“Yeah, thanks.”
I hung up and took a deep breath.
At least this storm was over.
I’d figure out what happened to the money later, but right now, I don’t have time to stress. This weekend is about me and peace. I’m not going to let money, Josiah, or anyone else take away from the fact that I am getting married. I’ve wanted this for a long time.
Chapter 7
Cyn
Since there was a little traffic tonight, the ride to the club was long, so I leaned back against the seat, thumb scrolling through my phone while the driver crept along with the flow. I pulled up the websites, adding things to my cart, thinking about Christmas and how this would be the first year I could give my family something other than a Bath & Body Works candles that I got on the $9.95 candle sale day.
For once, I wasn’t just surviving the holidays, I was planning them, and I actually felt like an adult. I got my little sister the New Balances she’d been dropping hints about for months, and I got my mom a Slushy Ninja machine, already picturing her complaining about the price, acting like she didn’t want it, but then using it every chance she got. My dad had been talking about new golf clubs for years, so I went to the Dick’s Sporting Goods website and clicked add to cart on a $300 set without second guessing the price. My mom always told me that spoiling people made them dependent, and that spoiling with love is better than money. We will, however, see if she has that same mentality now that her daughter is finally not broke for Christmas.
Yes, I had a job, but most of my check went straight to rent on my one-bedroom apartment. It wasn’t fancy and hadthin walls, old appliances, no view, but it was mine. I paid for it faithfully, month after month, even when it meant going broke right after. I’d sit on my couch some nights with nothing but ramen and determination, telling myself independence was worth the struggle.
Having something of my own always was.
And tonight, stuck in traffic with my cart filling up and my bank balance holding steady, it finally felt like this holiday season would be different. Everything I did was for this reason, and I just happened to get my own pleasure with it.
When the car finally stopped in front of the Club Rocka, we all climbed out one by one, tugging at our dresses.
The weather was a little chillier than earlier, but still nothing like East Coast cold. I could still feel my legs even with them being out tonight.
We held hands as we walked up to the front of the club and waited patiently in line until we reached security. The guard up front was a big Hispanic man with an earpiece and a mug to match his size, like some mean-looking Gorgol standing watch.
“Name?” he asked plainly, tapping on the tablet in his hand.
“Ari, Tania, and Cyn,” Ari replied.
He glanced up at us.
“Alright. Come in.”
Ari turned back to us with thatI told you solook on her face. I guess the guard that was flirting with her was going through every loop he could to try and get coochie from her about to be married ass. I don’t really know why she was playing like that, knowing that she was getting married, but I couldn’t judge her. Her being wanted was the reason we were gettingfirst-class treatment in Vegas this weekend. So it’s honestly whatever.
Once we were cleared through the door, the host lifted the rope and waved us inside. The space immediately closed in around us, not cramped but full. Bodies everywhere. People standing shoulder to shoulder near the bar, in clusters waiting to be seen.
Everything looked expensive in here, with leather couches lining the walls, glass tables already crowded with bottles, and beautiful glasses flipped over on the tables. We followed the host through narrow paths carved out between sections. Men were stepping aside at the last second, eyes lingering on us longer than necessary, and another group paused their conversation to watch us walk by.
As we got closer to the center of the club, the energy shifted. More movement. More attention. The sections were tighter, the bottles bigger, the people louder. I caught glimpses of women dancing in heels they’d definitely regret later, men leaning in close to talk over the noise, security standing just close enough to remind everyone to behave.
Then we finally reached our section, which sat right next to the DJ booth, boxed in by a low rail that made it feel exclusive without cutting us off from the rest of the club. There was a plush couch wrapped around a table already set up with ice buckets and clean glasses, like it had been waiting on us all night.
Once we sat down, a waitress appeared in front of us, ready to take our orders.
“What mixers do y’all want with your drinks?”
“Umm, cranberry and Sprite will be fine.”
We told her, and she nodded before slipping back into the crowd.
“I just thought about something. What if they make us pay for this shit tonight?”
I said, leaning into the circle.
“Well, if they do, y’all got it, right?” Tania looked at Ari who gave her a confused look back.
