Dare to Dream

7

(7)

Gina looked at herself in the mirror. She had tried on several different outfits but decided against each one, for different reasons.

Finally it was a pair of straight leg jeans and a simple white blouse.

“I hope Elaine is not serving spaghetti,” she jokingly said aloud.

“You look pretty, Mommy,” Melissa said as she walked into the bedroom.

She hopped on the edge of the bed.

“Did Auntie E. set you up again?”

Gina turned, laughing.

“Who said that?”

“Brandon said that Auntie E. had invited some guy that worked with Uncle Troy.”

Gina smiled. She was still trying to decide whether or not to put on any makeup. She turned to Melissa.

“What do you think? Makeup or no makeup?”

Melissa shook her head.

“You look pretty enough, Mommy.”

“I think so too,” Gina said.

“Maybe just a little gloss.”

She wet her lips with some gloss.

“Perfect,” she said admiring herself in the mirror.

Gina looked at the digital clock on her night stand.

7:50.

“Shit, I better go.”

She went to Melissa and kissed her on the top of the head.

“You didn't hear that.”

“Hear what?”

Melissa laughed and followed Gina out of the bedroom into the living room, where Brandon was watching television.

“Remember what I told you.”

Brandon laughed.

“I won’t forget Mom. Call Aunt Elaine’s in an hour or so.”

Gina bent over the couch and kissed Brandon on the head.

“Thank you.”

“I love you guys,” Gina said as she left the apartment.

Elaine and Troy lived at the end of the building, but on the same floor. All the way there, Gina was second guessing herself.

Even when she reached their apartment, she stood outside the door for a moment, still trying to decide whether to go in or not.

She was about to walk away, when the door opened.

“Well, hello,” Elaine said.

“You weren’t thinking of abandoning ship, were you?”

“Bite me,” Gina said as she walked past Elaine into the apartment.

Troy greeted her with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“Wine?”

“Lots of it,” Gina said.

“Steve is in the shower,” Troy remarked.

Gina turned to Elaine with a puzzled look on her face.

“He came right here from the gym,” Elaine told her.

“He needed a shower.”

Troy passed Gina her wine. She gulped it down and passed him the empty glass.

“More please.”

Gina went to the living room and sat in an arm chair.

As Troy passed her a refilled glass, Steve came into the room, drying his hair with a towel.

He was naked from the waist up.

Steve offered Gina his hand.

“You must be Gina.”

Gina shook his hand,” You must be Steve.”

“I am,” he said proudly as he flexed his pectoral muscles.

“I’ll be right back. I have to put a shirt on.”

Gina gulped her wine and started laughing.

“Did he just flex his boobs at me?”

Elaine looked at Troy.

Troy simply put his hands up in the air and shrugged his shoulders.

Gina held out her glass, a forced smile on her face, “More please.”