"Whoa, is this even my size?" I asked, holding the garment against me. It was daring, something I'd never choose for myself, but tonight was about shedding old fears.
"Like it was made for you," Aurelia said, already prepping her arsenal of beauty tools.
An hour later, after a whirlwind of blush brushes and curling wands, we were transformed—Aurelia's deft hands had worked magic on us. My reflectionrevealed someone new: bold, vivacious, ready to embrace the night.
"Ready, ladies?" Aurelia asked, her own appearance stunning and confident in a red dress that popped against her porcelain skin and black hair.
"Let's do this," Skye said with a wink as she adjusted the strapless top of her lemon-yellow dress. It looked so good with her tan.
As a redhead, I was nearly translucent, but the black made me rather glowey, so I was a pretty happy ginger tonight.
The drive to The Creekside Tap was short, the streets quiet as we pulled into the parking lot. As we entered, the familiar clink of glasses and low hum of conversation greeted us. Aurelia waved at the man behind the bar with familiarity.
"Owned by a friend of the family," she said as we found a table.
"Hey, isn't that Nathan's cousin?" I said quietly, recognizing the bartender's broad shoulders and affable grin from neighborhood gatherings. "I can't think of his name, but I've seen him over at Nathan's a few times."
Skye's eyebrow arched slightly. "That’s Gordon. Small world, isn’t it?"
"Very." A strange sense of comfort washed over me. It felt safe here with Nathan's family.
I'd always been cautious, keeping my guard up as if expecting trouble around every corner. Here, among friends in a friendly place, the urge to finally let go took hold. One drink turned into two and then three, each sip melting away years of built-up tension.
"Erin's really going for it tonight." Skye cheered two hours later, clinking her glass against mine.
"Feels good to... to just live, you know?" I slurred slightly, the room beginning to spin just a touch too delightfully.
"Girl, we've got you," Aurelia said, her smile warm and protective. "Tonight's about fun. No worries."
As the music swirled around us and laughter bubbled from our table, I leaned back, the weight of my past troubles slipping off my shoulders. I was safe here, with them, and tonight, that was all that mattered.
"Hey there, pretty lady. Want to dance?" a voice called out from behind me.
I turned, slightly off balance, and smiled at the guy. He wasn't my type, not that I was looking. "No, thanks." I wobbled back to my seat. I caught Skye's eye across the room, and she swooped in like a guardian angel, taking his hand and leading him to the dance floor.
"Can I get you a drink?" another voice asked, this time softer, almost hesitant.
"Got one, thanks." I raised my glass with a smile before turning away. I wasn't sure how many smiles I'd given out tonight, but each one felt easier than the last.
Aurelia glared at the guy until he grew uncomfortable and left. Now that was a superpower I would love to have.
A commotion near the bar caught my attention. A man gripped a woman's arm, his fingers digging into her flesh. "Bea, come on. We're leaving."
"Stop it, you're hurting me," she protested, trying to pull away. Her voice was sharp with fear, cutting through the haze of alcohol in my brain.
"Who is that?" I asked, leaning forward to see better.
"Bea, the town lawyer," Skye said darkly, returning to our table with a frown. "That's her boyfriend. Bad news."
"Should we do something?" I wondered, sensing trouble despite the merriment around us.
"We tried once." Aurelia shook her head sadly. "She told us to mind our business."
"Doesn't seem right, though." Bea reluctantly let the man lead her out of the bar.
"Sometimes people need to find their own way out," Skye whispered. "We're monitoring the situation."
"Let's hope she does." The joy of the evening dimmed just a little as I took another sip from my glass.
