For the Love of Women

Prolog

There is no such thing as an ugly woman. - Vincent Van Gogh

Prolog –

"No, I love you, but I'm ok. Really." I look at my ex-roommate with a skeptical eye, as she pulls her skirt back in place with a shimmy and bustles past me to her bedroom to finish getting ready. The first time she adjusted herself she'd done it with no finesse, and I teased her about her need to play it up a little, and boy did she.

Her body is made with more curves than a pencil dress can contain, and as she bends or sits it rides higher up her legs, leaving her self-conscious about the way she looks. Not understanding how she affects the men around her, I give her a quick assessment and remind her to pretend she's showing off for her husband, Edward.

She stops before entering her bedroom, "It's just the price I have to pay to be beautiful," she teases with a seductive quality to her voice that makes me laugh.

"How much longer?" I ask her closed door.

"I'm ready, but I think they may need another five to ten more minutes," she says, with another voice from the room yelling "Tops" as confirmation that they were almost ready. Five or ten minutes tops, yeah right. I think to myself and smile as I wait.

"Joel, can you get my purse? I think I left it on Addy's desk," Helen, my current roommate; at least for a few more days; peeks her head down the hall. The robe hanging on her shoulder tells me she's not even dressed, yet.  Five or ten minutes, yeah, right?

"I'll get it." There are three other purses on the desk. "There're two of them that are yours. Which one are you carrying tonight?"

"Black with rhinestone clasp. Leta's taking my other one this evening."

I hand her the purse through the partially closed door, along with Leta's, and I can here Leta ask, "He knows what purses are yours?"

There's no answer, so I assume that Addy or Helen just shrugged off the comment like they usually do, but then I hear Jillian. "You'll get used to it. He notices a lot of things other guys are oblivious to."

Less than ten minutes later, I'm met with four ladies, and one look tells me I will have my work cut out for me this evening. I had anticipated the women would make my night difficult when they asked me to be their driver for the evening, but they failed to warn me exactly what they had in mind.

"Ready?" I ask, shaking my head in Addy's direction.

"As promised," she tells me with her face beaming at my reaction to the rest of the crew.

Addy and Jillian had planned this night in honor of Helen's last 'girls night' before she officially changes her last name. They were reluctant to call tonight a Bachelorette Party because of Edward and Holden's threat of crashing their good time. I only made the cut because I would keep their secrets and my distance if asked.

The tall, slender bride-to-be dressed in a vintage styled dress reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina; her short hair curled and framing her face. I give her a wink, and she returns with her huge sweet smile.

The other ladies are just as glamorous tonight as part of the theme, each very different than the others in looks, but somehow blend in a perfect way. Addy/Marilyn, knowing better than to attempt white with her pale skin and light blonde hair, is dressed more along the lines of 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' in a tight, coral pink pencil dress with her long curly hair pulled and pinned to look like a shorter cut.

My other current roommate, Jillian, uses her red hair to her advantage dressed as Rita Hayward in a signature 'Gilda' dress along with opera length black gloves. Helen's cousin, Leta, seems to steal my breath dressed like Liz Taylor in a vintage 50's style with a full skirt and scoop-necked bodice.