Weeping Willows

Chapter 19

What Happens on Girl’s Night, Stays on Girl’s Night

                Elizabeth gasped as she came down the stairs.  Balloons and streamers were tied on every available surface.  She burst out laughing as Jan and Jenny sat in recliners next to three lounge chairs that had been moved in.  Laying on the chairs were the blow-up dolls of her friends making the whole scene appear rather obscene.  Jan sat next to Nell the naughty nurse.  The nurses cap had been placed at a roguish angle on top of its head.  The doll held a fake syringe and the picture was of her friend winking while sticking out her tongue.  Jenny sat next to Lauren the sexy cop.  Her cap was placed with the brim hanging low over one her friends crossed eyes.  In one hand was a pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs in the other was a blow up billy club like the kind children win at the fair.  The couch had been left open for Elizabeth and Addison and next to it sat Courtney the dominatrix.  Her black latex outfit was covered in shiny silver studs and a black fuzzy boa had been made into her whip.  Her picture had been taken from an overhead angle making her forehead and glasses larger than the rest of her face. 

                Honestly, she hadn’t taken a very good look at them the night she had gotten them but to see them in all their glory now had her doubling over in hysterics.  The time and detail they had added to each one was truly amazing.  Man, she really hoped that Mason didn’t make a surprise appearance tonight.  As she walked into the room wiping away the tears that had formed at the corner of each eye, she looked at the spread of goodies upon the coffee table.  There was a plethora of different snacks covering anything one could want.  There was salty, sweet, spicy, warm, cold, crunchy, and soft.  It was a smorgasbord of the worst foods possible one could consume, and she was in heaven.  Beside the table sat a cooler with a choice of soda, water, beer, or wine.  It was absolutely amazing.

                Elizabeth spun around to thank them for the surprise and came face to screen with two gigantic flat screens hanging on the wall across the room.  One of them the screen was bright blue waiting for whatever was planned.  There was a full surround sound hooked up to it that she was sure was going to shake her windows with the bass.  Thank goodness she lived too far away from her neighbors for this to be a problem.  On the other screen the faces of her three friends looked at her smiling mile wide smiles each.  Sitting next to them on the screen was her French maid blow up doll complete with feather duster and little lace cap.  Her face was frozen in a perpetual monkey face making her snort at the sight.

                “Surprise!”  All six women yelled out together making Elizabeth squeal in delight.  Tears sprang to her eyes in joy for all they did for this mini celebration.

                “We were not going to be left out of the fun this year and were trying to decide what to do when we got a call from Jan.”  Jan brought her fingers to her head in salute as they all turned to look at her.

                “How did you get the numbers?”

                “You gave me Lauren’s number the other day remember?”  She did indeed but hadn’t realized that she would keep it for future reference but secretly glad she had.

                “How is all that going by the way.”  Addison directed her question to the screen looking straight at Lauren.

                “Better then expected.  The kids had a blast at the restaurant.  He had several surprises waiting for us when we arrived to which just made their day.  There’s been constant coverage on the case which has caused a petition to appear against all of the foster families ever getting another youth in their care.  It is looking like the judge it was brought before is going to swing his verdict in favor of public opinion on this one.  I have to admit when I met your friend Mikey, I was a bit of a skeptic of his skills.”

                “Pulled a Casanova on you, did he?”  At Lauren’s disgusted face the three in the room with Elizabeth burst out laughing fully expecting the answer.

                “He tried unsuccessfully I might add, not that that stopped him from trying.  The day of the first hearing I didn’t have very high hopes.  Once the proceedings started, he became a totally different person.  I swear he had those overpriced corporate lawyers pissing themselves by the end of day one.”  She ended with raucous laugh clearly reliving the moment.

                “I just wish there was a way to make sure those kids end up in better homes.”  Elizabeth sighed in disappointment.  A bit of an evil smile split Courtney’s face as a sinister chuckle escaped her.  Jenny, Jan, and Addison all looked at her in confusion.

                “What are you up too?”  Elizabeth asked causing Courtney’s smile to grow and a glint to shine in her eyes.

                “I would tell you but just in case you have no knowledge of anything.”

                “Not exactly legal then?”

                “Do you really need me to answer that?”  Elizabeth, Lauren, and Nell all yelled a no clearly knowing she was wearing a grey hat for this hack.  By the look on her face it might be closer to black though.  The other three women looked around in confusion not catching on.

                “Court is a bit of a damn good hacker that while her intentions are usually on the right side of things her methods rarely are.”

