Miss Me; When I'm Gone (editing)

CHAPTER 38 (Blair)

Blair

Over the next week, I didn't just read to Travis at night. We ended our evenings doing other things. Smiling at my secret, I spent extra time brushing my hair. I had cleaned Karleah's house twice and met with Jessica Stephenson. She was going to need someone three days a week. I had to talk to Karleah about working in her house two days and at Jessica's three days to meet everyone's needs. Jessica's current housecleaner hadn't retired yet, so there was time to figure it out. She had two more weeks.

Owen had found out earlier in the week that today was my birthday. He'd decided he was taking me out. I hadn't done anything more than celebrate all alone most of my life. I remembered having a cake once when I was seven. My mother had made one and invited the neighbourhood children over. I'd thought she had done it for me, and for a while, I had felt so special.

Then, later that day, I had found her in the bathroom on her knees in front of one of the dads at the party. He had been saying things I didn't want to remember while she gripped his thighs and have him a blow job. That man lived across the street with his wife and two kids. I had realised that not only was something wrong with what my mother was doing, but she had thrown that party to get close to that man. Not to me. It was my first and last birthday cake.

Tonight I would make a new memory. Owen wanted us to go out dancing and eat cake. So we were going to do just that.i would celebrate turning twenty-three with someone who cared about me.

Stepping back and looking into the mirror, I felt like I was pretty. The dress I had on was a soft orange and reminded me of a sunset. It was strapless and belted at my waist with a brown woven belt that fell mid thigh. I had slipped on the cowboy boots I'd bought to please Travis. He hadn't seen them yet, but I used some of my savings to buy them. They were on sale for half price, so I had only spent a little too much on them instead of a lot.

The knock on my door was quickly followed by an " open up, birthday girl!"

I smiled and went to let Owen inside. He let out a low whistle and twirled his finger in the air for me to spin around.

"I'm gonna have to act straight tonight to keep the men off you. Damn, woman, you clean up fine."

Laughing, I grabbed the small clutch I'd bought last year at a thrift store but never had a chance to use. It was metallic gold but simple, with a wrist strap.

"Let's go dance," I told him, as he took my hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm.

"I got moves, girl. You just wait."

I had no doubt he did. We headed into town instead of out of it, but I knew there was nowhere to dance in Miami Place. Frowning, I glanced over at Owen, who was singing 'party in the USA.' And tapping his steering wheel like it was drums.

"Where are we dancing?" I asked.

"Ah, some place called Manganolia's," he replied, flashing me a smile that was too big. Something was off.

"But we aren't headed out of town," I pointed out.

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah . Gotta drop something off at the club."

Well, that made sense. I sat back and watched the small town pass by as we turned into the back entrance of the club where the workers parked. Owen drove down toward a shell road that seemed to lead out to the water. Was he dropping something off at the beach?

"Here we are," he said, smiling at me as he swung the door open. We had driven down as far as we could go.

"If you'll just walk down this wooden walkway toward that light up ahead," Owen said, pointing me toward what looked like the top of a small tent from here. There were palm trees in the way.