The American Goddess

Chapter 9

Queen was out with a drink in her hand for the first time in one year. She had spent the past couple of months weaning Giana and now that the one year old was eating solid foods and drinking from bottles, Queen was free to do as she pleased with her body. That included weekend drinks with the girls at a bar downtown, and no one was counting how many they have had. Winona was in the middle of a story when Savanna gasped loudly, interrupting the woman.

"He wants to be friends?" Savanna asked with her mouth slightly agape. "Does he not understand that you're hot and single? That's dangerous for him."

"I'm not looking," Winona said, rolling her eyes. "And he said that he wants me back. That's something, right?"

Queen giggled. "I know Immanuel. He takes what he wants. So if he wanted you back, he'd have you back right now."

"I am not going to sit here while you tell facts about my brother," Savanna shouted over the music. She picked up an empty shot glass and threw her head back. When she realized that it didn't contain any liquor, she joined in Queen's laughter.

"In all seriousness, I've never known my brothers to break their promises," Savanna told Winona once her fit of giggles had subsided. "If he said he wants you back but you should be friends for awhile, that means he's leaving it up to you to make a decision."

"There's too much going on to be thinking about a relationship." Winona picked up a shot glass and glared at the dark liquid. She didn't want to experience the bitter taste or burn of the alcohol, but she enjoyed the feeling of being tipsy too much to care. So, she swallowed the liquor and quickly took a sip from her cup of Coke. "The last thing I want is to break his heart again. Maybe as long as we stay friends, I can't hurt him."

"Silly girl," Queen said, pinching Winona's cheeks. "He won't wait forever. Get your man."

Winona opened her mouth to respond, but Queen was already getting up with her mixed drink in one hand. She was going to tell the women to join her on the dance floor, but after a misstep, she collided with a passerby and spilled her drink on the stranger. She gasped, shocked by her drunken actions, and tried to bend down to pick up her empty glass, but Winona pulled her up by the arm.

"I am so sorry about my friend," Winona said, attempting to balance Queen.

"Winona?" The stranger lifted her head to look at both women and smiled. She suddenly didn't seem to mind that her dress was soaked.

Winona met the woman's gaze, and once she recognized her, she returned the smile. It didn't feel genuine, however. "Robyn, what are you doing here?"

"Ladies night," she responded, gesturing to the group of women dancing with each other. "Is she okay?"

"I'm great," Queen said, turning back to the bar. Winona grabbed her before she could order another drink and waved Savanna over. "You're no fun when you're not drunk."

"We better get going," Winona told Robyn with an apologetic smile.

Robyn nodded and stepped aside to let the women pass. Dejectedly, she waved to them and then returned to the group she had arrived with.

Once Winona, Queen, and Savanna made it outside, Queen immediately ran to the edge of the sidewalk and kneeled. Savanna reacted quickly and pulled her hair back, keeping it out of her face as she threw up on the concrete.

"We are not taking you out again," Savanna said, laughing at her misery. "Next time, we're drinking at home."

Unfazed by the conversation, Winona dug inside her clutch for her phone and searched for Immanuel's number. As the phone rang, she pressed it to her ear and waited for the line to connect.