Tuesday
Chicago
Molly and Henry got a call this morning. Their lawyer learned the name of their grandson's father. They asked for a background check. After the call, Molly started to cry.
"What's wrong, honey? We wanted to find him."
"But that means we're closer to the day that..."
"Don't worry about that. Let's just make good use of all of the days we have. No reason to count days when we cannot know for sure."
"But he could go..."
"Shh! Let's just find something relaxing to do. Want to walk in the garden?"
They went outside. Molly spent a good 40 years tending to this garden. She came out sometimes, but the arthritis was too much for her to handle her anymore. She had to hire help to maintain it. The garden was amazing. Hedges framed a beautiful maze of flowers, trees, bushes. She thought about the garden from all angles, how you saw it walking through, how you saw it from above. It was a bittersweet feeling. She was heartbroken when she realized she needed to hire help. She was devastated about the idea of losing Marcus.
Wednesday
Atlanta, GA
Jacob received Bobby's signed settlement agreement. He filed a motion for a consent decree with the court and included a copy of the agreement.
Michael was in trouble. His band wasn't doing as well as he expected. He was wondering if they needed a new lead singer
Thursday
Brenda conscripted Andrea and Sharon into going out with her on Thursday. Sharon put up a fuss, but Brenda suggested she was too old to go out. That did it!
Brenda didn't know what to were to the bar. She settled on a pink tank top and blue jeans. She wore her cute white gogo boots and a belt.
Fritz came up behind her. "All you need is a cowboy hat."
"Oh hush."
"You look hot. Where are you going again?"
"Lucky Bar."
"Where is it?"
"I dunno. Sharon said she had GPS."
Fritz kissed her lips. "I'll miss you."
"I'll be back, Baby." She pinched his butt.
"I'll be ready for you."
The doorbell rang. Bobby got it. "Hey, Baby!" He kissed her. "What's the occasion?" She looked hot, but casual hot. She wore a skirt and a nice shirt.
"Ladies' night," Brenda told him. "You're not invited."
He gave her a look.
Sharon chuckled. "We have to go get Andrea on the way. Apparently, I'm the designated driver."
"Bye boys."
They were off.
Sharon got ready to turn. "Go straight," Brenda told her.
"Andrea's house is to the right."
"She doesn't live in her house anymore."
"Wait! Where does she live?"
"Go to Flynn's house. I thought you knew that."
"She lives with Andy Flynn!"
"Wow! You don't even know your own office gossip."
Sharon gave her a stank look.
They pulled up at the house.
Brenda went to the door.
Andrea kissed Flynn and headed out.
The three girls were in the car, on their way to the bar.
Sue waited by the window. "If she doesn't show up, you need to pay."
"She's coming," Mikki insisted.
"For her husband," Amy retorted.
Mikki was surprised to see Sharon Raydor walk into the bar. Brenda and Andrea followed them. "Hey, Y'all!" Brenda greeted the trio.
"You must be Amy," Brenda stated. "Nice to meet you."
"What? You think I'm her girlfriend because I'm standing next to her."
"Oh Shut up!" laughed Sue. "Yes. She's Amy."
The girls around the bar noticed the six women, especially the three newcomers, especially Brenda. She was quite the sight, bright pink shirt, nice amount of cleavage, tight jeans, which were cut just right to show off her narrow waist and wide hips. She got a lot of stares.
The bartender gave her a free drink. "I like this place," Brenda declared.
The other girls laughed. "I wonder how long it takes for her to notice this is a gay bar." They all laughed even more.
Brenda enjoyed her drink, a tequila sunrise and the girls were chatting. She noticed a pretty blonde sitting alone on the other side of the bar, blue eyes, curly hair, was in her late twenties. Furthermore, she noticed Mikki stealing glances at her when she thought no one was looking.
"You should go talk to her," Brenda told Mikki.
"She's not my type," Mikki lied.
"Since when are pretty blondes not your type."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"I think she's cute."
"You ask her out then."
Brenda gave her a look. "Maybe, I will." Brenda got a mint julep.
The women told stories about their families, silly things their significant others have done. Somehow, they got to "Never Have I Ever."
"How do you play?" Brenda didn't know this game.
"We all put up fingers," Amy explained. "Like this," she showed 10 fingers. "You say something you've never done hoping that at least someone else here has done it. If you have done it, you have to put down a finger. Who ever loses all their fingers first, loses?"
"Or wins depending on your perspective," Sue added.
"Also, sip your drink if you put down a finger."
"I'll start," volunteered Mikki. "Never have I ever been to Europe." They all groaned. They all had to put a fingers down.
Sue was next. "Never have I ever cheated on a test." Mikki put a finger down, so did Andrea. "Really?" Brenda inquired.
