A Mighty Need

Mmm…bacon.

The smell woke Audrey up out of a dead sleep as quickly as a cat running away from the sight and sound of a vacuum coming near it. She rolled around in bed before shaking off the duvet and sitting up to look around. She was upstairs, the kitchen was downstairs, but the smell of bacon seemed so close.

What time was it? What day was it?

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,” she could hear Noel singing, and then realized he was standing in the bedroom, coming round to her side of the bed with a tray in his hands. “Happy birthday dear Audrey, happy birthday to you.”

“Did you seriously make me breakfast in bed for my birthday?” she smiled with sleepy eyes. Propping her pillows up behind her, Audrey leaned back into them and then flattened out the duvet as Noel set the tray down over her lap.

“Of course I did.” Noel sat down next to her legs and pointed at everything on the tray. “You got eggs, bacon, toast, a nice cup of tea, orange juice without pulp because I know you hate pulp.”

“I do,” she agreed, taking a sip of the tea. “It’s like orange flavored vomit.”

“Then I sliced up some strawberries because I know that’s your favorite fruit and…” Noel trailed reaching into the pocket of his pajama pants and pulling out a clear baggie of what looked to be sour gummy worms. “Candy.”

Audrey grinned like a child at him. “Candy for breakfast?”

“We’re adults and we eat whatever we want for breakfast.”

“Don’t say things like that. You know how my mind automatically goes straight into the darkest depths of the gutter.”

Noel snickered at her. “Nymph.”

“Trollop.”

“Yeah,” he rolled his eyes playfully at her. “Eat your breakfast. I’m gonna jump in the shower real quick.”

“No, wait till I’m done eating, then we can share one.” She just looked at him as she lifted her fork to dig into her eggs which he had successfully cooked sunny side up. “It’s my birthday and I say so.”

“Alright, alright.” Noel turned and carefully crawled up the bed to his side where he sat next to her.

“Well, you made me breakfast in bed, so is it safe to say you have other things planned for today or are you leaving it all up to me to decide on?”

“I have things planned, yeah. If you’d had your own friends and family here I would’ve thrown together a surprise party for you like you did me, but I think I’ve managed in working out a good day for you.”

“I don’t need a surprise party. I had one for my twenty-third, so it’s not like I’ve never had one.”

“What were you doing at twenty-three?”

“What was I doing?” Audrey repeated. “I was a year out of college, working at my shitty part-time job, living at home and helping Crystal get ready for her wedding which happened a month later. I was crushing on my first serious boyfriend who worked with me and turned out to be probably the biggest mistake of my life, as several first loves are. I had a degree but nothing really going for me, yet it was my favorite birthday.”

“How so?”

“Well my friends surprised me with a surprise party before we went out to this club in the city for a few hours of dancing and drinking, then we hit up a local bar we liked to frequent and we stayed there until last call. The next day I spent the day packing a suitcase and playing a few rounds of Monopoly with Austin before going to bed early because the day after that I flew out to San Francisco to visit my aunt for a week and see the sights. It was a great vacation and a great birthday.”

“Well, hopefully I can help top that today.”

“I have faith you can.” She smiled over at him, breaking a piece of bacon in half and giving him some. “You’re here, so top birthday honors are looking to be in your favor.”

Noel smiled back and leaned over. He took the piece of bacon from her but kissed her first. “So sappy,” he teased.

“No, it’s love,” she replied. “I wouldn’t share my bacon with anyone.”

“Are you being literal right now or making an innuendo?”

Audrey giggled, hesitated and looked mischievous, “Well, now that you ask, maybe both.”

“Do you feel any older?” he asked, taking a bite of the bacon.

She shook her head. “Nah. Thirty-three isn’t really a mile marker, you know? It feels no different than thirty-two. Thirty-two was a good year for me,” she gestured toward him, “for obvious reasons. Here’s hoping thirty-three is even better.”

“I think it will be.”

“What were you doing at thirty-three?”

“Well, I turned thirty-three in 2006. I was dating Dee, doing a Boosh live tour. As for my actual birthday, I don’t remember what I did. I was probably bleedin’ hammered and woke up with a hangover.”

Audrey smirked. “Party animal.”

