“Stop playing, Maggie! He was so into you, and you chose to be unavailable, for what?” She holds her hands up like it’s impossible to grasp my reason for denying a stranger.
“He ordered me a free drink, Beth, not exactly an act of chivalry,” I argue, but she seems less than accepting of my explanation.
“Maggie, one day you’re going to have to open up if you want new experiences. You can’t keep doing the same things, expecting to go to new places,” she giggles, finishing her drink before tugging at my wrist.
Sure, Beth has a point. I could definitely open up and enjoy the opportunities like tonguing down a stranger in a Hollywood nightclub. However, it’s difficult for me to accept advice from someone who has never endured life as I know it. Everything has been handed to Beth, and she’s easy going because of it. The idea of anything going so gravely wrong that she’s left without options is foreign to her, but that’s all my recent history has included.
“I thought this was your new year for a new you,” she reminds me, pouring drinks for the both of us.
“It is,” I agree with an obvious lack of confidence.
“So then let’s party! We can worry about the details tomorrow, Maggie. Tonight, we live it up!” She hands me a small glass before raising hers into the sky, our elbows rubbing as we both throw the shots back with excitement.
“I’m all in!” I yell, slamming my glass on the table in front of us.
“There’s my girl!” Beth cheers, rising to her feet to lead us to the dance floor.
Following cautiously, we make our way through the VIP tables before stepping onto the hot and sweaty dance floor. Reminding myself that this is the section I’d be in without Beth’s status, I try not to hold my nose high in the air as the men approach me from every angle, hands groping all over my body as we make our way through the crowded floor.
Beth announces the game plan over her shoulder. “We’ll pick two guys and take them to our table.”
“Look at them!” I point to two men dressed in black suits.
With her fingers grasped around my wrist, Beth drags me as quickly as my feet can move. The dance floor seems to open for her, the crowd splitting to make room for the diva. If I were leading us, I’d delay the collision to think up a clever introduction to the hot guys, but my best friend needs no delay or finesse.
“You’re coming with us,” she boldly proclaims, her hands on her hips as she pulls me to her side.
“Is that so?” the dark-haired man asks, looking over to his companion for an opinion. When the blond nods, I know Beth has hit the gold mine once again.
“It is. Let’s go.” She nods, exchanging my wrist for one of the men’s before marching back to our abandoned VIP table. Using my liquid courage, I grab the other muscular man and follow behind Beth.
The next two hours fly by as we all flirt and drink until the room begins to spin slowly, and my eyes grow heavy with fatigue.
“It’s time for the ball drop!” a feminine voice screams into the microphone before a loud countdown commences.
“Ten!” I feel myself come alive, realizing that it’s finally the time I’ve been waiting for. This year is coming to an end, and I can finally start anew.
“Nine!” Beth rushes from the sofa, pouring another drink for the four of us, spilling vodka liberally, as the cold liquid splashes across my exposed toes.
“Eight!” She crams the drinks into all our unstable hands. The guys shake their heads at her stamina, since she’s led us to finish two bottles of liquor already.
“Seven!” Rushing out words, Beth throws the drink back, and all of us follow suit, laughing at her inability to pull it together any longer. There’s no denying how drunk we are.
“Six!” The club falls into oohs and ahhs as the spotlight flashes on a guy kneeling in front of a girl, proposing before the New Year hits.
“Five!” Sharing a glare with my best friend, we silently wonder who could be so corny to accept such a cliché proposal.
“Four!” Glancing around the party, I realize this is life. It’s not trying to figure everything out, or wanting the best from every situation, it’s accepting what comes and finding a way to smile through the worst of it.
“Three!” With a slight turn of her hips, Beth goes sailing into the air. I leap to catch her, but miss her flailing body and she collides with the glass table hard before hitting the ground as everyone around us turns to check on the loud thud.
“Two!” I jump to help her, along with the two guys we’ve partied with, while the rest of the party returns to their regularly scheduled programming.
