Beauty & the Mouse

Chapter Four

Gina had the greatest time over the next few weeks with Mouse. He was becoming one of her closest friends and it was killing her. She wanted him for more than that.

Every once in awhile she thought she saw a glimmer of something in his eyes; a look in them that maybe said that he could possibly be looking at her as more than a friend. But she dared not to bring anything up about it with him. She didn't want to mess things up.

The notes from Oliver kept coming as well. They grew less and less serious and more and more informal, fun, and flirtatious. Sometimes they discussed nothing really at all but it was fun and Gina looked forward to his notes.

Another day's mail came with another rose and another note. "Hey, Gina, isn't it against the law to be putting things other than the mail in a mailbox? If you don't hear from me, I'm in prison. I'll put bail money in my mailbox just in case. Just don't leave me there. I don't think I'd like the evening activities. Oliver."

She laughed. She wrote a note back. "Oliver, you may have to bail me out, as well. When are you going out of town again? You said before Christmas, right? Gina"

The next day there was another note and rose. "Gina, the Sunday before Christmas. I think I have to start bribing the mailman to get these roses in. He's not looking too happy with me lately. I hope that I didn't smash them too badly. Do you think I could fit a dozen in here? By, the way, you're not allergic to flowers are you? Guess it's too late to ask, isn't it? O."

Gina laughed. "Oliver, you don't need to keep sending me roses or any other type of flower although they are greatly appreciated by me much more than the mailman. I don't think he would take the dozen as well as I would. Thanks anyway, Gina."

The next morning she found a dozen red roses in a vase outside her apartment door. She gasped at the beauty of them; bright red luscious rose petals and bright white baby's breath. The contrast of the white against the deep red was breathtaking.

Gina picked them up and brought them inside setting them on her kitchen island. She searched for a card and finding the envelope she quickly tore the card open. "Nope, wouldn't fit. Hope your day is as bright as your smile. Oliver."

Gina put her hand to her head and then re-read the card. She turned, picked up the phone off the wall and called Anna.

"He did what?!"

"I don't even know this guy, Anna."

"You better be careful, Gina, he may be a psycho."

"But he seems so sweet in his notes."

"You ever hear of those email rapists? The ones that write nice sweet letters to teenage girls, get them to meet them and then rape and/or kill them?"

"I think you're going a bit far in your imagination with this, Anna."

"You should find out who this guy is. Why don't you go up to his apartment and knock on the door or something?"

"You're the one who just said he could be a rapist or killer and you want me to go up to his apartment?!"

"Okay, okay. Bad idea. Why don't you ask around. See if anyone knows him? Have you asked Mouse?"

"No! I'm not going to ask Mouse about this....I guess, I'll try find out about Oliver somehow..."

"Gina. You don't sound reassuring."

"Oh, I know. It's just... I don't know, it was kind of nice; all the attention from him. I felt special. Now, you're just creeping me out."

"Sorry."

"It's okay. You're probably right. I should check him out. It's kind of romantic though, don't you think?"