2X The Heat (2X The Pleasure 1)

“Watching that house wives show on Netflix. You?”

“Well I just heated up this pot pie, but I think it’s going to be nasty.” I let out a laugh.

“What time do you have work tomorrow?”

“I don’t. I have to send out a bunch of orders, which I usually do from here.”

“Well you can come over and I can cook. Long as you bring the ingredients.”

“Really? I will literally be right there.” She hung up before I could even laugh.

Yeah, Ivy can’t cook at all. It’s a wonder she has even made it this far. But she had me. We were roommates back in college. The only reason we didn’t live together now was because the design firm she worked for was on the other side of town, there was no good real estate there and I simply couldn’t afford to follow her. Ivy had the support of her parents, but she never saw them because they were career travelers. I didn’t know that was a thing until I met her. I figured I should clean up a little since she was coming, even though she has seen this place messier. But I finally folded the clothes crowding my couch, and it made the whole place look a little bit more organized. All five hundred square feet of it.

Her knock was easily recognizable, I skipped to the door, my sweats dragging the floor as I did.

“Oh, my goodness, what did you bring?”

She was lugging two huge brown bags.

“One bag has drinks. The other has the food.” She explained.

She set the bags down and hugged me tight. Our hugs were always awkward because she was so dang tall. She could model the clothes that she designs too. But she was very pretty; her blonde hair surrounded her sharp and dramatic features; her brown eyes are the most noticeable thing about her. She has that girl next door vibe going on too.

“I missed you. You look great.” I told her. She was wearing a tight pair of dark jeans and a spaghetti strap bohemian top with a denim jacket. I supposed she always had to look ready for the runway.

“Thanks, you look comfy. Can I put something on?” she gestured to my makeshift closet.

“Go for it.” I went through the bag. I guessed she wanted me to make pasta.

I started a pot of water, then I chopped up some onions and sausages. I always added pepperoni for extra flavor. By the time, I got the sauce going, the water had boiled. Ivy put on my favorite leggings and cut off tee.

“Have any ideas for the gala yet?” Ivy asked over the noise of Netflix.

“Yeah. I was thinking since it’s centered around kids it should be colorful and inviting. Something not too adult, if that makes sense. Maybe some peonies, buttercups, and begonias.”

“That already sounds so pretty.”

“Thanks. It’s just a bit nerve wracking. I mean, come tomorrow I have two days.”

I wish I had a longer notice, but things aren’t always perfect. I poured us both a glass of wine, and met her on the couch while everything cooked.

“Thanks. You’ll be okay. And at least Sasha knows you, so she won’t treat you like any other person she hired.”

“That’s true. She has always been so nice. And to think it was a chance meeting.”

I thought back.

This was the hardest day. Even my flowers can’t make me smile. Because she was in them, all over them. My mother was everything to me. And she left so soon, too soon. She loved flowers, every time we were together, she was planting flowers. Our garden was bigger than any other, and the most beautiful. She used to travel a lot, exploring all types of flowers. My father was a botanist, that’s how she got into it.

“Excuse me miss, are these for sale?” Were they talking to me?

I set my clippers down, and turned to face the voice. I shielded my eyes from the sun with my gloved hand. A kind woman stood in front of me, her petty coat looked like it cost more than my monthly tuition.

“Not usually.” I answered simply.

She opened up the small gate I had, and stepped inside. I used the university green room a lot, and I had never seen her. I thought I had seen everyone that comes around here.

“Are you visiting?” I asked her. She continued to look upon the flowers, her cream-colored gloves covered her delicate hands.