Sweep Me Off My Feet

Angela stirred the pot and got three plates from the overhead cabinet.

“Of course you did. Why don’t you get over here and help me slice the buns.” She handed Candy a serrated knife. “They are in the grocery bag.”

Candy took the knife, but she did not proceed to take the buns from the bag. Instead, she put the knife down on the counter and looked at Angela.

“I wanted us to go out and paint the town red. Go clubbing with me.”

“What?” Angela shook her head. “No… I need to feed Brandon and just go to bed.”

“Angie, please. You have been holed up in this place at that dead end job forever and I have let you be you, but it is about time you started living a little.”

Angela switched off the stove and looked up at Candy.

“Candy… no…” she started before Candy put up a finger. “I am really tired.”

“Well, we both know that you will go to bed and not sleep because you will be thinking about how you can make the store more efficient…”

“I hate to break it to you, Candy, but that is what I get paid to do.”

“Yes, but guess what? You work too hard and your bosses hardly notice because if they did, they would have given you five raises by now. But you don’t even have a dental plan, honey.”

Angela looked at her best friend.

“It is a Friday night and I have not made any plans for Brandon’s care. You know I cannot just leave…” Her voice trailed off when Candy got her phone from her pocket excitedly.

“I have Samira’s number on speed dial,” she announced.

Samira Hall was a local high school student who worked any and all jobs she could find in an effort to raise enough money to buy a new MacBook. She had been saving for as long as Angela had known her, but she had never stopped taking jobs. Angela actually admired that about her. She had learned how to be fiscally responsible at a very young age. However, her weekend babysitting rates were not exactly cheap, and it was not like Angela had a disposable fund idly sitting somewhere.

“Samira charges six dollars an hour and eight on the weekends,” Angela pointed out.

“Yes, and ten for every hour you are late. I remember her charges… I actually helped her set them, remember?” Candy said in a soft voice. “Besides, we had another great week at the club. Rick Ross was in town.”

Angela shrugged.

“Rick Ross? How did I not know?” she wondered.

“Well, it was all hush-hush as I was made to understand. Apparently, there is a local girl who had his baby and they made a plan to keep everything under the radar… you know how these people are. So. The club was booked out for a private party on Wednesday and then yesterday we had a special promotional night.” Candy dialed the phone and held it against the side of her face as Angela dished up for Brandon.

“You are not going to take no for an answer, are you?” Angela asked, and Candy shook her head.

“Not at all. Hey, Samira. It’s Candy….how are you doing?” She walked to the bedroom and Angela cut up the sloppy Joe into little bite-sized pieces for Brandon before putting a side of baby carrots on the plate. They were the only vegetables her son ate without a fight. She carried the plate into the living room and looked at Brandon who had just built a Lego tower.

“Hey, sweetie, that is a beautiful tower, but it is dinner time.”

“Okay, Mama,” Brandon said in a soft voice, smiling at her. “Did you make me reindeer Joes?”

She shook her head.

“No, I do that for your birthday and Christmas, and today is neither. Now, why don’t you go wash up for dinner and I will put your toys away?”

“Okay, Mama.” He got up and raced to the bathroom as Angela put his toys away.

She had just finished stacking his toys in his chest when Candy walked in.

“So, Samira is on her way and you need to get ready for the night ahead,” she said. “And it is on me. So, you don’t have a reason to say not to what could be the most perfect night we have ever had.”

Angela shook her head and exhaled loudly.

“I really shouldn’t… it has been such a long time since I went clubbing.”

“Which is exactly why we should do this.” Candy led her to the bedroom. “Come on. Let’s get you something cute to wear.”

*****

Given a choice, Angela would have chosen to go out in a pair of jeans and a cute top, but Candy had other ideas. She picked out a black and pink strapless combination dress and a pair of ankle boot heels. Candy was in a pair of shorts, a crop top, and heels so high that Angela wondered just how she would manage to walk let alone dance.

When they got to Rehab, one of the hippest clubs in town, Angela was already rethinking her choice going there in the first place. But it was too late to turn back. It had been so long since she was at a club and being there was only reminding her of the life she had before Brandon came along. The carefree days and long nights at the clubs, meeting Brandon’s father… Thinking about everything was frustrating to say the least.

“Why do you look so distant?” Candy asked as she walked back to their table holding two cocktails.

“Just thinking that I should have probably stayed home or something…this is just reminding me of things before everything turned sour. And don’t get me wrong, I love my little boy to bits. I wouldn’t dare change anything, but given a chance, I would have probably picked someone else to be the father. Know what I mean?”

Candy nodded.

“Of course I do. Now, I need you to stop thinking about that and think about the fun we are going to have at the dance floor.”