all she could see was her imperfections. The five pounds she had resolved to lose almost a year ago for her new years resolution. Or the way her bangs made her look more like a teenager than a thirty-five year old paralegal. She inhaled, and, before she could second think it, darted out the door of her apartment.
The wind greeted her almost immediately. She had never grown into the chilly Chicago weather and it’s cold, rainy days. Kari was raised in a small country with a population of around two thousand people. Lot, hot days, and toasty nights was what she preferred. But she also found herself enjoying the city. Especially during this time of the year, with all of the bright, colorful lights and the happy cheer.
She slid into the safety of her warm SUV. The car started with a purr and she merged into traffic on her way to Marlynn’s, the restaurant where her date is to be held.
She made it to the venue in about ten minutes. As she pulled up into the small parking lot, she both breathed a sigh of relief and tightened in nervousness. The restaurant was fairly small, and homey. But that meant being in tight quarters with the stranger. Kari felt her heart beginning to race.
She stepped out of the SUV and headed to the restaurant, each step harder than the first one. The door opened quietly and Kari searched through the handful of people that sat in the restaurant. Her eyes stopped on a tall, thin man dressed in a black suit sitting alone off to the side. Kari slowly walked up.
He noticed her and stood, fumbling with his silverware. “Kari?”
Kari nodded. “Yes, you are?”
“Sawyer. Nice to meet you.” He walked behind her and pulled out her seat. “Please sit.”
Kari clasped her hands together and inhaled. “I don’t normally do this kind of thing, so please excuse my nervousness.”
“Oh, me too,” he admitted. “But, I haven’t dated in a long while and your friend thought it to be great if we spent some time together.”
Kari smiled. “Looks like she is behind the wheel of the love train, now.”
They shared a nervous laugh.
“Can I ask you a question?” Sawyer asked. Kari nodded. “Why are you single? I mean, you are a very beautiful woman and all I’ve heard it positive things about you. How is it that I am the man who has the honor of taking you to dinner?”
“Work. I’ve thrown myself into it. Mostly because I haven’t met someone who shares my boring lifestyle.” Sawyer nodded, thoughtfully. “How about you?” Kari blurted. “You are handsome and seem like you have it together. How is it that you are single?”
“I just have never gotten around to d-”
The front door of the restaurant was kicked open and a scream echoed from the front of the building. Kari turned to see three men in ski masks holding guns with silencers. Kari felt the color drain from her face. She looked to Sawyer, who seemed shocked, but not in the same fashion.
Kari looked at Amanda and frowned. “But I’ve never been on a blind date. How do I know that I won’t end up like those girls in the movies?”
“You don’t. That’s the thrill of going on blind dates.”
Kari rolled her eyes and faced her best friend. “Some pep talk.”
“Oh, look at that.” Amanda passed her a royal blue dress. “Try that on.”
Kari loved her best friend, but hated that she decided to plunge herself into her love life. There was something that Kari loved about her singleness. She was free from the tears her friends frequently shed on her couch, eating up all her ice cream, and controlling her DVR. But nights were often long and solitary and while her friends enjoyed double dates and movie nights, Kari often sat alone in her apartment, wishing she could sit alongside her friends.
Kari emerged from the dressing room with the fitting dress on and blushed at the hush that passed over her friends.
“Cute,” Amanda said, standing. “Is this the winner?”
Her friends replied with a loud cheer. Kari smiled. “Aw, ya’ll know I can’t afford this thing.”
“No problem,” said Anna. “We’ll front the bill for our little sister’s first date.”
Kari laughed, a mixture of sadness, anxiety, and hope growing in her chest. “Thanks.”
The group left the store together and headed towards the coffee shop. The smell of strong coffee and the bustle reminded Kari of her job at Stoppa & Deponte, the law firm where she has worked since fresh out of school. The scene was what Kari had become accustomed to. She could only imagine how awkward it would be for her at some high end restaurant where the only noise is the grind of a fork on a plate and the low playing jazz music.
“Do you want me to help you with your hair and makeup?” Amanda offered, sliding into their usual benches.
“Yes, we could hook you up for your first date,” Anne chimed, flagging down a waiter.
“Thanks, but you’ve done enough. I think I am just going to wear something normal, like a nude color on my face and some blush, only a little more than what I am wearing now. The dress is enough color for me.”
Anne frowned. “I swear, Kari, you are the most modest plain jane I have ever met in my life. Have a little color. At least put a light pink on your lips.” She ordered our usual and passed back the menu.
Amanda sighed. “Sweetie, you know we are best friends, so I feel like it is my duty to tell you the truth. And the truth is, you’re a little boring. You must embrace life, step out of your little box. Life starts when you do. Just step out of your comfort zone.”
The waiter returned with the beverages.
Kari sipped from her black coffee while the two other women dumped creamer and sugar into theirs.. “I mean, it just isn’t my personality. But I guess you are right. How about I put a little red on my lips, huh?”
The girls cheered happily. “When you walk into that room with your royal blue dress on and that red lipstick, God help the man sitting at that table. He is in for it.”
Kari sighed. “I hope so.”
_______________________________
Kari looked herself over for the thousandth time. The blue dress looked as if it were made for her, but all she could see was her imperfections. The five pounds she had resolved to lose almost a year ago for her new years resolution. Or the way her bangs made her look more like a teenager than a thirty-five year old paralegal. She inhaled, and, before she could second think it, darted out the door of her apartment.
The wind greeted her almost immediately. She had never grown into the chilly Chicago weather and it’s cold, rainy days. Kari was raised in a small country with a population of around two thousand people. Lot, hot days, and toasty nights was what she preferred. But she also found herself enjoying the city. Especially during this time of the year, with all of the bright, colorful lights and the happy cheer.
She slid into the safety of her warm SUV. The car started with a purr and she merged into traffic on her way to Marlynn’s, the restaurant where her date is to be held.
She made it to the venue in about ten minutes. As she pulled up into the small parking lot, she both breathed a sigh of relief and tightened in nervousness. The restaurant was fairly small, and homey. But that meant being in tight quarters with the stranger. Kari felt her heart beginning to race.
She stepped out of the SUV and headed to the restaurant, each step harder than the first one. The door opened quietly and Kari searched through the handful of people that sat in the restaurant. Her eyes stopped on a tall, thin man dressed in a black suit sitting alone off to the side. Kari slowly walked up.
He noticed her and stood, fumbling with his silverware. “Kari?”
Kari nodded. “Yes, you are?”
“Sawyer. Nice to meet you.” He walked behind her and pulled out her seat. “Please sit.”
Kari clasped her hands together and inhaled. “I don’t normally do this kind of thing, so please excuse my nervousness.”
“Oh, me too,” he admitted. “But, I haven’t dated in a long while and your friend thought it to be great if we spent some time together.”
Kari smiled. “Looks like she is behind the wheel of the love train, now.”
They shared a nervous laugh.
“Can I ask you a question?” Sawyer asked. Kari nodded. “Why are you single? I mean, you are a very beautiful woman and all I’ve heard it positive things about you. How is it that I am the man who has the honor of taking you to dinner?”
“Work. I’ve thrown myself into it. Mostly because I haven’t met someone who shares my boring lifestyle.” Sawyer nodded, thoughtfully. “How about you?” Kari blurted. “You are handsome and seem like you have it together. How is it that you are single?”
“I just have never gotten around to d-”
The front door of the restaurant was kicked open and a scream echoed from the front of the building. Kari turned to see three men in ski masks holding guns with silencers. Kari felt the color drain from her face. She looked to Sawyer, who seemed shocked, but not in the same fashion.