Ginger woke up in her bed not remembering how she got there.
Those drinks were lightweight, or so she thought. She was a heavy drinker since she was sixteen, and she knew how to handle her alcohol. Maybe because she spent the whole day walking around the Magic House with two very energetic twins was the extraness that wiped her out.
She got out of bed, rubbed her eyes, stretched, and realized she still had her wig on, no bonnet. Her hair was a mess. Even so, now she was thirsty and hungry, so she walked out of her room to a very dark and quiet house.
She went back to her room and grabbed her phone to see what time it was. A little after nine and everyone was asleep? She could see the twins, but her mother and David too? That was wild. At least now she had the kitchen to herself to find something to eat.
When she made it into the kitchen, DJ was there, standing over the counter, looking down as if he was meditating or something.
"You okay?"
She must have startled him because he jumped before he turned to her.
"Hey," he solemnly said. "I should be asking if you're okay."
"Tired. " She walked over to him and touched his back. "Why are you still here?"
He frowned, looked her up and down, and pulled her in his arms.
"I was worried about you. Your mom was mad at me because she blamed me for getting you wasted."
"What? You didn't do anything. I'm a grown woman."
"I know." He kissed her forehead. "But I still should not have let you drink that much. That's on me. I'm sorry."
Why did she feel so safe in his arms, even though he was not the one that did anything to her? She wanted to stay there in his arms all night.
"I saved you some dinner. I'll warm it up for you," he said, finally pulling away and walking to the stove. "I couldn't leave till I knew you were okay. I figured you would be hungry when you woke up."
"My mom and your dad are already asleep? This early?"
"Yes. Mom...your mom has to be at work early and my father, well, he's going to have bedtime with her, that's the way he is." DJ microwaved her plate of food as he talked. "They wanted me to stay the night so I wouldn't have to come over so early and watch the twins. I'll sleep downstairs."
"Nonsense! Sleep in my room."
"You know I can't" He handed her the plate of warmed food. "Although I want to."
"Then I will sleep downstairs with you. Come on, let's go."
They headed downstairs and Ginger at the baked chicken, rice, and broccoli, washing it down with water. She was super hungry and thirsty and it hit the spot. DJ turned on their favorite TV show and they watched and laughed.
When she finished her food, she scooted over to sit right next to DJ on the stadium-style recliner seats.
"How exactly are we going to sleep down here? There is no couch just these seats."
"Recline it back as far as it goes, get a pillow and a blanket." He kissed her. "But you know you can't sleep cuddled up next to me. If our parents come down and see us-"
"Okay, okay, just some cuddles and kisses, and then I will move to my side. Is that okay?"
"Yeah." He kissed her. "You're really special, you know that Ginger?"
"I am?"
"It's like I've known you longer than I have. These last days, weeks, I'm glad I'm getting to know the real you and not the one portrayed on tv."
"There is not much to me, unfortunately." She rested her head on his chest. "I told you about how I grew up, in the system. How I made it out thanks to my friends and my talent. How I struggled with every relationship I ever had, romantic or platonic. I'm tired of getting hurt, DJ."
"I'm not going to hurt you, Gin."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
In the morning, she woke up from the cramped chair and went upstairs while DJ was still asleep. She undressed and got in her more comfortable bed and got a few more hours of good sleep. She woke up, showered, and washed her hair, then dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.
A knock on her door and then DJ opened the door while she was trying to do something with her wet hair.
"Hey, you good?"
"Yeah. Did Mom leave already? I didn't get to see her all yesterday."
"You still have time to spend with your mom." He walked over in fresh clean clothes and smelled fresh. He must have taken a shower in the downstairs bathroom. He kissed her cheek. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Just wear your fro Gin, it's cute."
She rolled her eyes at him. "My hair looks nothing like your curly hair. It's a little...rougher."
"I like it."
Well if he liked it, she loved it and she would not have to fuss with it. She picked it out, shaped it, put a headband on, and was good.
