"Look at this one! It'd look so pretty on you!" Taylor squeals, holding up a beautiful ivory-colored dress for Kirsten to look at. Kirsten smiles at the girl and agrees that it is very nice, but she thinks they have enough purchases for today. She emphasizes her point by gesturing to the cart filled with dresses and shoes and sweaters, and even some fancy hats, because Kirsten's going to need something to cover her head if her hair starts falling because of the chemo. Taylor resigns herself to the fact that they should stop, and Summer points out that they need to leave anyway if their going to get to the spa on time. Summer pushes the cart, and when Kirsten offers to help, Summer insists that she can handle it by herself. Kirsten's not so sure about that but allows the girl to continue.
After everything is rung up, the three survey the pile of bags and wonder aloud how they're going to get it all to the car. The problem is solved when a couple of employees offer to help them. Taylor and Summer still refuse to let Kirsten carry anything. Kirsten walks slightly behind them. She's starting to feel very tired and is getting a headache, but doesn't say anything, because she doesn't want to freak the girls out or make them worry.
When they arrive at the spa, Kirsten is the only one to get out. The girls say that they have to go get Sandy, Seth, and Ryan and drive off. A masseuse is waiting for Kirsten and leads her into a white room with a wall made out of windows that allow for a perfect view of the beach. Soothing music fills the air, and Kirsten fights the urge to fall asleep right then and there.
The ensuing massage is the most refreshing one that Kirsten can remember ever getting. It is followed promptly by a facial and manicure/pedicure. The employees work quickly, which is especially good because Sandy and the boys are taking her out for dinner tonight.
As she watches the woman file her nails, Kirsten can't help but wonder what tomorrow will be like. Chemo. She thinks about what her mother went through. The throwing up and the lethargy and the hair loss and extreme weight loss. Kirsten sighs, and the woman doing her nails glances up questioningly at her. Kirsten forces a smile, and tells herself to relax, because this may be the last time in a long time that she'll get to do so.
The girls arrive just in time, with Sandy and the boys in tow. The car has been emptied of all shopping bags, except for one. The solitary bag contains a formal blue dress and a pair of high heels; both the dress and the shoes were bought earlier that day. Taylor and Summer shuttle Kirsten off to the bathroom so she can change, and as soon as Kirsten steps out of the stall, wearing the dress and heels, Taylor whips a hairbrush out of her purse and gets to work. By the time they are done, Kirsten's blonde hair has been teased into a pretty yet simple updo. She smiles sadly at her reflection in the mirror, wondering how much longer she'll have her hair, while the girls high-five and look proud of themselves.
The guys, waiting by the car, are all wearing tuxes, and Kirsten asks where, exactly, they're going that requires such formal wear. In reply, she receives only coy smiles from the guys and giggling from the girls.
When they reach the restaurant, Sandy parks and runs around the car so he can open the door for her and help her out. Taking his hand, Kirsten steps out of the car then looks up to see what restaurant they've taken her to. Il Fornaio.
The interior is rather high-class, but Kirsten knows how to act in these kinds of settings. Her family frequented these kind of places when she was a kid, so Kirsten knows the difference between a salad fork and pie fork. The rest of her family, on the other hand, doesn't, and Kirsten laughs more than a few times watching them struggle with the forks.
Somehow, the fork ordeal sticks out as the most memorable part of the evening.
x x x x x x x x x x
Julie sneezes into her orange juice, then loudly blows her sore nose. She hates being sick. Hates it even more so because she wanted to help with Kirsten's surprise last night, but couldn't because the last thing she needs is to make her already-sick best friend even sicker.
She tosses the now-contaminated orange juice into the sink and the tissue into the trash, then shuffles back upstairs to go back to sleep just as Taylor bounds happily down the stairs for breakfast. Once in her room, Julie has barely curled up in her bed when she hears the doorbell ring. The sound pierces her aching head, and she pulls the pillow over her ears to block the sound. This isn't completely effective, as she hears the bell ring a couple more times. Make it go awaaaaay!!!
The bell does stop ringing, and Julie drifts soundlessly off to sleep.
x x x x x x x x x x
Taylor flips through the morning paper while crunching on her buttered toast. She's in a very good mood, feeling very proud for having given Kirsten a wonderful night out. She shakes of anxiety when she remembers that Kirsten's chemo starts today, and preoccupies herself with wondering why Summer isn't up yet. She has just decided to go wake Summer when the doorbell rings. She ties her robe and puts down her toast. The bell rings twice more. Maybe it's Ryan! Taylor runs to the door and pulls it open, smiling broadly.
It is not Ryan.
"Bonjour, mes Pêches-"
Taylor does not think, just panics and slams the door in Henri-Michele's face. What is he doing here?! She breathes deeply and mutters to herself, "It's okay, Taylor, you can handle this, just open the door and talk to him." She cautiously opens the door again, and Henri-Michele is still standing there, looking marvelously unruffled by Taylor's freak out. He's holding a bouquet of expensive-looking flowers.
Taylor opens the door the rest of the way and welcomes him in.
"Henri-Michele...I don't know what to say..."
He hands her the flowers and kisses her on the forehead. "I've come to take my Peaches back."
"Why? I like it here, I have a boyfriend."
Henri-Michele's eyes cloud over with confusion for a moment. "Un ami?" Then the confusion is gone and a smile spreads accross his face. "It is alright, Pêches, I would not mind some competition." He looks up and takes in his surroundings. "This is a nice place, but how can you think clearly with so many objects cluttered around?" He waves his hand condescendingly at the expensive furniture, and it occurs to Taylor that Henri-Michele cannot stay here, because she can't have him insulting Summer by saying such things about the Roberts' place. Besides, he smells.
"Um, Henri-Michele? When was the last time you bathed?"
He snorts at the mention of bathing, and Taylor sighs. This is going to be hard.
She wishes Summer were awake, because Summer would not allow a strange, smelly man to stay in her house. That's it! Taylor sets the flowers down on the kitchen counter. "Excuse me, I'll be right back."
Henri-Michele nods, and Taylor dashes up the stairs, taking them two at a time. She bursts into Summer's room.
"Summer, get up! I need your help!"
She flings back the bedcovers and pulls a still-asleep Summer off the bed. Summer hits the ground with a dull thud! and jerks awake.
"What the hell?"
"Come on!" Taylor pulls Summer to a standing position and drags her downstairs to meet Henri-Michele.