A/N: Hi hi! I hope everyone's doing well :) Happy prom night!
Hailey hadn't really needed to go to prom fifteen years ago. Dances weren't her thing. They were loud. People did stupid things. The lights hurt her head.
And no one ever asked her to go with them.
She had enough friends. They were a small group of girls who had known each other since middle school, and somehow they'd survived all the drama that came with growing up in a close-knit neighborhood. Despite all of them being on the fence about dances, they still went together just to see what was going on. Usually, someone's mom or dad would drive them to homecoming, another parent would pick them up early, and they'd have a sleepover to celebrate.
Of the four of them, only two ever were asked to go with someone as a date. Hailey was not one of them. She was jealous of Angelina sophomore year until Angelina got mono from the boy when they made out behind the vending machine outside the gym doors. By the time senior year came around and the boy who sat next to Mary in chemistry asked Mary to homecoming, Hailey was done with waiting for dates. She didn't feel like she needed a boy by her side to have fun. She liked going with her girl friends and dancing until they were tired before going home and staying up too late, eating gummy worms and watching rom-coms.
And then Andreo Drake asked her two weeks before prom if she wanted to go with him, and her whole world seemed to flip upside down.
She'd bought a dress with tip money because her group of friends was going and Mary wanted to host the final after party before graduation, so she was prepared in that sense. She just hadn't realized how nerve wrecking it was going to be to have a boy by her side as she walked into the church reception hall – something she and her friends decided was the stupidest thing their school had ever done.
Luckily for her, three other boys had asked her friends, and the four of them had dates to their final dance of high school. She wasn't alone in figuring out how to slow dance with a boy or even what to talk about. At the end of the night, they still all went to Mary's house where the boys stayed until close to midnight before the girls were left alone to debrief everything.
In her sleeping bag that night, Hailey knew in her gut that she'd enjoyed having a date to senior prom, but she also knew it could have been so much better. Andreo was nice enough and treated her well, but something was missing. His hands felt weird on her hips, and when he'd kissed her goodnight, she could have sworn he should have put chapstick on. She couldn't help but imagine what prom would have been like if she'd been with a guy she actually found attractive.
Now, Hailey found herself putting big curls in her hair in her apartment bathroom as she prepared for a prom do-over with her husband. She did find him attractive, and she did feel confident in talking to him, and she did know he used a silly amount of chapstick everyday. This could be the prom she'd dreamed of years before.
Back then, her black dress had big sequins and jewels embedded throughout the thick fabric. She'd sweated through some of her makeup, and the hairspray couldn't do much to hold in the flyaways all over her head. She'd had fun with her friends while getting ready, but she hadn't exactly known what to do and was just trying to copy the girls in the magazines – bright pink lipstick and sparkly white eye shadow was not the look she should have gone for.
Now, she was still in a sparkly black dress, but it was much more fitted and not as showy. She still had on pink lipstick, but this time it was toned down and closer to a nude than the same color as Lisa's dress. Her eyeshadow was much more subdued, and her heels were higher than an inch off the ground. She'd grown up, and so had her clothes, but that didn't stop her from wanting to have a fun night out with Jay.
Instead of taking her to a church gymnasium, Jay had booked them tickets for a sunset dinner cruise on Lake Michigan. It was meant for couples and would feature quiet music, a commentator pointing out the architecture as they passed, and dinner. It was like an adult version of prom, and Hailey thought it sounded perfect for the two of them.
She finished curling her hair and grabbed her hairspray to give it one last chance of surviving the wind they were sure to encounter on the boat before making her way back to the bedroom for her heels. She caught sight of her entire outfit in the mirror near the closet and smiled at her reflection. This was the kind of night she'd been wanting to have fifteen years before.
With one last deep breath and a quick movement to smooth down her dress, she stepped into the living room to see Jay sitting on the couch waiting for her.
He glanced up at the sound of the door, and, immediately, his eyes widened. Shooting off the couch, he breathed, "Hailey, you look incredible."
She smiled slightly and said, "Thank you. So do you."
He shook his head and stepped over to her. Somehow, his black suit and tie made his wedding ring stand out even more, and when he reached out to hold her waist, the suit jacket moved to show off the watch she'd bought him on their honeymoon in Holland. As his fingers gently squeezed her over her dress, he said, "This is much better than the hot pink thing Allie wore to prom."
