I Love Red

July and my birthday came before I could blink. The rest of May and June were peak flower sales, and I wanted to make as much profit as possible. So, my social life took a major hit. After our argument, Richard seemed to turn a new leaf. He brought me coffee and flowers almost every morning though my preferences for either, still, wasn't headed. He even attempted to clean up after himself and do the laundry, but he bleached several t-shirts of mine and shrank a pair of shorts, but I commended him for trying. Slowly, I was changing my mind about breaking up with him. If he could continue this upward trend of trying and showing up for me, then this could work, right?

I decided to pamper myself for my birthday week. On Monday, Lilith and I got a couple's massage and spent the rest of the day in the spa's hot spring. On Tuesday, Lilith and I got mani-pedis and brunch with Michelle and Andrea, twin sisters, and my closest friends other than Lilith. I had a laser hair removal session on Wednesday, then went shopping with the girls for our Zone 8 outfits. Finally, I had my hair appointment on Thursday where I got a set of silver-blonde butt-length goddess braids.

Friday morning, I woke up to a knock on my front door. Lilith had sent me a bouquet of white lilies and my favorite breakfast: iced caramel macchiato, everything bagel with scrambled eggs, bacon, provolone, and a blueberry scone. It was simple, but it meant so much to me. There was a note with the flowers: '

To my best-est best friend and sister. I love you girly <3

'. I teared up a little. Richard and I had had another fight on Sunday, and I hadn't seen or heard from him since.

I spent the rest of my day, cleaning up the apartment and prepping for the night ahead. I put the dress I bought in the bathroom when I showered so the steam would remove any wrinkles. The girls and I spent several hours in the mall trying to find the best outfits for the night. After much deliberation, I decided on a fire-engine red mini-dress. Shocker, I know. The dress was backless with a small slit up the left thigh and a sweetheart neckline. It had a thin string in the back to tighten it around the hips, and it hugged me in all the right places. I chose my most impractical pair of shoes for the night; a pair of strappy red heeled sandals with red flower embellishments. I wore my usual jewelry and makeup. My feet were sure to hurt by the end of the night, but I would look damned good.

As I sat on the couch to wait for the taxi, a pang of anxiety hit me. I was extremely nervous about tonight. I invited Richard, but he gave a noncommittal answer. I texted him, too, but he only responded with, "We'll see." Honestly, I hoped he wouldn't come. My friends didn't mind him, in fact, if he came, this would be the first time he had met anyone other than Gina and Lilith. But, Lilith did not like him, at all. When I told her I had invited him, she was obviously annoyed but said she couldn't be mad because it was

my

birthday party. Also, he hated Caleb. I didn't want the drama and lingering anger over our last argument hanging over my night. If only I were to be so blessed.

I heard the horn of the taxi amongst the chirps of the crickets. I had been texting my birthday group chat the entire night, making sure everyone was ready for the night ahead. I texted them to let them know I was on my way. As I got in the taxi, I noticed my driver staring at me.

"Important night out, dear?" My driver asked. She was a short, older Black woman with greying hair.

"Yes, it's my birthday tonight," I said. She turned around and smiled at me.

"I bet your boyfriend is excited to see you tonight!"

I sighed as I buckled myself in.

"Oh, no, honey. That doesn't sound like a happy sigh. No boyfriend?" She asked and started to drive

"Oh, no. I have a boyfriend," I responded attempting to keep the tears at bay.

She hummed, "You wanna talk about it?"

I thought about it. Why would I tell my relationship woes to this elderly woman? Why would I spill my feelings of seclusion and disappointment to this stranger driving me to my birthday party? But, really, why not? I would never see this woman again. And, if I did, she wouldn't remember me. Maybe she would have some advice to give me. She had such a warm aura and I needed another perspective. So, I looked out of the window and started my tale. I watched the phone lines and streetlights zip by. I could feel my phone vibrating with texts, but I ignored them.

She listened to my story the 30 minutes it took to get to the restaurant, occasionally, interjecting with "I know he didn't" or "Oh my God" when it was needed. I told her of the insults and insecurities. The lack of intimacy and respect. The disregard of my personhood. She knew things Lilith didn't know. I didn't feel judged by her. I felt comforted by this stranger. As I finished talking, we were coming up to the restaurant. She parked, turned the car off, and fully turned to face me. "I'm going to say this in the most honest way I can. You need to leave him, and soon. He sounds like my dating life before I met my husband, men who wanted to break me down and trap me. But, the last one was my final straw. I met my husband when I was refusing to date and afraid to commit. He snuck into my heart, and we've been together ever since, 35 years, to be exact." She finished with a warm smile.

