The 3 Month Plan

Smashed Cake

"Where are we going?" I ask.

With her free hand she waves the boys over. "What are you boys doing? Hurry up," she says before turning to face me whilst still tugging me forward. "You'll see."

Behind us, Danny and Tim following before Danny gives me a questioning look.

I've known Danny since university days in Australia. After he finished his degree, he flew to the US to start his business and has been living here since then. Tim's story is a little different. I met him in the US the first time when I was building my office. He had started a small newspaper company and had just done his first interview with me for the front page of the first release.

If I was to say who my closest friends in the US would be, I'd say it would be these two. The day news came out that I was married to Sky, I had received a handful of aggressive and slightly abusive texts from the two with Tim even threatening to write a nasty article about me because he had to find out about my marriage via the news. Of course he never did live up to the threat.

When we stop at the bar, Mikayla's hand waves to the bartender and she orders shots. "Birthday shots!" She says tilting her head back and pouring the shot down her throat before sliding one across the bar to me.

My fingers wrap around the glass and I knock the shot back, a buzz going down my throat as the liquid travels further down.

Danny pats my back. "Let's not get the birthday boy drunk!" he shouts over the music to Mikayla before positioning himself between Mikayla and I.

Mikayla laughs. "One shot is hardly drunk," she says handing me another before downing one herself.

I tilt my head back, take the shot and feel the liquid giving me a kick.

Tim makes a sour face as he knocks back his first shot. "This shit is strong," he says.

My phone buzzes and immediately my hand reaches for my back pocket hoping it's Sky wishing me. My expression changes the minute I notice it's a text from the office. I could hardly care about work at this given time.

At that moment, Mikayla's hand comes out and she grabs my phone. "Uh uh," she says. "It's your birthday. You're not supposed to be on your phone. You're meant to be celebrating."

My hand reaches out for my phone but she shoves it behind her back and takes a step backwards. I reach forward curving my arm around her back in attempt to grab my phone but she doesn't budge. "Give me the phone, Mikayla."

She shakes her head. "Nope," she says before leaning into me. "It's your birthday. Forget your phone."

I take a step back to create distance between us as I grab another shot from the bar and knock it back. At this rate, I might actually get drunk.

Mikayla links arms with me and pouts in my direction. "You never kept in touch with your friends," she says. "I thought you'd call but nothing."

"Hmm," I say because I have nothing to say to that. I've seen Mikayla plenty after high school. Just never went out of my way to meet her. Back then she was my friend but I think we all went separate ways.

She sighs. "Okay," she squeezes my arm. "What's troubling you?"

I turn around and use that as an excuse to delink my arm from her but also to create distance. "Nothing," I say. "Just exhausted."

"Well then," she says turning to come in front of me. "I know just the thing to get you awake."

Before I can protest, she's pulling me to the makeshift dance floor in the centre of my living room. Her arms go up to my shoulders and she begins to move before pressing her palm at my chest. "Lighten up and dance. Can't have a stiff dance partner."