I had a surprise for Carol this year on Valentines Day I reserved tickets at Cabaret ZaZou, housed in an extraordinary Belgian Spiegeltent on the 14th floor of The Cambria Hotel. An unrivaled immersive experience where music, comedy, cirque and a four course gourmet meal converge.
The Cambria Hotel in the Chicago Loop - Theatre District offers upscale accommodations and I booked a suite for us with a king size bed for after the show. I met Carol at a Advocating Against Domestic Violence support group, I had read the pamphlet a hundred times, I'm Cheryle "Cheri" an Irish Catholic thirty year old woman I know my place in the world I'm a bright, articulate, well educated, highly paid attorney, being a battered woman did not fit into who I thought I was.
I arrived at the support group meeting a little before seven pm, a twelve step program for battered women. looking around nervously at small groups of women talking, I saw a table with coffee and cookies and I wandered over to it pouring my self a cub and nervously eating a cookie.
"I'm Carol," She said in a sweet voice.
I turned and smiled seeing a tall beautiful blonde woman with dazzling green eyes. Realizing I hadn't responded, how long had it been, say something, "HI, I'm Cheri, very nice to meet you."
"First time?" Carol asked me.