Hailey laughed and stepped closer to place her hand on the center of his chest. "Hot pink isn't exactly my color. I know you were surprised to hear I wore black, but-"
"But it looks amazing on you," Jay said with a shake of his head. He leaned back to get another look at her before closing the distance again to press a quick kiss to her lips. "I love you," he whispered.
She couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as she replied, "I love you too."
Whole-heartedly.
There wasn't a world where Hailey could imagine anything different than that. Loving Jay was the kind of love she'd wanted to experience years before in a cold basement, tucked within her sleeping bag at Mary's after-party. A love where they grew together and supported each other through the good and the bad. Where they could go from motorcycles, sex, and tequila one night to sunset cruises, slow dancing, and wine the next.
When she was younger, Hailey wasn't quite sure what exactly a loving adult relationship looked like, but she knew now that what she had was so much better than anything she ever could have imagined.
Jay insisted on opening the passenger door of the truck for Hailey, and then held onto her hand as she stepped down onto the cement. She laughed softly at the sentiment and stepped forward just for him to reach back and shut the door behind her.
"Jay-"
"It's a prom redo, remember? I'm treating this like my dad would have wanted me to."
Hailey smiled up at him as he intertwined their fingers together and began leading them down Navy Pier toward the boat. She had to silently agree that even though her dad wasn't the greatest, she knew he would have appreciated the gesture and recognized when a man was treating her well – even if he didn't treat his own wife with the same respect.
"And, besides, it's you," Jay continued without missing a beat, "I'm always going to hold open doors for you and help you in and out of the truck. You deserve the world."
"What did I do to deserve you?" Hailey asked.
"You existed," Jay answered.
Hailey shook her head in disbelief and took a step closer to be tucked into his side. This Jay, the corny and romantic Jay, was something else entirely. He took old-fashioned seriously and treated her with the respect she knew she deserved. This was the Jay she knew her dad might have rolled his eyes at while her uncle laughed and shook his hand in a thank you. This was the Jay that made date nights something worth fighting for.
Together, they braced the cold winds and walked down to the big white boat waiting for them along the pier. There were several couples already in line, waiting for their turn to get on.
Hailey didn't recognize anyone, but tried silently figuring out who they were. She spotted a few wedding bands on the hands of the men and noticed the women who had their engagement rings full on display. There were a handful of people who were younger than the two of them, but most seemed to be about their age or older. It was date night for much of Chicago, and there was a buzz in Hailey's heart that reminded her of how she felt on the day of prom.
"This looks nice," Jay said as they finally escaped the cold air and retreated to the dining area of the boat.
Hailey hummed and looked around. The main floor of the boat lacked the balloons and streamers that existed at her prom, but there were lights swirling over a dance floor and rose centerpieces on every clothed table. People aimlessly walked around, making small talk with others and taking pictures with their partners and friends. A bartender was making drinks in the corner, and a handful of couples were already standing in line, waiting for their turn at the endless bottles of wine.
She smiled and slipped her coat off. There hadn't been anything totally wrong with her own prom at the time, but this was certainly more mature and right for the moment.
"Here, I'll take that to the coat check," Jay said with a hand out, "You want to get comfortable here? Meet our table?"
Hailey laughed softly and pulled her chair out. "Yeah, but please be fast. I'm not in the mood for small talk."
Jay laughed as well and leaned over to kiss her cheek before walking away with their coats.
Hailey watched with a smile as she sat down. Taking a sip of her water, she finally tore her eyes away to get a better look around. She could see the setting sun through the windows, and it glinted off the water in an orange glow. When Jay came back, she hoped they could go get a glass of wine and make their way up to the top deck. She couldn't remember if there were rules on when they could go look at the water or not, so she glanced around in hopes to see if the captain or a waiter was preparing to welcome everyone to the boat.
As she turned, a door opened off to the side, and she could hear the sound of pans and knives. She could crane her neck, but she couldn't make out what exactly they were making inside.
Two waiters stepped through the door, each with a tray of food in their hands, and a waft of air followed them. For a second, Hailey thought she smelled something sweet, and then an air of something worse came over her.
She crinkled her nose and spun back in her seat to face away from the door. Thinking back to the menu, she remembered that they were to have a few hor d'oeurves before salad followed by pasta, chicken, potatoes, some sort of vegetable, and maybe beef. There was going to be ice cream and small treats for dessert. None of that seemed to be what she could have been smelling in the moment. It was a distinctively sour smell that almost made her nauseous. Or maybe it smelt like grease. Or smoke.
"All right, we're 1003," Jay said as he slipped into the chair next to her. He showed her a ticket before putting it in his pocket.
