CHAPTER 4
I wanted us to go as Wonder Woman and Batgirl but Dom put her foot down because we had done that twice already, and she hates her Batgirl costume. She wanted us to make new costumes and go as Green Eggs and Ham, but I put my foot down on wearing food costumes that are neither cute nor sexy. Besides any literary reference, even one to a children’s book would be lost on the bar crowd. In the end, Dom’s mama came up with Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf—sexy versions of both, of course. It was a perfect suggestion and solved the solution entirely. I got my cute red dress with a boob-enhancing corset, and Dom got to be BAD in her wolf costume.
I take charge of creating our agenda. Since our first Halloween as over twenty-ones, we’ve had a goal of spending nothing all night. It sort of just happened the first year, but we figured out a system (my analytical issues rearing their ugly head) and have it down to an art now. Step one is carrying no cash on us, just our IDs and cell phones strategically placed in our costumes.
Then we start at the Corner Bar near my apartment, home to lots of sleazy old men and no contest but extremely cheap drinks. It’s my dad’s old hang out, so I rarely have to pay there anyway. Someone who remembers Big Mike will sit and reminisce about him with Dom and me over a couple of three-dollar drinks. Once we have some liquid courage in us, we will have Dom’s fiancé, Luis, pedicab us downtown to hit as many costume contests as we can. Even if we don’t win the contests, drunk people buy us drinks because they like our outfits. When Luis finishes his pedicab shift at midnight, he will bring his car, meet us, and drive our drunk asses home—free and safe.
Dom’s mom, Lucca, makes awesome costumes; she’s the one who taught me to sew. ..and knit, crochet, macramé, and bake. She’s a true Jill of all trades and my organizational idol. She found a tutorial online for making a wolf face with makeup, and Dom sits patiently while Lucca and I touch up details and freeze the edges of her long black hair into a frame around her face. She looks evil and hot. Luis should be expecting serious scratches on his back later tonight.
We can walk to the first stop because it’s close and, well, we can still walk. The old dudes at the Corner Bar don’t disappoint. They buy us cheap shots and throw cliché lines and jokes our way about our costumes. We call for Luis at ten, so we can head downtown and catch the first contest at the BarBar. Dom catcalls her fiancé as he peddles.
Hell yeah, babe, look at that ass—dimpled with the promise of pleasure.
Luis is laughing, and I have to admit Dom is right. His job definitely has body benefits, and the man has some beautiful legs and a butt. I don’t mind watching for ten blocks.
BarBar is normally a little too young and goofy for my taste, but I need immature and stupid acts tonight. I love Halloween because being in a costume lets me be someone I’m not, someone silly, laid-back, easygoing and fun. Tonight, I’m not Vivienne, the over-organised control freak; I’m Red, the walking trouble.
Dom and I place third in the costume contest behind a girl wearing pasties as a top and some guy dressed as a used tampon (yeah, they keep it classy here). All we win is a bunch of swag from the liquor companies, but it’s cool. Some college kids want our prize for their dorm rooms, and we trade it for their drinks. While I’m more focused on executing our free drink, hit every contest plan, Dom is focused on finding a replacement for Danny for me. She keeps pointing out any guy who looks even remotely like he might be my type.
The next bar has a lesser crowd with costumes, and it works to our advantage. We win this one and walk away with $100. Technically this could be drink money, but I tell Dom we need to stick to our plan and put this in her wedding fund. I know she’s getting pretty tipsy because she hugs and kisses me and keeps telling me what a great fuckin’ friend I am.
She doubles up on her search for my next obsession and focuses on a bunch of businessmen who are more than happy to buy us premium drinks on their expense accounts. They’re definitely not colleges kids, and I don’t expect them to look like one. One of them looks particularly good in his suit, but that’s just the only spark he got. At Dom’s urging, he gives me his card, and I see he works for one of JetStream’s vendors. I’m glad I’m in costume and for calling myself Red because he is someone, I might call for my job.
Dom doesn’t hide her compliment —He was cute! She slurs while we walk to our final contest.
I know, but he works for HighTel. I have to call them for Bob sometimes.
So?
So... I don’t have an answer because she is starting to make sense. There are no rules against me dating a vendor. I change the subject because I really don’t want to go back there. The guy was a good match for me, and his only fault is that he isn’t Danny and my defences are down enough for me to admit that I still want the lying bastard.
Next stop, you have to at least kiss whoever I pick for you, she says defiantly.
I open my mouth to protest, but she shuts it with a glare. She has great taste and knows me well enough that I’m game.
Fine, I’ll do it, I accept.
—Hell yes, you will. She drags me toward The Rail, our favourite Irish pub, and the place Luis will meet us. As we wait in line to get in, Dom makes some needed adjustments to my costume. I’ve gone from boobilicious cleavage to my nipples almost popping out, and I try to stand still as she adjusts the laces on the front of my corset, but the cocktails are kicking in. We get into a giggle fit as the guys behind us encourage her to play with my boobs. I start to play with her hair, stroking it gently, and we start moving toward each other like we are about to kiss.
They’re chanting —kiss! Kiss! Kiss!
We’re beginning to laugh, and none of us sees that the line has moved on.
Move on! The bouncer’s yell breaks our little show. I turn to face the bouncer, fishing my ID out of my top and stop.
Danny is sitting on a barstool in the doorway of The Rail; he was carding people and looking anything but amused. He holds his hand out for my ID. I’m too stunned and dumbfounded to see him, but Dom isn’t.
Oh, fuck me!
She gets several offers from the group of guys behind us. Danny gives my ID a cursory glance because he knew how old I am and does the same to Dom’s, never saying a word to us. He hands them back and looks past us to the next group in line.
Danny, I. I start to speak, but he ignores me and begins to talk to the guys behind us.
Oh, no way! Dom yells. She has refused to pass through the door now. She’s turned Puerto Rican, she-wolf crazy. —Yolo, you think you can treat my girl this way?
She’s in his face, but Danny just looks up at her slowly and calmly replies,
Please, get inside; I don’t have time for this now, Dom.
My heart is pounding loudly now, my head is spinning, and the drinks I have had threaten to force themselves out on Danny as I push her through the door. On entering, we locate the ladies room and enter there to regroup.
Why would you ever want that asshole? Dom asks angrily. —I don’t care what he looks like; he’s a fucktard and a loser.
I only half hear her tirade because my fuzzy brain finally pulls the missing pieces together so I can form a thought and sentence.
He didn’t lie, I manage to utter.
My utterance stops her cold. —What?
He didn’t lie, repeat, this time, saying it to both myself and Dom.
What the fuck are you talking about? She spits out angrily —so he didn’t lie, he just snubbed you, again! She stressed the last word to let it sink deep down in my mind.
No, Dom, he was going to work the other night. He was going to work here.
I can tell from her look that she is too disgusted with me to grasp the enormousness of what I just figured out. I push myself away from the sink I’d been leaning against and pull on the rickety door handle.
Where do you think you’re going? Dom pushes the door shut. There is a loud groan from the girls waiting in line outside the bathroom.
To talk to him. It’s obvious that I have to now that I know he’s not a liar. I pull on the door again, and she holds it closed with her hands.
V, wake up. Whether he lied about the job or not, he just totally snubbed you back there.
No, he’s working, he couldn’t talk right then.
And you think he wants to talk now?
Damn, she makes more sense drunk than I do. I think for a minute and then say, —Fine... let’s just get out of here.
I pull her toward the front of the bar, where I can see Danny from where we perch on a window ledge. Dom follows my line of sight and realises that I’m still staring at him.
You’re killing me, V, let him go!
No, I say and shake my head, and she settles in. She knows I never give up easily.