In the Name of Revenge

Chapter Five

FIVE

As promised, the next day Darryl called Felice and told her to put on something elegant, as he was going to take her out for an evening that both of them needed…badly.

Felice rifled through her wardrobe trying to pick out something. It had been a long time since she dressed in anything more than jeans and a t-shirt. Babies didn’t require fashion models, just mommies that didn’t mind getting wet from drool, not to mention other bodily fluids that seemed to constantly leak from their tiny bodies.

She chose a tasteful, stylish skirt with indigo flowers against a black background. It was edged with a lace indigo trim that hung about an inch past the bottom of the skirt, just slightly below the knee. She wore a simple black blouse and open toed sandals with ribbon that wrapped around her ankles.

She dabbed on her favorite perfume just as she heard her doorbell ring.

She pulled open her front door fully expecting to find Darryl there. Instead, a huge bouquet of flowers greeted her, big enough that she wasn’t able to see who was holding them.

A man turned so he could see her, and asked, “Felice Bellicini?”

“Yes,” she answered.

“Delivery,” the man grunted, “please sign here,” he said, struggling to hold the flowers and hand her a clipboard at the same time.

She tipped him and walked back inside, putting the flowers down on the hallway table. She searched for a card and found none.

“Must be from Darryl,” she mused. “That was thoughtful of him.”

Her doorbell rang again.

“Wow. You look nice,” Darryl said, as she opened the door.

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad either,” she smiled and answered.

Felice couldn’t help but notice how handsome he looked dressed in a deep blue pinstriped suit.

“I’ll be just a minute,” she said, walking into her room.

When she came out, he said, “Beautiful flowers.”

“Aren’t they? Thank you, Darryl. You didn’t have to.”

“I didn’t,” he frowned. “Admirer?”

“They’re not from you?”

“No, but I wish I could take the credit,” he said, fingering one of the many yellow roses.

“I don’t understand.”

“There wasn’t a card?”

“No, I looked for one, but didn’t see it.”

“Well, they are beautiful,” he said smiling. “Just like you.”

Inside he felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought Felice might have an admirer. He realized how silly that was because, after all, she was just a friend.

As she went to grab her wrap, she could feel his eyes on her and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“Wrong? No, on the contrary. Everything’s right. I just can’t get over how pretty you look.”

“I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not. Does that mean I look bad every other time you’ve seen me?” she smiled at him.

“That’s not what I meant at all. It’s just tonight, you look exceptionally nice.”

“Well, it’s not every day I get to dress up. Rita Grace didn’t make it a job requirement when she told me I would have to take care of her.”