Alex’s POV
I woke up at 7:00 and groaned. I didn’t have to be up for another two hours. I looked over and saw a peaceful Dana, a peaceful, snoring Dana. I chuckled and carefully got out of bed. I’ve got to thank Stacy for staying with her friend.
I walked downstairs and quickly set about starting a pot of coffee and breakfast. As I was pouring my first cup of coffee, and thinking I make want to switch to decaf, the phone rang. I looked at the caller ID and saw it was Alice. I hit the speakerphone button as I turned on the stove. “Hey Alice.”
“Actually its Shane.” I chuckled as I poured pancake batter in the pan. “I have a cooking question.”
“No there aren’t any take out places that serve breakfast.”
“Hardy har har har Alex. I already knew that … and from personal experience. No, my real question is how do I know the pan is hot enough to start making pancakes?”
I chuckled as I flipped my own perfect pancake. “Are your hands clean?”
“Of course but I know touching the pan is not the smart way of checking.”
“No duh Shane and please tell me that’s not from person experience.” I took Shane’s embarrassed laughs as a ‘yes it was’. “Get your hands wet then flick the water onto the pan. If the water sizzles away, its hot enough.”
“Thanks Alex,” I heard over a sizzling pan. I pulled a pan of pancakes out of the oven, where they were kept warm. “What are you doing up this early?”
“Same thing as you.” I put the last pancake with the others and replaced the pan then poured myself another cup of coffee. “Except I’m a little ahead. Already on my second cup of coffee.” I opened the fried and grabbed a couple eggs then cracked them in a bowl. “How is drunk Alice? Hungover?”
“I’m sure she will be when she wakes up.”
“You’re making her breakfast in bed? That’s so sweet.”
“You tell a soul and you’ll wish you were dead.” I laughed as I mixed milk in with the eggs.
Dana’s POV
I woke up to the sound of pounding on my door, again. “Dana! Hurry up!” I opened my eyes and couldn’t believe that this was how Alex was waking me up after last night. “Come on! I’m going to be late for chemo!” This time Alex actually came in. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”
Alex sat on the end of the bed and I sat up, wrapping my arms around her waist. “Now why would you think I don’t want to go with you?” Alex shrugged and let out a breath of relief. “What was that for?”
“Your choice of words.” I nodded, although I still wasn’t sure as to what Alex meant. “Come on. I made coffee and breakfast.” Alex jumped up and ran to the door.
“How many cups have you had already?”
Alex blushed and looked at the floor. “A whole pot,” she said before quickly leaving the room. I could hear her running down the stairs and then jump over the railing on the last flight. I heard a loud thud and jumped up. “I’m alright!” I laughed and shook my head as I grabbed my rove, putting it on as I went down the stairs.
Alice’s Apartment
Alice’s POV
I woke up to a cold and empty bed. I was afraid this might happen one of these days but then I heard the toilet flush and smiled. Maybe I should stop thinking so negatively.
“Morning beautiful.” I looked up at Shane as she bent over and kissed me. “Did you sleep well?”
“I always sleep well in your arms.” I pulled Shane onto the bed and she wrapped her arms around my waist as I messed with the drawstring on her pajama bottoms. “I love it that you have these cute kid pajamas.”
Shane blushed and swatted at my arm. “Shut up.”
“What? It’s adorable. You’re a little like Dana after all.”
“I’m not adorable and I am not like Dana thank you very much. They were a present from her.”
“Dana gave you pajamas?” Shane nodded. “With ice cream cones on them?” Shane grimaced and nodded again. “Why?” I asked, trying to not laugh at the look on Shane’s face.
“I was staying at her place one night and didn’t have any. She let me keep them, or made me keep them because I wasn’t wearing any underwear.” I nodded and smirked. “Just be quiet and get up already. Your breakfast is getting cold.” Shane climbed out of bed. “Come on.”
“You made me breakfast?” I asked as I climbed out of bed and walked up to Shane. “That’s so sweet.” I didn’t even know she could cook.
“Don’t you dare tell a soul!” Shane threatened, pointing her finger in my face. I just smirked as I swatted her arm away then followed her downstairs, checking out her butt the entire way down.
The Planet – five hours later
Kit’s POV
I smiled as I watched the newest couple in our group. Dana and Alex had just arrived from Alex’s last chemo session and Dana was smothering the poor girl.
