[chapter fifteen]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of
them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please.
;-)
**
Faye took Mia's hand in hers across the table. "But why?" She asked gently.
Mia took a sip of her coffee and looked searchingly around the Starbuck's for an answer.
"I don't know, Faye. Because…because it's happened before. And I…" She took a halting breath. "I like him too much to be hurt by him."
Faye nodded but said nothing.
"After we…" Mia began, then stopped.
"After you?" Faye asked. "You…you spent the night with him, didn't you?"
Mia nodded, looking down at her shaking hands. "Yeah." She bit her lip. "And it was…well, you know. Wonderful, and everything. But I couldn't just…I can't let him in, Faye. I just can't."
"Mia…I know you don't want to believe it, but…Chad is one of the good ones. I promise you that." Faye said gently. "Has he called you?"
"Yeah." Mia said grudgingly. "But I hung up on him."
Faye smiled a little. "Drama queen." She teased and Mia smiled in return.
"It's easier."
"You know what you need?" Faye asked. "You need a day at Faye's Spa and Grill. Nothing makes a girl feel better than a facial and a pedicure. Trust me."
"C'mon, Faye. I'm not like that."
"Like what?"
"You know…girly." Mia said, laughing at her own words.
"Well, maybe it's time to start." Faye answered gently.
**
"Baby?" Jimmie called as he walked into the house. "I'm home. You here?"
"Upstairs." Faye's voice called. "Down in a sec."
"You sure you don't mind?" Chad asked, following Jimmie into the house. "I don't wanna crash your dinner with Faye just because I feel like shit."
"Not a bit. She won't mind, you know that." Jimmie smiled. "If anyone can make you feel better, it's Faye. And our old friends Jack, Jim and Jose." Jimmie teased.
Chad smiled as Faye bounded down the stairs. "Hi honey, I was just…" Her words trailed off as she caught sight of Chad. "Hi."
"Hi." Chad said shyly, wondering if Mia had filled in Faye on his current heartbreak, and what her side of the story was.
"Chad's gonna come to dinner with us, if that's cool." Jimmie explained, his face filled with concern as the colour drained out of Faye's. "Hon?"
"Um…" Faye began before being interrupted by another voice.
"Faye, I'm not sure this dress is gonna…" Mia said, stepping carefully down the stairs and into sight.
Silence enveloped the four people as Jimmie and Chad drank in the vision of a newly transformed Mia.
Gone was the frumpy garb and frizzy hair. In it's place was a new Mia - her unruly locks tamed and straightened so they cascaded over her shoulders. Her eyes appeared huge and bright beneath newly plucked eyebrows and her sole pair of contacts. Makeup highlighted her face, her body emphasized by Faye's black dress and strappy heels, perfectly showcasing a new pedicure. But for the blusher on her cheeks, her face was ashen as she caught sight of Chad.
"I asked Mia to join us for dinner." Faye whispered.
"Well, table for four, then." Jimmie said firmly, nodding at Faye. "It'll be fun."
Chad didn't hear a word they said,
his eyes locked on Mia's.