Repetition is a way of life.
Get up at 5, take a shower. Let the water roll over your back, let it burn small red trails into your skin, then wake up, splash your face, and soap up. Clean your hair. Wash your face. Set out, shave. Suit, tie, slacks. Maybe different colors every now and then, with the tie. He put together his outfits the day he did his laundry, save for the tie. Cereal, milk. Frosted flakes or apple jacks? Or his guilty pleasure, cookie crisp? Head out the door after watching the news while eating, pile in the car, head to work. Scrutinize the dolls on his daily rounds before checking in with Dewitt.
This morning was very different. He had been given the day off, so he woke up at 9. He forgot the suit and tie, skipping the shower and getting the cookie crisp out of the cupboard, sitting on his couch with his bowl, flipping the channels. Soaps, spongebob. A kids channel. His thoughts wandered on the thought of having kids. He'd have to deal with this all day...
He pushed the thoughts away, settling on a shitty scifi movie that was on much too early, ignoring it while he ate. His mind went back to kids. He was getting closer to forty, would he ever? He always supposed he'd find a girl, but he never tried.
He shrugged to himself, putting his bowl in the sink and dressing in jeans, a t-shirt. He wondered to himself why he did so for a moment before laying back down on the couch. He felt way too tired to do anything, but still, there were things to be done.
A headache began to pound in Laurence's head as his phone across the room buzzed. He groaned, picking himself up with a huff and retrieving it. He unlocked his motorola, more then sure it was from Dewitt cancelling his off day. He felt more than relieved when it was from Jennifer.
'Hey, I really hope I didn't wake you up, you rolled in late last night. How about lunch, if you're free? It's on me.'
Laurence thought for a moment about it, the idea motivating him to get up out of bed and head to the shower.
Looks like dressing in jeans instead of chilling in boxers all day was a good idea.
Jennifer was dressed in a summer skirt, floral, a navy blue peasant top with buttons above it. She had put on a small amount of makeup, hoping that he wouldn't notice. She felt like a schoolgirl, and couldn't help it. She found it obvious that she liked her neighbor, Mr. Dominic, Laurence. He just had looks that struck her, and she felt that it was alright to show him that. Not that she was going to be extreme- he was serious, work oriented. She didn't want to screw him up. If something developed, then she'd be delighted.
In fact, she was delighted at the moment, for he had accepted!
She was sitting in her living room, nervous. God, it was like the day of prom, after getting all dressed up for her date. Her date, like Laurence, had never seen her dressed up. Not that this was dressed up, but compared to pyjamas...
A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts, and she stood from her couch, opening the door to find Laurence, clean, and yet still exhausted looking.
"Hey there." She smiled, one that Laurence returned.
Laurence did notice the makeup, happy that it was natural. He could tell easily that she had the makeup on- dolls had given him experience in telling. "Morning."
Jennifer closed the door behind her, locking up and beginning to walk with him down the hall to the elevator. "So, where are we going exactly?" Laurence admitted to himself he felt a slight bit nervous. It was amusing to him. Rogue actives made him nervous, and on that level, the girl next door did as well.
"Weeeeell." Jennifer started as they reached the elevator. "If I have permission to have us do anything, then you pick a restaurant, and then plan as we go along."
"Oh, so you didn't plan anything?" Laurence gazed at her with those cool blue eyes. Jennifer turned her brown eyes away nervously.
"Not exactly. I don't really...plan, y'know?" Jennifer shrugged as they reached the ground floor. "So, what resturant?"
"Yours." He said immediately, and Jennifer seemed to beam. They stepped out onto the sidewalk.
"Well, then that means the meal is free, then. Gee, woulda figured you were sick of my cooking at this point. Wanna walk there?" She said quickly.
Laurence gave her another sweet smile. "Sure. I have a feeling I'll never be sick of it." Laurence's mind wandered back to earlier, with his thoughts about never trying to date a woman. This could be considered a date, right? He mentally shrugged. She blushed, he saw it as a good sign. He somewhat regretted saying that, suddenly. He was giving off hints...and with his occupation? Suddenly he began thinking about what would happen if he were arrested...
"So," Laurence said as they walked down the street, breaking their awkward silence. "Why the random lunch date?" Date. Should he have called it that?
Jennifer walked quietly for a moment or so, as if collecting her thoughts. She suddenly felt awkward. What should she say? 'Well, I think you belong on a hollister shopping bag'? I dont think so.
"I..ahm, just thought that you needed a day away. Not that I think you don't ever do-"
"I don't."
"Well, there you go!" Situation half avoided!
"Thank you for thinking of me." Laurence said suddenly after a few moments of silence, looking down at the lady beside him. Yeah.. He thought, eyeing her legs for a second before looking at the rest of her. Her eyes looked straight forward, her hair hung loosely. She's pretty...
"No!" Jennifer laughed, a twinkle in her eye and a glass of wine in her hand. Wine with lunch. Oh, who cares. "No, it's not gross! I promise!"
Laurence shook his head. "Sorry if I think liver is disgusting. What else are you gonna swear by? Rocky mountain oysters?"
"Oh god, no!" She finished her wine with a sip, setting her glass down. Laurence had finished his not long before, both their plates empty. "No." She dabbed her lips with a napkin, smiling at the waiter who came to fetch their plates. "Thank you so much." She said to him before he left, leaving a healthy tip.
"Dang, you must love your waiters." Laurence said. Her tip was nearly 40% of what would be their bill.
"They have a hard job. People can be assholes, forgive me."
"Not any language I've never heard." Laurence replied with a shrug. "My mouth is probably worse."
Jennifer smiled, standing. "So, how about the park?"