Page 144 of Forgiving Fate

“Hi Allie, good to see you again,” Leo says, pulling me into a hug.

I’m about to respond when Logan excitedly shouts behind us, “Everyone meet Harrison!”

Harrison waves and everyone introduces themselves as Leo leads us all over to the bar for a round of shots.

Logan bumps her shoulder next to mine and clinks her glass with mine. “Love you, Al.”

“Love ya to Lo.”

Tipping the shot glasses back, the alcohol burns as it slides down my throat. “Dammit. It’s been a while since I did shots.”

Harrison shakes his head and laughs. “Come on, Al. Let’s show them how we used to do it back in Florida.”

“No, thank you. I will not be passing out on the bar and neither will you. You promised us only two shots and plenty of dancing since you had to drive back to the city tonight.”

“Fineeee. I’ll be good, but next time y’all better find me a cozy bed to sleep in somewhere because it’s been a rough year and I could use a good ole fashion blackout.”

“AMEN!” Lainey and Harper echo behind him.

“Alright, ladies, so this was a specific request from the boss man himself,” Leo says, giving us all a sly look before bending down behind the bar. Seconds later, he pops up with a big smile on his face, holding two microphones. “Any volunteers or do we need to draw straws?”

I look down the line of people surrounding me. If you would have told me last year, I would be having a night out with Logan, Harrison, and these incredible people that I’ve met through my beautiful Storm, I would have told you to keep dreaming. And standing here now, seeing it all play out in front of me, I can’t help thinking about how incredibly grateful and happy I am that I took this path in life, even if it was hell getting here.

Standing from my stool, I drop my over the shoulder bag on the bar, hike up my high waisted pants and adjust my cropped sweater before tossing back a shot and snatching the microphone from Leo.

“Hell ya Al! Who’s with her?”

Logan jumps up, snatches the mic, and drags me over to the mini-stage in the corner of the bar.

“What will it be, ladies?” Leo asks.

Lainey points to the iPad in Leo’s hand and he hands it over, but not before sending us a sneaky look.

Logan and I both look at each other and shrug.

A wave of nervousness hits me, but it’s quickly gone as soon as ‘Can’t Fight the Moonlight’ by LeAnn Rhimes filters through the bar.

Logan and I look at each other and hesitate for a moment before bursting out laughing and singing the song at the top of our lungs.

The songs start to bleed into each other, all of us taking turns singing anything from Taylor Swift to Backstreet Boys, with Harper shocking us all by perfectly rapping the lyrics to Super Bass.

Even long after the alcohol stops flowing, we don’t stop dancing and singing.

TAP TAP.

The music stops and we all look over to Harrison standing on the stage, microphone in hand and clearly a little tipsy. “This next song is for the two girls that fucked my life up,” Harrison pauses, all of us confused, but then he burst out laughing, “IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE!”

All American Rejects, Gives You Hell filters through the speakers and we all burst out singing along with Harrison.

This is what freedom and forgiveness look like, and I freaking love it.

Walking out of The Handle, Logan, Lainey, Harper, and Harrison right behind me, I clutch my side to ease the ache from laughing so hard.

For the first time in a very long time, I was able to let go. I finally felt an ounce of freedom and even felt a small piece of my former self slip back into place. I know I will never truly be back to the girl I once was, but that’s not a bad thing.

“Get home safe, ladies! Text me when you get to wherever you are calling home tonight!” Leo shouts from inside the bar.

“Bye Lee! Miss me!” Lainey says, giggling and looping her arm through Harper’s. Logan skips over to me and hops on my back. Luckily, I catch her slightly intoxicated big butt and we both erupt in a fit of laughter.

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