“One!” Confetti slowly trickles from the ceiling as I hover over my best friend, watching her writhe in pain.
“Happy New Year!” The club erupts, drowning out Beth’s screams as she holds her high-heeled foot in her hands.
The two guys disappear, obviously wanting to celebrate the New Year more than they want to help Beth, which honestly makes sense. We barely knew them at all.
“Are you okay? Let me help you stand,” I suggest, pulling her to her feet.
“Ahhhh!” she cries, her nails digging into my arm before she begins hopping on one foot. Signaling a bouncer, she waves her hands in the air before a large man in black appears at her side, carrying her out of the club with ease.
Great start to the New Year.
Chapter Three
“Maggie Wynn?” the nurse announces in her teal scrubs. I wipe the sleep from my eyes as I bolt from the uncomfortable wooden chair.
“Yes! That’s me,” I screech, my voice weak from screams and alcohol.
“Come with me.” She flashes a smile before turning out of the waiting room.
I’ve been sitting in brutal silence, waiting for any type of update for over two hours. The hospital is overcrowded; apparently everyone finds the last day of the year the perfect time to lose control.
“Is she okay?” I blurt out as the nurse turns one corner after another.
I hate the smell of hospitals, and even worse, I despise the fake smiles of nurses refusing to part with information I’m sure they have.
“I’ll let the doctor explain everything,” she says nodding abruptly as if convincing herself of her superiority, before leading me down a narrow hallway.
“Do you know how long she’ll need to be here?” I quiz.
“I think she can go home tomorrow.” She smiles at last, giving me hope that it’s not as bad as my worst fears, which have crowded my mind in the hours of anticipation and uncertainty.
“Well that’s good news,” I sigh, entering the small and dull room Beth’s housed in.
Dressed in a thin white gown, Beth lies in the bed, her leg in a cast, resting in a sling that hangs from the ceiling.
“What the fuck?” The words escape me before I can stop myself.
“Calm down, Maggie, it’s not as bad as it looks,” she giggles, still the optimist.
“Your leg is broken!” I yell, not understanding her calm demeanor.
“No, it’s just my ankle.” She wiggles her hips, adjusting her position as I lean down to hug her.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper in her ear.
“For what? We had a ball; this is only collateral damage.” She points to her cast.
“I should have caught you,” I explain, still upset with myself for not preventing such a catastrophe.
“You have got to stop blaming yourself for everything. It’s fine, Wynn!” She shakes her head, calling me by my last name as she does when something is serious.
“It isn’t fine, Beth, you’re hurt,” I run my fingertips over the rough plaster, still in shock by how drastically things have changed in such a short timeframe.
“Well, you better not think of cancelling that trip,” she huffs, turning the channel on her small television.
“Are you kidding me? There’s no way we can go on a cruise with you in this condition. We’ll reschedule for another time,” I assure her, fluffing her pillow as I t
alk.
“No, we’re not rescheduling, and we’re not going. You are,” she corrects me.
“You’ve got to be kidding me if you think I’d go alone, Beth. I can barely go to the bathroom alone, I’ll die on a cruise ship without you!” I yelp, shaking my head at the possibility.
“Be honest – weren’t you having fun before I went full on klutz mode and fell from the sofa?” she asks, referencing our night at the club.
“Well, yeah, but what that’s got to do with this?” I wonder.
“Maggie, you have to live in the moment, even when it doesn’t include me. Tonight was fun because you weren’t trying to fit those guys into your life plan. Your brain wasn’t calculating how long you’d need to date before you get engaged, and you weren’t pretending to be a Stepford wife. You had fun because you were letting loose. That’s what you need to do, and you should learn to do it without my badgering,” she teases, looking at me with sincere hazel eyes.
“I won’t know anyone,” I whimper, already dreading a cruise without her.
