Part One, Chapter 4

Mark Jr. and Rosemary go on their first proper date, having grown much closer over the course of the summer thus far.

Chapter 4:

Looking back, I'd say that discussion Rosemary and I had was extremely helpful for the both of us. Not only was she able to finally speak out about her pent-up frustrations, but I was able to finally learn more about her background and respect her more as a person. And it also served as a great way to bring us closer together. Now whenever we greeted each other in passing, we did it with genuine smiles as opposed to mere nods of acknowledgement. We started to bond over a rapidly expanding list of leisurely activities, and it felt as though we were slowly but surely becoming more than just friends.

A good month and then some had passed since that insightful conversation. I busied myself in my room early in the evening, laying stomach-down on the bed with my laptop as I studied the financial charts for my various businesses. As usual, there was nothing odd going on, and I was satisfied with the numbers I was seeing on my screen. Just as I was wrapping up what I was doing, I was startled by a knock on my door; no question Rosemary was the person behind it, for no one else normally lived here but me.

As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of her standing there, catching her breath as she wore nothing but a skintight, two-piece workout set; the cropped tank top was camouflage with white accents, while the high-rise butt-shorts had the colors reversed. Every inch of exposed skin was shiny and almost reflective with perspiration, making for a rather pleasant sight in spite of the likely foul stench, and her navel barely peeked above the top of her shorts.

"I, uh, see you discovered the gym down in the basement," I commented, trying hard not to ogle her too much.

"Yup, and I'm glad I did. Now I can jog off all those carbs you've been feeding me," Rosemary giggled, adjusting her top to hide a bit more cleavage. "Bad enough I have this gut I can't get rid of."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it. I kinda' like it," I assured her. "I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of the toned look on women."

"Yeah, I get that," Rosemary replied. "Anyhow, that's not why I'm here. We're around halfway through the summer and I've been cooped up in this here house the whole damn time. I mean, I know I'm supposed to keep a low profile so long as Maria's on the loose, but still, this is a small town. I don't think there'll be too much danger."

"Er... I'm not quite sure if I want to take that risk," I said.

"Well then why dont'cha come with me? Show me around the place, y'know? It could even be like a date!" Rosemary squealed, before her face dropped as she realized she was getting carried away. "...Sorry. That just kinda' slipped out."

"No, no, it's alright. I mean, we've been hanging out together for so long, so why not call it a date?" I shrugged. "Okay, I guess we can go out tonight, so long as we stay together at all times. What say we leave at, uh, 5:30?"

"Sounds like a plan," Rosemary replied. "Just gimme some time to get ready. Just a little, though, cause I'm a pretty fast worker."

After she left, I shut my door and rooted through my closet for something just a little bit fancier to wear on our first date, sorting through vast collections of suits, ties and the like. Not only would it be my first date with Rosemary, but the first date I ever went on in my life. Just the mere thought of it caused excitement to bubble up inside me... or was that the acid in my stomach churning with anxiety? Whatever the case was, I momentarily shoved that thought to the back of my brain and picked out my outfit.

I settled on a houndstooth tweed jacket over a lapis lazuli-colored disco shirt, with black slacks and sneakers. I quickly fluffed up my hair with some conditioner and applied a splash of cologne, before popping in a few breath mints. I was beginning to let my inner perfectionist shine, as I fervently tried to make sure that nothing would screw things up for Rosemary and I. She was more than the ideal woman for me, and I didn't want to let anything cloud her perception of me.

---

Once I was done freshening up, I strutted into the hallway and politely knocked on the door to the guest room that Rosemary was occupying for the summer.

"Just a sec," she called back.

I took a step back from the door and checked my watch, trying as hard as I could to stop myself from trembling, a cocktail of nervousness and excitement being shaken up within my innards. After what felt like ten minutes, the door finally opened, slowly enough to where it almost felt dramatic and intentional.

I couldn't help but pan my gaze up Rosemary's body as she stepped out and grinned at me. Her left foot was covered with a red go-go boot, while a white one was worn on her right foot. Covering the rest of her body was a loose, knee-length gingham dress in the colors of peppermint, alongside the usual cross around her neck and a pink clutch purse slung under her arm. She had also taken the time to swap out her trademark bandana with one that matched her dress. There was something about the cheaper, less formal look that I really admired, but no woman I'd seen before had been able to pull it off as well as Rosemary was at that moment.

"Wow, Rose, I just... I-I don't think you've... ever looked... better," I stuttered.

"Same to you," Rosemary chuckled in that cutesy way she always did. "Now what say we get this show on the road?"

"Yes, let's." I nodded, letting her rest her palm on my extended fist as I escorted her to the front door.