“I was,” he agreed. “I’ve gone a bit tame in my old age.”

“You do remember your birthday this year, right? I wouldn’t call that tame.”

“I don’t drink in excess like I used to and I don’t do drugs anymore.” Then he added, “Except pot.”

“And you gave up cigarettes,” she commented with pride. “How long has it been?”

“Well, I fell off that wagon a bit for like a couple of days after our row. But, since then, I’d say three months, maybe a bit longer.” Noel shrugged. “It’s a bit hard when I’m around my mates who still smoke.”

“It’ll always be hard, I guess. I’ll be your willpower. If I ever see you reaching for a cigarette, I’ll smack it out of your hand and then smack you.” She flashed him a sugary sweet smile and continued to eat her breakfast.

“Kinky,” he quipped, winking at her as he lifted up her tea cup to take a sip.



After breakfast and showering, that of course included naughty good times, they finally managed to get dressed for the day. While Audrey applied her make-up, Noel stole her eyeliner pencil and applied it to his own eyes. He had his own eyeliner but hers was readily available. She brushed through her hair afterward, having let it air dry. Since she never had any clue what to do with her hair, letting its natural wave take over seemed to work just as well. Noel put on a pair of plain black skinny jeans, as usual, and paired it with his ‘Life’s A Grave, Dig It’ t-shirt and his red Chelsea boots. While he moseyed around the bedroom looking for whatever it was he was looking for, Audrey was going through the closet, still trying to figure out what to wear, so she had to ask Noel his opinion.

He joined her at her side and sorted through her outfits that were hanging up parallel to his. He pulled out a maroon cami top and paired it with a floral skirt then suggested her tan-colored, faux suede jacket with the waterfall drape front. He said they might be doing some walking so she might want to go with flats. Instead, Audrey chose her brown leather riding boots.

Once she was dressed and Noel looked her over, however, he wound up tossing her down onto the bed and giving her a proper shagging.

Afterward, they adjusted their clothes, fixed their hair a bit and set off to head out. They cabbed it to Trafalgar Square where Noel led Audrey to the National Gallery. The first thing Audrey wanted to look at was the Impressionists; Degas, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Renoir, Manet, Monet. As much as she loved portraits from over the last five hundred years, her favorite period was definitely Impressionism. They eventually moved on to the other time periods and then to the gift shop where Noel bought her a Van Gogh charm bracelet, which she wore immediately.

Upon leaving the gallery, they crossed the Square and headed south down Northumberland Avenue toward the Hungerford Bridge. Noel was still leading the way, holding Audrey’s hand. It was growing a bit overcast as they made their way to the South Bank, walking alongside the Jubilee Gardens under the shadow of the London Eye, and Audrey knew where they were going next. Like his birthday, they picked up tickets he had apparently reserved and then made their way to skip the queue and head into a private capsule in which they were joined by an attendant because there needed to be at least three people per capsule. There was even champagne waiting for them. Audrey commented with a laugh that this felt more like Valentine’s than her birthday. While looking out at overcast London, with champagne flutes in their hands, Noel pulled out a small box he had somehow smuggled into his pants pocket.

Taking the wrapping paper off, Audrey noticed the baby blue color of a Tiffany’s box and got nervous as she opened it. Inside was simply a sterling silver key pendant with a tiny pink sapphire embedded in it.

“Technically, it’s not a regular blue sapphire like your birthstone, but it’s still a sapphire.” He had taken her champagne flute from her when she was opening the gift and now he was handing them off to the attendant to hold for a moment. Noel took the box from her hands and lifted the necklace out. “I told you I wanted you to have my key instead,” he teased.

“Ha ha,” she replied sarcastically but with a loving smile.

Audrey found herself both relieved and disappointed that it had been only a necklace inside the box. Mentally, she chastised herself for assuming it would be anything more than that at this juncture in their relationship. They had just gotten over a minor hurdle and were in the process of nesting. It would be insane to jump the gun any further at the moment. One step at a time, and all that, but the fact that Audrey half assumed it might’ve been an engagement ring in the box and was half disappointed it wasn’t, told her a lot about where she wanted the relationship to go.

All good things come to those who wait, though, right?

