In the Life of a Rose

October 3, 2022

In the Life of a Rose...

I slid my shirt on after the tattoo artist put the plaster on my back and stretched out. I had gotten a huge piece that went down my spine: a rose's vine wrapped around a dagger that had a skull on its head.

I paid and left the shop, regretting not getting a nose piercing or something. I had a few more tattoos from the same place: an under-boob of my birthday in Roman numerals, a tattoo on my collarbone: 'a relic is an echo of lives;' and, one on my hip line: 'they see the creation but not the creator' that were in cursive.

My favorite one was the tattoo that I had on the side of my forearm. It was also in this italicized writing the wrote 'in the life of a rose' and it was special like the one that I had gotten on my back.

It was cold in the late year weather, especially being in New York City. There was a prediction of snowfall soon so I had to stock up on food and other supplies because I wasn't sure that I'd leave the house. I was fine with staying inside after being in quarantine, but I wasn't too sure about my dog.

When I got back to my high-rise apartment, my black Doberman Pinscher came running towards me and lifted on his hind legs and onto my stomach. I scratched behind his ear and his throat where he liked it and the stub of his tail wagged.

"Hi, baby," I whispered. "I hope you didn't do some dumb shit while I was gone." He got off of me as I said anything offensive and I rolled my eyes.

I had visited a shelter a few months back, not knowing what kind of dog I wanted and so the owner let me play around with a few. They were all amazing but the dog that caught my eye was him and he had no name yet. So, I named him Cerberus, and decided to teach him how to be a guard dog to fit his name.

"You hungry?" I asked and he barked a yes. I grabbed his tray and put in some meat, quail eggs, protein powder, a few vitamins, and actually kibble before putting it down next to water.

As he ate, I stroked the chain around his neck that dangled a dog collar with his name on it. I stood and washed my hands before plating myself last night's spaghetti and sat on the couch.

There, I put on Thor: Love and Thunder to watch again. Cerberus had finished and came to sit next to me to watch Chris Hemsworth crack numerous jokes with Taika Waititi. I couldn't help but laugh as well.

My phone glowed in the dark and I picked it up to see that I was wanted in LA. I groaned, knowing that I couldn't get comfortable in New York and have to go back soon. The worse part is, Chris was in the same area and hadn't moved back to Boston yet.

I went to my room and turned on the lights. Hidden in my closet, I pulled out a suitcase and started packing a few things. I went to my bedside table and opened the drawer, in hopes to grab something when I saw the case of the gold chain he had gotten me on my birthday. I opened it and just stared at it.

Cerberus whined and I sighed at him as I tossed the black box into the suitcase. My phone was ringing and I went to see that it was Lilith who was calling to make sure I had seen the email.

"Yeah, I'm already packing," I told her.

"Good, because you're flight's tomorrow."

"But-"

"You're staying with me," she answered my upcoming question. "Bring the doggy."

"I was going to, anyway."

"Don't forget that we're going to a Halloween Party."

"I was never told in the first place," I said and I could tell she rolled her eyes. "Don't you think thirty-six-year-olds are too old to dress up?"

"Oh, my gosh, you sound like every other bitch!" she practically yelled and I laughed. "Me, you, and Harley could've done a Charlie's Angels thing but ya know she's a mom. I thought about Daphne and Velma but that's so basic."

"Angel and Devil?"

"Definitely not."

"George Washington and Thomas Jefferson?"

"Slave owners," she replied and I cackled.

"Oh!" I gasped. "Disney villains: Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, Lady Tremaine."

"I like that," she hummed. "I'm looking at a Willy Wonka outfit. I do like this Medusa one. How about it?"

I looked at the pictures she shared and I smirked. "Ya know, we should dress up as a male character, if you get what I'm saying."

"So I'll be Willy and you..."

"I was either thinking the Joker or the Nogitsune from Teen Wolf. Obviously, I'd make it feminine."

"I think you should do the Joker," Lilith said. "Most girls will do Harlequin and you'd be different. But it depends what Joker you're doing. There's Joaquin's, Heath's, Jared's."

"I think Imma go for Joaquin's suit. I do like the hospital scene Heath did but I wanna rock a red suit and a green wig."

"All right, great," she said. "I'll let you finish packing and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Bye."

She hung up as I finished folding the last top and started packing a few makeup stuff. I could buy more things but I'd do that only if I forgot something. When I was done, I pulled the zipper closed and set the suitcase in the corner.

Climbing into bed, I patted the spot next to me so Cerberus could join me. He snuggled under my arm as I scrolled through a few TikToks, laughing at most of them.

A message menu popped up at the top of my screen and one glance made my heart skip. It always happened when I saw Chris's name. Even after we broke up, we'd still send each other funny or meaningful posts or things like that. He even sent me a TikTok once which proved he had a secret account other than the A Starting Point one.

I opened the message to laugh at this man imitating a Karen who was yelling 'your card declined!' and I replied with the laughing emoji.

Even though we hadn't spoken a word a month after and not in-person, I though it was good that we were still in touch. I believed it was the only silver line that kept us in each other's lives and I'd always continue to send something to keep us alive.

Some crazy part of me had a feeling that Chris was going to be at the Halloween party. He was a man who loved Disney and the theme park. It wouldn't be surprising if he dressed up as Jafar or something.

Honestly, I wanted him to be there.