Too Drunk To Fuck
"The Beast is on the move..." Gen's gait had a breezy swagger Therese had never seen before. In fact she wished she wouldn't see it now either. "The Beast..?" she questioned, "What happened to the Super Sleuth of Manhattan?" Gen lit a cigarette checking her outlook in the shop window. "So glad you should ask! The Super Sleuth and The Beast are two sides of the same coin..." Why, oh why did I ask? "Like Selina Kyle and Catwoman... ooh, I'd sure like to make her meow..." Gen had been celibate since the break-up and it showed. "You know, lick dat milk bowl, pet dat tail..." Therese was getting impatient. "Yeah, I get the point. You're horny as hell."
Therese had asked Gen to pick a bar for the night. As long as it served decent drinks, it would suit her just fine. And it had to be a women's bar instead of Dannie's. Preferably a place she'd never been to, at least not with Carol. She left the last part unmentioned, though.
Gen was only too happy to oblige although she did find her wishes somewhat out of character. "What brought this about? You've never been one to frequent dyke bars..." True, she hadn't. Lesbian joints weren't actually Carol's scene so naturally they hadn't been hers either and it wasn't like she'd been visiting them before meeting her. "I just want to do something different tonight", Therese said evasivally, "to drink and be merry in a whole new atmosphere." Gen winked at her knowingly. "And merry we shall be! That much I can promise."
Stepping inside a crowded Village bar, Therese hesitated at first. Something told her this wasn't necessarily the ideal way to deal with her inner turmoil. Remembering the cause of it, she however decided to ignore any doubts she had and followed Gen in. The place was swamped with customers, so they huddled by the bar counter. Gen knew the bartender as well as half the people going by. The music was loud and it hurt Therese's ears. She needed a drink and she needed it now - to numb the bass beat as well as the pain she felt inside.
"Let's do shots first," Gen hollered over the noise. A tray full of tiny glasses appeared in front of them. "Bottoms up!" They downed the first ones. "Here's mud in your eye!" The second shot went down just as smoothly. "How do they say it in that place where your competition's at?" Gen asked yelling straight into her ear. "Kippis!" Therese grinned and downed the third glass. She'd already googled Helsinki and Finland. "Kippis!" yelled Gen back, "It's always important to have your active vocabulary available in foreign languages, don't you think?" She was grinning wickedly. "I have three sentences I like to learn in as many languages as possible: ARE YOU OVER EIGHTEEN, YOUR PLACE OR MINE and PLEASE DON'T STOP." Therese laughed, and tonight it felt exceptionally good to laugh, she thought. By the time they had finished the whole tray, she didn't mind the music anymore nor did she mind anything anymore. The bar room around her seemed to buzz like a busy beehive without a single care in the world.
"Beer coming up!" she announced joyously almost tripping on her own legs while delivering a pitcher to a table Gen had managed to snatch for them. "Easy does it. Don't spill the booze, please..." she giggled and helped Therese to her seat. "I really, really, really got to get laid", Gen wailed gulping her drink, "I'm afraid I'll soon bust a major artery or something if this dry spell continues." Knotting her brow, Therese tried to focus on her pint glass. "Well, you'll have to do something about it then... and by the look of these people, I should say you've come to the right place, my friend." By this time pretty much everything was overtly funny, hysterical.
Gen took them downstairs to the club room. It was the 80's disco night which drove her absolutely mad. Therese refused to follow her to the dance floor. "Go on, I'd just frighten your potential prospects away." Gen seemed to find some sense in her reasoning and quit bugging her. Therese had the best time watching her dance. It wasn't exactly graceful but it was indeed provocative and attention grabbing.
"Would you like to dance?" Therese turned to see a dark-haired woman about her age smiling at her. "No, I don't think so." The stranger didn't seem too put down by her blunt answer. "Well, can I offer you a drink then?" Therese looked confused. "Or are you here with your girlfriend?" She nodded towards Gen who was hogging the entire floor with her crazy moves. "No... I mean she's not my girlfriend." A broad smile spread on woman's face. Shit. "So how about that drink then?" She wasn't going to go away. "I have my beer already. But thanks." The woman shrugged her shoulders in mock disappointment. "May I at least sit with you for a while?" Embarrassed, Therese nodded.
"You're one of Dannie's friends, aren't you." Therese didn't know what to say. "Aren't you going to ask me how I knew that?" The woman's gaze lingered on her body. "Well, I used to work there so I guess it's pretty easy to put two and two together," Therese managed to say. "No wonder Dannie speaks so highly of you... you're very bright - and very beautiful." Oh fuck.
"Would you like to go some place a bit more quiet? We could talk some more..." The woman moved closer which made Therese extremely uncomfortable. She thought of Carol who was so far away. A lump in her throat prevented her from saying a single word.