Noel was busying himself with putting the necklace around her neck; lifting her hair up so it wouldn’t get snagged as he fumbled with the tiny clasp. “There, beautiful,” he commented, turning to face her once the necklace lay just above the beginnings of her cleavage. “The necklace, too,” he added with a smirk.

Audrey touched it. “Thank you. It is beautiful.”

“I’m glad.”

The day wasn’t over with, though.

After finishing their champagne and enjoying the view and taking pictures of themselves like stupid tourists, Noel led her on their next jaunt after the capsule reached the bottom once more. Their stomachs growling, but it was already later in the afternoon and Noel didn’t them to spoil dinner plans so they stopped at a Café Nerro after crossing over the Westminster Bridge. There they got cappuccinos and shared a Panini to tide them over.

Noel kept checking the time on his cell phone while they ate their halves of the sandwich and Audrey asked if they were running behind on whatever schedule he had them on. He shrugged in response, saying he had made them an appointment for somewhere he wouldn't say but that they had enough time to get there if they didn’t linger around in the café after they finished eating.

When they were done, he stood outside with her on Bridge Street and waited around until he saw a cab and then hailed it, practically stepping in front of the vehicle as it approached. Once in, Audrey had no choice but to find out where they were headed when Noel gave the name of the location: the May Fair Hotel.

Were they about to check in and have hotel sex? Were they about to dine there so soon after the quick bite to eat they’d just had? The latter seemed unlikely, so Audrey was rather unsure what to expect.

The doorman at the hotel opened the door for them when they arrived and, instead of going toward the front desk, Noel led Audrey toward the Day Spa where he checked in for an appointment he had booked under the name Fielding. The girl working there smiled and greeted them. Apparently, Noel had purchased the Treat for Two - Moroccan Steam Cleansing Experience day spa package where they stripped down and indulged their bodies with mineralizing muds and salts. After that forty-five minute experience, they showered off and were led to the exclusive couples treatment room for a couples massage. Lying face down on the tables with towels covering their bare asses, they looked over at one another while the masseuses went to town on them for an hour. At one point, Audrey reached her hand out and touched fingers with Noel who smiled back at her.

“Yeah,” she groaned happily. “Best birthday ever.”

Noel just smiled back.

When the massage was over, they redressed and were next shown to the relaxation room where they were treated to a complimentary glass of chilled champagne and fresh strawberries. After Noel paid for the experience, they left hand in hand; not bothering to hail a cab just yet because they were so relaxed and refreshed and the evening air that smelled like rain was wonderful to walk in.

They walked to Piccadilly Street, to Shaftesbury Avenue and up to Charing Cross Road, not bothering to stop in any shops; just happy enough to walk along, hand in hand, like the pair of lovebirds they were. Noel led them down to the Tottenham Court tube entrance and they rode it to the Camden Town station. Once topside on Camden High Street, they walked south until they came upon the Camden Head. Noel held the door open for her and in they went.

“Why here?”

“For dinner, and drinks,” he said, whispering into her ear as they were shown to a table upstairs that Noel had apparently reserved for them. “Also, it’s where we first kissed on Halloween last year.”

“And you call me sappy,” Audrey teased.

When they came upon their table, she found they were not alone. Noel’s parents were there, as was his brother and his brother’s new girlfriend who Audrey had heard about briefly in the last couple of weeks. She seemed sweet and kooky at the same time, and a better fit than Maggie had been. The new girlfriend, Lauren was her name, seemed friendlier as well and willing to take part in conversation whereas with Maggie it had felt like trying to pull teeth just to get her to interact with the Fielding clan. Diane stood up first to greet Audrey, moving over to give her a hug and a kiss to the cheek before wishing her a happy birthday. Ray and Mike followed suit but Lauren remained seated, which was completely understandable. This was the first time Lauren and Audrey were meeting so a simple wave of hello with official introductions afterward was perfectly fine.

Diane headed the initial conversation; asking how Audrey’s birthday was so far, what Noel had got her, then cooing over the pretty necklace, especially since it was Tiffany’s and his mother couldn’t recall him ever bothering to shop there before. She then asked about Austin and how things were going for him being Audrey’s PA and about his impending move to the UK. Diane sure seemed to have a special place in her heart for Audrey’s little brother and said as much, to which Diane giggled and waved her hand, saying Austin was just a handsome young man who had felt like another son to her during his visit over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday.