Hailey breathed in slowly through her mouth then looked at him. Nodding slightly, she smiled and said, "Sounds easy enough."
"Hope so," Jay replied. He grabbed the pitcher of water on the table to pour two glasses for them and asked, "So, what do you think? Is this the prom of your dreams?"
Hailey laughed and relaxed more in her seat. "It's barely started."
"Well, you know, you've got a hot date," Jay said with a wink while holding her glass out for her.
She laughed again and accepted the glass. Once she took a sip of the cool water, she closed her eyes and focused on the relief that spread through her gut. It effectively soothed the nausea that had been starting to bubble.
"You okay?"
Hailey opened her eyes to see Jay staring at her, his own glass halfway to his mouth. She nodded quickly and said, "Of course. I just had a bit of a stomachache a second ago, but I'm good."
Jay didn't look like he believed her, but he still nodded before taking a sip of water. Once he set the glass down, he placed his hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. "If you need anything, let me know. Even if we have to leave."
Hailey laughed slightly and raised an eyebrow. "How are we going to leave a boat?"
"I will carry you over my shoulder while swimming," Jay chuckled. He glanced toward the windows then added, "But, seriously, if you want off, we probably have another five minutes before we're stuck."
Hailey shook her head and placed her hand over his. "I'm okay," she assured, "Maybe I'm just getting my sea legs. The water is helping."
Jay breathed in slowly then asked, "So do you want to lay off on the alcohol tonight?"
Hailey scoffed. "Jay."
He laughed and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I don't want you getting sick on me. If you don't want wine-"
"Babe, I want wine," Hailey said, "Just like I want whatever food they're cooking and to dance with you right over there and to go look at the skyline from the top of the boat. Most of all, I just want to spend time with you. This is our prom, so let's make the most of it."
Jay's smile softened, and he nodded. "Okay," he breathed, "I like that plan."
To seal the deal, Hailey leaned up to press a kiss to his lips, and he smiled with her, squeezing her thigh before sitting back and sending her a wink.
There was no doubt in her mind that their version of prom was going to be a night to remember.
The boat took off soon after with a welcoming speech from the captain and a round of applause. They were looking at a three hour boat ride that would consist of dinner and dessert before the DJ would take over and finish off the night just as the sun said goodnight.
Hailey wasn't sure how much – or if any – dancing she and Jay would do. She couldn't help but feel more interested in going to the top deck to watch the sun, water, and city pass by. Months before, they'd witnessed it all from the top of the Water Tower; it was about time they experienced the same thing from the water.
As the salads came out and everyone started settling into their seats with their drinks, they started making small conversation with the others that they were paired with. One couple was made of teachers, there was a doctor and her accountant husband, and then the last two were an engineer and a stay-at-home mom.
Hailey liked them all, and she liked how they were all at different points in their relationships despite all of them being about the same age. She thought that was what made them interesting. The teachers were engaged and getting married in February, the doctor and the accountant had been married for about five years but had just moved here from Wisconsin, and the engineer and stay-at-home mom had gotten married a year ago tomorrow and had a three year-old boy. Together, they all shared how they met and gave general details on where they lived and how they spent their time when they weren't at work: much more mature conversations than she could remember having at her high school prom.
Just as their salad plates were being taken away, the engineer, Josh, nodded toward Jay and asked, "You said you work at the police academy. Was that something you always wanted to do?"
"Uh." Jay let out a weak chuckle and placed his hand on Hailey's thigh beneath the table. She glanced up at him and breathed in slowly, her fingers slipping over his to gently intertwine them.
In no part of her mind did she know what he was going to say. He could tell the truth and be vulnerable in front of these complete strangers, or he could lie through his teeth and keep things surface level. Right now, she could see it going either way.
"I actually didn't really have a plan after high school," he landed on saying, "I enlisted in the army, did two tours in Afghanistan, then realized I might be a good cop, so I went that path. Probably would have retired that way too, but I got hurt recently and decided to head over to the academy to at least stay in the department."
Hailey felt a weight fall off her shoulders as she leaned back in her chair. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth, and she still respected it. It was what he could handle tonight, and that was fair enough.
"Sucks that you got hurt," Josh said, "But I'm glad you could keep going with it. Hailey, what about you?"
"Oh, I…" She trailed off and shrugged. "My parents owned a Greek restaurant when I was younger, and it got robbed one night. I ended up staying with one of the detectives all night, and I wanted to be her ever since then. She was incredible."
