Chapter 8: Mad Men

“Hey, do you have Kennedy’s number?” I asked Rasul when we were working out. I knew she was staying with Sookie but I’d rather talk to her when Sookie wasn’t around. I wanted to plan her birthday. I needed Rasul in on it too. I wasn’t the best dancer in the world but I planned on doing a strip show for her and her friends. I wanted to see if Ras would join me. He usually didn’t have an issue being naked. Something told me Sookie’s friends would he more than happy to see us dance. If nothing else, it would be fun.

 

“Yeah, we traded before she went home that morning.” He pulled his phone out and sent me a screenshot of her contact. Her picture was from the neck down.

 

“Damn,” I chuckled when I got it. “She’s… nice.” I looked at the picture for a moment. I was still a man with eyes. I appreciated the female form.

 

“She’s staying with Sookie, you know?”

 

“I know. I want to talk to her about Sookie’s birthday. I wouldn’t mind showing up and finding the girls naked,” I snickered.

 

“You and me both, brother,” he replied. “You’re going all out for Sookie’s birthday, aren’t you? You look like Cupid bitch slapped you.”

 

I flipped him off and said, “I wouldn’t say all out. I wanted to see how you’d feel about dancing for her with me. I want to get some of her friends together and give them a night to remember with Sookie as the center of attention.”

 

“Flip the script on her, huh? Yeah, I could be down for that. We could probably get Preston in on it. He used to be in the Thunder Down Under act,” he reminded me.

 

“Oh yeah, I need to call him. I figured if you had to think about it I’d remind you that you could probably get all the blowjobs you can handle,” I told him. I went into my text messages and shot Pres a text asking him to call me when he had a chance. I also shot Kennedy a text letting her know I wanted to talk to her.

 

“You know I can’t pass that up,” he said. “Sookie’s a cool chick. I’m in.”

 

“Sweet. Her birthday is on the first of July.” It was a Saturday, so she was probably working. “I was thinking of throwing the party the Thursday before.”

 

“That could work,” he nodded. “Just let me know.”

 

“Thanks.” I set my phone down so I could get back to my workout.

 

We usually worked out together so we could spot each other when lifting. It was a leg day so I didn’t need a spotter. I got comfortable on leg press and started on my reps. I wanted to do something just the two of us too. Maybe she’d let me come along on the beach trip. We were still new and just fucking, but I knew it was going to become more. Something shifted with us after our date. I didn’t know what her deal was but I hoped I made her feel at least a little bit better. I was still trying to show her how a real man would treat her. The emotions passing between us that night were something I hadn’t felt in a long time. I just hoped I didn’t fuck it up somehow.

 

***

 

I knew Sookie had already gone to work the next night when I decided to swing by her place to see if Kennedy was home. I was in luck when I pulled into her driveway and the lights were on in the house. There was also a Lexus parked in the driveway that I parked next to. I got out of the truck and walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

 

It took a minute before the door opened a little.

 

“Eric,” Kennedy smiled. “Sookie’s not here. She’s on the main stage tonight and Vic’s pissed at her right now.”

 

“I was here for you anyway,” I said. “What the fuck if Vic pissed about?”

 

“She had the nerve to call in sick.” Kennedy opened the door wider to let me in. “You have good timing. Thai food is on the way.”

 

“Nice,” I smiled as I stepped inside. “She spent that night making tacos for me,” I chuckled.

 

“You’re lucky. She’s not much of a cook.” She closed the door behind me. “So what can I help you with?”

 

“I need your help planning Sookie’s birthday,” I told her. I walked over and took a seat on the couch. “I plan on throwing her a party the Thursday before.”

 

“Oh. She’s probably working that night but I can check the schedule,” Kennedy offered.

 

“That would be good, thanks. So… I wanted to know how you feel about my idea. I uh… Ras, Preston and I are thinking about putting on a strip show for her and her friends…” It sounded dumb. Fuck.

 

Kennedy smiled and said, “I think it’s a great idea. I’d make it rain like monsoon season.”

 

“You really think it’s not dumb? I have some rhythm, Ras is pretty good too but Preston used to be a male stripper. I figured it would be nice to give her a little treat. Plus, we’d go full nude.” Male strippers usually didn’t go full nude.

 

“Well hell, my birthday is October fourth,” she said. “As for Sookie, I think you have a great idea. I’m not sure if it’ll work for her. She’s… she’s weird about her birthday. It’s not a party day for her.”

 

“I have a feeling it has the possibility of going all wrong. I still want to do something. She clearly has had a rough life and I’m trying to show her not all men are assholes that want her for sex. There are good people that do shit for her because they want to, not because they want something from her.”

 

“Believe me, you’re making an impression. She’s happy, which is unusual. I mean Sookie’s good at putting on the face, but I see it when she’s cleaning the kitchen or folding laundry, you know? Did she tell you why she’s weird about her birthday?”

 

“She did not. I told her she can show me her cards in her own time. Something happened on our date that had the potential to fuck it all up. She didn’t tell me what happened, but the clit massage I gave her seemed to snap her out of it,” I chuckled. Kennedy didn’t.

 

“Her mom died on her birthday.”

 

Well, shit.

 

“Fuck,” I sighed. I leaned back on the couch. I wasn’t going to change my plans. I wasn’t having her party on the day of her birthday. She needed to know that even though her mom died, it didn’t mean she wasn’t important to other people. She was certainly important to me already. “You know, I’m going to do it anyway,” I said. “It’s time she starts making better memories. I can tell she’s been through some shit, but I’m going to change that trend if she let’s me.”

 

“I’ve been trying for years to do that. She’s stubborn, but I think maybe coming from you it might work. She’s dealt with a lot. Well, no, she’s experienced a lot; she hasn’t exactly dealt with those experiences.”

