Sarcasm, a gun & more girl talk
"Vic, do you remember that night I took a psycho fit at you when you took my doughnut and I pulled my gun on you?" Grace sat in the U.S.A. dressing room in Paris, while Vic sat on the sofa across from her.
"Yes?" Vic looked up from the magazine he was reading.
Grace looked at his reflection in the mirror, "Do you remember when you said that I was an incomplete person? In place of friends and relationships I have-"
"Sarcasm and a gun." Vic finished for her, "Yes, I remember. Why?"
"Because I wasn't exactly truthful with you," Grace replied, "There's a reason I don't want relationships. There's a reason why I used to work 24/7."
Vic put his magazine down, "Go on."
Grace took a deep breath, "When I was 15, the guy of my dreams asked me out. He was great-looking and athletic. At first I thought it was a joke, but we kept dating." Grace paused, looking down at her hands. Vic watched her intently.
Grace continued, "Two weeks before our prom, he asked if he could go to the prom with his friends and meet me there. I agreed and went in a limousine with my friends. When I got there… he… um… he was dancing with another girl- a cheerleader. They were crowned prom King and Queen, and were voted Chicago High class of 1988's cutest couple. Apparently he had been seeing her behind my back for two years and everyone knew except me… including my friends."
Grace took a deep, shuddering breath, tear in her eyes, "From then on I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. But when Eric and I started, I felt as though I had found something special. But then he… he slept with that damn college student and I just…" Grace broke off, crying again.
"Sshh!" Vic got up & wrapped his arms around her, trying to sooth her.
"He did everything that I hated. He really hurt me, and it hurts even more because I still love him and I…"
Vic pulled her close, "Grace, you have every reason to be mad, but you need to start thinking about forgiveness. I know what he did was wrong but if you can get through this and still marry him, then your marriage will withstand anything." Vic pulled back & cupped her face in his hands. "Now, smile… let me fix your make-up… and I believe you have some partying to do!"
* * *
"Okay, okay, okay…" Karen put her hands up to quieten them all, "We can go to dinner…" She was answered with shouts of "BOO!!", "NO!!", & thumbs pointing down, hands slicing across necks & head shakes. "OR!! Or… we can go clubbing and maybe go for a pizza and 'light beer' afterwards."
"Now you're talking!!" Grace stood up, "Let's go girls!!" All the girls stood up & started dancing out of the room. All, that is, but Cheryl.
"Cheryl?" Grace sat down beside her, "What's wrong?"
"I can't go." Cheryl replied, "I don't feel very well & Ken said he needed to talk to me."
"Are you sure?" Grace asked. Cheryl nodded.
"Okay," Grace smiled, "I check in on ya when we get back. Bye."
Grace ran out of the room to catch up with the others & tell them that Cheryl wouldn't be joining them.
* * *
Grace threw her arms over her head & let her body sway to the rhythm of the music. Karen & Mary-Jo danced around her. Looking over at the table, she saw Carina & Juliette, who they had invited along, sitting talking. She waved at Karen & indicated that she was going back to the table, leaving them dancing with numerous guys, & girls in Karen's place.
"C'mon guys," Grace took a swig of her beer, "Join us. It'll be fun."
Carina smiled, "All right."
Grace checked her phone, in case Cheryl phoned but there were no missed calls. Juliette grabbed Grace's arm, "C'mon!!"
The five girls gyrated on the dance floor, surrounded by men. After three more hours, Mary-Jo led the way off the floor back to their table. Grace looked at her watch. It read 1:36am. "Okay, guys." Grace picked up her jacket, "I'm gonna' head."
"Aw…why?" Karen exclaimed.
"It's really late… or really early, whatever way you look at it. We have a big day tomorrow and I wanna' check in on Cheryl before I go to bed."
"Okay, let's go girls." Juliette lifted her jacket, "I think we need to head too."
"All right, Karen grumbled, grabbing her jacket, "Let's go."
* * *
"See you in the morning." Grace whispered as she walked away from Karen's door. Walking down the hall, she noticed Cheryl's door slightly ajar. She stopped & frowned, "Shit."
She ran into the room, "Cheryl? Cheryl?!" Cheryl's bed was empty & there was a half eaten dinner plate sitting on the dressing table. Grace ran out onto the balcony, but to no avail.
Coming back into the room, she looked to her left into the bathroom & saw Cheryl slumped beside the toilet. "Cheryl!" Grace rushed to her side, "Cheryl? Can you hear me?" Grace felt her pulse. It was too faint.
Grace pushed her ear piece close to her ear, "Guy's; a little help please. I think Cheryl is dying."