CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE —The high road

At some place in the downtown of Texas, three of the five friends gathered in front of their favorite bar. The three, Nancy, Mabel, and Daphne, eyed the security men. They still held a grudge against the men who threw them out the other night over the fight that the fierce catty lady started. While they chatted briefly, they waited for Jessica and Ainsley to meet up with them to all walk into the crowded place. The ladies said they were around the corner already. Ainsley was driving Jessica over. Sam and his guy exchanged looks, wondering why they wouldn’t go in. The ladies, in turn, turned their backs to them.

Daphne got busy with her phone. She had been chatting with Josh since they hooked up at her place some days ago. Something he sent made her smile. The other ladies turned to her, demanding an explanation with their quirked brow. Their friend was too busy replying to her chats to notice. Just then, Ainsley’s car drove into the bar’s parking lot. They waved as the two ladies called at them. It took a while for Ainsley to get parking safe. When the car was safely parked, they got down and walked over to their friends.

“Hey ladies.” Jessica greeted the trio with a hug. “I’ve missed you all.”

“So have we.” said Nancy. She pulled the other ladies together for a group hug.

Forming a mini circle, the five girls walked into the bar. Sam, the security man, waved at them. The three ignored her, but he got a smile from Jessica and Ainsley. “What’s with you ladies and Sam?” asked Ainsley. She had not been told about the incident at the bar the other day.

“Oh, they fought, and Sam threw them out.” Jessica yelled out and burst into laughter. Daphne and the other two ladies stopped to stare at her.

“What’s funny in that?” asked Daphne; at about the same time, Ainsley said, “Oh.” while stifling a laugh. The friends exchanged looks and began laughing. Eyes turned their way as they looked around the bar for an empty table. Mabel found one and pointed towards it. The ladies started towards the direction while stopping now and then to exchange greetings with some folks they knew who were also regulars.

“Daph?” called a lady as they walked by. The five stopped, but it was Daphne who looked back confused. “It’s me, Grace.”

“Grace?” she stared at the woman who looked about the same age as her high school friend but bigger. No, more like older. Her face looked stressed. “High school, Grace?”

The lady nodded and threw herself at Daphne. The other friends started to walk away. “I saw your face on the billboard around Milton hotel. I couldn’t help but wonder…” she stopped talking. “I never knew I’d run across you like this”

Daphne smiled brightly. Everyone who saw the billboard had kept calling to congratulate her. The magazine profile decided to do that to promote their sales. And it turns out she needed that for her image. Even her dad was impressed. He had sent her a congratulatory gift last night. Her brothers too. Only her mother still held grudges for what she had done at the party and was still pouting over it. She had refused to say a word to her ever since. “It’s been a while, Grace. How have you been?”

Grace suddenly looked downcast. “I…” The blaring music became a problem. The DJ must have increased the bass or something. So, she pulled Daphne to a corner where they could talk better. As they walked towards the corner, Daphne turned to wave at her friends that she would soon join them. They waved back. “I have had it rough, Daphne. My husband left me. With the kids. I have two kids to fend for all by myself.”

Suppose her memory served her right. Grace’s husband would be Paul, the love of her life. The same Paul wouldn’t look at any other girl back in school. What could have happened? “Paul? You married Paul, right?”

“Yes, Paul”

That was funny. They two had been inseparable in school so much that everyone knew they would end up together. But was that all it would be? A few years as husband and wife and then divorce? They were so in love. “How did that happen?”

“It’s quite a story….” She sighed, “Summary of it is, he met some lady and…” she started to cry.

It became awkward after that. Daphne hugged her while she cried. It took a while to keep her calm, and she promised to visit sometime. Grace smiled and hugged her. Because she became teary after that, she left the bar while Daphne walked her out.

“Who was that?” asked Nancy as soon as their friend settled in her seat.

“A high schoolmate.”

“She looks older than you, though.” Mabel chipped in.

“She’s had it rough.” Daphne replied, taking a swig of the drink her friends had filled her cup with. “Her lover from school left her for another lady.”

“That’s sad.” Jessica retorted while whirling her drink in circles. “Must be tough on her”

“Those two were inseparable. Nobody would believe this. Damn.” she hits the table “You looked disturbed by it.”

“Yes.” she admitted to her friends. With a deep sigh, she added, “Shit happens.”

The friends laughed happily as they joked easily among themselves. Ainsley looked at her friends regally. There was Jessica, smiling and looking radiant. She had this new glow around her. Was that the McCarthy effect? She smiled. It looked like it. Her eyes darted at Mabel, who had a sadness around her though she was laughing now. She was going through a difficult phase and was one of the reasons the friends wanted to meet. Well, that and her new settlement with Jessica. However, it was Mabel who needed them most. She needed her friends now more than ever. They didn’t want her by herself.