“Dana, leave her alone. She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need you smothering her.” Apparently, Alice thought Dana WAS smothering her.
“I’m not smothering her Alice. Am I smothering you sweetie?” Alex just smiled and kissed her. “I’m not smothering you. The doctor told me to make sure you don’t do too much activity.”
“I don’t think she meant simple things like tying her shoes.”
“I know that Shane. I tied her shoe because I figured her arm was hurting.” “Dana, she had just untied it herself.”
“You know what Alice?”
Alex jumped out of her seat and started jumping up and down, making everyone in the café look at her. “What the fuck are you doing?” We were all looking at her like she was getting purple and green dots on her, except Bette. Bette was just laughing at Alex’s antics.
“You always were a drama queen Alex.” I looked at Bette. I was obvious she couldn’t believe her. Alex could seriously hurt her self.
Alex shrugged and sat back down. “Stopped their arguing didn’t it?” Alice and Dana blushed when they realized they were the cause of Alex’s little outburst.
Bette nodded. “Always does.” Shane laughed and kissed Alice on the cheek as she blushed even more. Alex and Bette chuckled. “Now that we’ve had that little trip down memory lane, who knows what time it is?” Alex held up her arm showing she wasn’t wearing a watch as Alice went digging in her purse. “Shane, where’s your cell phone?”
“Alice’s purse. Yours?”
“Don’t want to turn it on.”
“Its one guys.” We all looked at Dana and she pointed behind us. We comically all looked behind us and saw a clock.
“Oh.”
“Found it!” We all looked at Alice as she showed Shane’s cell phone. We all looked at each other and laughed. “What?”
Bette and Tina’s – Five Hours Later
Bette’s POV
“Tina, have you seen my gold earrings?” I paced around our bedroom in my slacks and bra, looking for my earrings.
“Which ones?”
“The really big hoops. You know the ones.” Tina walked into the room, still in her clothes from earlier. “Why aren’t you dressed?” Tina kissed me and walked over to her jewelry box. She pulled out my earrings then tossed them to me. “You haven’t answered my question.”
“I know.” I watched as she went in the closet and started skimming through the clothes. “What shirt are you wearing?”
“A blue one, to match the stripes in my pinstripe suit.” Tina nodded and grabbed a hanger. She carefully laid the dress she picked out on the bed as an alarm went off. “What was that?” She walked into the bathroom and closed the door. “Is everything alright?”
“Yep.” I looked at the clock and sighed. Well, I guess I’m not going to straighten my hair. I grabbed my blue shirt and finished getting dressed.
Alice’s
Shane’s POV
I watched Alice pace the bedroom as she tried to put her earrings on. She was still in her underwear. “Maybe you should give the earrings a break and get dressed.” Alice looked down then chuckled.
“How did I live without you?” I shrugged as she kissed me. “Now I just have to decide what to wear.” Just then the phone rang. “Will you answer that please?”
Already knowing whom it was I hit the speakerphone. “Hey Danes.”
“Hey Shane. Where’s Alice?”
“I’m in the closet.” Dana chuckled. “What do you want?”
“I can’t decide which sundress to wear.” I chuckled as Alice popped her head out of the closet.
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
“Of course I am Alice. You know, you should look in my closet sometime. If you did you would see I don’t even own a sundress.” I laughed as Alice’s mouth dropped open and she turned several shades of red. “Help me decide on what I’m going to wear please. I want to look really good.”
“Wear the dress that you’ve never worn.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes now let me get dress. Goodbye.” Alice hit the button then went back in the closet, mumbling. I heard her pull a couple things off hangers. She came out and laid them on the bed. “Its not fair,” she said, looking at me.
“What’s not fair?”
“All you have to do is throw on a pair of black pants, a white shirt, and a pair of black boots and you look great.”
I chuckled and stood up. “You look great all the time no matter what you’re wearing. What are you going to wear by the way?” Alice laughed and started getting ready.
Jenny and Marina’s
Jenny’s POV
I looked around at the mess that use to be mine and Marina’s bedroom. It was now covered in clothes. I had pulled almost everything out of my closet. It had only taken Marina ten minutes to get ready. “Marina, help me please.”