I sniffled and wiped away my tears. "I know I need to break up with him. I just don't know how. He's always around, and he's unpredictable. He comes over whenever he wants. When he's good, he's good, though. And I know he's going through family stuff, and work has been slow, so he's kinda low on money-," She cut me off.

"No one should make you feel the way you have told me he makes you feel," She said heatedly. "You deserve someone who isn't afraid of your success and the community around you. Someone who loves you, the real you."

I continued sniffling. "Oh look, I made you mess up that pretty makeup. But just heed my words. The man that's meant to love you will start before you even know."

She pulled some tissues from her glovebox while I touched up my makeup.

"Thank you so much. I know what I need to do... I just have to do it," I said with a teary smile. She gave me a long hug and more words of encouragement. Then she wished me a happy birthday wish. I paid and exited the car, waving to her one last time.

On the sidewalk, I rechecked myself before entering the restaurant.

"Gem Story?" a man in a nice suit asked me. I nodded and they led me to my friends. The table was a traditional, long wooden table that sat nicely in the middle of the room. The greenery in the room with the water accents emphasized the room's tranquil vibe. I heard them before I saw them. The girls- Lilith, Andrea, Michelle, and Gina- were there dressed in their finery, as usual. Gina wore a yellow sparkly mini skirt set that made her dark skin glow. Andrea wore a deep orange halter dress that highlighted her golden tan and blonde hair. Michelle matched Andrea, except her dress was a pale blue color that highlighted her dark hair. Lilith wore a dress-corseted black minidress that emphasized her vampy look. Connor, Gina's husband, Michelle's boyfriend, and Andrea's girlfriend were there too.

They all yelled happy birthday and rushed towards me for a long group hug, heels clicking on the stone floor. The girls fawned over how me, showering me with compliments and happy birthdays. We stood there complimenting each other as they handed me flowers, put a black 'Birthday Girl' sash on me, and handed me a shot of tequila. I laughed all the while, trying to catch my bearings. They finally pulled back when someone cleared their throat. Then, he was there.

Caleb Vatore. He looked amazing. He was sinfully sexy. It might've been because I was emotional or maybe I was ovulating, but my heart sped up. I could hear the thumping in my ears and the heat rising to my chest. He had slicked back his dark hair. He wore a thin gold chain. He wore a black, short-sleeved collar unbuttoned-button down with a crisp red shirt and matching black pants. He had on black leather boots with gold chains on his belt loops. The shirt showed off the tattoos on his arms, and the gold watch on his left wrist shone as he reached into his pocket. He moved closer and opened his arms for a hug. I felt like I ran into them. We embraced and the world melted away.

"Happy birthday, Gem," he murmured into my hair. His chin rested on the top of my head and his arms squeezed around my shoulders. I rested my cheek on his chest and squeezed him back. We rocked back and forth in the hug as if we hadn't seen each other in decades.

I heard a snicker and quickly pulled back. I blushed, hard, and cleared my throat. I looked over to the table and saw everyone staring at us. The girls wore broad smiles. Their partners looked a little confused. Caleb did not look the least embarrassed as he straightened and briefly touched my arm. He pulled my seat out and we joined the group. Lilith was sitting in front of me and beamed at me as I picked at the edamame. She stopped when Connor said something to her and they started a conversation. Soon, everyone was eating and drinking as the courses came out.

For the first time in a while, I was genuinely happy and carefree. I laughed without care as Connor made dumb jokes and almost peed myself when Andrea started making an impression of Michelle. We ate to our heart's content, making sure there were enough carbs for the night of drinking.

The meal ended with a happy birthday song from the staff and a plate of a variety mochi plate with sparklers for candles. "Make a wish!" Andrea encouraged. The rest of them joined in with encouragement. I glanced around as I leaned toward the plate and candles. I could feel their warmth off of my chin. I glanced around the table, basking in the joy of being surrounded by the love of my best friends. I locked eyes with Caleb and he stared at me with intense eyes. His icy eyes sparkled in the light. I closed my eyes and made my wish. I blew the candles out. There was a beat of silence afterward. I opened my eyes and Caleb was still staring at me, now smiling. Then, there were cheers and applause from my friends and the rest of the restaurant.

