Manifesting Love Club #2

This is a new work in progress, The Manifesting Love Club. Four friends. All single. Some looking for love. Some not. Join these ladies as they take their friendship into a new direction, to manifest love. This week we’re writing to the prompt ‘push’.

Return to TUESDAY TALES for the rest of the story snippets.

Tracey hesitated at Heather’s front door. What on earth am I even doing here? I don’t want to manifest a new love in my life. I’ll sure be the odd one out tonight. The power of peer pressure prevailed and overrode her second thoughts. She took a deep breath, juggled the dessert in her hands and rang the bell to summon her hostess.

Heather flung the door open and wrapped her arms around her friend in a hug. “I should have known you’d be the first one here. You always are. But…you’re early.” Reaching for the pan Tracey held, she continued on in a rush of words. “Since you’re here, I’m putting you to work. I’m running so far behind. You can make the salad for me.”

Looking at her watch, Tracey wondered when fifteen minutes before the appointed time became early. But not wanting to start the night out in a debate, she clamped her mouth shut and followed Heather to the kitchen. “Mmmmm…it sure smells good. You must not be that far behind.” She turned and looked around the room. “You’ve changed it since I’ve been here. I like it.”

“Thanks. Some new tile samples came in and I just had to incorporate them somewhere.” She hid her head in the refrigerator and started piling produce on the counter. Grabbing a large bowl, cutting board and knife, she handed them to her friend. “Here. Use any of these that you want for the salad. Anyway…one of the major companies came out with these tiles. They’re a contemporary version of Azulejo tiles, a glazed ceramic tile popular in Portugal, Spain and …”

“Enough. You’re the interior designer, not me. Remember, I work with numbers. Cut and dried. Balance sheets and figures. I don’t have the creative talent that you do.”

“Juliette’s creative too. With her funky fashion business. She applies her creativity to fabrics and clothing instead of rooms.”

“True. The two of you are the artistic ones. I’m the balanced and ordered one, wanting everything to fit into its own compartment. And Corecia…” Tracey trailed off as she rummaged through the bags and set aside the mushrooms, cucumbers, tomatoes, and broccoli.

Heather chuckled as she added her own thoughts. “Corecia…well…she’s just Corecia. She’s young and still figuring out life. But don’t tell her that. She thinks she already has a handle on the world. Little does she know…”

“I know. Such a baby still at twenty-three. Wait till she hits sixty like I did a few weeks ago. She’ll be singing a different tune.” Starting to chop the rinsed vegetables, Tracey pursed her lips as a thought crossed her mind. “You’re still pretty far back there yourself, girl. Have you even made it to forty yet?”

“I crossed that forty bridge a long time ago. I’ll be forty-three on my birthday this year.”

“No!” Tracy exclaimed in mock horror. “Not forty-three! Why you’re almost…ancient.”

The ringing doorbell stopped Heather from replying. She scurried off and returned with Juliette in tow.

“You’re looking stylish tonight. Chic, as usual.” Tracey slid the chopped produce into the salad bowl before spinning around for her hug. “Love all the lace going on tonight.”

“Chantilly lace. My favorite yardage. I just finished it today.” Juliette whirled around in a diva display of her handiwork, the paper bag she’d carried in held high in her hand.

“Hand me that wine before you drop it. You don’t want to see us on the floor licking it up, do you?” Heather reached for the package and pulled the bottle out. “Yum! Chocolate wine. Want it with dinner? Or save it for dessert?”

“Both!” Juliette and Tracey had the same thought at the same time.

Juliette pushed a stool out from underneath the counter and made herself comfortable while the other two worked; Tracey finishing the salad and Heather dicing up chives to garnish the roasted chicken with. Hooking her feet on the rungs of the stool, Juliette’s inquisitiveness got the better of her. “So…we’re here…what are we going to do tonight to manifest love?”

Grabbing a hot pad and sliding the chicken out of the oven, Heather shook her head in denial. “Can’t say yet. Corecia’s not here yet.”

“You won’t even give me a clue? I’ve been dying of curiosity all week. I’m ready for love. I don’t think I’ve even had a date for six months. If not longer.” Juliette plucked a grape from the bowl sitting on the counter. “I hope it’s better than what I had last time around. I think that was the quickest marriage in history. Luckily I found out what a pig he really was so soon.”

“You weren’t married very long, were you? Not that I’m complaining. I thought he was a jerk myself.” Heather wrinkled up her nose at the very thought of Juliette’s ex.

“We didn’t even make it to our first anniversary.”

Tracey interrupted the unhappy marriage saga before it got started. They’d all heard it before. She didn’t want to head down that memory lane again tonight. “You all may be looking for love, but I’m not here for that tonight. I’m just here for moral support. And…because y’all wouldn’t let me get out of it.”

Tracey looked up in time to catch Juliette and Heather looking at each other across the room. “What? I’m serious. I have no intention of falling in love again. Luke and I were very happy together. No one else can live up to his memory.”

A sound rang out and Heather murmured under her voice as she rushed to answer the door. “Saved by the bell.”

Corecia came sashaying into the kitchen, proudly displaying the cold bottle in her hand. “Let the night begin. The chocolate wine is here!”

Juliette hopped up. “That’s what I brought too. What brand?” Looking at newest arrival, she squealed with delight. “That’s the same kind I brought. I just love that wine!”

Sitting the bottle on the counter, Corecia continued her jig around the room. “I didn’t really need to come tonight. I found the love of my life!”

“Again? So soon? A few weeks ago you were still on a string of one-night boys.” Juliette frowned in disbelief.

“Yep! I met him a week ago. We’ve been together every night. And girls, let me tell you….mmmm…does that man know how to love a girl.” The Cheshire cat grin on her face said that they’d be hearing some juicy stories as the night – and the wine – progressed. “So…Heather…you don’t need to keep your manifesting plans secret. Cuz I got me a honey already without them. What were we going to do tonight to bring love into our lives?”

Heather responded with a Zen like look on her face. “Affirmations. We’re going to write affirmations to attract exactly what we want to come to us.”

Corecia waved her hand in the air in dismissal. “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard. Besides, I don’t need this anymore. I found me a man. A fine man.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Here. Let me show you my new honey’s picture. He has the yummiest pictures on his Facebook page.”

Everyone stood and watched as she scrolled through her phone. Fingers flying across the screen. A tap here. A tap there. Her eyes lit up with pleasure and then, as she stared down at the image only she could see, the glow dimmed and her face scrunched up in unexpected pain.

Tracey knew that look all too well. She’d seen in before, on too many friends faces. It wasn’t the delightful look of gloating. It was the look of someone hurting. She moved quietly across the room and put an arm around Corecia’s shoulders. Speaking softly, she asked, “What’s up honey?”

Tipping the phone so Tracey could see, Corecia mumbled her answer. “I guess I didn’t find the love of my life. Our first night apart and he’s out partying with someone else.”

Tracey looked down to see a photo posted of, yes, a fine delicious looking man, tight in the embrace of a young girl who’s dress went up to there and down to there, without much left in between the two ends. And they weren’t talking stock tips, that’s for sure.

Corecia darted from the room, down the hall and they heard the bathroom shut with a bang. The three others stood around looking at each other, not quite knowing what to do at that moment.

Return to TUESDAY TALES for the rest of the story snippets.