Pieces

Pieces
Chapter Two

If you believe it’s in my soul,
I’d say all the words that I know,
Just to see if you were a show,
That I'm trying to let you know,
That I’m better off on my own.
Pieces~~Sum 41

Lachlan Murchinson whistled as he stood in front of the house Francesca rented. It was a fairly big house with a well kept lawn. He approached the front door admiring its dark mahogany wood and simple stained glass panels. He pressed the door bell and smiled as he heard the pleasant jingle echoing through the house. The light chiming reflected Francesca perfectly and he put on his best salesman smile as he heard someone approach the door. Loud barking followed and he stepped away from the door a little. The door was pulled open and a beagle trotted out barking happily. Lachlan looked up into the sleepy dark blue eyes if Frankie's roommate and smiled.
"Stop it Kittie." Her roommate growled, bending over to pick up the overexcited beagle.
"Hi, is Frankie in?" Lachlan asked politely.
"Yeah, she's out back." Her roommate stepped aside and Lachlan stepped over the threshold into the tiled foyer. It was a clean dazzling white and Lachlan was suitably impressed.
"Come with me." Frankie's roommate put the beagle down and set off down the hall, his gray tracksuit pants dragging along the tiles as he set off through the house.
"Morning Dougie." Frankie's roommate bent to gently pet another beagle that had just crawled out of its basket.
"Are the beagles yours?" Lachlan asked as Dougie sniffed his feet curiously.
"Yeah. Frankie has the massive St. Bernard."
"She still has Zoë?"
"Yeah." He yawned as they reached a spotless glass door.
"It's so clean." Lachlan commented.
"I know. Frankie's work." Her roommate slid the door open and Lachlan stepped outside.
"Thank you." He told the roommate as the door was slid shut behind him.
"Hey Lachlan." Lachlan turned towards Francesca and smiled at her. She was still as young and as pretty as he remembered and he went over to shake her hand.
"Hey Francesca." She smiled at him and pulled him down for a hug.
"Sit." She pointed to the deck chair identical to her own and he sat, grateful for the shade in the stifling summer heat.
"How are you?" He asked as he settled in the surprisingly comfortable chair. Francesca didn't answer for a moment and he followed her gaze to pinpoint her source of distraction.
"Is that Dante?" He asked, spotting her young nephew on the ground with his legs high in the air. He was being sniffed by a curious Zoë and Francesca was chewing her lip in worry.
"He'll be alright, won't he?" She asked.
"Zoë knows not to hurt him." He told her calmly as she turned back to him, her dark sunglasses sliding down her face to rest at the tip of her nose.
"I have a friend coming over with her niece. She's about Dante's age so he won't be lonely. She's going to be starting the business with me, so I don't think we should start until then." She told him and nodded in reply.
"Are you thirsty?" She asked politely. The glass door slid open and her roommate stepped out with a tray with a jug of water and a stack of glasses on it.
"Thanks Sebastien." She said as he placed it on a nearby table.
"Thank you." Lachlan said as Sebastien walked back into the house.
"When will your friend be here?" Lachlan asked as he twirled this heavy onyx ring around his finger. He snuck a discreet glance at his watch as he folded the sleeves of his shirt up.
"My watch is getting fixed what time it is?" She asked pointing to the lighter patch of skin on her left wrist where her watch had been.
"Nine twenty three." He told her taking an obvious look at his watch.
"Well she should be here soon. She told me twenty past." Francesca pulled her knees up to her chest as she blew a stray strand of hair out of her face while Lachlan inspected her back yard. He whistled lowly in appreciation as he looked at the size of her pool.
"How do you pay for a place like this?" He asked.
"I was going to quit school and get a full time job but dad said he would pay as long as I stayed in school." She told him, shrugging.
"Lucky you." He said as he heard the glass door slide open. He turned to it as Francesca slid off the chair to stand up and greet her best-friend.
"Guess who's here?" Lachlan's jaw dropped.
"Oh my god, Devon?"