Brittany shrugged. “Maybe she had to go.”
Elly didn’t relish climbing over the group of intoxicated children that her entourage had now become, so she also ducked under the table and crawled out from underneath it. She crawled across the lush white shag carpeting, aware that her boobs were now bouncing out of her shirt, that she had no shoes on, and that she had never looked more out of place. When she stood up, her hair, which had looked so good before, was now plastered across the front of her head. Enough! She pulled a clip out of her pocket and clipped her blond curls back from her face. She was done caring about fitting in with this silly crowd. She passed three waiters who ignored her requests on how to find the restroom before a kind busboy pointed out the hidden entrance, marked by a single chain hanging from the ceiling with handcuffs dangling from it. Oh my gosh, where am I?
Elly pushed her way into the bathroom, where a few women were leaning over the sink, purging, plucking, or just staring vacantly into the mirror. There was a small cluster of people near the back of the cavernous restroom, and Elly heard the word “Lola” murmured amongst a few birdlike women. She pushed her way toward them—as far as she could tell, clubbing was all about the constant act of pushing —and finally made her way to a closed bathroom stall. “Lola?” She pushed open the stall door and stepped inside, latching it behind her.
Lola was standing in the corner of the stall, bent over the toilet. With hands shaking, she was holding a small pillbox filled with white powder.
Oh, hell no. This was not happening.
With a single motion, Elly smacked the box out of Lola’s hands, and it skittered across the floor, spilling white powder on the glossy tiles.
Lola looked up at Elly aghast. “What? Why did you do that? Who do you think you are?”
“Uh, no. Just no. You are not doing that in my presence.” Elly could feel the rule follower in her panicking. Was it illegal to just be standing next to this kind of drug? She had to get out of here. She was going to get arrested, her face splashed on the cover of the St. Louis Dispatch. “Florist Found In Room With Unconscious Celebrity … And Drugs.”
She grabbed Lola’s arm gently and pulled her toward the entrance. “We are going home. You are done for tonight. I promise, you’ll thank me tomorrow.”
“No!” cried Lola. “Let me go! I’m having a good time. Joe is never going to marry me, anyway! He’s too good for me, and I’m such a screwup.” She began crying loudly, the shots of alcohol making her motions slow and dramatic. “I’ll never be worth his love. I used to be a good girl. Chloe turned me into this….”
Once they emerged from the bathroom, there were a million bodies again, still pushing up against Lola, each one desperate to say they touched someone who regularly graced the cover of People magazine.
Elly gestured to a waiter. “Is there a back entrance? Tell us now.”
The waiter nodded and began leading them through the bowels of the club, each hallway darker than the next. Elly’s phone was out and she began rapidly dialing. First Kim: “This is the Creedens, leave a message after the tone.”
“Arrgghh!” She dialed again.
“Hey, you’ve reached Anthony’s cell phone, get back to you as soon as I can!”
With a frown, she scrolled down her contact list. Keith Home. Keith Cell. Keith’s Deli. Nope. Nope. Nope. Although, if she needed anyone right now, it was Keith. Finally, she dialed her home number.
“Hullo?”
“Dennis, hey, it’s Elly.”
“Oh. Hey.”
“Listen, I need a huge favor. I need you to get my car and pick me up at this club downtown.”
“Uh, sorry. Can I come a little later, like in three hours or so? Can’t you get a taxi?”
“Absolutely not.” Lola was edging on unconsciousness and Elly was struggling to drag her to the door as she flailed and cried. A taxi driver would talk. Take pictures. The last thing Lola needed. “I need you to come right now.”
“Sorry. Can’t.”
“Why? Are you okay?”
“No, I’m fine. It’s just that I’m about to level up here. Um, Ahora is on, and we are doing a raid that we’ve been preparing for months. I can’t just leave my guild and Ahora. They are depending on me! I’m a tank, don’t you understand?”
“No. I don’t. Dennis.” Elly gritted her teeth and willed herself not to yell as Lola slumped against her shoulder, sobbing about Chloe and Joe and animated films. “I don’t know how to say this without being rude, but you need to get the car keys and get your butt down here to pick me up. I need you, now, right now, in the real world.”