The twins had finished breakfast and she grabbed an egg, turkey bacon, and cheese sandwich DJ made for her.
"Where are we off to today?" she asked him.
"You owe us, Ginger!" Dara shouted at her, standing at her side while she ate. Her hands were on her hips and she had a menacing look on her face.
"Excuse me?" She giggled at her sister, noticing she had some of her attitude.
"You said Darrell and I could have anything we want at the store but then you went to sleep."
"I want toys!" Darrell was beside her and stomped his foot.
She laughed at them. "Okay, I do owe you guys. Let's go shopping after I finish eating."
"Yay!" they both cheered, jumping up and down.
"I had plans to go down to the aquarium, but we can go later. It's better later at night anyway."
They headed to the Galleria Mall and went to the Disney store and she bought them two toys each, a game, and some clothing items. She bought herself a Minnie Mouse shirt to match theirs. Then they left the mall to head to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station downtown.
This was new to her, built recently. She remembered Union Station used to be like a mall, with stores to shop in and the Fudgery where they would sing as they made fudge and hand you samples on a little spoon.
"Sheesh, this looks a lot different. I like it," she said as they parked. "What's that?" She pointed to the tall Ferris wheel right next to Union Station.
"Oh, we will go over there as well."
She had never been to any place like the Aquarium before. It was interesting. They saw sharks and petted stingrays and walked through tunnels that made her feel as if she was walking through the ocean.
The twins were not scared to put their hands in the tanks to touch the stingrays. She was a little frightened, but if they could do it, so could she.
Of course, there was a lot of walking. It took them over two hours to see everything and go to every exhibit. She was hungry again so they headed over to St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain to eat.
It was a modern soda shop serving burgers, hotdogs, and an assortment of shakes, sundaes, and ice cream treats. She went with the fried chicken sandwich on a brioche bun while the twins both had chicken fingers. DJ went with a heart attack double cheeseburger and fries. She skipped the fries, she wanted dessert.
Darrell had a banana split he could not finish. Dara had The King sundae with peanut butter ice cream, peanuts, banana, bacon and topped with whipped cream and a cherry. She could not finish hers either. Ginger ordered the Key to Happiness shake with a vanilla frosted rim with graham cracker crumbs, lime curd, and candied lime wedge, topped with a slice of key lime pie, and toasted meringue.
Needless to say, she could not finish that thing either. Good thing DJ did not order dessert and ate some of all of theirs so there was not much waste.
After their meal, they headed to the Ferris Wheel.
"I don't know if we should have eaten first before we go on something this high."
"Scared?" DJ asked her.
"No," she lied. She was not going to tell him she was afraid of heights. Flying was no problem, as long as you don't look down. Being on a Ferris wheel, there was no way to not look down.
"Come on Ginger, hurry up," Dara pulled her arm, urging her on even though she barely wanted to move.
"Come on Gin, you got this." DJ took her other hand.
She felt a little better. At least she did not order drinks at the Soda Fountain. She kept it safe with water.
There was a line to wait to get on the ride and she used that time to check her phone and social media. Nothing from Sarena. Maybe she could not handle being her manager and finding her a record deal. Maybe she should start performing more and getting herself out there. Write some songs, though that was not her thing.
Maybe it was meant for her to stay where she was. Here in St. Louis, with DJ.
She smiled at the thought of having a normal life, with DJ, with her mother, sister, and brother. Stay out of the celebrity limelight and get a regular job.
"Hey, Gin, you good? Dara was talking to you," DJ said to her.
"Huh? Yes?"
"I like having you as my big sister," Dara said with a smile at her.
"Aaaw!" She hugged her. "I like being your big sister. And when you get older, oh the times we will have!"
A/N: More of my city! This is very new, like two years, and I have yet to go. Looks fun. There are so many things to do in my city it was hard to pick them all. They already did some places before this week.
Ginger needed this so badly and I want this for her...but we all know it will not be that easy.