Dear Life(85)

Amanda smirks. “As long as you don’t swallow, then we’re good.”

“Huh?” Daisy asks, looking between us at our interaction.

Grams sprays cheese in her mouth and says, “They’re talking about sexual favors, dearie. It’s something we didn’t go over while we were living together. Would you like to talk about it now?”

All three of us shout “No” at the same time. I like Grams, I think she’s a pretty cool lady, but by no means do I want to sit around Amanda’s couch and discuss sexual favors with her.

“All right.” Grams shrugs. “But I’m here if you want to talk about pleasure without repercussions.”

“Grams!” Daisy’s face is bright red and for the first time all night and since I saw her at the meeting last night, she doesn’t have a worried wrinkle in her brow.

“Oh dearie, it’s good to educate yourself, especially with that beau of yours, Carter.”

“He’s not my beau,” Daisy corrects her quickly. “He’s just a . . .” she searches for the right word, “he’s a guy I know.”

Huh, not even a friend, I wonder what happened last night.

“What do you mean a guy you know?” Grams asks. “You have been fawning over this man for weeks. What’s going on?”

Sighing, Daisy sinks into the couch, her cloud pajama pants riding up her ankles. “I don’t think he sees me as a woman, but rather just a na?ve girl. I’m trying to get away from that girl. I want to be the woman I saw in the mirror when I tried on my bridesmaid dress.”

“Then be her,” Amanda says with conviction. “Don’t let anyone dictate who you’re supposed to be. You and you alone can make that decision.”

“She’s right,” Grams chimes in. “Don’t get so dependent on a man that you lose who you want to be. That’s what I did with your grandfather. And I loved that old coot, but it wasn’t until after he passed that I found who I really was, a closet smoker with a pension to solve every crossword that came my way.”

“You smoke?” Daisy asks, shocked.

“Closet smoker, dearie. Closet smoker.”

“That’s still smoking.”

“Yes, but I won’t necessarily die from the black lung.”

“Something to look forward to.” Daisy rolls her eyes. “I just don’t get it. Will I always be some innocent to him?”

“Maybe that’s what he likes about you,” Amanda suggests.

“Well, I don’t like it about me.” Scanning the room, she sits up, knocking over the bowl of chips next to her. “Amanda, this can’t possibly be what you want for a bachelorette party. Matt is in New Orleans having a great time, and you’re having a slumber party, with an eighty-year-old woman.”

“Hey,” Grams protests.

“Sorry, Grams, but this is pathetic. We should be out drinking, throwing caution to the wind, making poor decisions that will result in great stories later on instead of sulking around a table of junk food with an elderly woman teasing us about pleasure without repercussions.”

I couldn’t agree more. This “bachelorette party” is pathetic. When Amanda came to me about it, I held my tongue for many reasons. One, it’s a sad ladies party and no one wants to know about their sad ladies party. Two, wedding stuff has been very difficult for me, so I didn’t want to go too much into detail. It’s still too raw. Three, it’s what she wanted and who was I to tell her differently? Apparently Daisy has no problem in doing that.

Wincing, I add, “She’s right, Amanda. The night is still young, why don’t we go out? I can see if there is one of those bike bars available you’ve always wanted to try. They might take last-minute reservations.”

“A bike bar sounds fun,” Amanda says, perking up. “Grams, will you be able to pedal and drink?”

Grams waves her hand in front of her face. “Oh no, I’m practically sleeping with my eyes open right now. You girls go have fun. I’m going to help myself up to Daisy’s room to sleep.”

“You can be our bail money if we get in trouble,” I add.

“Deal.” Grams squirts the bottle of cheese again, but nothing comes out, so she tosses it behind her and gets up slowly from the couch. “Have fun. Daisy, I hog the bed so it’s best you sleep on the couch. Plus, I get the toots at night.”

Grams takes off for the stairs, cane in hand, while we all giggle at each other.

I look at my watch and say, “All right, let’s take half an hour to get ready. I’m going to need some clothes so get out some of your sluttiest outfits for me.”

Daisy and Amanda run upstairs and I’m left cleaning up our junk food. As I’m sealing up untouched Pop-Tarts, my phone rings.

Jace.

I need to answer. I haven’t talked to him much since my trip to Arizona, for obvious reasons. I don’t know what to say and I sure as hell don’t know what I want. But my neglect is starting to become obvious so I answer.

“Hey.”

“Ah, you answered finally. I was starting to think you were avoiding me.”

Nothing blows by him. “Never. Just been busy, you know.”

“I don’t actually, since you haven’t talked to me lately.”