"Gosh, I can't imagine," Amy, one of the teachers, said softly, "Have you ever been able to tell her?"
Hailey couldn't help but let out a laugh. "I actually work for her now. She's my desk sergeant."
"Meant to be," Amy replied with a smile.
Jay chuckled. "You could say that. Trudy Platt's a real piece of work. Wonderful lady, but insane behind the desk."
"Sometimes those are the best bosses," the accountant, Raul, said, "You need people who care, but also know exactly what the hell they're doing. Two years ago, I had this boss, Petunia-"
"Like the flower?" Amy asked with a laugh.
"Yes," Raul chuckled, "And she was the nicest lady I've ever met, but, I swear to god, she'd never opened a ledger in her life. I have no idea how she got to where she was."
"He was miserable," his wife, Nicolette, sighed, shaking her head, "I wanted to force him to quit, but I just went along with whatever he was saying and wanting."
"Always a rough spot to be in," Caitlin, the stay-at-home mom, said, "There's the balance of encouraging what's right in regards to morals and values and then wanting them to leave for your own sanity. There's only so much complaining you can take."
Hailey smiled slightly and grabbed her glass of wine for a long sip. She understood where they were coming from. It was never easy to listen to Jay complain about anything – especially when they were both in the unit. He hadn't supported everything Voight had done, and, while she hadn't either, sometimes listening to it day in and day out got to be too much. And she knew he had to have thought the same about her. Even just when she'd complain about going to therapy, she could sense that he struggled hearing her sarcastic comments. Listening to anyone complain for periods of time, even if you loved them to death, got old.
"Well, this is depressing," Josh mumbled before sipping his beer. He smirked slightly to himself then said, "Aren't there happier bits of marriage that we can talk about?"
"Nic makes incredible pancakes," Raul quickly said.
Everyone spun to look at him, and Jay laughed while asking, "Pancakes? Impressive."
"Hey, don't knock them until you try them," Raul shot back with a laugh, "She's got the recipe down to a T."
"Hailey's also a great cook," Jay replied.
"Oh, come on," Amy interrupted, "Your favorite things about your wives are that they're good cooks?" She trailed off with a laugh then took a drink of her wine. "Who's got something good to share about their significant other? Something interesting."
Hailey glanced up at Jay and winked before turning toward everyone else. "It's not my favorite thing about him, but Jay does own a motorcycle. We've been on a few rides over the past month."
"Oh my gosh," Caitlin breathed, "That's awesome. I've always wanted to ride one."
"What?" Josh asked, "You've never said that."
"Doesn't it sound fun?" she countered, "The wind in your hair and literally endless possibilities of where you can go. Plus, my mom hates them, so I want to try."
Hailey laughed and nodded. "That last one is certainly a plus." Caitlin smiled back and held her wine glass out to tap it to hers.
Jay chuckled and leaned down so his lips brushed against her ear. "So the need for the motorcycle is to purposely piss off your mom?"
"I always want to piss off my mom," Hailey whispered back.
Jay laughed and kissed her temple before straightening up. "You're amazing."
She winked back at him and sipped her wine. At the moment, it felt very high school of her to admit that she was doing something in her relationship just to prove she was not her mother. Her mom was very uptight and wanted things to appear perfect. Motorcycles were not perfect. Going out for date nights was childish. Marrying a man without a college degree was risky. But she was happy, and that was perhaps the biggest middle finger to her mom that she could have imagined.
Her mom did wish for her to have a good life; she just hadn't imagined it to look like this. Being a detective in one of the top units in the city was not the same as becoming a lawyer. She was supposed to be smarter than this. Have bigger dreams than this.
She was supposed to be complacent.
If Hailey realized anything over the last year, it was that she was not complacent. She did let Jay go to Bolivia, but that was for him. While he was gone, she worked to be better like he was doing in another country. She was rather depressed, but she didn't just give up. She kept pushing forward until Jay did return to her. It didn't matter that it wasn't on the right terms and that they didn't get the perfect airport reunion she had hoped for; he came home.
And once he got here, she didn't just let him accept his own depression and sadness and let it overcome him. She vowed to do the same. They put in the work to prove that they could make their marriage work and that they could become who they were meant to be. They did not give up and become complacent to the horrors of the world.
That was never something her mom would have done. Instead, she would have tried keeping everything together and smiled for their friends and family and swore everything was fine. All while she would have been crying behind closed doors each night.
There was nothing perfect about that, and Hailey didn't want anything to do with it now.