“Jenny, it doesn’t matter what you wear,” she said as she put the finishing touches on her make-up.
I groaned and plopped down on the bed. She just laughed at my antics and knelt in front of me. “I don’t have anything to wear. I can’t even decide on which ring to wear.”
“I know which one you should wear.”
“I looked at her. “Which one?”
She brought her arm out from behind her back and showed me a ring box. “This one.” She opened it and inside was a diamond ring.
Bette and Tina’s
Tina’s POV
As I finished my hair I looked down one more time. I couldn’t believe it. I grabbed my wedding ring, putting it back on as I went back into the bedroom.
“Tina, what took you so long? You’re not even dressed yet.” I hugged Bette and whispered something in her ear. She pulled back and looked at me. “Are they sure?” I nodded. “Oh my god Tina!” She smiled and hugged me. The two of us started jumping up and down.
Kit’s
Ivan’s POV
I walked up to her door. I wasn’t in full drag but pretty much. Just my hair wasn’t. I was nervous. Kit and I hadn’t been out in a long time, not since Provacations. I wiped my hands on my pants and knocked.
“Be there in a minute Hun.” I waited patiently. I could wait forever for her.
“And I will,” I said under my breath as I heard the door unlock.
Kit finally opened the door and I was in awe at what I saw. “Did you say something?”
“Nope. Ready to go my lady?”
Her smiled just lit up the night. “Yep lets get going.” I waited as she locked the door then the two of us were off, walking arm in arm.
Dana’s
Stacy’s POV
“Mom! I’m home!” I screamed as I entered the house. She came running down the stairs, in her leather pants, which I know I hadn’t give back, and a wifebeater. She stopped right and front of my and glared right at me. “Um, sorry I’m late?”
“Try again.”
“I’ll go get ready before Tahna gets here?” She nodded and I ran up the stairs to my room. I passed Dana, who was only wearing a slip and bra. “Hey Dana. How’d this morning go?”
Dana spun around and looked at me. “Huh?”
I rolled my eyes as I went in my room. “Nevermind.” I always hated being around right before my mother’s openings. Everything was crazed as was everyone. I threw my bag in the corner and took my outfit off my closet door. As I set it out on the bed, there was a knock. “Come in.”
“Hey Stacy. Everything went fine this morning. Your mother was alright after a while.” I quirked an eyebrow. “Well, she was kind of sick and dizzy afterwards. Wasn’t until we got breakfast and met the gang that she started feeling better.”
I scoffed. “That was what, an hour later?” Dana nodded. “Yeah, that was her milking it for all it was worth. She hates being sick. Let me guess, she stopped complaining after the first ten minutes?”
“Well, yes.”
“And I’m sure she caused some kind of scene at the Planet?”
“I’m gonna kill her.”
I laughed. “Dana, don’t get mad, get even.” Dana smirked and nodded. “By the way, I like your hair like that.”
“Thanks. Get dressed before your mother freaks.” I nodded and she left the room.
“She’s already freaked.” I went over to my dresser and pulled out a black dra. “Don’t want any white peeking out.” I pulled my shirt off and quickly switched bras when there was another knock. “Come in.”
“Hey. Just wanted to see what you were wearing. You know, I won’t want to match.”
“On the bed. What shirt are you wearing?”
“My dark blue one.”
I turned around as I put my hair up in a butterfly clip. “The sleeveless crushed velvet?” She nodded as she inspected my outfit. “Something wrong?”
“You going as Britney Spears?” I looked down at the tan leather pants and red sleeveless top.
“Well, I guess it does look a little like something Britney wore.” I went into the closet and brought out a white sleeveless shirt and a blood red leather coat. “Better?”
“Yeah. Buffy’s better than Britney.”
“Buffy wore red leather pants and a black top.”
My mother nodded and chuckled. “You are definitely my daughter and I was just joking. You could have stuck with your original outfit.” I nodded. “When you’re done will you answer the door as the girls arrive?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks and hurry up.” I rolled my eyes and took off my jeans. Better stop making her freak out.
After taking only ten minutes to get ready, I was waiting in the living room for the girls to arrive. When the doorbell rang, and I opened the door, I thought I was standing in front of a mirror. “Aunt Marina!” Jenny chuckled as she realized what I was so distressed about. “Just great,” I said as I moved out of the way.
