Chapter 11
“Zoe, you look like shit. I hope you didn’t drive here.”
Reina Guidroz’s sweet Southern accent did little to dull her bluntness. Her sass paired with her drive was how she’d built
DC’s best male burlesque club. Add that cheekiness to her auburn hair and creamy freckled skin and she was one of the DMV’s
most eligible bachelorettes.
Zoe didn’t flinch at her friend’s truthful observation. Reina had nothing on her mother’s and aunt’s brutal honesty about
her body.
“I was responsible and took the train in from the Falls Church station,” she mumbled. After staying up all night watching
Derek’s showcase on repeat, the only one who’d gotten any rest was Mr. Bobbins. She would never allow something like exhaustion
to keep her from one of their Boss Babes’ Monday brunches.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” Reina pointed at the dark circles under Zoe’s eyes. “They’re so big, you’re going to have
to pay to check them.”
Zoe responded with a yawn so wide and long that her eyes watered. She dragged herself into their usual booth at Hazel’s Kitchen,
a soul food restaurant in Northeast. The wall next to it cooled her cheek as it kept her somewhat upright.
“Are you dealing with insomnia again?” Trixie Nguyen fussed as she slid next to her. Her wavy black hair was pulled into a messy bun. “Sorry I didn’t make it home last night. My workshop ran late and it was easier to stay at Andre’s. I was too tired to drive.”
Lately Trixie was Zoe’s roommate in name only. Now that she’d received her sex education certification, she held weekly workshops
at her sex-toy boutique. The co-op space she rented was down the block from Hazel’s Kitchen, which was co-owned by Trixie’s
boyfriend and his sister, Keisha Walker.
“You should just move in with him,” Reina suggested.
“Hmmm,” Trixie replied noncommittally as she sipped some water.
“You can turn the guest room into a play room.” Reina winked. “And not the kind for small children.”
“I can hear you,” Keisha called out from her hidden high-top in the back. She peeked out from behind a tall potted plant and
pointed at the women with her ink pen. “Look, I’m happy for the two of them, but I do not need to know about their sex lives.”
“What she said,” Trixie added as she rolled her eyes at the redhead.
“Morning. Wow, you look, um, tired.” Josie Parks, the mother hen of their group, joined them at the table. After handing over
operation of her boudoir photography studio to her sister, Josie now managed a co-op gallery. Her warm brown skin was glowing
after her recent trip to sunny New Orleans to visit her long-distance beau.
“Not you, too.” Zoe groaned as she forced her eyes open to peek at her best friends. She’d found her Boss Babes when she moved
home after graduation. They were as much family to her as her parents and brother.
Josie scooted into the spot across from Zoe at the spacious booth. She’d mastered her bohemian artist look, which included a long scarf tied around her beautiful Afro. Her flowy, light cotton dress emphasized Josie’s generous curves.
“I have a major dilemma,” Zoe said. She closed her eyes, hoping for a reprieve from the bright sunlight filtering through
the windows. Instead, Derek’s video replayed itself behind her eyelids. She blinked her eyes back open.
“Is it a man? Or a woman?” Reina stood at the end of the table with her hands on her hips. Today she was wearing a blue floral-print
halter and wide-legged navy pants.
“Not everything has to be about dating,” chided Josie. “Let Zoe talk.”
“How about we give Zoe a chance to wake up before we grill her?” Keisha emerged from the bar area with a large mug. The whipped
cream floating on top swayed as she gently set the drink in front of Zoe. “It’s your favorite but different.”
“Mmmm, mocha,” Zoe whispered as the deep chocolate scent reached her nose. “Is it time to play guess the flavor profiles?”
The women were used to impromptu taste tests whenever they stepped into Hazel’s Kitchen. It was a perk of holding their mastermind
meetings at a friend’s restaurant.
“If you want.” Keisha clasped her hands together but her red-scarf-covered head bobbed in excitement.
Zoe wrapped her hands around the warm mug. Her best friends’ banter faded into the background as she lifted the chocolate
elixir to her nose and inhaled deeply before sipping. The sweet liquid warmed her from the inside out. The bitterness of the
coffee hotwired her brain enough to squint at her friends.
“Did you put cayenne in this mocha?” Zoe’s eyes widened as the spice hit the back of her throat. “And chocolate liqueur?”
“Chili-infused chicory liqueur.” Keisha’s dark brown eyes sparkled as she laughed. She tucked an errant black curl back into her head scarf. “It’s a new recipe I’m testing out for our weekend brunch service.”
“Maybe dial down the spice a little?” Zoe coughed, her mouth still tingling from the chili.
“I told Andre we put too many chilis in the bottle!” Keisha said loudly toward Andre, who was restocking the bar. She shook
her head and reached for the mug.
“Wait—” Zoe put out her hand. “Let me taste it again now that I know what’s in it.”
Closing her eyes, she brought it back for a larger sip. The slightly bitter yet sweet chicory root liqueur infused with chilis
exploded in her mouth while sweet cocoa rounded out the bold flavors. She reveled as the balance of flavors danced on her
tongue.