She wanted the wine and the date nights and the motorcycle and the husband who loved her unconditionally. She wanted the life her uncle told her she deserved years before.
"And someday, firefly, you're going to be in a position where a man will love everything you ever do. You don't ever have to make your life revolve around him, I promise you that, but I can see a future for you that is so much brighter than the one your mom ended up getting."
They'd been celebrating her police academy graduation, and it was some of the most direct Uncle DJ had been regarding his disapproval of her father. She remembered going to bed that night hiding her buzzed up smile in her pillow. She and her brothers always liked when Uncle DJ would take a rare, pointed jab at their father.
And now here she was, sitting next to a man her father most certainly did not approve of whereas her uncle would have loved to meet him. They were excited for their future, whatever that may be, and ready for whatever was to come. It was everything she ever wanted and deserved to have.
"On your left."
Hailey glanced up quickly to see a waiter reaching over her to place a bowl of beef tips on the table.
"Now we're talking," Raul said, "I've been waiting for this all day."
Over the next two minutes, the table was filled with the remainder of their dinner course. The beef tips were joined by grilled asparagus, roasted carrots and potatoes, alfredo pasta, a basket of rolls, and some sort of chicken in a mushroom gravy.
At the sight of the chicken, Hailey's stomach turned. It was smashed down with grill marks on it, visible through the light brown gravy with bits of mushroom on top. Nothing about it seemed appetizing, and she swore it had to have been the horrible smell she got a whiff of earlier when she'd first sat down.
"This looks delicious," Jay murmured as he began serving himself.
Hailey nodded and tore her eyes from the plate of chicken to watch him place a few pieces of asparagus on his plate. She accepted the platter after him and spooned some out for herself before passing it to Nicolette next to her. If she could focus on all the food she had right in front of her, maybe the churning in her stomach would stop when the chicken came around.
But, soon enough, Jay was sticking the serving fork into a chicken breast and placing it on his plate. The smell wafted over to her, and it was ten times stronger than it'd been when it came out of the kitchen.
"Oh."
Hailey pushed back from the table quickly as her stomach lurched.
Jay glanced up and raised an eyebrow. "You okay?"
She shook her head quickly and tried talking, but it felt as if her throat had closed up just at the thought of eating that disgusting chicken.
Jay looked over her plate and asked, "Did you eat anything yet?"
"No," she managed to squeak out.
"Okay, well, you don't have any protein yet, so-"
Hailey watched as he put a chicken breast on her plate, and she stood up. Sweat started forming at the back of her neck, and she couldn't get to the bathroom fast enough. There were too many waiters with trays of food and too many people still trying to get drinks at the bar. The water was not wavy by any means, but the small cruise ship still rocked beneath her feet as she hurried through the crowd.
Finally, she managed to make her way into the bathroom and fell to her knees in the first stall. The second her head was over the toilet, she emptied her stomach of all the wine and salad she'd already had that night.
Tears pricked at her eyes as she gasped for air. She couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten sick like this. It was different than feeling grossed out because of a bloody case, but not as bad as being hungover the night after drinking far too much tequila. More nausea spun around her mind as her stomach clenched in on itself, causing her to lean back down and throw up once more.
She hadn't gotten her flu shot yet, and she realized this was how she was being punished for it. She was sick on a boat filled with several other couples also wearing fancy dresses, and she couldn't eat the chicken that had sounded so good on the menu online.
The thought of the chicken sitting in that brown gravy again caused her to gag once more.
How could something so gross be served on what was supposed to be a romantic sunset cruise?
"Hailey, are you in here?"
Caitlin's voice echoed throughout the otherwise empty bathroom, so Hailey coughed and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Uh, yeah, I…I'm right here."
She just needed a minute to pull herself together and get her feet beneath her. Thankfully, nothing had come out her nose, but it still burned the back of her throat. She pulled at the toilet paper to dab at her face before tossing it within the toilet.
The stall door was pushed open enough to nudge against her back, and she whipped around to see Caitlin peaking in on her.
"Do you need help?" she offered gently.
Caitlin was kind and only a couple years younger than her. She'd said that she and Josh had met in their final year of college and had only been dating for five months when she'd gotten pregnant with their son, Miles. After giving birth, she'd managed to finish her nursing program and worked for a year while Josh got situated in his own career. She'd been at home ever since and had probably seen it all.
But still, she was a virtual stranger and not exactly someone Hailey wanted to see her like this.
