Chapter 11 - Andie
Chapter Eleven - Andie
It wasn’t long after I made it back to the room that I decided a hot bubble bath was calling my name. My sad, heal-the-heart playlist echoed through the bathroom as I’m surrounded by the classic black and white tiles. With my head resting on the cold ceramic wall, I close my eyes to relax.
Thinking I will simply meditate while listening to music, my thoughts drift to the beautiful ocean eyes of a man who watched me cry my way out of the coffee shop. This man saw me at a weak moment, but he looked at me like it pained him to watch me shed those tears.
The visual gets abruptly torn away when the bathroom door comes flying open.
Maddie startles me, barging in with my naked body on full display.
Bubbles do little to hide everything. Privacy, apparently, isn’t in Maddie’s vocabulary.
Neither is knocking. Pulling the bubbles around my body, I’m hoping I can keep some form of dignity.
Sure, we are best friends, but a girl’s needs a little privacy.
“Andie, you know how I told you that this will be the start of a new chapter in your life?” She sits on the toilet right across from me with laser focus awaiting my response.
“Umm excuse me . . . can I get a little privacy here? Like, I don’t know, maybe we can pick this up when I’m not completely naked?” Sarcasm drips from every word.
“Oh, lay off it Andie, I’ve seen you get dressed many times . . . so your naked body is no secret to me. And trust me there is nothing to be ashamed of there. I’m sure there are plenty of other people who would love to see what’s hiding under those bubbles.”
Right, because nothing says I’m healing from my husband’s death like flaunting my naked body at strangers. “Okay fine, but—” I’m suddenly cut off as Maddie can’t hold back her excitement.
“Look I got us on the guest list to one of the hottest clubs in Chicago. Can you believe it? You, me, drinks, maybe meet some new people?” She’s vibrating with elation and can barely contain herself.
“I don’t know, I don’t think that is a good idea.
” My hand instinctively flying to my necklace, twisting the chain between my fingers.
The familiar motion calms me, it’s become such a habit I don’t even realize I’m doing it most of the time.
But Maddie notices, of course she does. I can see her mental gears shift as she plans the intervention.
“Shut up! Bitch, it’s a perfect idea. How do you expect to expand and find yourself out there if you spend all day reading your fictional garbage?
” Pausing like she wants me to answer, but I don’t take the bait.
I know she has more to say, and she does.
“I mean . . . sure the men in those books are hot, but can they provide the satisfaction that your body is so desperately lacking right now? I don’t think so. ”
That’s Maddie for you—zero filter, zero sense of timing. Apparently, two months without sex is long enough for her to decide my love life needs some sort of intervention.
My objection falls on deaf ears as she ignores my protest again. “Non-negotiable . . . so get your hot little ass out of that tub and let’s get ready.”
Welcome back walls, I see you’re forming again to make my life harder.
I find myself with my guard up, like I normally do when learning I must interact with new people.
Sealed tight like Fort Knox. Sighing, realization dawns on me that the terms are set and Maddie won’t change her mind.
I don’t have the energy to fight her on it.
Curiosity about this club piques my interest as she leaves the bathroom to start getting ready, and I can hear her from the hallway.
“Let’s get moving Andie. You can’t keep yourself in a dream world and never step back out there.
” As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right.
It’s been a few months since Cody’s death.
She isn’t asking me to find a new husband.
She’s just asking me to meet some new people and have some fun living.
It’s not unreasonable, and I did ask for her help.
Let the prayers begin—Oh Lord, please help me make it through tonight in one piece.
The towel barely gets wrapped around me before Maddie is running back in with outfit choices for the night. She’s grabbing my wrist and dragging me with these minuscule fabric pieces she calls clothing into the bedroom to begin the makeover.
“You are going to look so hot! But you can’t wear your clothes.
Sorry but we are trying to make friends at a club, not a nursing home.
” My hand clutches my chest like I just took a direct hit, but when I think about it, she isn’t mistaken.
I mean—I do live in my scrubs. So, I typically fit right in with the elderly crowd.
They are so comfortable though, and I don’t own a cocktail dress.
In fact, I don’t really own anything that would be considered remotely sexy. I’ve never had a reason.
I even had to buy my outfit for the funeral, which was dress slacks and a nice top, dresses just aren’t my thing, and the few I did have looked like I robbed my grandmother’s closet. Cody and I never really went anywhere, it was always work scrubs or jeans and t-shirt territory.
At the same time . . . her dressing me has me concerned I might come out looking like a hooker on the corner of the Vegas strip.
She decides on a red top that dips to show off her cleavage.
Yet it’s short enough that it gives you a full view of her toned stomach and a teasing preview of a tiny butterfly tattoo on her left lower hip, keeping it partially hidden beneath the waistband of her skin-tight black skirt.
She decides I would look best in the classic little black dress.
Something that would be sexy as a starter outfit.
“Damn girl, look at you. You’ve been keeping that body a secret from the world under those scrubs.” She’s moving me around almost like she’s evaluating and judging the way I wear the dress.
“But let’s be honest. That necklace? Probably needs to stay here tonight. Before you come at me, hear me out. You’ll feel better without constantly fidgeting with it, and it doesn’t work with this neckline anyway.”
“I’m not sure Maddie.”
“Just tonight? It will be safer here.” She’s right, I’m less likely to lose it accidentally if I leave it locked up here.
I can always put it on when I get back. There’s hesitation, but in the end, I know it’s the right step for me, so I carefully remove the necklace, placing it securely away so that I can focus on tonight with no barriers.
After bending over to set the necklace in the safe, I come up only to find the dress has slid its way up to an uncomfortable sight.
“Maddie, are you sure this is okay? It looks a little short, like if I bend over, the whole world will see all I have to offer.” I’m tugging the bottom of the dress, trying to see if it will stretch a little longer.
Every time I tug down, I have to tug it back up to prevent my breasts from spilling out.
It’s going to be a never-ending battle of which body part gets to flash the world tonight.
She grabs my hands to stop me from pulling on it.
“Yes! That’s the point. Show off the goods. It is perfect, just try not to drop any coins, and don’t go commando,” she says as she’s grabbing her clutch from the dresser, laughing.
“You’re not going to leave me alone, right? I can’t do this by myself.” I’m nervous she’s going to leave my side, and I will have to take this challenge on alone. Maddie takes both my hands in hers as she looks me in the eyes.
“I promise I’ll try my best not to leave you alone.
I know this may be scary for you, but you will be just fine.
” My hands drop from hers as she turns to head for the door.
“This is going to be so much fun! We can make up for the twenty-first birthday you never got.” Her happiness shines across her face as we leave the hotel.
I only hope that agreeing to this doesn’t become a mistake on my part.