Zoe shimmied in her seat and hummed in delight. A number from Derek’s musical popped in her head so she sang a line from the
chorus.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” declared Reina. She waved toward the bar to catch Andre’s attention, then pointed to Zoe’s
mug. He winked and nodded in understanding.
“Better make that four more, babe,” Trixie called out to her boyfriend.
“I’m adding ‘one sip will make you sing’ to the menu description,” said Keisha excitedly. “All it needs is a name.”
“What about naming it after whatever song Zoe was singing,” Josie suggested and hummed the melody.
“No, no, no, we can’t do that,” Zoe cried out. She clapped her hand over her mouth in surprise.
All four women gaped at her. She didn’t raise her voice often, but when she did they paid attention. Worried expressions covered
their faces.
“Sorry, I—” Zoe stopped to compose her thoughts. She wasn’t sure how much she could tell them about the musical. Her Boss Babes were her ride or dies, but Derek had been there for her during college. “I promised someone to keep their secret.”
“Oooh, sounds juicy.” Reina rubbed her hands together in anticipation and slid into the booth next to Josie.
“Hush.” Keisha poked Reina’s arm and gestured for her to make room on the seat. “Zoe will tell us what she can.”
Andre set four more mugs of the elixir on their table and slipped away quietly. He must’ve sensed the serious vibes. He also
knew better than to hover during their meetings. The last and only time he attempted to join them, the women had tried to
revamp his bar menu. He’d learned quickly to allow the Boss Babes their space.
“Promise you won’t breathe a word about this,” Zoe whispered after Andre returned to the bar. She pointed at Trixie and Josie.
“Not even your boyfriends.”
“Have some faith,” said Josie. “Besides, Spencer is in New Orleans right now.”
“Puh-lease. Y’all video chat every day,” added Reina.
Trixie and Keisha snort laughed. Josie’s eyes narrowed as she shushed them.
Zoe giggled. This was what she imagined it’d be like to have four sisters. Their exchange took the edge off her nerves. She
took a deep breath.
“On Saturday, I ran into my college best friend, whom I haven’t seen in six years. He’s in town to direct a brand-new musical
that’s probably headed to Broadway, and now he wants me to design the costumes because it’s based on the play we created together
during school, except I gave up theater halfway through my senior year, then yesterday after dinner I gave him a hug and it
felt like more than a hug but we’re only supposed to be friends and—”
“Breathe, girlie,” Reina cooed softly. Trixie rubbed Zoe’s back.
Zoe gasped for air. The last two days were a confusing jumble in her head. She wasn’t even sure if what she’d blurted out made sense. Her shoulders slumped in relief now that she’d told the Babes.
“That’s a lot of emotions in only two days. It’s going to be okay,” Trixie consoled her and pulled Zoe in for a side hug.
Zoe leaned into her roommate as the other women murmured in agreement.
“Let’s start from the beginning,” suggested Josie, a problem solver who preferred to tackle challenges methodically.
“I’m a bit lost here, Zoe,” Trixie spoke into Zoe’s hair. “How come you’ve never mentioned this college bestie?”
“Does this bestie have a name?” Keisha asked. “And are we supposed to like him?”
“Derek,” said Zoe. She sat up. “Derek Bui from Auburn, outside of Syracuse. We met freshman year at CNY College.”
“Wait, I’ve heard of that place. Hordes of crows visit the town every spring. The trees are black because there’s so many
of them.” Reina shuddered and her light skin had gone pale. “Can you imagine the noise and bird poop everywhere?”
“Reina, focus,” Josie said gently. Reina had a thing for weird facts and obscure documentaries. She also had an irrational
fear of crows, yet couldn’t stop herself from watching YouTube videos about them.
“We were the only two Asian American freshmen in the drama program that year. We bonded quickly, especially since he’s also
Vietnamese. I survived that program because of him.” Zoe smiled as she recalled the first time she met Derek.
“You never hooked up?” Reina side-eyed her. “You weren’t attracted to him a tiny bit?”
“Of course I noticed that he was cute when we first met. But we never dated because everyone expected us to get together because
we were both Asian.” Zoe shook her head adamantly. She’d firmly put him in the friend zone based on principle and to subvert
their classmates’ assumptions.
“Holy microaggression, Batman.” Keisha rolled her eyes. “Ignoramuses.”
She knew her friends would understand.
“After graduation, we went our separate ways,” Zoe continued. “He went to New York and became a successful director. I came
home and apprenticed in Lola’s shop before opening Something Cheeky.”
She left out the part about how she’d hurt his feelings by moving back to DC. Zoe wasn’t ready to rehash that again.
“Now he’s back, and he wants you to work with him. Did I get that right?” Trixie asked.
Zoe nodded.
“Do you want us to help you make a list of pros and cons of doing this musical?” Josie pulled out her notebook and favorite
capless fountain pen.
“Look, if it’s not a hell yes, then it’s a no,” said Keisha.
“Isn’t that Xavier’s motto?” Reina narrowed her eyes.
“Yes.” Keisha smirked, refusing to take Reina’s bait. “Sometimes he drops nuggets of wisdom.”