"I…"
She coughed again and covered her mouth.
The smell of the bathroom was starting to get to her.
"Here, let me at least help you up," Caitlin said, her hand reaching into the stall, "Jay's right outside too, but he didn't want to startle anyone by coming in here without me checking first."
"Jay's here?" Hailey asked quietly.
Caitlin nodded and smiled slightly. "He was about five steps behind you."
Hailey glanced at her outstretched hand and hesitantly grabbed it. Caitlin helped her stand then reached past her to flush the toilet.
"Oh, sorry," Hailey murmured.
Caitlin shook her head and led her out of the stall. "Trust me, after your baby has had a blowout on your chest while napping, you kind of stop caring about gross stuff."
Hailey shot her a small smile before carefully walking to the sink with her arm wrapped around her still queasy stomach. As she washed her hands, Caitlin began searching the lower cabinets for something.
She straightened up with a sigh and said, "I'll be right back."
"Wait-"
Before Hailey could turn around, Caitlin hurried out of the bathroom without another word.
Hailey bit her lip and leaned against the counter. While she knew Caitlin most likely didn't run out because of her, she couldn't help but let her self-consciousness go wild and worry that maybe Caitlin had had enough of taking care of people and was too grossed out by her to continue.
"Hailey?"
She looked up at the bathroom door cracking open and could just make out Jay's face past the door frame. Smiling slightly, she said, "You can come in."
Relief flooded Jay's expression, and he finished pushing against the door so that he could slip inside. "No one else is in here?" he asked.
Hailey let her eyes sweep over the bathroom and shook her head. "Nope. Just me. Caitlin left for some reason."
"She's getting a water glass," Jay said before crossing the room and setting a hand on the side of her face. "Are you okay? What the hell happened?"
Hailey winced at the memory of the chicken and said, "I don't know. I smelt that food earlier and something just didn't agree with me. It…I can't eat the chicken."
Jay nodded and brushed his free hand down her arm until he could tangle their fingers together. "That's not a problem. I'll make sure to get rid of it on your plate before you get back there."
Hailey pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and breathed in slowly. The taste of bile still filled her mouth, and she was given the harsh reminder of what had happened minutes before.
"I got sick," she quietly admitted, "I smelt that-that-" Her stomach twisted again, and she covered her mouth with her hand.
"Okay, okay," Jay interrupted softly, "You don't have to think about it again. Caitlin will be back with the water soon."
As if on call, the bathroom door opened and Caitlin slipped back inside with her purse in one hand and a glass of water in the other. She wordlessly held out the water, and Hailey gladly took it. Jay's hand brushed over her hair as she drank and cleared her mouth of the taste that was beginning to haunt her.
"All right," Caitlin said when she finished. She grabbed the empty glass back and held out a tiny toothbrush in turn.
"What's this?" Hailey asked.
"Portable toothbrush," Caitlin explained, "Just run it under water and you'll be set. It's not perfect, but it should help."
"You're a lifesaver," Hailey breathed. She hurried back to the sink and wet the brush so she could work on ridding her mouth of its taste.
"Thank you," Jay said, and Hailey looked up in the mirror to see him turning toward Caitlin.
She smiled back at him and shook her head. "It's really nothing." She passed the empty glass back to him and said, "I'm gonna head back there, if you think you've got this."
"Yeah, but do you think you can get her a new plate?" he asked, "One without the chicken?"
Caitlin's gaze flickered back to Hailey, and she nodded. "Of course." With one last supportive smile, she slipped back out the door.
Hailey spit into the sink and straightened up. Jay passed her the glass that she filled with water and used to rinse out her mouth even more.
"Want to get some fresh air?" Jay asked.
"Um." Hailey breathed in slowly and reached for a piece of paper towel. Once she wiped at her mouth, effectively ridding her lips of the rest of the lipstick she'd put on earlier, she sighed and nodded. "Probably a good idea. It'll give her a bit to get me a new plate."
Jay shot her a small smile then placed a hand on her back to lead her out of the bathroom. Together, they walked down the hall toward the stairs at the back of the boat.
The second they were on the top deck, the cold breeze wrapped around them and Hailey took a step closer to Jay.
"I've got you," he murmured while tugging his jacket off.
She couldn't help but laugh softly as he slipped it around her shoulders. "Thank you," she said.
He hummed, and his smile grew slightly. He led her over to the edge of the boat and stepped behind her to hold her to his chest. When she rested her head back against him, he tightened his hold on her and let out a long breath.