"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on in here?" Gen pushed her way through the crowd. "Did she just give you the crap of not being my girlfriend? Terry, you're such a slut but I love you." Turning to face the intruder, she looked at her very sternly. "You, scram!"
When they were finally left alone, Therese burst into tears. "Oh honey, what's wrong? Has something happened?" She told Gen all about the gossip column she had stumbled upon. "Good grief, Therese! It's TMZ, it's dirt, it's all lies, that's what it is!" She let out a long sigh. "It's good to show interest in humans every once in a while but not in a village bicycle - a Greenwich Village bicycle to be exact." Tears streamed down Therese's face, and Gen thought it best to take her to the quiet back room frequented by the slightly older crowd. "C'mon, it's not that bad. Here, be a good girl, dry your tears." Gen picked up a napkin and handed it to her.
"Seen anyone interesting?" Therese asked when her tears had finally subsided. "Nah... seems to be a slow night," Gen replied, "or I'm wearing a way too nice pair of knickers..." She winked at Therese relieved to find her smiling again. "I'm gonna get us some more drinks. No point wasting a good start, eh?" Therese wasn't sure if it was such a good idea being already far too inebriated herself. The incident with the unknown woman had sobered her up, though, at least some.
"Therese?" Someone was approaching their table. What is it this time, she thought not at all sure if she was ready for yet another awkward conversation. Abby stood in front of her, smiling. Seeing her all of a sudden, Therese started sobbing again. She couldn't help it, couldn't hold back the tears at all. "Therese honey..." Abby began sitting next to her and putting her arm around her jerking shoulders. "Why are you sitting here all alone and why on earth are you crying?" Therese tried to say something but to no avail.
Gen breezed in with the beer bottles. "What's going on in here?" Abby demanded turning to her. "She's been reading the gossip columns..." Abby strengthened her grip on Therese. "And..?" Gen looked at her sheepishly. "There was some crap about Carol and some guy..." Agitated, Therese drew a few quick breaths. "I see." Abby sighed. "And did you believe what you read?" She was too ashamed to answer.
"You have a very warped view of Carol if you really think she'd be cheating on you." Abby looked serious. "But I'll let it slide this time knowing you're feeling so very vulnerable right now." She paused for a second to grab her hands. "There are a couple of rules in this business you need to know if you're going to stay sane in it. First, you don't read anything printed or splashed out on the internet. Second, you don't believe anything you happen to read or see, you hear me?" Therese nodded weakly. "These tabloids and sites, they thrive at digging up dirt and lies which have no relation to the way things truly are. That's what clickbait journalism is all about." Gen was only too eager to agree.
“What’ll you say we get out of here and take our business elsewhere? I could really use a real cocktail about now”, Abby asked not really expecting any resistance. “If you want to get wasted, let’s do it right,” she decided giving the beer bottles an exasperated look.
“She’s kinda hot, don’t you think?” Gen said when Abby was busy saying goodbye to her friends at the other table. “I guess so…” Therese mumbled surprised by her friend’s sudden remark. “I mean really hot…” Gen was wiggling her eyebrows. “Whatever happened to the Steakhouse Heiress?” she asked Therese. “Could you find out for me?” What is this? “Just ask about it nonchalantly when I’m away, and then give me a sign later – two fingers if they’re still together, one finger if she’s single, okay?” This is not happening… “Gen…” she started but was interrupted by Abby’s return.
They went to Dannie’s. Therese was happy to be there, happy to see all the familiar faces once more. Giving Therese a meaningful glance, Gen went to pick up the first cocktails. “So, Abby, what’s up with you? Flying solo nowadays?” Flying solo? Abby chuckled at her choice of words. “Yeah, I’m my own pilot these days. I had a bit of a falling out with Georgia, nothing serious, really, but we thought it better to cool our heels for a while.” Therese couldn’t quite figure out the sentiment in Abby’s voice. “So yes, I’m single. You know someone I should be interested in?” She cracked a delicious smile that made Therese blush.
Gen returned with the drinks. Expecting Therese to share her info, she kept kicking her foot under the table. Annoyed, Therese gave her the finger. The gesture had Gen grinning in no time. “Just to make sure, you weren’t just flipping the bird, right..? Right.” I don’t fucking believe this. “I need to come up with something…” Gen’s mind was in overdrive. “Something to grab her attention…” she whispered to Therese while Abby was talking with Dannie.
They drank and talked some more, Gen lavishing her attention on Abby every which way. It amused Therese and she could see Abby was quite well aware of what was on her friend’s mind. Abby’s a smart cookie, she thought. Gen’s efforts were wasted, though, as far as she could tell. And she’s really drunk, she realized having herself quit the liquor a while ago. Her thoughts drifting to Carol, Therese checked her phone only to find its battery completely dead.