The meal was already paid for, so we left a generous tip before leaving. The staff wished me happy birthday as we left. When we walked outside, there was a black stretch limo waiting for us.

"Lilith, Caleb, y'all didn't tell me you got a limo!" I exclaimed.

"Well, we couldn't take taxis to the club," Lilith began. "And, besides, it was Caleb's idea because he knew you were going to wear some tall heels."

I looked at Caleb who just shrugged. The chauffeur opened the doors for us and we piled in one after the other. Caleb followed behind me. The driver turned on the Top Hits of the day and we took off to Zone 8. The ten of us had space to move around, but, somehow, Caleb and I's thighs touched the entire ride. We drank from the small bottles of tequila that were in the limo's mini fridge. I was extremely tipsy by the time we arrived.

The group poured out of the limo in a blob of sparkles and an alcoholic haze. Lilith led us through the throng of dancing, sweating bodies to our section. Caleb pushed me along with a hand on the small of my back. I could feel his heat on my bare skin.

We arrived at our roped-off section. A pale rose-colored circular booth with a round glass coffee table was in the center. The pink booth glowed in the darkness from the blacklights of the thumping club. The coffee table had a sign that said 'Happy 20-sexy birthday!' The cheesy joke had to have been the work of Lilith. Once we sat, one of the managers, a man in his mid-thirties with dark hair and olive skin, greeted Connor. He whispered something in his ear before coming to me and wishing me a happy birthday. Then, three security guards with beautiful bottle girls on their shoulders came over. The girl in the middle carried a marque with my name on it and the other two carried lit sparklers and bottles of liquor. They danced to the music on the guards' shoulders. The guards put the girls down and they danced over, setting the alcohol in ice buckets on the coffee table.

The friends and I clapped along to the music and with the women as they heavily poured a round of tequila shots. One of the bottle girls put a shot glass to my lips as everyone around me cheered. She tipped the glass and the warm liquor rushed down my throat. I swallowed with a shake of my head, the alcohol settling in my stomach. The rest of the group followed suit, and, pretty soon, we had downed two more rounds.

"Let's dance!" Lilith yelled as she grabbed my hand. Andrea, Michelle, Gina, and Andrea's girlfriend hooked to each other as well and we daisy-chained our way to the dance floor.

We danced against each other as bodies moved in waves. The DJ for the night played a combination of house music and techno, and we jumped and threw ass as the songs required. I enjoyed myself so much, that my impractical shoe choice did not affect my efforts. The oontz, oontz, oontz, and heavy base of the music vibrated up my spine and through my fingertips as I threw my arms over my heads. I felt so alive. Another round of shots was passed around, this time by Michelle's boyfriend as he had come over to steal her for a dance. Again, we threw the shots back and continued to dance. Gina's husband and Connor had come over from the bar, each carrying two beers. From the corner of my eye, I could see Connor dancing with Lilith, them doing awkward side steps with each other. He had given her his second beer. I caught Lilith's eye and tried to signal to her to dance closer to him, but she shyly shook her head and continued the side stepping and taking small sips of her drink. We continued in merriment, a layer of sweat on each of our bodies as the dance floor filled with more people.

At 11:50, the DJ announced, "Time for some summer lovin'. Get your boo, you know what to do." Then he started playing a romantic summer song. I slowed down my dancing and watched as my friends began to dance with their partners, even Lilith and Connor were dancing with and whispering into each other's ears. She noticed me looking and made a move to reach out to me, but I shook my head and gestured to her to continue dancing with Connor.

I decided it was time for a quick bathroom break. To my misfortune, there was a line. The walls were lined with, mostly, couples drunkenly making out. I leaned on the wall and checked my texts. No new message from Richard. He had only texted me that morning to say happy birthday and I asked if he was coming out tonight, again. But, he never responded, only saying 'You're welcome' to my thank you. I looked around at the couples in the bathroom line as people started coming out, but they didn't seem to notice. I even tried to ask a couple of people if they were going to go, but they ignored me. So, I skipped them.