The sun was still dipping into the water and reflecting the city back at them. Soon enough, the clouds would turn purple and become a blanket over them, but, for now, it was all perfect. It was the exact shade of gold that it needed to be to give Hailey a sense of calm.
She couldn't help but close her eyes against the perfect scenery as she slowly sucked in the cool air. It settled the nausea that was still barely swirling in her stomach, and she could feel her hunger start to return.
"Once we get off, I'll take you to Med."
Hailey's eyes shot open, and she spun to face Jay. "What?"
"You're sick," he said simply, "We need a doctor-"
"To do what?" she said with a weak laugh, "Give me some Tums? Tell me to drink water? Jay, I threw up, it's not the end of the world."
"You ran out of there so fast," he countered, "And now you're just fine? That's not the stomach flu, and alcohol didn't do that either."
"I don't know what it was," Hailey sighed, "But I do know it's not worth worrying about. People throw up sometimes; it's nothing. You threw up at the hospital and that one time at home from all the medicine you were on; you turned out fine."
Jay scoffed and stepped back slightly. "You just answered your own question: I was on a lot of medicine and really not eating. There was an explanation to me getting sick. You're just…" He trailed off with a shrug.
"I smelt something gross and let it get to me," she explained, "It's really nothing more than that. If anything, it could mean I've got a migraine coming on or – more likely – my period. Sometimes I'm sensitive to smells when that happens. This is normal and not worth a trip to the hospital of all places."
Jay pursed his lips and said, "Well, it's not really the hospital. That's where Will is. He'd do a blood test or-"
Hailey cut him off with a laugh. "Jay! I threw up, that does not warrant a blood test." She closed the small distance between them and placed her hands on either side of his face. "I know you're worried about me, I do, and I really do appreciate it, but, babe, you have to trust me on this. A bit of nausea is normal every once in a while. I'm already feeling better; the fresh air and water helped."
Jay stared her down until giving in and glancing out at the water. "If you're not in bed with a migraine or cramps in the next two days, we're going to the doctor."
Hailey smiled and tilted her head to the side. "Jay."
He looked back at her, and a smile finally flickered across his face. "At least consider it."
"I'll consider it," she said softly before pushing up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "I'll be okay," she whispered in his ear, "Believe me."
Jay let out a breath then wrapped his arms around her to hug her tightly.
Even in his arms where she usually felt safe, Hailey couldn't help but silently wish that she was right. That she was going to be okay and that this really was just one of her normal bits of nausea that'd gotten the best of her.
Tonight was too important for it to be anything more.
It took about ten minutes before Hailey felt okay enough to head back down to the dining room. Embarrassment had replaced the nausea in her stomach. Everyone at the table had certainly talked about her quick retreat to throw up, and now she was going to have to face them – complete strangers.
She couldn't even make eye contact with all of them as they approached the table. Jay stepped forward to hold her chair out for her, giving her shoulders a quick squeeze once she was sat.
Caitlin shot her a smile then slid the basket of rolls closer to her.
"Everything okay?" Amy asked gently.
Hailey glanced around the table and breathed in slowly. Everyone had stopped their conversations, paused their forks on their way to their mouths, and was staring at her in anticipation for her answer. If she wasn't nervous or embarrassed before, she certainly was now.
Jay's hand came back to her thigh, and he squeezed gently, reminding her that he was right there for her. Always.
"Yeah," she finally answered, "I'm good. That chicken-"
"It really wasn't that good anyways," Raul interrupted.
"I was a little grossed out too," Nicolette said, "You are not alone in hating it."
Hailey's eyes widened, and she quickly glanced around the table to see that no one had any chicken on their plates and that the platter of chicken was also gone.
Meeting Caitlin's gaze, she relaxed with a smile and nodded. Caitlin nodded back and held up her wine glass.
"Beef tips, on the other hand," Josh said, "You two have to make sure you get some."
"Yeah, here you go," Cameron, Amy's husband, said while passing over the bowl, "And, Jay, add some of that gravy onto the potatoes – amazing."
Jay laughed as he accepted the food and nodded. "Will do."
He served food to the both of them, and Hailey found herself leaning back in her seat more, the weight of the embarrassment and nausea starting to fade from her chest. If everyone else could move on so easily from the moment, then surely she could too.
And as she ate and drank her first then second glass of wine, she realized throwing up was just a blip in the night. There was no reason for her to dwell on it for longer than she had. This was supposed to be her night with Jay, and a little bout of nausea could not hold a candle to that.