 

It wasn’t my job to be Sookie’s therapy. That was something she’d have to do in her own time, but maybe having someone in her life that shows her they care would get her there.

 

“All I want to do is show her not everyone is out to get her. I want to show her how a woman deserves to be treated,” I said. “I am trying to show her that not all people are bad, because I can tell she feels that way a lot of the time.”

 

“It’s her dad’s fault. That asshole really did a number on her,” Kennedy told me. “I know it’s cliché, right? Stripper with daddy issues. It’s not just that, but Sookie would be a very different person if her dad wasn’t the abusive piece of shit he is.”

 

“I’ll let Sookie tell me,” I said. I didn’t want Kennedy telling me all her business. The doorbell rang and Kennedy got up to get it. I smelled the Thai the second she opened the door. It smelled damn good.

 

“That smells amazing,” I said.

 

“Yes it does,” she agreed. “Are you hungry? There’s plenty here to share.” She headed for the stairs, carefully carrying the bag up.

 

I followed her up. I was a bad boy and watched her ass move under the yoga pants she was wearing. She had a really nice ass. When we made it upstairs I asked, “Want me to get you something to drink?”

 

“A beer sounds good,” she answered as she got down some plates.

 

I went to the fridge to grab two beers. “I wasn’t hungry until I smelled that,” I laughed. I found Sookie’s bottle opener so I could crack open the beers.

 

“I’ve got veggie spring rolls, chicken satay and a double order of chicken pad Thai,” she told me. That was a lot of food her just one person.

 

“Were you planning on eating all of this on your own?” I chuckled.

 

“Rasul may have mentioned you were coming by,” she confessed.

 

“Of course he did,” I chuckled. “I saw his contact picture for you. It’s pretty damn nice.” I waited to her to dish up her food before I started to plate my own.

 

“You want a personal tour?” she offered.

 

My eyes scanned up and down her body. It was tempting. Sookie and I weren’t exclusive and I knew she’d touched various parts on Rasul.

 

“Yes, but I’m not sure how Sookie would feel about it,” I told her. “We aren’t monogamous, but I don’t know…”

 

“I wouldn’t tell her,” she said with a flirty little smile.

 

“You’re a very beautiful girl, and believe me, any other time I would take you up on it. This… I couldn’t do that to Sookie,” I said. “I care about her too much to do that to her.” Plus I promised her I wouldn’t fuck with other women while I wasn’t on the job. I meant that.

 

“Too bad for me, but good for her. You’re the first one not to take me up on it.”

 

“I may work in pornography, but I do have morals,” I told her. “I would get pissed if Sookie fucked around with one of my friends without me there and participating.”

 

“That’s fair,” she said.

 

“So how many of Sookie’s ‘friends’ would come to her birthday?” I needed Kennedy to be the one to do all the inviting.

 

“You mean actual friends or people she knows?”

 

“People she knows and likes enough to hang out with and watch men get naked.” I took a bite of a spring roll.

 

“I can think of a few people. She doesn’t have a lot of friends. You may have noticed that.”

 

“I did,” I nodded. “Do you think she would mind anyone you invite seeing me naked?” It didn’t bother me that other men saw her naked on a regular basis. Anyone could pull up the internet and watch me fuck any number of women. I knew at the end of the day, monogamous or not, she was coming home to me. After the date that was the feeling I got.

 

“Well it’s not like you’re goodies aren’t all over the internet,” she said. “Honestly, I think she’d be more impressed that you put in the effort and tried to do something nice for her.”

 

“That’s what I’m hoping for. Preston is going to show us some moves.” I thought about it for a second before I asked, “Are women even interested in seeing naked dicks flopping around?”

 

“Some are,” she laughed. “You probably could save the full nude dance for her personally.”

 

“That sounds like a much better plan. The other guys will do it without question. I have to try to figure out how to give her a good lap dance.”

 

“I’m sure your friend can help you with that.” She fought with her chopsticks to get some of the pad Thai.

 

I chuckled and said, “Like this.” I reached over to help her position the chopsticks. “Now use this one.” I showed her how to move them. “Use that to grasp.”

 

“Yeah I know. My hand isn’t cooperating. This isn’t my first time with chopsticks.”

 

I shook my head and picked up a noodle to shove in my mouth.

 

“I was thinking about either renting out a club or VIP room, or just doing it at my place.”

 

“Good options,” she nodded.

 

“How many girls do you expect would make it? I’m thinking of inviting some of my female friends that I feel like she’d like.”

 

“Honestly, maybe ten and that’s pushing it,” she answered.

 

“If I account for twelve, I know Jessica, Tawny, and Cara would show. Sookie would like them.”

 

“It might be a waste of money to rent out a club.”

 

“So I have to figure out if I want all these people at my place,” I chuckled.

 

“Pretty much,” she said. “Look, Eric, I think your heart is in the right place wanting to throw her a party, and I’m happy to help, but if I’m being honest, I don’t know how she’ll react to it. I’d hate for you to put all this work in and then she flips out and goes home.”

 

“I’m going to take the chance. If it’s too much… then I apologize like a motherfucker and learn my lesson.”

 

“Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission?”

 

“Something like that,” I smiled. I took another bite of my satay.

 

“I’ll get together a guest list for you.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Kennedy and I talked a little while longer while we finished eating. I got up to leave about an hour later so I could head home. I had to get up early in the morning to meet with Stan about a new project. It was a parody on Mad Men. I wasn’t sure how much of a parody it would be. I had a feeling Sookie would like the look I’d have to have for it… the fact my first thought was about how Sookie said it all.