187 - Girls Night
187 - Girls Night
On girls’ night in, we talk about dating; the ups and downs of the previous week. Our collective laughter is uncontrollable and tearful, even the most disappointing dates become meritorious on girls’ night in. – Cilla Black
Helen admitted that she had never had a bachelorette party with her first marriage. She was heavily pregnant with triplets when she married Reese. Just like with her pregnancy, her older kids decided that she needed to have the full experience.
The night was split into two parts. First, the women would go have dinner at Cognac in one of the private dining rooms. Afterwards, Sam would go over to her brother’s house for the night. The rest of the women would then go to the Cowboy Cabaret where they would meet with the rest of the princess club.
Helen insisted on Sam being part of the celebration but knew that the full princess club could be overwhelming. Over the last few weeks, the teen had started to open up. She had weekly meetings with Connie at the FAC and kept her journal with her at all times.
Even tonight as they settled around the table in the private dining room, Sam placed the leatherbound journal on her lap. Helen noticed that her newest, and oldest, granddaughter placed herself between Dean and Jolene. These were the two that she spent the most time with and felt most comfortable around.
Helen sat between Cheryl and Bunny with Gigi across from her. There was an open chair for Gina when she got off shift. She had called earlier and let her sister-in-law know that she would be late due to an issue at the department.
Leaning close to Bunny, Helen quietly asked, “How’s Sam doing with Connie?”
Bunny smiled as she looked at the girl in question across the large round table. Turning to her husband’s mother, she squeezed her hand, “She’s doing very well. She’s becoming more confident in herself. Connie has signed her up for the Saturday courses and she’ll do the afterschool program when classes start up again.”
“Good,” Helen squeezed Bunny’s hand. “I’m glad to hear that.”
The door opened and Gina walked in, wearing jeans and polo shirt with the Cowboy Cabaret logo on the left breast. On the right was two lines of script – GINA. I cannot have beer. As soon as the women who knew the story saw it, they all burst out laughing.
Smirking, Gina sat down at the empty chair, “The guys gave it to me a while back. I thought tonight would be appropriate.”
“Very much so,” Cheryl laughed. “You need to send a picture of that to your brother.”
“You know, I hadn’t even thought about that,” she admitted as she pulled her phone out.
“Give me that,” Dean held her hand out. “I’ve seen the selfies that you take. Pretty sure that a blind man can do better.”
Gina chuckled as she handed her phone over. “That is a distinct possibility.”
Dean took a picture of Gina and her shirt with Gina’s phone and then one with her own phone. Handing the device back to her aunt, Dean warned, “This is going to the club.”
“Honestly, I think that I might worry if you did not send it out to everyone.” Gina smirked as she sent the picture to her brother and then to her kids. “Some who get it, may wish that they did not.”
“I’m sure they’ll get over it,” Sam said quietly.
Helen was glad that Sam felt comfortable enough to contribute to the conversation. Dean hung out with the younger teen often since there were only a few years between them. Although the five years seemed huge at times, at other times, as Sam experienced new things, the new mom was there to assure her that it was normal.
She still had not told anyone who the father of the baby was, but Dean had gotten Sam to tell her that it was a boy from the high school. He had been in one of her classes and she was assigned to a group project with him. He had taken advantage of the close proximity and her naïve innocence.
Jolene had worried about explaining how Sam had ended up pregnant. She had walked into the living room to find her sister-in-law on the couch with the teen and answering very detailed questions. There had been a few things that either Dean had not known about or acted like she did not. For those questions, Dean had pulled out her phone and utilized the search bar.
Helen had taken the call during the workday thinking that something was wrong. When Jolene explained the situation, she told her oldest daughter to let them work it out. Maybe it was because they were close in age, but whatever the reason, Jolene had been grateful for it.
Sam had been fascinated by the art studio and all of things that Dean could do with the various different paints. Encouraging the younger woman, Dean gave her a det of pencils and one of her unused sketch books. She told Sam that sometimes the art would tell you what was needed, and sometimes you had to tell the art. Either way, her new outlet had become sketching and doodling. The journal had remained her primary release for two reasons…
1. Sam was not that good at drawing. Dean encouraged her to keep working on it, it would improve as she used it more.
2. It was easier to carry a journal and single pencil rather than a sketch book and a dozen or so pencils, erasers, blenders…
The waitress walked in and pulled Helen from her thoughts of Sam. The blonde woman introduced herself as Monica and went through the evening specials. After handing out the menus she took their drink orders.
“Do you still have the spinach artichoke dip?” Dean asked.
“Yes, do you want pita chips, crackers or soda bread chips?” Monica asked and after a brief pause, as if she was thinking about something, she suggested, “Or if you prefer, I can bring a mix of all three.”
“If we could do all three, that would be great,” Helen interjected. “And an order of cheese sticks and grilled stuffed mushrooms.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the waitress said as she wrote down the orders. “Mr. Reese has provided champagne; would you like that now? Or with dessert?”
“Do you have lava cake?” Dean asked.
“We have the chocolate berry, white chocolate raspberry, and lemon with custard,” Monica answered. “Chef has tried a matcha with a white chocolate lava, but he doesn’t have it on the menu yet, I can see if he is willing to make some for you.”
Suddenly the room was filled with discussions about the different lava cakes. Monica slipped out of the private dining room to get their drinks. When she returned, everyone had settled on what cake they wanted but had not considered what to eat for the main course. As Helen placed her regular order, everyone else reviewed the menu.
Seeing her uncertainty, Jolene smiled at her young charge, “Get whatever you want, Sam, Reese owns the restaurant.”