“Maggie, you’re smart, you’re beautiful, and you’re stacked. Trust me, you won’t be sitting alone for too long. You’ve got three days to convince yourself, but you’d be a fool to sit out on the trip of a lifetime because I got hurt.” She shrugs her shoulders as the doctor comes into the room.
“I’m sorry, visiting hours are over,” he announces with regret.
“Think about it, Maggie,” Beth calls out as I leave the room after giving her a hug and kiss.
For the next two days I do just that, debating the possibilities, while simultaneously considering every imaginable reason to pull out of the trip altogether.
In the end, it was Beth’s admission that the VIP cruise tickets were purchased at a massive discount, and could not be refunded, that prompted me to make my decision. I literally couldn’t afford to cancel the trip.
I didn’t take any of my vacation days last year, and I’m not going to repeat anything about that nightmarish memory, so I am going on the cruise alone. Just the thought makes me uneasy; how on earth will I fare on my own?
I only bought the tickets because I knew Beth would make sure we had a good time, meeting new people, and partying until we couldn’t stand. Now, she can’t stand regardless, but her opinion is unwavering – she wants me to take the trip and finally come out of my shell.
This is a clear opportunity to live up to all the dreams and expectations I’ve set for myself, and throwing my bathing suits into my small suitcase, a flutter of excitement ripples through my belly. I am going on my first solo trip, and as Beth put it, I can be whoever I want.
This is my chance to become the new Maggie, the woman I’ve dreamed of – adventurous, outgoing, and open to new possibilities.
A flash of hope impels me to throw a pack of condoms into my luggage. It’s been a long time since I got any action, but thanks to my fresh Brazilian wax, I’m ready for whatever comes my way.
Chapter Four
Arriving on the cruise ship is both exhilarating and overwhelming. Having never been on a cruise, I had no idea what to expect, but would have never anticipated the number of people they pack onto these things.
It’s like a new world, equipped with everything you could imagine, an amusement park for adults. Checking into my cabin, which is rather large considering it was meant for Beth and me to share, I roll my luggage to the corner, glancing around with curiosity.
While it’s not much bigger than a standard hotel room, equipped with two twin beds rather than a double, they’ve done a good job making it feel more like a bedroom. The furniture is white, with colorful accents by way of a bright green comforter and matching lampshade.
The white tile floor is partially covered with a blue shag rug, and the tiny bathroom has a blue and green shower curtain. It’s more like a dorm room than a hotel, but it’s fun.
“So, what now?” I ask myself, glancing out of my small oval window to watch people walk from one end of the ship to the other, some dragging suitcases, but all craning their necks to take in either the vast size of the ship or a beautiful view of the clear blue ocean.
I’ve chosen a flowing chiffon maxi dress for my first day on the trip, hoping to catch a bit of the breeze on our journey out to the Caribbean. While I’m excited beyond words, I still have a bit of nerves being so far from home by myself for the first time.
Beth may only be a phone call away, but it’s very different to be alone in such a large crowd of people.
Thankfully, there’s a list of events and a schedule of sorts for each day on-board. According to the itinerary, onboarding can take anywhere from one to four hours, so I decide to spend the time napping.
The movement is so subtle, that our departure doesn’t disturb me, and by the time I awake, there’s no land in sight, the sun just preparing to set for the evening. Heading down to the activities level of the ship, I make my way through the droves of people lined up at restaurants, hunched over in groups for a peek at the menu.
Everyone seems to be traveling in groups, and just watching them makes me miss Beth even more. A part of me wants to ask one of the girl groups if I can just tag along. This trip obviously isn’t meant for girls on their own, and every turn seems to present a reminder.
The waitress asks me to wait for a seat when I request a table for one, as groups fly past me, easily accommodated in the large dining area. Even the dinner options are offered for couples as well as family style dining.
I decide to choose the buffet instead, and regret the decision and my awkwardness intensifies as I glance around suspiciously, feeling as if everyone is watching me, although I doubt that is true.
