InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Roaring cleavage!"

Penny Layne Schwartz (pennylaynesm) wrote in darkestdays,
@ 2009-10-24 17:03:00

WHO Penny, Aislinn, Riley, and Francesca
WHAT Girls Day/Night Out
WHERE Cafe Descartes, then shopping/saloning, and finally off to the Jazz Club
WHEN Monday, 1 PM
RATING/PROGRESS PG-13+ / In Progress

It had been a long time since Penny had participated in a good old-fashioned Girls Night Out. Actually, Penny had never been much of one for participating in Girls Night Out and when she thought about it she wondered if she had ever been to a real one. Sure, she, Mrs. F and Missy had always done a Mother-Daughter-“Daughter” day or night when Missy was home from school but that was different. Penny had always been one of the boys and had tended to gravitate towards women who were the same way.

She still wasn’t as bad as Ms. Franny-O! Not by a long shot. But come hell or high water she was going to wrestle that girl into a dress. Because it was pretty and soft, and lately it seemed like the woman could use being pretty and soft for at least a few hours. Penny was considering just how a wrestling match over a dress would go between herself and Francesca when she wandered into Café Descartes in what might have been overly informal attire. Tattered jeans and a beat up hoodie… but they were comfortable, easy to slide in and out of in a dressing room, and she was working with a limited wardrobe as she was stilling living out of her suitcase.

Blue eyes scanned the space as she looked to see if she were the first to arrive. Penny withdrew her phone to check the time, she was a few minutes early. She found an empty table that could seat four and took it for herself, trying to pay attention to the door so she could catch the other women’s eyes as they arrived. In the mean time she sorted through topics in her head, things that would be safe for discussion and things that weren’t. Whether Ash was a good old friend or not, Penny knew she was Irish, and that meant there was simply certain information she shouldn’t have. There was a moment where she wondered if this was all such a good idea. Girl-talk without juicy details? But by then it was too late. She was here with her companions scheduled to arrive at any minute. She couldn’t very well just walk out.

(Post a new comment)

aislinnmaher
2009-10-25 09:51 am UTC (link)

Aislinn texted Riley again, just to let her know that she had arrived at their destination. She was practically giddy at the prospect of what their day was going to be like. It had been far too long since she had a purely girly time. Shopping, spa, hair, makeup and a night surrounded by good smelling men who wore suits? It sounded like perfection. Smiling at a patron who held the door open for her as she walked in, she took a quick look around and immediately spotted Penny. Who looked unsure, for some reason. Pulling her scarf away from her neck, she crossed the distance between them, calling out a soft "Hey!" when she got close enough. Moving to the other side of the table to give her friend a quick hug, she draped her scarf over the back of the chair next to her before taking a seat.

"Sorry if I'm a bit late.. or am I early? Anyways, the cabbie seemed to think I was joking about wanting to come here, because he kept trying to drop me off at a million other cafes. Thank god, he finally listened and brought me here." She shook her head, brushing her bangs back from her forehead. "So how excited are you for tonight? I am so excited to see you up on stage. But first, we have to find you the perfect outfit. Do you have any ideas of what you might want to wear? Are we thinking Boho chic or sexy minx? Maybe a bit of both?" Realizing, she hadn't really given her much time to answer her questions, Ash pressed her lips together and gave Penny an apologetic look. "Sorry.. its been a while since I've done something like this.."

(Reply to this) (Thread)

pennylaynesm
2009-10-25 04:10 pm UTC (link)

It was usually rude to laugh at someone, but Penny couldn't help it. Ash's mile-a-minute verbal assault was one of the many reasons Penny needed a girl's day. It was hard to think when you had someone babbling in your ear, and not thinking without being so intoxicated that she couldn't think if she wanted or needed to sounded like just the right prescription.

"Well, for starters, it's the time you got here so you're right on time." Penny's own words came slowly in a slightly raspy tone. She had never been much of the type to be in a hurry to do anything, even finishing her sentence, when she didn't have to be.

"As for tonight, I try to keep it classic when I'm playing the Jazz Club. I mostly cover old jazz standards and I'm kind of background noise, so there isn't much point in being all artsy fartsy in that crowd." Those wide blue eyes moved up to look at the waitress as she came by after seeing a second patron join Penny. It wasn't like it was dinner, so she didn't feel rude ordering herself a latte before looking to Aislinn. When her companion had ordered she'd continue.

"But how the hell are you?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

aislinnmaher
2009-10-26 04:09 am UTC (link)

Ash had the decency to blush at her hurried ways. She wasn't usually like this. She was just excited. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. "Oh, just background noise? So I should cancel the order of Penny Rules! t-shirts that are en route for my apartment.." She pouted slightly, pulling her cell phone out. She was actually checking to see if she had gotten a response from Riley yet, which she hadn't.

