Chapter 2
"I am not getting out of bed!" Throwing the overly fluffy pillow over my head Chloe ignored the banging on my door for my attention.
"You cannot hide in there forever!" Juliet growled from behind the locked door. "It is not the end of the world."
"You can't make me come out." The muffled sounds from under the pillow were barely audible.
The room fell silent as she heard growls from both friends on the other side. "Get out this door right this instant!"
"No! I am just having a hard time with this and just let me go through the motions."
"Going through the motions is a week of depression and then taking a shower and going on with your life. It has been almost a month! Get out of bed, finish your book, and just get on with it!" Caitlyn hissed from behind the door.
"I don't feel like it," Chloe gruffed.
"Your publishers are going to drop you like a bad habit!" Juliet reasoned.
Shoving a pillow on each ear Chloe tried to drown them out closing her eyes. Drifting back into her restless sleep she tried to clear her mind laying under the covers in complete darkness. "Ow!" Looking down she felt sudden prickle sensations stab up her leg. "Ow, ow!" Throwing the pillows from either side of her head she threw the covers almost completely off her bed to investigate only to find a rather large hairy arachnid glaring up at her. "AH!" The creature attached itself to her leg as she jumped up to run from the rather defensive creature. The sting came quit sudden making her fear draw to its peak. Running at full speed to her door she threw it open crashing it into the wall with a slight cracking sound jumping into the arms of her friends.
"What happened?" Caitlyn demanded wide eyed.
"Tell me something, is that damn thing defanged?" Chloe breathed heavily.
*****
Sitting on the table at the doctor's office Chloe laid her head back in frustration as the doctor wrapped her leg. The doctor giggled and glanced Chloe over while trying to keep his voice professional. "So I hope you know to keep the spider locked up from now on." Standing he nodded at both of the friends and let a smile slip quickly walking out the door. Chloe closed her eyes and groaned as she heard the doctor burst into laughter as soon as the door was securely closed.
"Ok now Chloe don't get mad at us. We had no idea that Caitlyn's daughter had lost the Tarantula…" weighing her words Juliet added, "Again, but we got you out of bed."
Caitlyn smirked and added her two cents. "And now that you are out I think you need to start living."
Chloe opened her eyes and looked at them both with a heavy sigh. "I don't know how to live. I have been using my son as an excuse to hide from life."
"But you have been shopping daily and so bubbly…" trailing off Juliet pondered her friends words. "They were just keeping you busy, you haven't moved on from your husband have you?"
Caitlyn nodded studying Chloe with her feline eyes. "Those stories haven't been helping either."
"Wait, what does her writing have to do with this?" Juliet quirked her blonde eyebrow in confusion.
"Doesn't it sound familiar? Like some letters she used to get from him?" Caitlyn pointed out.
Sighing Chloe nodded, "I haven't moved on and I am not sure if I can. I haven't met a decent guy and to tell you the truth I really don't want to. He was the love of my life and now he is gone!"
"Exactly, he is gone but you are not. So it is time to get up and just move on. He would want that Chloe!" Caitlyn fumed.
"You don't know that, I feel like I am cheating on him. Any time I look at another man I just can't wrap my mind around anything romantic for fear I might betray my wedding vows." Fat tears rolled down her pale skin leaving glistening trails behind.
Both women stood back in shock and looked towards the floor. "You really loved him didn't you?" Juliet wasn't really asking but more like stating the obvious.
"Yes, and I just don't know if there will ever be another one that could hold my heart like him. Remember the legend says you can only have one soul mate."
"Ok, but couldn't you just try to live, if not for us but for William?" Caitlyn pleaded.
Chloe's green eyes took on a yellowish tint as she just simply nodded in agreement. "I just don't know where to start."
Juliet smiled raising her hand. "I do!" Grinning from ear to ear she pointed to her legs, "Waxing because frankly bears have less fur than that."
Staring out the windows of her SUV she couldn't help but wonder much more she could take of this makeover. Her brand new sexy knee high boots clinked together as she tapped the heels together silently thinking there is no place like home, only to be disappointed by the rolling landscape outside her window. The sweater dress hung to her thighs in a sexy tease of her newly waxed legs which to her scrutinizing eyes looked more like a sorry excuse next to the tan beauties that were walking around outside. Tapping her manicured nails on the arm rest she groaned as they turned away from the shopping centers. "Ok we had my hair done, new make-up, my nails are done, I am wearing new clothing and shoes which by the way my feet will be feeling it later, and recently had my body scolded and hair ripped out with the skin that was burnt off. What else is there for me to do today?"
The SUV pulled up to a local animal shelter confusing her. Caitlyn put the vehicle into park and turned to Juliet with a smirk on her face. "Ok here is the deal, we are going to make a trade."
"What is the trade? Not putting me in the shelter if I stop acting like an animal and act more like a human?"
"Not exactly, we are going to get you an animal if you go on a date." Juliet bit her lower lip trying not to burst into laughter.
Horrified Chloe looked around dumbfounded from both of her friends eyes. "You are bribing me with a pet?"
"Well sort of, we do have conditions. Like NO CATS!" Caitlyn lifted a finger to emphasize her point. "We will not be allowing crazy cat ladies inside the home."
