Girls' Night - Part 1

By late May, Everett and Alex have put together a list of new dishes that we can use to revitalize our menu when the time is right. For now, the newness of our restaurant is still bringing in great crowds every night. We even have regulars coming in, which feels like a new level of success.

With all the time I spend in the office during working hours, I haven't had to put in extra time. I'm keeping up on all the paperwork and finances and still have had time to put together some new marketing ideas.

In the mornings, I clean my house, do laundry, and every Saturday, Kim and I hang out before work. It's been so nice to have time with my best friend again. I can feel the emptiness Jeff left behind slowly dissipating. It's still hard to see couples together. Even though I don't miss a lot of things Jeff did, I miss having someone. I miss the hope of becoming a wife and mother.

And there are SO MANY couples around! Alex has a boyfriend, Fred, who's started coming into the restaurant to see her every Monday. He also drops her off at work a few times a week and comes in to say hi to the rest of the staff.

Everett also has a young lady who drops him off once a week or so. He hasn't introduced her to us yet, but they seem close. She always gives him a hug before he leaves.

I'm starting to think I need to start dating again. I just don't know where to start. I mean, I was engaged to Jeff for six months, and dated him for a year before that, so I've been out of the dating game for a very long time! I know I'm young, I just don't remember how I used to meet people. Well, I guess I met people in classes and at college activities, which are no longer options.

It's a slow Wednesday night when I find myself pouring out my concerns to Alex in the break room over a shared plate of her delicious apple strudel. "Where did you meet Fred?" I ask.

"We met at church," she says. "We're in the same congregation."

"Oh." Maybe I should start going back to church. It's a been a little while.

"Why?"

"I just- I think I need to get back into the dating game and I don't know where to start. I don't really meet a lot of single men."

"Where would you usually meet men before?"

"College classes and activities," I say with a frown.

"Ah. Yeah, that wouldn't work." She frowns in concentration, one of her few expressions that isn't a smile.

We sit in silence, thinking for a bit.

"Maybe a bar or a club?" she suggests.

"I don't know that those are really my scenes." Besides, I don't want to go hang out somewhere so public by myself.

Alex must sense some of the reasons for my hesitation. "I could go with you. Maybe get a few other girls and have a girls' night out. We can help you sift through the options." She winks and I laugh.

"That actually might be really fun." I haven't been out since the disastrous masquerade. But I have a feeling that a girls' night planned by Alex would be much less prone to catastrophe.

"Let's do it! Saturday after work."

"That's really late!"

"Late is when places like that are really getting going."

I shrug. I don't have much experience with clubs and bars, so I'll take Alex's word for it. We set our plans for the upcoming Saturday evening and I shoot Kim a text to invite her. We also invite Jen, Nancy, and Kelsy. The other female employees are too young to get into a club. Everyone agrees to come and I find myself looking forward to Saturday with a mix of worry and excitement.

Saturday morning, Kim shows up to my place for a nice brunch. We enjoy a meal of french toast, poached eggs, and fruit smoothies. When we finish, I pull her to my closet.

"What should I wear tonight?" I ask, waving my arm at my closet like I'm presenting a prize on a game show.

Kim looks carefully through the selection with a frown. I know my clothes are pretty boring. I've basically got a collection of nice dress clothes for work, a bunch of old, worn, casual clothes from college, and some exercise clothes.

I'm starting to think about how much I can afford to spend on something new when I hear her exclaim, "Yes!"

I look up and find her holding a dress that I forgot about. I bought it a couple months before Jeff and I got engaged and only wore it once. Jeff didn't like the way I looked in it and suggested that I not wear it again, so I shoved it in the back of the closet and forgot about it.

"You think so?" I ask tentatively.

"Absolutely! You'll look hot!"

That's what I thought when I bought it, but I don't mention any of that. Instead, I grab the short, black dress with thin sleeves, a deep, thin v-neck, and an open back, and hold it in front of myself. It should still fit. I haven't really gained any weight in the last year. In fact, I may have lost a little during the stressful post-Jeff, pre-Everett stage.

"What should I do with my hair?"

"You should put it up in a messy bun with a few curls loose," Kim suggests.

I nod. "I can do that." I pack up the dress to take with me to work. I'll do my hair beforehand. The other girls at Lovebird Cafe agreed that we'd all bring our clothes and change after work so we can get out as soon as possible.

Kim leaves shortly before I head out. I arrive a little early to stow my dress in my office. I need to hang it so it doesn't wrinkle, and I don't want it somewhere where everyone can see it and ask questions.

Alex, Kelsy, Jen, and Nancy get to work a few minutes after I do. I invite them to put their outfits in my office as well and they all do so. I feel a surge of relief when I realize that my dress fits in really well with their outfits for the night. They all have their hair put up in cute, more intricate styles than they usually wear and we share around compliments until we hear the rest of our coworkers showing up.

The work shift flies by. I keep getting distracted from my work by the cute outfits hanging from the edge of my bookshelves. I can't help picturing me and the girls entering the bar and seeing all of the men immediately turn their attention our way. With so many cute girls at my side, I'm sure we'll attract a lot of male scrutiny.

When the shift ends, we bid the men goodbye. Most of them leave without a glance back, but Everett seems stubbornly intent on staying until I leave, like he usually does.

"I'm really fine. I'm staying a little longer for something," I explain, feeling strangely reluctant to tell him my plans.

"Then I'll wait. I don't want to leave you here alone."

"Alex, Nancy, Jen, and Kelsy are all still here," I point out.

His frown deepens. "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

I shake my head in frustration. "Look, we're going to have a girls' night tonight and we'll be getting ready here before we go. I just feel like it's a little awkward for you to wait for us to change and get ready."

His frown turns into a contemplative stare. "Where will this girls' night be taking you that you have to change first?"

"We're heading to Lucky's Bar."

Great. Now Everett is glaring and I can see rage monster Everett lurking just under the surface. I place a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Everett, there are going to be six of us. We'll watch out for each other and we'll be fine. I promise. Please don't ruin this for me. I need to get out and spend time with people." My voice breaks a little as I add, "I'm so lonely."

Instead of backing off like I hoped, Everett wraps his muscular arms around me and pulls me against him. His voice has a catch in it as he speaks.

"I'm so sorry, Lace. I don't mean to get so angry. I just- I remember what happened last time you went out. I hate the idea of some jerk hurting you ladies."

"We'll be okay." I wrap my arms around him for a sec and enjoy the feeling of being held by someone before pulling away. "With six of us, I think we're plenty strong to take care of each other."

He nods. "I guess you're right. Just, if you need help, call me, okay?"

"I will." We look at each other with soft smiles for a moment, then I shoo him with my hands. "Now will you go already? I'll see you Monday."

He holds his hands up in surrender and laughs. "Alright, alright, I'm going. Catch you Monday, Boss Lady." He waves and disappears through the back door. Kelsey emerges from the break room, where she was changing.

"You got him to go? Man, he's stubborn."

"I know," I answer with a smile.

She turns a speculative glance to me. "You know, if he didn't have a lady friend dropping him off, I'd think there was something between you two."

"We're just friends," I say honestly. "I don't know that we'd be a good match, romantically. But we work well together and enjoy each other's company."

"Hmmm." She drops the subject and I fetch my dress, quickly changing and adding a cute black and silver bracelet and some strappy black sandals with low heels.

I touch my hair up in front of the small mirror hanging in my office, then join the other girls at the door. We lock up and head to the parking lot, where Kim is waiting for us. Jen has a large van, so we all pile in and head out. It's time to cut loose and have fun! And maybe, hopefully, meet someone new.