When Abby excused herself to go to the ladies’ room, Gen finally came up with her grand idea. "I'm gonna do my number now..." she said getting up on her unsteady feet. She didn't look too good, and Therese wondered whether she should keep her from climbing on the stage. "Dannie – yo, Dannie!" But she was there already. "Can you... will you put it on?" Oh no... Dannie looked a bit bewildered. "You sure about this, Gen?" He exchanged glances with Therese. "Never been surer about anything else in my life..." Gen's speech slurred just a bit.
She gave Dannie a sign when Abby returned to the table. "What happened here?" she asked Therese clearly surprised. Smiling, Therese shook her head. "I guess we're about to find out..."
"You guys, especially you, Therese, you've been the best – but, sorry, this is not for you." Gen was really pulling herself together now. "This is for you." Smiling shyly, she pointed at Abby. Hearing the first bars of the song Gen was about to lip sync, a wide grin broke across Therese’s face. Good God, bring out the big guns – she's going to do her Charlene imitation...
Hey lady, you lady
Cursing at your life
Gen's hands made subtle, inviting gestures towards Abby who was suddenly overtaken by her attention.
You're a discontented mother
And a regimented wife
Gen knew this one down to the last melodramatic bat of an eyelash. Wait, what's going on in here? Therese glanced at Abby who was staring at Gen going through her diva moment on the stage.
I've no doubt you dream about
The things you'll never do
But, I wish someone had talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you
Therese had never thought of Gen as a girlie girl – well, she just wasn't – but somehow she only just now understood all the Breakfast at Tiffany's dresses and other stuff Gen had hidden in her wardrobe. If need be, she had it in her.
Whoooa, I've been to Georgia
And California and anywhere I could run
Took the hand of a preacher man
And we made love in the sun
The need seemed to be in. Gen swayed her body to the rhythm of the music lifting her arms, wrists and fingers over her shoulders and head in soft, circular motions.
But I ran out of places
And friendly faces
Because I had to be free
I've been to paradise
But I've never been to me...
She moved her hips seductively. Oh my God... Gen was smoking, and Abby was really paying attention.
Please lady, please, lady
Don't just walk away
'Cause I have this need to tell you
Why I'm all alone today
....
....
Whoooa, I've been to Nice
And the Isle of Greece
While I've sipped champagne on a yacht
I've moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo
And showed 'em what I've got
Could it be that Gen actually moved like Jean Harlow? She certainly showed what she got…
I've been undressed by kings
And I've seen some things
That a woman ain't supposed to see
I've been to paradise
But I've never been to me...
...
...
Sometimes I've been to crying
For unborn children
That might have made me complete
This is just too funny, Therese chuckled. Resting her chin on her knuckles, Abby had an ecstatic smile on her face, which made Therese somewhat uneasy. Rest of the crowd applauded wildly.
But I, I took the sweet life
I never knew
I'd be bitter from the sweet
The sensual, perfectly timed quirk of her eyebrows was the coup de grace. Who knew? Therese was completely bowled over by her performance.
I've spent my life exploring
The subtle whoring
That costs too much to be free
By now, she was flirting openly with Abby. NO… NO… THIS WAS NO FLIRT, THIS WAS FRIGGIN' FOREPLAY, Therese realized.
Hey lady, I've been to paradise
But I've never been to meeeeeee...
She might not get out of there in one piece but she really killed it, Therese grinned. Indeed Gen needed help to get down from the stage but other than that she seemed okay. "Amazing as always", Therese said squeezing her arm gently but Gen didn't seem to notice it at all for she saw only Abby who had helped her on her chair. Somehow Abby’s hand had remained on Gen's shoulder... no, wait – why is it on her thigh now?
"Is there anything I can do for you, Miss Genevieve..?" Abby asked Gen in a tone that left very little wiggle room for interpretation. "I'm sure there is," Gen replied her cheeks flushed quite child-like. Therese averted her eyes from the scene right next to her.
At the same time she was also worried, though, Gen being quite drunk and maybe a bit over her head. Not that she didn't think of Abby as the catch of the year – why the fuck am I talking about her as if she were a fish or something? – but Gen was still on the rebound, after all.
When they were leaving, Gen being all lovey-dovey with Abby, Therese was suddenly very worried. As always, Abby was way ahead of her. "Come on..." she smiled at Therese while Gen was fetching their overcoats, "what kind of a person do you take me for?" Abby patted her hand.
"She's drunk and I'm not gonna sleep with her tonight, don't worry." She was very reassuring. "I'll let her sleep it off at my place and we'll see what happens in the morning." Relieved, Therese nodded in agreement. "I wouldn’t mind sleeping with her, though, so I hope it's okay with you if it happens?" Abby's expression told Therese her approval wasn’t entirely necessary. "Oh Abby... of course!" She really meant it.