Once in the bathroom, I quickly urinated and washed my hands. I checked my phone, again. Nothing, still. I felt myself deflate and the tears came. Here I was, again, crying on my birthday over a man who did not give a fuck. He knew how important my birthday was to me. How sad I felt on previous birthdays. How invisible I felt. But, here he was, making me feel like shit. I felt alone, too. It hadn't hit me that the man I loved stood me up until now. There was a small, wooden bench in the corner of the bathroom. I ignored the odd, crusty stains on it and sat on the cleanest spot I could find. I was determined not to cry, just take a short rest away from the loud music. I could hear the DJ list continue with the love song, and I figured I could wait it out. There were other bathrooms.

There was a knock at the bathroom door.

"Someone's in here!" I yelled.

"I know you are, Gem," Caleb's voice replied from the other side. I was surprised, how did he know I was in the bathroom? I got up to open the door.

"Caleb? How did you know I was in here?"

"I was at the bar when I saw you walk back here. When 10 minutes had passed and you weren't back. I freaked out a little and came to find you," he said. His face turned serious. "Have you been crying?"

I stepped back, inviting him into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him. I paused before speaking. "Yeah, I guess. You know the alcohol got to me and I'm a little emotional," I half lied. He gave me a sad look before pulling me in for a hug.

"It's okay. You can be sad he isn't here," he whispered.

"I know," I said. He continued to hold me and a couple of tears creeped out. I needed this, to just be held without any strings attached. Caleb didn't seem like he wanted to let go, but I broke the hug first.

"Thank you for coming to find me," I began. "But, maybe we should go back to the dance floor before people get the wrong impression," I said with a blush.

"Why would it be so bad for them to get the wrong impression?" He asked before taking me by the hand and leading me out of the bathroom. We stopped by the bar for another drink before returning. We stood there, two-stepping and staring at each other. The new alcohol and emotions had me feeling hot and breathy. I admired Caleb. Starting from his feet to the top of his head. He returned my look and I glanced at my feet. He closed the gap and pulled me in close, our bodies flush. We started to rock. I put my arms over his shoulders. His right forearm kept me braced to him. He pulled back, slightly, to look me in the eyes.

"Did I tell you happy birthday today?" He asked.

"Only like 100 times," I laughed.

He chuckled, "Have I told you how stunning you look?"

"Well, I am dressed up for my birthday," I countered.

"No," he said. "Have I ever told you how

stunning

you look?" He repeated.

I slowly shook my head. "You do. All the damn time, Gem." he earnestly said and continued to gaze into my eyes.

I did not know what to think. I assumed it was the alcohol, but Caleb seemed so honest and clear-minded. His left hand came up and around my neck, gently resting his hand there. My breath caught. His thumb played with my fluttering pulse at the base of my jaw. I don't know how, but he pulled me in closer. Our legs were so tangled that we could barely move other than grinding on each other. I could feel his growing erection in his pants and I felt more than sweat start to seep from my panties.

He had an intense look in his eyes. We were so close I could smell the alcohol and our dinner, and it was incredibly hot. Caleb did something to my insides that made me want to swallow him whole. Made me want to completely give up my body to him. His left arm joined its twin at my waist. He rested his cheek on the top of my head and we danced. His right hand played with the tie on the back of my dress, tugging on it as we circled. My hands played with the hair curling from sweat at the nape of his neck. My breasts pressed into his chest and my nipples rubbed against the silky fabric of my dress. The combination of his heat and embrace made me moan at the back of my throat. I wanted him to make more contact, grab my ass, or something! I slid my hands from his shoulders to his chest and pushed my ass out. He didn't take the bait. I huffed out a breath of annoyance and he laughed. He fully laughed at me.

"Slow down there, Gem," he said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I retorted.

"Mhm, sure you don't," Caleb said. I closed my eyes and rested my head on his chest. He was warm and safe. His hands caressed back in soothing motions. We were in our world. Two souls orbiting on the dance floor.

"Oops! I'm so sorry!" Andrea had bumped into Caleb, spilling her drink down the back of his shirt and his pants. He jumped back in shock. The moment was over. Andrea hurriedly tried to dap at the stains, but Caleb shook her saying it was okay and he would take it to the dry cleaners on Monday. She slurred another sorry before turning around to dance with her girlfriend.