To her left was Daphne, the rising businesswoman of the year. Though she was finally blooming now, getting her, there had been a rough ride. Her friends’ constant nagging must have pushed her so far. But she was sure she was proud of her few accomplishments so far. She hoped that didn’t make her resent any of them. Well, considering her successes, she must see that they meant well. Now, there was their doctor friend, Nancy. Raising her glass, she made a toast. “Ladies.” she called. Her friends got their glasses. Mabel had an empty glass, so she quickly refilled and joined the toast. “To Daphne and her new image. May she continue to rock.”

“Cheers” shouted everyone.

“I’m not done.” Ainsley called as they all wanted to take their drink “Go on, mistress.” Jessica teased.

“To our doctor.” Ainsley smiled at Nancy, “For the many times she’s saved us from ourselves. And to her new project. May it rock.”

“Cheers to that.” the friends chorused again.

“To Mabel and her chains of business. May it continue to boom. And FYI, we are proud of whatever decision you make.”

“We are.” the friends called after Ainsley Finally, she turned to her friend. The one with whom she had a rough year. “And to you, my darling and favorite friend….”

“Stop it!” Daphne called with a tease.

“I’m sorry we had a rough year. But I love you. You know that”

“I love you.” said Jessica. She pulled her friend closer for a warm hug.

“Aww.” murmured Daphne, Mabel, and Nancy. The five friends soon gave themselves a bear hug. Jessica blinked her eyes severally to stop the tears that threatened to fall. Ainsley saw that and pulled her closer. She then whispered, “I miss you” for her ears only.

Raising her glass also, Jessica made a toast to her friend, “And to Ainsley, the superwoman. May SMUGSHOT continue to boom under you.”

“Thank you” Ainsley tipped her glass with her friends and smiled. She drank to that.

“Barman.” called Daphne as she waved the man over for more drinks. “Champagne. Bills on me tonight.”

The friends cheered again. As the barman brought over a bottle of champagne, the ladies started singing with the blaring music. Beyoncé’s who runs the world was playing. They all chanted, ‘girls.’

Ainsley asked Jessica, “So, you and your boss, hun?”

“Yes. It’s us against the world now.” Jessica laughed happily She threw her head back for a good laugh. “Who would have thought!”

“Not either of us.” Jessica agreed.

Shifting closer to her friend, she couldn’t resist asking, “And he’s what you want?”

“Everything and more.” said Jessica. “I love how he’s taking it slow. Slow and sweet.”

“Good” she nodded and took a swig of her drink.

“So, Damian?” Jessica asked. Around them, the other friends tensed, thinking the name in itself was an eye eyesore Ainsley smiled, and so did Jessica. Mabel released her breath while the others continued to stare.

“Yes, we’re together.” Ainsley admitted to her friend. “I like him…a lot.”

“Does he know that?”

She nodded in affirmative. “I have told him so in several ways.” she blurted out. Then suddenly realizing she didn’t actually say it out to him, added, “In not so much of words.”

Mabel was the first to call the boss lady out. “You should” when she grabbed her phone then, intending to send her man a quick text. Mabel held her hand, though. “Not over the phone.” she cautioned.

“More so, tonight is for the girls.” Nancy hyped. She was beginning to look a bit drunk. She raised her glass, “To us girls.”

The others chimed after her too. Then Mabel asked Daphne about their family dinner this year. “How did it go?” everyone listened to the famous Reed’s dinner gist as their friend lurched into the sweet tale.

“I can’t believe you said that to her…in the throes of passion? Really?” Mabel laughed as they joked about Daphne’s family dinner.

“What was I to say?” she asked with her hands spread out, “She had to know at some point that I was going to get back at her”

“For saving your ass from a toxic relationship?” Nancy mocked. It was clear to everyone now that she was drunk. They all stared at her. Daphne’s relationship was a topic they all shied away from. It was a dark time in her life. The stupid ass guy she was tangled with then had her all messed in all kinky shades of sex styles. And the cap it up, he had this thing of hitting her in subtly started with just the bedroom ass spanking. And then it grew bolder. All her friends had to threaten the guy. When he wouldn’t let her go, they had to bring in the adults, Mrs. Reed. She handled it by digging up dirt to make him run for it. Daphne was distraught with everyone involved, and it took a while to get to be more open with herself and the things she could tolerate. That was a long time ago. Though they were sure she had healed from the relationship, nobody ever mentioned it. That was the condition she had given her friends for telling her mother about the affair. Nancy blurting it out rudely made everyone tense.

“It’s fine.” Daphne waved dismissively, “I’m over it” she told her friends. No man could ever do that to her anymore. She had learned her lesson the hard way.

“If you have, then forgive your mom. She only did what she had to do.” Ainsley chipped in.

“Forgive her for messing up with my life and never letting me forget that?” Daphne grunted. Her mother saving her ass was something she never wanted. The woman could hold a grudge. Finding out about that particular episode of her life was something she wished she could have avoided. Now, the woman thought she should be worshipped for such great honor.

“She did what she had to do.”

She nodded, “Accepted.” she shrugged, “She had to do that. But reminding me every day about that episode was a low blow.”

“The things mothers do.” Ainsley sighed.