A Long Night's Journey into Day

The rest of the night is one I could have predicted...as all Girls' Nights with these girls take the same form.

We bar hop.

We collect new friends.

We bump into old friends.

We try new drinks. We order old favorites.

We laugh at each other. We listen to each other's news. We enjoy each other's outrageous company.

We believe for a few hours, and do a fairly decent job of convincing others, that we own the town. It is all in the attitude. And we got attitude.

Eventually, we make it back to the hotel, courtesy of Habib's fine tuned navigation skills. (Kate had to hop in the front seat and take charge at one point.)  I am more than ready for bed and can feel my skin begin to breathe once I peel off the outfit and step out of my heels.

All this while Kate and her sister visit the roof top bar that is finally open to the public.  I have lost my interest and frankly can get a $12 beer anywhere.

It is nice to put up my hair and wash and put on PJs in the hotel. There is something so relaxing about using someone else's facial soap and someone else's moisturizer and someone else's freshly laundered towels and knowing that someone else will launder the towel later, and wipe up the water on the vanity later and swish the little blob of toothpaste out of the sink later and that that someone will not be me.

Somewhere in the night Kate and her sister return and climb into the other plush bed. Joy and I share the first one, the one near the door. Whenever we travel, there are unspoken rules guidelines about who is in which room with whom, depending on who is with us, and who shares a bed with whom, again, depending on who is with us. Habits forms from years of travel, girls nights, girls weekends and crashing at each others homes. The habits born out of years of friendship.  We know Joy snores. We know Kate farts. We know Jill must be alone in the hotel room to use the bathroom.  We know I don't sleep. 

By morning I am jonesing for a Tylenol cocktail and a greasy breakfast. I wish Room Service would just read our minds and bring us some. But a shower will have to suffice.

I pad across the room, close the pocket door behind me and start the shower. The soap and shampoo are exquisite. I am in heaven. The hotel is straight from Paris.

Paris.

Paris - the town I visited with Lars when I was pregnant with Pat.

Paris - the city I adored enough to visit again, that time with J. who fell in love with it and me all at the same time.

Paris - the destination I wanted to introduce Scott to, to convince him that he's love it as I did, even if there is no place to surf.

Paris - This may be as close as I get to Paris ever again.

I have got to restart my life. It is one thing to have recovered from the heartache. It is quite another to envision a future.

And that is where I need to spend the weekend. The future and what it may bring. Buy the dress and the occasion will come.

I need to go shopping for date clothes.