                “If she says it’s better not to know, then trust us it really is better to be kept in the dark.”  Nell supplied while reaching over ruffling Courtney’s hair making her swat the hand away.

                “You know when someone uses the threat, I know people?  Well Courtney is one of those people.”

                “Hey!  I’m not quite that bad jeeze.”

                “Don’t feel to bad about the ones you go after though do you.”  Courtney glared at Nell not being able to refute the point.

                “And now she’s dating one of those people too.”

                “Ooooh, do tell, how are things with Roy?”  Elizabeth squealed out ready for all the details.  Lauren laughed as Courtney turned her glare to her once she let the cat out of the bag.  Turning her attention back to the room a dark look clouded her face.  Placing her hands flat on the table to brace herself Courtney moved closer to the screen.

                “I owned his butt, I’m queen of the course.”

                “Huh?”  Was Elizabeth’s reply.  Lauren rolled her eyes pushing Courtney back out of the way taking over the screen.

                “She challenged him to paintball.  You can imagine how that went.”

                “She creamed him.”  Elizabeth groaned out knowing Courtney was like a child sized Rambo once she had a weapon in her hand.  The poor guy obviously hadn’t stood a chance.  Elizabeth cringed as she asked how he took the loose but was surprised by the burst of laughter from both Nell and Lauren.

                “He called for a rematch.”

                “I honestly think he liked the thought she could kick his fine rump.  Not to mention she couldn’t turn down a challenge and now he has another date with her.”  Elizabeth burst out laughing as Courtney slunk down crossing her arms in displeasure.  Lauren winked at them pleased with the outcome of what seemed to be the first date.

                “Speaking of men Lizzy, how is yours doing these days?”  Nell not so subtly dropped.  Lauren shot up from her seat with a growl squaring her glare on Elizabeth.

                “You still haven’t broken up with that creep yet?!”  At her outburst there was a collective gasp from the women in the room with her.

                “s**t I completely forgot about Nolan again.”

                “Wait who’s Nolan?”  Jan asked her leaning forward in her chair in interest.  The answer however came from Lauren as she beat Elizabeth to the punch.

                “Someone Lizzy met at the bar one night and decided to date.  Honestly hon the fact that he wouldn’t take no for an answer that night should have been a big clue to his character.”  Courtney nodded her head warming up to the new topic.

                “The guy is a parasite.  I did some digging since we last talked and did you know he has at least six restraining orders against him for stalking?”

                “Figures.”  Lauren grumbled clearly unhappy with this new development.  Elizabeth chewed her lip worried over what to do now.

                “Have you talked to him since the last time he texted?”  She shook her head no earning a sigh from the screen.

                “Maybe he’ll believe you changed your number after you moved then and figure it really was a stranger he contacted.”  Elizabeth sure hoped so.  While she was equipped to deal with slime-ball ex-boyfriends she had never had one that was a stalker.  About that time her ringtone broke the tense silence causing Jenny and Elizabeth to jump.  She retrieved her cell from the pocket of her robe groaning as she read the name on the caller I.D.

                “What’s that saying?  Speak of the devil and the devil will answer?”  She tossed the offended implement to the couch beside her just as the call went to voicemail.

                “That is some spooky timing.”  Everyone nodded with Addison’s assessment.  Before the conversation could continue the cell went off yet again.  Before she could pick it up however Jan was up and across the room snatching the device up while answering it.

                “Hello?  Who is this?”  The women waited a beat in shocked silence eyes all glued to the agitated woman. 

                 “I told you when you texted before I have no idea who you are.”  Another beat of silence went on as Addison reached out squeezing Elizabeth’s clammy hand.

                “Well clearly whoever this woman is she didn’t want to be bothered by you anymore or she would have given you her new number.  Don’t call my phone again or I’ll report you to the police.”  With her parting words she pressed end taking the phone with her back to her seat.  Elizabeth arched her brow.

                 “In case he calls again.”  Sighing out she nodded allowing her tense muscles to release.

                  “I’ll tell you, just from that short conversation I can tell he’s a grade A dick.”

                 “When we take you lingerie shopping were getting you a new phone.”  Jenny pipped in while squeezing Elizabeth’s other hand.

                  “Lingerie shopping?  What’s this now?”  Lauren perked up with interest.

                  “Probably has to do with the guy I was actually asking about whose name is Ryan.”  Nell stated.  Elizabeth groaned as Lauren smiled and giggled.