Audrey was pretty sure Diane had a little crush on her brother. Ray didn’t seem daunted by it at all, which made it all the more hilarious to Audrey.

The three couples ordered their drinks and meals and as the food began to gradually disappear from their plates, Diane handed Audrey a card on behalf of her and Ray. Audrey opened it up with assurance that they hadn’t needed to get her anything.

“As I told Noel on his birthday, and you were there to hear it, I will get you gifts until I’m dead.”

“You were supposed to have meant your sons,” Audrey snickered, pulling the card out of the envelope.

“You count in that, too.”

Audrey looked at Diane and smiled, feeling tears sting her eyes but she held them at bay. The outside of the card was generic and sweet, the inside about the same, but with extra written in with Diane’s handwriting and both her and Ray’s signatures.

We’re so glad over how happy you make Noel and that you’re here to live. You’re a wonderful and talented woman and happy to consider you part of the family already. Happy, happy birthday!

With love,
Diane and
Ray

Inside was a certificate for a Revitealize Afternoon Tea and Spa Package at Mandara Spa at the Park Plaza Hotel. Audrey couldn’t read what it all entailed because she could no longer control the tears at her eyes. They rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto the table and that mere gesture made Diane all worried.

“Oh, what’s wrong, dear?”

“What you wrote,” Audrey sniffled. “It’s just so nice.”

“Aw, well I meant it. We mean it,” she corrected, gesturing between Ray and herself.

“What is it?” Noel wondered, peering inside the card.

Audrey showed him while wiping the tears away. “Another trip to a spa for me,” she laughed.

“Had I known that’s what Noel was going to do for you today I would’ve figured something else out, but hey, a girl can never have too many spa visits.”

“No, definitely. It’s a perfect gift. Thank you so much.” Audrey leaned over, half out of her seat, to hug Diane, and then fully got up and moved around to hug Ray as well. “Seriously, thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetie.”

Mike passed a small box across the table to Audrey then and she just looked at him. “Really? Seriously, gifts were not needed.”

“Everybody gets gifts on their birthdays,” he replied. “That’s how it works.”

Audrey smirked as she went about opening the gift. Noel put his arm around the back of her chair and looked on while bringing his bottle of beer up to his lips. Removing the gift wrap, Audrey laughed as she looked down at the present. It was simple white coffee mug that said Penny for your thoughts…Nickel if they’re nasty. Inside was a clear baggie filled with Hershey Kisses.

“It’s supposed to be a bit of the US here with you,” Mike said. “We don’t have nickels in England, but you do in the States. And I checked online: Hershey’s is based out of Pennsylvania where you’re from. So, yeah…welcome to London living, here’s some US stuff.”

Audrey laughed, holding up the mug. “The way my mind works most of the time, you’re gonna find yourself with a lot of nickels.”

Everyone chuckled and finished off their meals, ordered another drink and remained seated, chatting it up when Serge and his wife wandered into the back. They said their hellos and wished Audrey a happy birthday, and even came bearing a gift for her in a small gift bag. As she had told the Fieldings, Audrey told Serge and Amy gifts weren’t necessary.

She didn’t know it then, but she would end up saying it a few times that night that she would just give up saying it at all.

Inside the gift bag was personalize leather notebook with the letter ‘A’ stamped onto the cover and the notebook was paired with a personalized fountain pen that said Happy Birthday Audrey on it.

“The gift was Amy’s idea,” Serge announced, pulling up to chairs to join the six and make them an eight.

Amy, sitting down in one of the two chairs, added, “It made the most sense. As a writer, you never know when inspiration for an idea will hit ya, so why not have a lovely notebook and pen to whip out at a moment’s notice before the idea slips away?”

“You would think I’d have something like this already, but I don’t.” Audrey chuckled. “I’m usually digging around my purse for some scrap of paper I usually can’t fit my ideas on.”

“Well, there you go,” Serge smirked.

“Thank you both. It’s a lovely gift indeed.”