Reina snorted in disbelief. Xavier was Andre’s childhood best friend and sometimes helped out in the restaurant. He also had
a little flame for Keisha. She was oblivious to his feelings or pretended to be.
“So”—Josie glared at Reina and Keisha to keep them focused—“why should you design costumes for this musical?”
“Here’s where the secrecy comes in. He and his friend Th ? o are working on Vietnamese Cinderella as a rock musical.”
“No way! I loved T ? m Cám growing up.” Trixie’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“Right? In college Derek and I joked about doing our own version of it. A fractured fairy tale sort of like Into the Woods but super Viet. But it was a game we played to destress.”
“Doesn’t sound like a game anymore,” Reina scoffed.
“Zoe, you have to do it.” Trixie tugged at her sleeve. “Can you see all the little girls who are looking for a Vietnamese
empress to look up to?”
“I’ve never designed professionally. Only in college.” Zoe buried her face into her mug. Her last design attempt had been
a disaster due to what her professor claimed were creative differences. Right, as if standing up against yellow face was creative.
“You own the most successful custom lingerie boutique in the DMV. You are more than qualified,” said Keisha.
“Damn right. And didn’t you just do a commission for Lysistrata with drag queens and kings?” Reina added.
“I only took the designer’s drawings and turned them into clothes.”
“Give yourself more credit than that. You can design the costumes and have your team sew them,” said Trixie.
“This gig has gotta be enough to help fund your new formal wear collection,” Josie pointed out. “You should add it to your
contract that your crew do most of the construction. Nothing wrong with double dipping.”
Zoe’s heart swelled. Her Babes believed in her unconditionally, but seeing Trixie’s reaction to the idea of the musical—that
gave her butterflies. The representation in this musical would change how Asian drama kids saw themselves. They couldn’t be
what they could not see.
Until yesterday, she’d been perfectly happy with her life. Her shop was thriving and allowed her to grow creatively. Her Boss
Babes were the best friends she could ever have. Contrary to stereotypes, her parents supported her creative work wholeheartedly.
Why did she have to run into Derek? Seeing him—hearing him talk about the musical—opened up the dream she’d long buried. It hurt to bury that dream, but what else could she have done? Her professor had asked her to be complicit in yellow face and she’d refused. That’d been the end of her career before it’d even started.
Now Derek was here in DC, asking her to do the complete opposite of her last design experience. This show celebrated its Asianness
in a way she’d never expected to see onstage.
How could she pass on such an opportunity? Especially after reading the most empowering interpretation of T ? m Cám she’d ever seen. And the songs. She’d watched that video at least twenty times and had already learned the choruses.
“What if I do this and the musical fails? I could ruin his career.” Zoe’s chest tightened just thinking about hurting his
chances at Broadway.
“If it flops, it’s more than the costumes,” Reina pointed out. “When my guys choreograph new shows, there’s a gazillion factors
on whether the audience likes it or not.”
“I’m putting too much pressure on myself,” Zoe admitted. “I wanted to be a costume designer so badly back then.”
“Here’s your chance,” Josie encouraged.
Zoe bit her lip and sighed. This was her chance to revisit her first true passion.
“Now about that hug that could be more than a hug,” said Reina. “Would you date him now? Without the pressure from your classmates?”
Zoe opened her mouth but had no idea if she would. She closed her mouth.
“You’re hesitating, so it’s not a hell no,” Keisha pointed out. “You haven’t dated anyone seriously in a while. Perhaps it’s
worth testing the waters?”
“Or you could just bang him and get it out of both your systems,” Reina suggested.
“Reina!” Josie cried. “That’s not helpful.”
Reina shrugged. “All that sexual tension can mess with your head. So why not get it out of the way before you spend all that time working together?”
“I’ve never allowed myself to see him as more than a friend.” Until one hug made her all tingling and she flung him out of
her arms like he was hot iron.
“Never?” Josie raised an eyebrow. “I just googled him, and he is fine.”
Keisha grabbed the phone from Josie. “Damn, girl, he’s hot—in a nerdy way. Not my type but totally yours.”
“Babes, give Zoe some space to figure out what she wants,” Trixie said. “It’s been only two days since she ran into him.”
Zoe whispered a thank-you to her roommate.
“I wish you could hear the songs, but he made me promise not to share them with anyone.” Zoe hummed what she could remember.
If she didn’t sing the lyrics, she technically wasn’t breaking her promise. “That song was so haunting and beautiful. I had
to sketch out some costume ideas after listening to it on repeat.”
“Zoe, you have to do this. For me. For us.” Trixie squeezed her arm in excitement.
Her friend was right. This was an extraordinary chance to make a difference. What better way to test out the theater again
than a show that she’d been dreaming about since college? She owed it to herself to give it a try.
“I’m going to do it.” Zoe took a deep breath and smiled. “But when tech week is looming and I’m pulling all-nighters to finish
the costumes, I’m blaming all of you.”
“Promise me you’ll introduce me to some hot actors?”
“Reina!” the other women cried and everyone broke out in laughter.