                  “So, what’s he like?  What does he do for a living?  Oh, and what are the visuals?”  Despite herself Elizabeth laughed weakly as Jenny dished on her friend to the girls.  She even brought up a candid picture of him holding it up to the camera for them to see.  Nell whistled low as she took in the pick Lauren’s response was a that a girl while she wiggled her eyebrows.  Courtney even seemed impressed, but Elizabeth didn’t miss how she secretly wrote out his details probably planning on running a background check on him.

                 “You all are just in time as I was determined to get the juicy details of their little rendezvous on Saturday out of her tonight.” 

                 “There’s not really much to tell.”  Her statement was met with sounds of protest from everyone in attendance both in the room and on the screen.  Resigning herself to the impending teasing she launched into a telling of their trip to the falls.  She did however leave out the part about seeing someone else out there telling herself the reason was because they wouldn’t believe her.  By the end they were all squealing making her blush as she desperately fanned her face trying to will it away.  Jan raised her hands bringing everyone back under control before squaring her gaze at Elizabeth.

                 “Why did you pull away?  Were you just not feeling it?”

                 “I was feeling it alright, but something tried to crawl up my shorts at the same time.”  This sent the women into hysterics.  When the room calmed back down it was Jenny’s turn to interrogate her.

               “Where were Ryan’s hands exactly?  I’m just saying are you sure he wasn’t what you felt.”  Elizabeth shook her head leaning over to Jenny to demonstrate visually for everyone to see.  She screeched batting Addison’s fingers away from her bare thigh where her robe had ridden up to expose it.

                “Was it something like that?”  Addison giggled not looking a bit ashamed of her actions.

                 “It felt exactly like that.”

                 “And your sure that’s exactly how Ryan was holding you?”  Jan clarified as Elizabeth nodded in response.

                “Was there someone else out there with you guys?”  Elizabeth hesitated over Nell’s question while an image of the man in the water shot through her head.

                “I’m positive.  The water is so clear there we would have seen anyone in it.”

               “She’s right there’s no way Ryan would have let that go if he saw someone messing with her.”

                “It was probably just a fish swimming by.”  Elizabeth asserted though not quite believing her words herself.  As the other women readily agreed and teased her only one did not.  Across the room Jan looked at her in quiet contemplation but didn’t say anything else.

                “So, what are you going to do?  Something fun I hope.  I tell you Nell and I have been trying to upgrade Courtney’s and Elizabeth’s lingerie for years, but nothing has ever worked.  I’m hoping the fact that you agreed means what I think it does.”  Courtney reached over and hit Lauren as Elizabeth just sighed and shook her head.

                 “I don’t think that I’m ready for anything.  Not after everything that’s happened.”  The mood turned slightly solemn, but Lauren was ready to toss in the towel yet.

               “What about just to scratch that itch?  You said yourself you were feeling it earlier.”  Elizabeth glared at her friend not agreeing with her words.

               “Ryan isn’t a booty call kind of guy you guys.  He’s more of someone’s forever guy.”

               “Poop.”  Lauren pouted out dismayed she had been derailed.  Jenny snorted from beside her drawing everyone’s attention.

               “Trust me he’s a nice guy alright but if he had to wait for you, he would definitely be fine with a booty call every once in a while.”  Elizabeth blushed at least five shade of red as Lauren whooped out her consent.  This party was going off track and Elizabeth desperately needed a diversion.

               “So, what is going on tonight exactly?”

               “You mean other then discussing your love life?”  Addison innocently asked her as if she hadn’t just been an active participant in the teasing.

               “Exactly.  Not that I’m not enjoying the current topic or anything, but I can’t see how the guys inspired this set up tonight.”  The women all looked around at each other clearly conspiring against her somehow.  Courtney cleared her throat for the presentation.

                “Jan filled us in on their poorly executed but sweet birthday surprise, so we decided to do the real deal with a movie night.”  Elizabeth looked at her puzzled until she saw the second screen begin to change once Courtney worked her magic on a few keys.

                 “First up we have Magic Mike.”  The women all whistled and catcalled until Courtney gestured for them to settle down.

                 “After that we have Magic Mike XXL!”  This time instead of quieting the small group she joined right on in.  Even Elizabeth clapped with anticipation.  Looking around at each face that was now facing the screen she smiled glad to have the friends she did and gaining the new ones she had.  Elizabeth thought she was very lucky to have each of these women in her life.  As the movie began to play causing Lauren to chant out for strippers making the others laugh Elizabeth smiled.  She was glad they had decided to surprise her tonight because had it been tomorrow, she wouldn’t have had this much fun.  Pushing thoughts of her impending birthday away she turned her attention back to the festivities.  After all tomorrow was another day.