Eventually, the food dishes were cleared away and more of Noel’s friends showed up; friends Audrey were safe to call her own by now. Serge’s bandmate and Noel’s other friend, Tom Meighan, arrived next with his girlfriend Kim. Blacky and Rev were, both arriving together, but alone; sans any lady friends. The larger the group got, they all decided to grab drinks from the bar downstairs where the post-supper crowd was already starting to form. Diane and Ray stayed for a short while longer and then decided to bid everyone adieu, with them wishing Audrey happy birthday once more before Diane said the two of them would have to get together for a girl’s night out soon. She extended the invite to Lauren, as well.

Diane seemed to approve of Lauren who had made a good impression on everyone.

Just before eleven at night, Audrey was on her way to getting drunk. More friends were starting to filter in, pushing through the crowd formed around the bar, which included Paloma, who greeted Audrey with a big hug before she even acknowledged Noel.

“What am I, chopped liver?”

Paloma grinned. “You’re lovely rib eye steak but Audrey’s the birthday girl and therefore filet mignon.” She glanced from Noel and then back to Audrey. “What are you having? Your next drink is on me.”

“Whatever you’re ordering,” Audrey shrugged, “I’m having.”

“How much has she had already?” Paloma chuckled, glancing over her shoulder at Noel while also ignoring the camera phones pointed in their direction by other pub patrons. “Can I get two—” she began before Audrey cut her off.

“Oh, wait, no…order Alabama Slammers.”

“What’s that?”

“I dunno but I’ve always thought the name sounded hilarious.”

Paloma looked at the bartender, “Do you know what an Alabama Slammer is and how to make it?”

“I can look up how if you take a picture with me,” he grinned flirtatiously at her.

“Oh, that’s extortion, you cheeky bastard.” She smirked back at him. “But it’s a deal.”

While Paloma climbed up onto a stool and leaned over onto the bar, the bartender pulled out his phone and snapped a selfie with her. As she began to climb back down, Noel acted as her spotter so that she didn’t fall.

“Okay, we’ll get two of those Alabama Slammer thingies but while you’re looking that up, start us off with some shots.”

“Of what?”

Paloma looked between herself and Audrey and grinned like the Cheshire cat. “Two redheaded sluts, if you please.”

“You know the auburn is fake, right?” Audrey asked, pulling at her hair.

Noel chuckled, lifting a few strands of Paloma’s hair. “And you think hers isn't? This particular shade is only natural on Ronald McDonald.”

“Oh, shush,” Paloma swatted his hand away.

When the shots were ready, the girls clinked glasses and downed them quickly, both shaking it out after the fact. They pushed the empty shot glasses away while the rest of their “party” tried to get closer to the bar to put in their own new drink orders.

“Let’s get these drinks and head back upstairs soon,” Tom suggested. “It’s too fucking crowded down here and there are too many fucking wankers.”

“Oy, watch it, Kasabian,” some pub crawler in his early twenties shouted, having overheard Tom.

Tom simply scowled and flipped the guy off. Rev was walking up just as that happened and began to laugh. He placed his hands on Audrey’s shoulders as the bartender finally pushed her and Paloma’s Alabama Slammers over. The girls clinked glasses again and took hesitant sips of the beverage, seeming pleased enough with it.

“Hey, Fielding, what happened to your other girlfriend; the hot bint from the radio?”

Noel glanced at Audrey and scowled. He couldn’t see the guy, but could tell by his voice that it was the same one who shouted at Tom. So, he ignored him and focused on his friends, but the wanker, as Tom would refer to him, kept it up. Probably, he was shitfaced.

“Aww, sorry to intrude on Celebrity Hour, mate. Is your very public life not so public?”

“Dude, seriously, shut the fuck up,” Audrey piped up, looking over Noel’s shoulder and glaring at the guy with her beer balls swelling.

“Wow, your Yank has a mouth on her. I bet she’s plenty good with it, eh?”

The other guys started to pick up on what was going on. Noel was growing severely livid, despite not being one for violent confrontations at all. In fact, he abhorred violence, but in this moment he was ready to pummel the guy repeatedly in the face. Turning around, Noel moved closer to him and was about to retaliate somehow when Rev moved closer as well.

“The fuck’s your problem, you fuckin’ arsehole? Can’t function like a normal human being when you drink? Do you always turn into a fuckin’ ape? Do we need to have you kicked out and sent back to the zoo?”