By the time I get back to my cabin, I’m exhausted, more from the extra attention than my strenuous travel day. Missing home more than ever, I call Beth for a quick chat.
“Don’t tempt me with bikini selfies and margaritas,” Beth answers with a giggle.
Our connection fades in and out this far out and I realize I’ll soon lose the signal.
“There hasn’t been any of that,” I say sadly.
“What’s with the down mood?” I hear her grunt as she struggles, probably trying to sit up with her bum ankle. The doctor ordered her to take it easy for three weeks.
“It’s a snooze fest, Beth. I don’t know what we were thinking. There are no hot single guys here, at all!”
Stressing my findings from the night, I strip off my dress while Beth encourages me to keep going out, but by the time I hang up, I know that won’t be the case.
Chapter Five
“Will you be leaving today?” the maid asks, sweeping around the foot of the bed in my tiny cruise ship room.
In a way, I know she’s making fun of me. I’m four days into a five-day cruise, and I’ve barely left the room. Once I learned about the room service option that came along with my VIP status, I opted out of the nightly buffet line. Instead, I enjoyed the solitude of my room.
It isn’t lost on me that everyone else seems to only sleep in their rooms, or that I promised this would be an opportunity for me to come out of my shell. Turns out, stepping out of my comfort zone is more difficult than I anticipated.
“Yeah, probably later,” I lie, knowing I have no intention of leaving my room until we’re safely docked in Miami tomorrow afternoon.
“Okay, because there’s a big party on the top deck. It’s for our top tier guests, and I can get you on the list if you’re serious,” she smiles, but I still feel she’s laughing at me, daring me to leave this room for once.
“Yes, I’d love that.” Raising my chin, I dare her to challenge me further.
“Great!”
Watching her leave the room, I feel duped. I expected some better response, anything that would make me feel less anxious about having to go and mingle with anyone on this ship. I hadn’t considered how few single people there would be, because who would want to go to a closed environment to meet people, rather than a traditional club or bar? This wa
s a one-shot opportunity, and once you realize there isn’t anyone of interest, you can’t just leave and hit another spot. Instead, you’re stuck with this crowd for five days.
It’s not completely fair to say I gauged the entire crowd, because I only went out for the first night, but it was so unbearably uncomfortable, surrounded by wrinkly retirees and couples who look to be on their honeymoon, I refused any further embarrassment.
The anxiety begins rolling around in my belly, so I make myself a cup of tea in the kettle supplied in room before drifting off to sleep, hoping to alleviate some of my new-found stress.
Unfortunately, I don’t oversleep, which I had subconsciously wished for. Then, I’d miss this night out without any guilt.
Dragging my overstuffed suitcase across the tile floor, I drop it with a loud thud before unzipping and overturning the top half. Everything is still as neat as I packed it, after only pulling out my toiletry bag, pajamas, and panties during the trip.
Digging my thin fingers through the tightly packed clothing, I feel the sharpness of sequins scrape my fingers as I reach the bottom of the plastic luggage. Careful not to completely destroy the packing, I tug the lace fabric until I hold the dress Beth loaned me for the cruise.
After curling my long hair in beach waves, and applying a small amount of makeup, I pull the dress over my hair, cautious to not disturb my fresh curls.
“Oh, my God,” I gasp to myself, looking into the full-length mirror.
How does Beth wear this thing? One wrong move and my ass will be hanging out. Twirling around, I raise my eyebrows in appreciation for what it does to my behind, creating an illusion of curves I know I don’t truly possess.
Cupping my breasts, I scoop them into the plunging neckline, which is accentuated with sequins, drawing even more attention to my best feature.
Damn, I’m sexy. Maybe more so than I’ve ever looked in my life. With a nod of my head, I silently thank Beth and slip on my strappy patent leather stilettos, which match the flashiness of the black dress perfectly.
Naughty New Year Page 2