Smiling up at the waitress, she ordered a soy chai tea latte, no water. It wasn't simple but it wasn't overly fancy like other drinks. Smiling, she folded her hands in front of her, on the table. "I.. have no idea how I should be. I just got back into town and it's like some action horror film decided to drop in on us.." She sighed and shook her head, laughing a little. "But all in all, I'm fine. How are you?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

rileydrake
2009-10-26 05:40 pm UTC (link)

"Sorry I'm late, sorry I am late." Riley hurried into the cafe and offered her friend a light half hug before straightening herself out and seating herself. "I ended up working a half shift. I know I said I'd take the day off, but I just ... couldn't." No, she was too responsible for that. Still, embarrassing to be late.

Pale eyes turned on the other girl at the table and she offered a rather embarrassed if genuine smile. "I swear I'm not usually this disorganized." One hand pressed to her heart before extending out to shake. "Riley Drake. Sorry, go on. Pretend like I didn't just interrupt everything with my lack of ability to be on time."

And while they did that, she'd just go about ordering herself ... something. What, she wasn't sure, but something.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pennylaynesm
2009-10-26 10:28 pm UTC (link)

It would have been nice if the afternoon could be void of the current ugliness, especially since it's very mention had Penny more than a little hot under the collar. Fists clenched in her lap, jaw tightening though she forced herself to smile through it. The Irish had started the war, and then they had made it personal. They were a bunch of fucking terrorists, but Ash wasn't the right company for listing those facts. "I've been okay. Staying in a motel because some jackass broke into my apartment, but that's Chicago for you." She laughed, shrugging. A little white lie never hurt, no one needed to know where she was really staying.

The conversation was interrupted when the third member of their party joined the group. Riley...Drake?

Penny couldn't stop herself from raising an eyebrow, her eyes flashing with recognition before she pulled herself back into line. She extended her own hand to meet the other woman's. Drake couldn't be that uncommon of a last name, and the new acquaintance seemed much more... polished... than the animal who had kicked down her door nearly a week ago.

"Please, I already told Ash. This is the time you got here, so you're on time. Anyway, we're still waiting on Frankie." That was a worthy of a glance at Penny's cell phone as her latte arrived.

"What time is are our appointments at the spa, Ms. Ash?"

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

aislinnmaher
2009-10-27 04:13 am UTC (link)

Ash was just happy to see Riley show up, having been worried she would cop out after their other night and the hangover the next day. That tended to make people less willing to go out with her again. And of course, hearing that she worked the morning explained her being a little late. So she missed the strange look from Penny when Riles introduced herself.

"Our appointments are in about half an hour, and the spa is close so we still have tons of time." Ash smiled, and sipped her drink carefully. Too many times had she burned her tongue on drinks from here. "And then after that, we're going dress and shoe shopping at a few of the boutiques near there.. I need a new dress. Maybe we can even look around for things to wear to the Masquerade. I don't know if I'm going, but it'll be fun to get a new dress for that too." She grinned a little, ready to blow a lot of money today. "Are either of you planning on going to that?" She frowned, surprised that she hadn't even asked that yet.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

rileydrake
2009-10-27 03:57 pm UTC (link)

Riles offered Penny a smile when she said Riley was on time. Well that was a good attitude to have even if she couldn't agree; she had a thing for punctuality, naturally. Ash's plans made her raise her brows; she did not have the kind of budget to just be throwing money away like that but today, she'd pretend she sort of did. A bit. Maybe.

"Probably not," she admitted, "I'm pretty sure my brother will frown upon it." Pale brows raised half bitterly. "Besides, after this weekend, I'm going to need a vacation to recover." Two nights out in one weekend? Way beyond her speed, considering 'her speed' was somewhere along the lines of sitting at home with her cat and channel surfing.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

pennylaynesm
2009-10-27 10:31 pm UTC (link)

Laynie's work required Penny to be observant... or maybe the fact that Penny was observant to begin with was what made Laynie so good at her job. In any case, Riley seemed to be concerned about something even before the mention of the coming gala event. It wasn't Penny's place to ask though, she'd point it out to Ash discretely at some point.

A brother, likely an older one if his frowning upon something was weighed in a decision. Considering that Riley was around her own age and the age of the Drake who had kicked down her door last week, perhaps Penny's luck was still on the upswing. What had just fallen into her lap?

"For starters, brothers frowning on something means that whatever it is is going to be fun. Beyond that, the only way to build up your stamina is to push your limits." Penny laughed then, turning to Ash herself.

"I'm definitely showing my face, perhaps with my hot man in a suit if he can make it. I'm thinking something Old Hollywood glamour. What's a better halloween costume for a fancy ball than Ginger Rogers? Even if I can't dance for shit." More laughter as she checked her phone again.

"I wonder where the fuck Frankie's punk ass is."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

francescam
2009-10-28 07:45 pm UTC (link)

Frankie was around, it was just a serious wonder that she got herself actually made up to go out. It was seriously out of place for her, and she thought she looked absolutely ridiculous. She hadn't worn a dress in years. And makeup? Yeah right. But she'd done it because.. well who knew why exactly. She was tired of being a grump and being all alone perhaps. So she actually got herself ready and headed down.

Spotting the other girls at the table, she wandered over, "Hey," she greeted. "Sorry I'm late. I really couldn't find anything to wear." Which was so much of an understatement it was kind of funny. She was acting like a girl, and the whole thing scared her half to death.

"So what have I missed?

(Reply to this) (Parent)