One of the wanker’s friends seemed to realize what was going on and trying to pull him away, to no avail, either because the wanker was that persistent or the friend was just as drunk and didn’t care that much.

“Pfft, bitch ain’t even pretty. Why you give a shit? She’s not your girl, too, is she? Does she get around? Is her twat made of gold you famous types love so much?”

Before he could go on, Audrey had moved between the men and before anyone realized it, the wanker was down on his knees and covering his balls. It had all happened so fast but apparently she had kicked him there with her riding boot. Placing her foot on his shoulder, she shoved him back into the crowd and let him roll over in pain. The action was met with cheering from not only her and Noel’s friends but nearby patrons as well, who were muttering about how the wanker was a regular who regularly pulled shit like this.

“Pick your cock up and get the fuck out of my face, you fucking piece of shit,” she slurred angrily at him, while he whimpered. “Be thankful I only kicked you there and didn’t rip the damn thing off.” Audrey picked up her drink while Noel just stared at her with amazement and admiration while their friends laughed and smiled. “It’s my fucking birthday and I will not have any twatwaffle ruin it for me.”

With that, the people around them cheered. Noel leaned forward and kissed her. “My damsel in shining armor.”

“I’m my own damsel in shining armor,” she snickered, returning his kiss with a bit of tongue. When they parted, she gestured for him and Rev to help her climb up to sit on the bar, which they did carefully because she was wearing a skirt and didn’t want to give anyone a show. Holding up her drink, she looked over everyone’s heads and smiled. “Happy birthday to me! I’m buying everyone a round of drinks!”

Everyone cheered.

She pointed at the wanker and his friend who were still standing around, but nearer to the exit now. “Except those two wankers!”

They cheered again; some shouting happy birthday wishes her way as well.

Audrey whipped out her credit card and handed it to the bartender who had been so pleasant to her and Paloma. “Here, open a tab. Mark everyone’s hands with a Sharpie or something so you know who already got a drink or something. I got money to spend but I’m no one’s sugar mama,” she informed with heavy laden eyes. “And can I get a double shot of tequila rose…do you have that?” He shook his head and she frowned. “Okay, then I’ll take a sex on the beach and the fruitiest shot you can come up with. I’m almost done with my Amabama Slammer,” she mispronounced and then laughed when she realized she’d done it.

“Tom’s right, we should go upstairs after you get your drinks. It’ll be less crowded upstairs,” Noel said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Having almost chugged the Alabama Slammer, the effects of the alcohol were starting to really hit her. Paloma had move out of the way and was trying to listen to whatever it was Rev was asking her and Tom moved up to the bar to finally get his next drink as well.

Audrey looked up into Noel’s eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist. “My god, you have the most beautiful eyes in the world,” she cooed. “That was the first thing I noticed about you, y’know.”

“Was it?”

“Mmhmm.”

“I noticed your tits first, if we’re being honest.”

Audrey snorted. “Most people do. They’re not Pam Anderson tits but they’re not subtle either.”

“Not one bit.”

They grinned at each other as the bartender pushed her drink and shot over. She took the shot of whatever and downed it before setting the empty glass down on the bar and taking her sex on the beach in hand.

“Okay, upward and onward,” she announced, pointing in the direction of the stairs. “I hope I don’t wake up in a tub tomorrow.”

“Covered in ice and missing your liver?”

Audrey giggled. They took to the stairs, not waiting for the others. He had a hand on the small of her back as she walk up in front of him, partly to make sure she kept her balance as she walked and partly out of the habit of just touching her subconsciously. His other hand was holding a glass of vodka and tonic.

“No, because of being drunk like last Halloween when we were here,” she replied.

“Oh. No, I think it’s safe to say you’re the one who’s gonna end up naked in bed with me.”

“I better be. That ass of yours is mine now.”

“Should I get your name tattooed on it so it’s official?”

“I think a love bite will suffice.”

“You’re gonna bite my ass?” Noel chuckled.

