Chapter 25 The whole package
The girls trickled in slowly to Shira and Leah’s hotel room after showering and getting dressed in as much glitter as possible for a Vegas night out. Leah herself was wearing a sparkly white dress that hugged her body with rhinestones and sequins that glimmered in the light.
“We need to start with some ice-breakers!” Shira said as she passed out plastic cups of alcohol to everyone.
“This is totally like a BBG event!” Sarah giggled with the other girls from their former youth group chapter. “Every event starts with games to break the ice.”
“And it’s totally a good idea,” Shira responded. “If every adult event was as well thought out as a BBG event, think about how great that would be?” Shira had also been in their youth group and had been known for her event-planning skills. Back then, she had even won a few awards for best event of the term. It was such a great achievement then but seemed a little silly now.
“Everyone go around and say how you know Leah and give a short toast!” Shira instructed. The girls all did what they were told, giggling, drinking, and getting sidetracked into discussions that Shira quickly squashed.
“Now, another fun game! Everyone has to write a question for Leah on a piece of paper. We’ll put all the papers in the middle and Leah will have to answer,” Shira instructed. “It’s anonymous, so ask whatever!”
Leah drank her cocktail while watching her friends think seriously as they scribbled on the hotel stationary and threw the pieces into a pile on the floor. When everyone was finished, Shira mixed the papers around and invited Leah to choose one.
“What do you love most about Gabe’s body?” she read aloud. The question was met with oohs and ahhs and good ones from her friends. “His arms,” she said. “They are so strong and sexy.” The girls all giggled and Leah grabbed another paper. This was actually kind of fun.
“Tell us about your first kiss,” Leah read the next one. She then told the story of the day they met on the subway and at the end of the night Gabe walked her home after figuring out they were neighbors in the upper Upper East Side.
“So adorable!” “So sweet!” Mores ahhs and oohs came from her friends.
She picked up the next paper. “Is Gabe circumcised?” Her cheeks turned red as she read it aloud.
“Oh my gosh, I was also wondering that!” Sarah giggled and a few other girls nodded in agreement.
Sex wasn’t a taboo topic between these friends. She could remember going into every detail of sex with Asher with her old friends, but for some reason, this felt different. She tried not to feel like this was some sort of jab at Gabe’s religion and let out a quick giggle.
“Of course he is! He’s American! It’s not like he’s from a third-world country,” Leah answered. She wondered who had asked the question.
“I thought only Jews were circumcised!” someone said and another person responded that circumcision was more about hygiene today and everyone did it.
“That’s too bad because I am sooooo curious what an uncircumcised one looks like! I seriously thought you would be able to tell us,” Sarah said with a huge laugh. “The sex is supposed to be soooooo much better! Like, if you’re going to marry a goy, it’s too bad you didn’t get the whole package!”
It felt like another jab to Leah, but she brushed it off and grabbed the next paper.
“When are you and Gabe going to start making babies?” Again Leah giggled and reminded herself that her friends didn’t know about Gabe’s uncertainty about having kids. And all the uncertainty that came with kids and their differing religions.
“It is way too soon to be talking about this!” Leah responded and threw the paper back into the pile. She answered more questions about her favorite date with Gabe and the moment she knew he was the one. After finishing all the questions, she felt relieved.
“Time for dinner,” Shira instructed. By now, the girls were all a little tipsy and some were even sort of drunk, which was fun and exactly how a bachelorette party was supposed to be. They walked through the hotel to a restaurant where Shira greeted the hostess with a big smile.
“My sister, the bride, is sort of a big influencer so it would be great if we could get a good table,” Shira said to her. “She will definitely be posting about this meal. I mentioned that in my reservation.”
Leah saw Maya roll her eyes. The girls met each other’s gaze and followed Shira and the group into a dark restaurant that looked more like a club than a place to eat. It turned out that the restaurant was a club, and while they were being served, others were dancing under strobe lights. The girls ate and drank some more before joining the dancers between the tables.
When Shira suggested they go check out another club, they all agreed and followed their leader back to the entrance where a line of mostly men had formed outside the club.
“Leah!” Leah looked at the line and saw Gabe there with his friends. She eyed his arms, his sexy arms, that waved at her.
“Leaving already?” Kyle asked as the girls walked past the line. “I would have loved a dance!”
“Shut it,” Shira responded. “We don’t know you guys! Girls, keep moving!” The girls listened to Shira and kept going. Leah thought she heard one of her friends comment that Gabe’s friend probably wasn’t circumcised based on the fit of his pants. Leah felt slightly annoyed that her friends were so obsessed with this notion about goys and circumcision, but she pretended not to hear. They went to another club and then another and kept dancing in different places until none of the girls could keep their high heels on anymore.
The girls were getting ready to go back to their rooms for a few hours of sleep when Leah’s phone buzzed.
You look so hot in that dress. Can I get a private show?
Leah smiled when reading the text from Gabe.
How drunk are you? We’re supposed to pretend not to know each other all weekend!
So pretend I am just a random guy hitting on you. Can we have a one-night stand? What happens in Vegas and all...
Leah blushed and kept her phone in her tiny purse. She went to the room with Shira and Maya, both of whom were too tired to notice that while they changed into pajamas and climbed into bed, Leah hid under the covers in her dress, just waiting for them to go to sleep.
Once they did, she snuck out of the room to meet Gabe for a one-night stand in Vegas. To her, he was the whole package.