Groaning Chloe sank in her seat. "Then what is it? Give me the other rules while I am locked in the overly large beast known as my vehicle."
"A blind date for a cute fluffy puppy," Juliet chimed with a large grin.
"Ok you two have gone past evil to…to… super evil!" Chloe spit out the words with anger.
"Well wasn't that special." Caitlyn quirked her dark brow.
"If the date doesn't pan out at least you said you tried and you can come home and snuggle next to the puppy." Juliet snickered.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Chloe hissed. Rolling the idea in her head she just couldn't understand how her life had gotten to THIS, where her friends had to bribe her with animals to get her off her butt. Growling she unlocked the doors and threw it open. "Fine, just don't hook me up with a loser."
"Of course not, what do you take us for?" Caitlyn smirked jumping out of the vehicle.
"The kind who would film me tripping and falling on my face and then send it to America's funniest videos."
"She has a point Cait."
The Bistro was full of life making Chloe nervous with the large crowds. Her date wasn't a loser in the way she meant this morning. He was gorgeous, rich, and very popular. But he was an idiot. Bored to tears she listened to him drone on and on about how Goth rock was the only real music to listen to and how to properly mosh in a pit. Keeping herself preoccupied with her soda she was thankful when she finally filled her bladder to the point it was ready to explode. "Could you excuse me for a second?" Running off to the bathroom she felt the blisters rub on her new boots.
After finishing her business Chloe stared at the little window by the sink debating if she lost enough weight to squeeze through the small opening. Turning herself to view her backside she only found the large mass she called her butt and sighed. "Dangit, there goes that idea."
Leaving the bathroom she looked back at her date with a slight moan. She shoved her hand into her purse retrieving her phone. But to her annoyance they didn't pick up the phone at all. "They are probably over there laughing!"
Chloe felt eyes on her backside as she flipped the phone closed. It wasn't like the eyes that were of her date that stared at her like another one night stand. This felt more like a stare appreciating every curve on her body studying her. Turning to look for the gaze she only met the stare of her date. "How about you and I skip the protagonist and the story arc and just get straight to the climax... at my place?" Putting his hands on either side of her hips he pinned her up against the wall by the old pay phone.
"How about we skip this date and we pretend it never happened?" Chloe interjected.
Pushing his body against hers she realized no was not an answer. "Come on baby, the night is young and I have some moves to show you."
"I rather not, as a matter of fact I think I am due at home for a fresh acidic face peel. Nothing says smooth like taking off three layers of your skin." Wriggling her body as much as possible she just couldn't get out of his grip.
"You're funny, but…"
"Excuse me, but I think the lady wants to go home." A deep voice chimed in forcing her to inhale deeply.
"This is none of your business pal. We are on a date and she knows that there are rules. I pay for dinner and she has to give me something out of it."
"You know I thought we were going stag so I will just pay for my meal and go." Chloe's face grew red with fury.
"You heard her she will pay for her own meal and go her own way."
Wriggling her body over enough to see who this person was she grew annoyed when she realized the guy had her absolutely pinned to the wall with no room to move at all.
"Ok bub you have two choices, let her go and walk away or we take this outside. I really don't think you want option two." Chloe swore she heard metal slash against something and wondered who pulled the knife. Raising an eyebrow she slowly saw her date move back. His face on the stranger and his emotions mixed with fear and anger.
"Fine you can have the bitch." Walking off he laughed in her direction. "She wasn't that pretty anyways and didn't look like a good screw."
Chloe glared in his direction until he was out the door. Turning to her savior she looked in surprise to see a familiar face. What was his name, ugh...? Professor, um… "Professor Logan? So they do let you out of the school every once and a while."
"Yeah well we do need to get out of the school from time to time." Smiling he looked her over, "So why are you dressed up so nice for a Bistro?"
Laughing she looked down at the boots and dress. "Well my friends bribed me to go on a date."
"Really how much did they pay you?"
"A new puppy," Chuckling to herself she threw her hands up in protest. "I know it sounds pathetic."
"Ok I won't lie to you, it sounds pretty pathetic."
"Ha ha, thanks a lot."
"So I am guessing that there isn't a Mr. McHedley?"
"No." Pursing her lips she looked to the floor and back up with a brave smile.
"Divorce? Or is this a bad subject?"
"Well actually I am glad someone is blunt with me besides my friends." Pausing she took a deep breath, "My husband died when William was only five. My two best friends moved in with me to keep me company, the pains in my ass."
"That explains the annoyance with the phone." Smirking at her, his blue eyes appraising her scowl while running a hand through his tousled dark hair.
"You know between the Tarantula and this date I don't even know why I even got up this morning. Oh yes I do the damn spider." Furthering her scowl she folded her arms.
He gave a deep throated chuckle forcing her to look up in confusion. "What?"
"Nothing, do you need a ride home?"
"Oh thank you, yes. Rico Sauvé over there stranded me here." He gave another laugh and grabbed her hand lightly as if to help her through the crowd. "I can guide through on my own." She tried to sound annoyed but his touch left her skin with goose flesh.
"Yeah, well I have seen how you walk. I think it would be safer for you if I helped you."
Note from Author:
I am so sorry about being late on the new chapter. The Muse has been quiet and college has been hell. Thanks for sticking around for those of you waiting for updates.