“Pfft, c’mon, like it’d be the first time,” she rolled her eyes. They made their way over toward the front of the upstairs where they’d been sitting for dinner and where the couch she remembered sitting on last Halloween also was. Mike was sitting there with Lauren on his lap so that the others there with them had room to sit. “You two are so cute together.” She then eyed Lauren specifically. “It’s nice to not be the new girlfriend in this circle anymore.” Audrey pretended to hand over something invisible to the younger woman. “I pass the torch to you now.”

Lauren laughed and nodded her head in thanks. “I will do my best to not disappoint.”

“Thattagirl,” Audrey slurred. She then whipped her head around to face Noel and swayed because she hadn’t expected him to be so close. A sudden feeling rushed over her and she felt warm from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. “Hey, hey…guess what?”

“What?” Noel wasn’t as far gone as Audrey nearly was, but he was getting there as well. He narrowed his blue eyes at her and snaked an arm around her waist while Mike snapped a picture of the pair with his phone. “What?” he asked again when she didn’t respond right away.

“I have this sudden need to give you the greatest blow job ever because you gave me the bestest birthday ever.”

“Wow, I don’t think you said that loud enough,” Noel laughed.

Behind them, Mike and Lauren, Serge and Amy and a few others laughed as well. Audrey simply waved their hand at them.

“Please, it’s not like they think we’re celibate with each other.” She looked at the group behind them. “This just in: we fuck like bunnies. That is all.”

“Congratulations!” Serge cheered, holding up his beer.

“Thank you,” Audrey replied. She looked back at Noel. “But seriously. I do.”

“Well, hopefully you can maintain that vigor until we get home and not fall asleep on me.”

“You know I get horny when I get drunk.” She winced. “Sorry. I also blurt inappropriate things.”

Noel raised his hand from her waist to cup the right side of her face with his pinky finger just under her jaw. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to hers. “I fucking love you,” he murmured into her mouth.

They stood there just kissing and almost full on making out for a moment when Tom, Rev and Paloma rejoined them.

“Get a room,” Paloma teased, sipping some new drink. She then dipped into her purse and poked Audrey in the side with something. “Before I forget; here.”

Audrey pulled away from Noel and looked sheepishly at Paloma and then down at a small box wrapped with gift wrap and an even tinier silver bow on top. “Aww, thanks.” Sitting down in one of the wooden chairs at one of the tables, Audrey set her drink down and then went about opening her new gift. “By the way, where are my other gifts?”

“I have them here,” Mike said, pointing to the gift bags at his feet.

“Oh, thanks Mikey.”

“Welcome.”

When she pulled the gift wrap off, Audrey smiled and then gestured for Paloma to come near for a hug. “Thank you, Paloma.” Inside were two bottles of Chanel nail polish, and a bottle of Givenchy Ange ou Démon perfume. “I love this perfume, too. How’d you know?”

“I called up Noel and told him to look through your perfumes and see what was the least full.”

“Clever.”

“Also, the nail polish colors aren’t random. I picked them for their names,” Paloma informed. “I don’t remember which is which, but one is called May because we met in May and the other is called Black Pearl because I saw the pictures of you dressed like a sexy pirate from last Halloween, you cheeky minx.”

Audrey giggled. “At least you didn’t call me a slutty pirate.”

“I wouldn’t do that. That would be very anti-feminist of me.”

Making sure the gifts were secure in their box, Audrey handed them over to Mike and asked if he would put them in one of her gift bags for her, which he did. She thanked Paloma again and everyone else for coming out and then, once her drink was halfway gone, announced it was dance time. A DJ had set up around the corner from them near the stairs so there was music-a-plenty.

Paloma and Audrey scurried over to and tiny, empty stage in the corner and were soon joined by Lauren. All three women then beckoned for Amy and Kim to join them. Soon all five women were dancing to none other than David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Noel watched from the seat Audrey had been previously sitting in until he down the rest of his drink, cracked his knuckles and stood up to walk over toward her and pull her away to dance with him.

“You look beautiful, Birthday Girl,” Noel whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth.

She smiled, tasting the vodka on his lips. “Right back at ya, Ol’ Blue Eyes.”

“Let’s Dance” was ending, however, when next a remixed version of Coldplay’s “Paradise” began to play. Audrey giggled at first, but then turned toward the DJ along with Noel and several of the others, as they all shouted at the same time.

“NO!”