Girls’ Night [FICTION]

A wooden train. A half-eaten apple pie. Three shoes without mates. A ballpoint pen advertising the local mini golf course. A collection of unfamiliar bras in three different sizes, only one of them mine. I survey the random collection of items again, trying to figure out where they came from and how they came to be in my living room. For that matter, I don’t remember how I came to be in my living room. Shouldn’t I be sleeping in my bed?

As I push myself up from the couch, my head suddenly feels detached from my body. I brace myself on the coffee table and sink to the floor. I rest my head on the table, enjoying the cool pressure of the wood on my forehead. I rest like that until the doorbell rings.

I raise my head. “Who is it?” I barely manage to make my voice audible over the rush of blood flowing back to my head.

Whoever knocked must have heard me, but I can’t make out the muffled response. I also can’t rise from the floor, so I call out louder. “Just come back later.”

I instantly regret my decision as fireworks explode through my brain. Tears stream down my cheeks, blurring the room as the light changes.

“What is going on?” I ask myself.

A blurry figure steps into my line of vision. “Oh, Bess, I’m so sorry.”

“Huh?” I wipe away the tears and peer at my friend Harriet.

She smiles weakly at me. “The girls and I just wanted you to enjoy yourself for a change.”

“I’m sorry.” I shake my head. “I really have no idea what is going on. I mean look at this place.”

She glances around the room, but doesn’t seem surprised. In fact, she grabs the silver bra from my strange collection.

“Thank goodness. I had no idea where this went.” She chuckles and tucks it into her purse.

“Well, that is one mystery solved,” I mumble as a feeling overcomes me. “I suppose you can solve the rest of my mysteries.”

“You have been so depressed lately that the girls and I took a vote and decided to assure you the best night ever…” She pauses, takes a deep breath and sinks to her knees in front of. “Please don’t be angry with me.”

“For what? Aside from leaving your shiny bra in my living room?” I glance at the rest of my clues. “I suppose the other two belong to Daff and Jen?”

She nods. “But they had nothing to do with the roofie I put in your drink.”

“You what?” 

“I…” She pauses and then pleads. “Please forgive me.”

“What did you give me exactly?” Finding out I was drugged by my friend gives me a sudden clarity that draws me out of my pain-induced stupor.

“I don’t know. The guy said…” 

I interrupt. “The guy? He doesn’t have a name.”

She shrugs.

“Oh my…” My mouth remains open but I have no words.

“At least you didn’t feel that?” She points to my shoulder.

“Huh?” I look down, but I don’t have a good angle on whatever she is pointing on, so I reach out to touch it.

“Why does my shoulder feel like it’s on fire? What happened to me?”

“Here. Let me show you.” Harriet scrolls through her phone and then points the screen toward me.

My mouth drops in horror as I behold an image of myself seated in a chair at a tattoo parlor. In the photo, my mouth forms a wide-open smile with every tooth visible as a the tattoo artist leans in to press the needle to my skin. Daff and Jen stand on either side of me, showing off their own shoulders, already decorated with dragons. Scales of gold and orange cover Jen’s new arm decor. Daff has chosen teal and midnight blue. Harriet smiles and turns her shoulder toward me to show a black and grey dragon breathing fire toward her face.

“Yours is purple and pink.” I must make a face because she laughs and reassures me. “It is gorgeous, don’t worry.”

“You let me get a tattoo?”

She holds up her hand. “You insisted.”

“You drugged me.” I circle back around to that.

“I’m sorry.”

“But you… drugged… me.”

“I also made sure you had pie after you kicked our butts at mini golf. You turn into a Masters contender when you relax. And we got you the train you wanted.” She gestures toward those items.

I shake my head. “I am going to need to think about this Harriet.” I gesture toward the door. “Can you go?”

She turns her head away from me, but I see tears already forming. I touch my shoulder, letting the pain fuel my resolve as I slowly stand to lock the door behind her. I shuffle across the floor, barely keeping pace with her. Neither of us speaks as she steps outside and I shut the door, locking it behind her.

~Obviously, it is very important to pick your friends carefully, but don’t we all just want to relax a little as summer approaches? Try to relax with good friends, good music, and no lapses in judgement though…~