Justice For Juniper (Tatienne Richard) novel Chapter 47

Bathroom Break – Part I

“I need to pee!”

The words tumbled from her mouth as she waved frantically at Suki who was dancing with a tall, skinny guy who did not match her energy at all. She was dancing circles around him, but the guy seemed thrilled to be where he was. He was all smiles as he ducked away from flailing hands, while Suki danced with her eyes closed. She and Suki both drank three drinks now and neither of them were.

“I can take you,” Adil called from behind

her. Beni and Phineas

“What if she needs to go?”

“I don’t think she does, or she’d come out and say it.”

“I don’t want to leave her alone.”

He waved at Beni who was standing to the edge of the dance floor laughing at something Phineas was telling him. They’d gone for more drinks but stopped to chat first. She watched Adil make a series of hand gestures which made her wonder what the hell he was doing but then Beni gave him a thumbs up as if he completely understood and turned his full attention to watch Suki. Phineas headed to the bar.

“Come on,” Adil dragged her in the direction of the bathroom.

“What was that?” she yelled at him over the noise.

“What?”

“The,” she flapped her arms all over the place, “between you and Beni?”

He laughed loudly, “you mean sign language?”

She stopped in her tracks, “you know sign language?”

“Yeah,” he grinned at her confusion. “Why not?”

“All three of you?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Do you know someone deaf?”

He laughed, “it was Phineas‘ idea when we were in middle school. Our school was pretty pretentious, and we could select one elective class. We were nerds, man. I mean real nerds. Beni still wears the ugly glasses but Phineas and I both got Lasik. Anyway, we realized most people can’t speak sign language. One of the teachers taught a sign language class. We took it from seventh to tenth grade. Phineas uses it a lot in business, but I found I’m really good at reading lips in addition to the sign language. It comes in handy.”

“You learned sign language as an elective in middle school?”

“None of us wanted to do home–economics. Christ, we were already getting slammed into lockers. The last thing we needed was to put aprons on and make cupcakes. All three of us were already fluent in English, French and Phineas even spoke some Spanish because of a housekeeper they had at one point. He got really good in Spanish in college because he dated the same girl all through and her mother was from Puerto Rico or something. She hated Phineas so he took extra lessons to find out what the woman was saying about him behind his back.”

They reached the bathroom, and she was reluctant to leave the conversation, “you three might be the most interesting people I’ve ever met.”

“Does being interesting earn me a kiss?”

She was reaching for the bathroom door at his comment and then turned back to face him, “you want to kiss me?”

“Nope. My boss and his two best friends brought me and my best friend out tonight to try to cheer me up.” She was oversharing and she wondered if this was a right of passage of all girls in the bathroom as the other woman teetered on her heels in disbelief, “I think all three of them want to sleep with me. Do you know,” she wagged her finger at the girl, “Kyst was the only man I was ever with my whole life? We’ve dated since high school, and he threw it all away for some sleezy girl who he swears he didn’t even like. He didn’t like her so much,” she made wide eyes, “he brought her into our home and boinked her.”

“Boinked?”

“Boinked.”

The girl looked at her worriedly, “are you okay?”

“I’m great!” she slapped the top of the counter. “I mean, am I devastated the man I thought I’d grow old with turned out to be a cheating asshole? Yes. I am. Am I going to give him the satisfaction of crying over him like I’m some pathetic waif? Nope.”

The door pushed open, and Adil stuck his head in, “baby girl, you’ve been in here a long time. I was worried you flushed yourself down.”

“Adil!” she exclaimed and looked at the girl, “this is.”

“Nicole.”

“Nicole. Nicole. This is Adil. He’s my new BFF. He wants to kiss me. Actually, I think he wants to fuck me, but we’re starting with kisses.”

Adil laughed and held his hand out, “come on, gorgeous. The group is wondering where you are.”

“Bye Nicole.”

“Bye Juniper.” The girl waved at her and then watched as she left the bathroom with Adil.