My mother came downstairs and saw Aunt Marina. She looked over at me and busted out laughing. “I think the Britney outfit would have been better afterall.” I glared at her as I stomped up the stairs. I heard the doorbell ring. “Honey! Tahna’s here!”
Ah crap! “I’ll be right down!” I quickly changed into a dark brown blouse with sheer sleeves and grabbed my dark brown leather boots then ran downstairs. My eyes automatically went towards Tahna. “Hey. You look great.” And she did. She was wearing a long brown skirt with a slit up to her knee and a red sleeveless top.
“You too.” I shrugged and smiled at her as the doorbell rang.
“I’ve got to get that. Did my mom introduce you?” She shook her head. “Aunt Marina, Jenny, this is my friend Tahna.” I then quickly answered the door. “Hey Alice. Hey Shane. The two of you look good as usual.”
“You didn’t say we looked good.”
“You’re right Aunt Marina.” I turned to Jenny. “You look great Jenny.” Jenny just blushed as Aunt Marina glared at me. “YOU,” I said pointing at her, “stole my outfit.” I groaned as the doorbell rang and Alice and Shane just sat down. This time it was Kit and Ivan.
“Well, don’t we all clean up nice,” Kit said as she walked in the leaving room. She walked up to Tahna. “I’m Kit.”
“Tahna, I’m a friend of Stacy’s.”
“Its nice of you to come. These things can get boring.”
“Okay, Tahna, that’s Ivan with Kit. The blonde on the couch is Alice and the person who came in with her is Shane.”
“So we’re waiting for Bette and Tina?”
“And Dana,” my mother said as she came downstairs, fully dressed in black leather pans, her dark blue, crushed velvet, sleeveless turtleneck, and a black leather jacket. ON her feet she was wearing hot pink toe socks, the toes being neon green. “I still have no idea what she’s wearing.” She grabbed her boots and sat down next to Alice.
“I love the socks Alex.”
“Thank you Alice. Oh and Dana wants you. She was hoping you were already here.” Mom looked up at Tahna. “Did Stacy introduce you to everyone?”
“Yes ma’am.”
Mom groaned and I laughed. Shane was the one who spoke up. “Don’t worry Tahna. She doesn’t like being called ma’am. Not counting Stacy, she’s the second youngest of us.” Mom stuck her tongue out at Shane as she pulled her boot on. “Although she acts younger than Stacy.”
“Nah.” My mom winked at me. “I’m just doing it to embarrass Stacy.”
“Well please stop.” Luckily I was saved by the bell, the doorbell that is. “I’ll get it.” I pushed Alice out of the way as she headed towards the door, the stairs being right there. “You guys are the last to arrive although Dana’s not ready yet.”
Bette and Tina walked into the living room, said their hellos and were introduced to Tahna. Bette looked at Mom’s outfit and said, “I’m glad I changed my mind on my blue pinstripe suit.” Tahna and I made out way into the kitchen but we could still hear everyone.
“Oh please Bette. It was probably too wrinkled after the two of you rolled around in the sack for a while.”
“Shane would you please tell your girlfriend to shut up.”
“Hey don’t look at me Bette.”
“Yeah Bette. Leave Shane – HOLY SHIT!”
Tahna and I looked at each other and ran out to the living room. I saw my mother standing up, staring at the top of the stairs, as was everyone else. I looked up and saw Dana, finally ready.
Dana was wearing a long, strapless, black dress with a slit going up to her mid-thigh. Her shoes were little strappy things, probably Manolo Blahnik's or Jimmy Choo’s, with two inch heels, making her taller than my mother even with her boots. The top of her dress was black crushed velvet and laced up in the back. Her hair was up in a messy bun, black chopsticks with rhinestones, holding it in place. Everyone was speechless, a first for my mother and Alice.
“Dana … wow. You’re … beautiful.”
Dana smiled as she started walking down the stairs. Luckily my mother met her at the bottom because Dana tripped as she step onto the last step. Holding onto my mother’s shoulders, she carefully stood upright. “Thanks.” The two of them looked at each other until the doorbell rang, then they looked at the door. “Car’s here.” My mother just nodded. Shane handed her Dana’s leather coat and then she helped Dana put it on. My mother locked the door once we were all outside then we climbed into the stretch limo and were off.