There was good food, even better wine, and a lot of laughter around the table that was filled with people who were practically strangers. It became the prom that Hailey would have loved to attend years before, especially when the music began.
She was not a dancer, and Jay certainly wasn't one either, but the wine in their systems let them unwind and be a little looser than normal. They could laugh and ignore reality and let the music seep through their limbs until her getting sick was nowhere near the forefront of their minds.
"You're a good dancer," Jay chuckled after twirling her around for the umpteenth time.
She laughed and spun into his chest, placing her hands on his shoulders so they could sway a little too slow for the current song. "I am not. Your bar is way too low."
"No, no, you're good," Jay said, "Is this cause you used to go to zumba?"
Hailey gasped and lightly hit his chest. "I never did zumba!"
"You did too!" Jay laughed, "You were living with Vanessa, and you two used to go to those exercise classes. Zumba was on Monday nights."
Hailey slowed down and let out a breath. "I…I forgot about that."
Jay shrugged and slipped his hands down to her waist. He continued trying to sway with her paused body as he explained, "I don't think you did it for too long, but it had to have been a couple months. I know because I wanted to get drinks one night and Vanessa interrupted me before you could say anything. She said you two were going to a class, so I didn't think anything of it. Then the next week was the same and again not too long after that."
"But you didn't know where we were going?"
"Not at first, but after the fourth time you denied me drinks-"
"Denied you drinks? Oh, Jay Halstead."
Jay laughed and hugged her to him. "I don't know if you were aware, but I kind of had a thing for you back then."
Hailey hummed and rested her cheek against his chest. "I did too. We were just too…"
Jay nodded and brushed his hand over her back. "The timing wasn't right. Everything worked out."
"Of course it did," Hailey breathed. She listened to the music transition into a faster song that triggered one of her rare memories from the said zumba class Vanessa had dragged her to years ago. They probably did go to about ten classes before she convinced Vanessa that dancing wasn't really her thing. She was much more into kickboxing, cycling, and HIIT workouts before she eventually started going to yoga whenever possible too. She could remember all of her workout journey with Vanessa, what she couldn't remember, though, was ever telling Jay about the zumba classes.
"How did you find out about those classes?"
Jay chuckled and shrugged. "What are your guesses?"
Hailey hummed and thought back to all the ways she'd found out any of Jay's secrets: following him around, tracking his location, glancing over his shoulder at his phone or computer screens, talking to Will.
"Followed us one night?"
Jay's laugh spread through her quickly, and he dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "That is something I'd do, but no. Actually, I was at your guys' place and was getting water from the fridge, and I saw the schedule you two had taped up. I can follow you better than any cop, but I'm also pretty damn good at reading a calendar."
Hailey let out a breath as she looked up at him. "And you didn't say anything?"
Jay shrugged. "I didn't want to make things weird. You were – and are – allowed to have hobbies without me."
Hailey hummed and slid her hands down his arms until she could intertwine their fingers together. Jay took the opportunity to spin her around to the music, and she laughed with him – mostly at the whirl of colors around her at the movement, but also at the sight of him attempting to dance again. Maybe her few zumba classes did make her a better dancer – it definitely made her better than him.
They were in the middle of a sunset cruise with dozens of other couples dancing around them, and yet, right now, Hailey felt like they were the only two people in the world. They were doing something out of their comfort zone, something they'd never done before, and it was the absolute perfect way to spend their night.
The music and dancing faded into more laughter and another two glasses of wine. There were pictures with the night sky behind them and their new friends they promised to keep in touch with despite everyone knowing they'd all get sucked into their busy lives. They had a brief run-in with a young couple they knew they'd seen Dante talking to at Molly's from 51, and Hailey couldn't help but smile as they walked away, wondering if she and Jay looked as happy as the two of them did.
It was when they finally got back to Jay's truck and she caught a glimpse of the two of them in the reflection of the windows that she truly realized they were. Neither of their smiles looked the least bit fake, and there was the hint of a buzz still in their eyes. This was what happiness after a date night should look like. There were no regrets, no matter what had happened earlier in the night.
Tangled up in bed together long after she'd had to run from the table, Hailey wished for more date nights just so she could feel this brand of happiness again. More dressing up. More going out. More meeting new people.
More spending quality time together. It didn't matter what happened during that time, as long as they were connecting while doing something new, Hailey knew everything was going to be okay.
Even if there was something in her gut that wasn't sitting quite right.
A/N: Let me know what you think? :)