"I paid my way through Algebra II. I hate math," Mikki answered.
"I took the SATs for another girl in high school," Andrea admitted. "She paid me $200 and she got into William and Mary. She got kicked out for cheating on tests. What can you do?"
"Never have I ever," Amy started, "gone streaking." Brenda was the only one who put a finger down.
"You, Chief."
"It was college okay. We were being liberated." Everyone laughed at that.
"Never have I ever had a threesome," Andrea said. Brenda put her finger down. So did Amy.
"You're not so innocent," Mikki noted.
"I never said I was," Brenda replied.
"Never have I ever had a fake ID" Brenda stated. All of the girls groaned and put down a finger.
"Never, Brenda." Sharon was suspicious.
"I never needed ones. Guys were always willing to by me drinks."
"I wonder why," Mikki ribbed.
Brenda gently pushed her stomach.
Sharon was up. "Never have I ever run from the police." Brenda, Mikki, and Andrea put down fingers.
"Story," Amy requested. "I want to hear stories."
They all looked at Brenda. "What! Well, ok. My friends and I were playing frisbee-golf on the roof at Georgetown, and we broke a window. We were pretty drunk and kept playing. We saw the cop car flashing, and we ran in different directions. "I went running past this building and a guy opened a fire door for me. I ducked inside and hid until the cops left."
The group laughed. "I would have loved to have seen college you," Mikki commented.
"I see no difference between her and present Brenda," Sharon retorted.
"Oh you hush. Just because you're too jaded for fun."
"I am NOT jaded."
"Prove it."
"Bartender. I'd like two whiskey sours." It was on.
Brenda smiled. This was going to be a fun night.
Mikki's turn. "Never have I ever had sex in the car when there were other people in it."
"You mean other people than the guy or girl." Andrea was confused.
"Yeah." Only Sharon put down her finger.
"Story," Brenda chanted.
Sharon sighed. "I was in high school. We were on a double date. My date and I were in the back and we were all playing padiddle. My date decided to raise the stakes to strip padiddle, but then he lost every round, so I was fully clothed, and he was naked. He started coaxing me to get naked, so he wouldn't be alone and then, well."
"So one couple is in the front driving and you're in the back …."
"Yes. It was high school okay."
Brenda laughed.
Sue's up. "Never have I ever woken up and not remember the person's name." Mikki put her finger down as did Amy.
"I had to check her wallet," Mikki stated.
"I just left," Amy admitted.
"Never have I ever," said Amy, "committed adultery." Brenda put her hand down. Sharon sighed and put a finger down; she was indefinitely separated, so every guy was an affair. Sue did as well.
Andrea, "Never have I ever given out a fake number." Brenda, Mikki and Sue all put fingers down.
"I used the rejection hotline once," Sue admitted.
Sharon, "Never have I ever had sex at work." Brenda was the only one to put down a finger.
Brenda, "Never have I ever been walked in on having sex." Sharon, Andrea, Amy and Mikki all put down fingers.
"Never had I ever," Mikki struggled, "slept with siblings."
"At the same time or ever," Brenda asked.
"Ever." Brenda put down her finger.
Everyone looked at her. "What! They were identical twins."
"Never had I ever," Sue continued, "had a pregnancy scare." Sharon, Andrea and Brenda all put down fingers.
Brenda only has one more.
Amy was next. "Never have I ever, lied about my sexual preference." No one put a finger down. "Damn." Amy put down a finger.
Sharon was up, "Never have I ever, had sex with a woman." Of course, Sue, Amy and Mikki put their fingers down.
Andrea was up. "Never have I ever, joined the mile high club." Brenda was finally out.
"Way to go Chief! It sounds like you're a winner."
Brenda shook her head and ordered another drink. The blond was still there. Brenda went over to her. "Hi, I'm Brenda."
"I'm Katie."
"Why is a pretty girl all alone in the corner?"
"I don't do well with these things. I just moved here, been trying to meet people, but I might not be bar person."
"Why don't you come over with us?" Brenda brought her to the group. "Hey, everyone this is Katie. Katie, Mikki, Sue, Amy, Sharon, Andrea."
"So what do you do," Amy asked her.
"I design sets for the Opera house down the street."
Katie and Mikki kept stealing glances at each other. Brenda gave Mikki a look of encouragement.
This other woman saw Katie and wanted to come over. She had a hungry look in her eye. Brenda gave her a stank look, and she backed down.
The night went on. The girls danced, drank, ate junk. Mikki and Katie chatted away. Sharon sobered up and drove Brenda and Andrea home. Sue and Amy came with Mikki, but Katie had a car, so they left her there. Katie offered to drive Mikki home, but when they got to the house, they started kissing passionately.
