Language: We're potty mouths, all of us.
Sex Disclaimer: subtext, innuendo, a nudge and a wink, but nothing graphic.
Location: Washington, D.C., the nation's capital. Some places are real, some (sadly) are now closed, some are made up.
Part 6
I sipped at my beer and tapped my foot along with the beat of Blink 182's latest single.
"Not your usual club music," Gabrielle said, smiling.
"That's what I like about this place." I fought the urge to bounce my head in time with the chorus. "No YMCA dance."
"I hate that! Makes me feel like I'm at a wedding reception." She gave a mock shudder, then pointed to my empty bottle. "You ready for another one?"
"Yes, actually. I'll get it." Just as I stood up, the music changed, and after a few bars I recognized Friday I'm In Love. "Oh, I love this song!"
Gabrielle laughed. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Because it's a great song." I looked longingly at the rapidly-filling dance floor, then back at Gabrielle.
"Oh, no. No, no." Gabrielle shook her head. "I don't dance."
"Ri-ight."
"I don't." Her voice rose slightly.
"Oh, I believe you."
Her green eyes sparkled. "Nice try, but it's not gonna work."
Rats. Time for Plan B. "Will you just..." I grabbed Gabrielle's wrist and pulled her, laughing, toward the dance floor.
As I'd suspected, Gabrielle was an enthusiastic dancer and, after another round of drinks, Scully was out there with us. We'd abandoned our table, instead placing our drinks on the ledge that ran the length of the dance floor. Every now and then we'd take a break and people-watch.
"Oh, I need to rest," Scully swirled the ice in the bottom of her cup. "And I need another drink."
"Me too," I nodded. "I'm amazed you've lasted this long in those shoes."
"Tell you what," said Gabrielle, "I need to use the ladies' room, then I can pick up some drinks on the way back here."
"Well, now that you mention it..." Wow, that last beer hit me pretty hard. Might be time to switch to water.
"Let's all go," suggested Scully. "That way we don't have to worry about trying to find each other later."
"Or getting hit on by Denny Terio over there," I gestured toward a lounge lizard in screaming polyester.
We made our way into the front room and turned toward the bathroom, Scully shaking her head and laughing as Gabrielle and I sang the theme from Dance Fever.
"What's up with that?" Scully looked amazed as we walked past the line of men and into the ladies' room.
"One of the great mysteries," Gabrielle replied with a shrug. "There's never a line here for the women."
"I'm gonna go to the bar in here," Gabrielle gestured to our left. "That way I don't have to wade through the dance floor with our drinks."
Scully looked around the front room which, though full, no longer felt like a sardine tin. "Where did all the people go?"
"Happy hour's over. They're all out on the dance floor." Gabrielle ran a hand through her short hair. "What do you want, Staesh?"
"Um, Harp if they've got it."
Gabrielle nodded. "Dana?"
"I'll go with you."
"Ok, well, I'm gonna go reclaim our spot in there." I handed Gabrielle some money and headed back into the other room.
When I walked through the doorway I realized just how crowded the back room was. The dance floor was packed. I glanced around the room and saw what seemed to be an empty table by the exit, but decided to wait for Scully and Gabrielle rather than brave the crowd on my own.
I leaned against the wall and watched the movement to and from the dance floor. I was holding back a snort at a small girl in ridiculously high platform shoes when I saw a flash of red over by the bar. As I looked up, I saw a stunning brunette in a short red dress that showcased her long, long legs.
Scully came up and handed me a bottle. "Here's a nice tall one for you."
"There's a nice tall one right over there," I murmured, taking a sip of beer.
"Stacia!" Scully giggled into her drink, then looked over toward the bar. "So that's what an Amazon looks like."
"Our friend seems to approve." I smirked as the man we'd admired earlier looked the brunette up and down, then tried to start a conversation. The woman trained ice-blue eyes on him for a moment and, saying nothing, turned her gaze back to the dancers. "Hey, Gabrielle, you gonna go rescue the princess?"
"Huh?" Gabrielle looked up from the flyer she was reading. "What princess?"
"Over by the bar." I gestured with my bottle.
"And why am I rescu-" Gabrielle stopped speaking when she saw the dark-haired woman, then exhaled a barely audible "Oh."
"I think there's a table back there if we want to sit down," I said. "We're kind of in the way here."
"That sounds good," Scully replied.
Gabrielle didn't respond. I was just about to tease her when I saw her face. She looked almost in shock, her eyes glued to the brunette.
I turned Scully to see if she knew what had happened. She looked from me to Gabrielle to the woman at the bar, then finally back to me and shook her head.
"Gabrielle?" I gently placed a hand on her shoulder but, feeling somewhat awkward, quickly removed it. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, her eyes never leaving the dark woman's profile.
As though sensing our presence, the brunette turned slowly to face us. Her gaze drifted across Scully and me and came to rest on Gabrielle, who lifted her chin and continued to look directly into the other woman's emotionless eyes.
The tall woman held Gabrielle's stare for a moment before blinking slowly. Then, with a seductive smile, she leaned into the man beside her and whispered into his ear. He laughed and, placing a hand on her back, guided her toward the dance floor.
Gabrielle turned her head to follow them, her lips trembling. As the brunette looked back over her shoulder at Gabrielle, I caught a glimpse of her eyes, dark with pain and regret, before the other dancers blocked her from our view.
Unsure of what I'd just seen and at a complete loss for words, I turned back to Scully and Gabrielle.
Scully handed me her drink and, putting one hand on Gabrielle's forearm and the other on her shoulder, gently steered her back toward the empty table.
We sat in silence for several minutes, sipping at our drinks.
"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to kill the mood." Gabrielle spoke softly, absently folding and refolding a cocktail napkin.
"Do you like blues music?" Scully turned to look at me.
"Uh...yeah, I guess. I mean, yes, I do." I could feel myself frown as I tried to follow the turn in the conversation.
"Good. I know just the place. And we can drink out of real glasses." Scully pushed her empty plastic cup away.
"Sounds nice." Gabrielle leaned her head back and rolled her shoulders.
"All right," I said, nodding my understanding to Scully. "I'll go get our coats, then. Be back in a few minutes."
As I left I looked toward the dance floor, but couldn't find the brunette in the crowd.