Babes Stripping For Love

It was the day of the family dinner. Bree was feeling nervous, so after her shift at Babes ended, she was saying yes to coffee with Cassidy. She still had another hour before she was scheduled to pick up Hazel.

Cassidy was finally done with her midterm and she wanted to unwind. “It’s my treat, come on.”

“Well, I don’t shake my ass anymore and I’m not making money rain on me. So, you better be paying for coffee but I’ll pay for the cakes. Yup, I feel the need for those creamy chocolate cakes.”

Cassidy laughed at Bree, the young med student always loved spending time with Bree and the feeling was mutual. Aside from her misfortunes, the woman spread positivity like a rainbow and Bree needed that with everything that’s been going on in her life.

The women ordered then both seated in the corner booth for privacy.

“So what’s with you and that hot silver fox,” Bree asked wanting an update on Cassidy’s newest client.

“Ugh, how much do you know about him? I thought you’d be out of the loop since you’ve been hiding in the back office.”

Bree smiled and shook her head, Cassidy knows she wasn’t hiding. Jojo gave her mountains of paperwork and Bree had been swamped for the last couple of days.

“What? do you think you’re the only one in the club that’s gossiping? You really underestimated Dee and Rocco, that couple is a match made in heaven for gossip. It’s like they complimented each other, filling out the gaps in every juicy gossip. You might have a contender in your hands.”

Cassidy laughed, almost choked on her coffee that she had just sipped while Bree smirked and spooned her chocolate cake the second it was on the table.

“So?” Bree asked again, her previous question still unanswered.

“He’s not that old, I think it’s the stress, that guy needs to chill, like seriously. He’s forty-one. I know… I know, he’s half my age.”

“Hey, I’m not judging. Gage is way older than me and my ex is dating your peers. Age is nothing, but people still suck.” Bree shrugged and went back to sipping her coffee.

“Are you going to date him?”

“It’s a bit complicated.”

“Why?”

“He’s my dad’s best friend, he kinda knew me growing up. The man was sent overseas for so long that I forget about him. I remembered seeing him once on my parents’ anniversary. The man was hot, his wife was hotter.”

“Woah, he’s married?” Bree asked, though seriously not wanting to go there. Of course, men go to strip clubs to stray. But she let Cassidy explain and resist herself from any judgment.

“Divorced, a very bad one. That’s why it’s complicated. I really don’t want to get into his mess.”

“Oh, maybe you should just take a step back and let everything settle down first.”

“Yep, that’s what I’m planning. Though the guy kept on coming to the club and asking for me, it’s not like I can refuse him. Come on… he’s so fucking hot and he knows it.”

Bree laughed and asked what she was going to do about it.

“Um… Probably carry on as is, but definitely no dating. I don’t think he’s ready for that step even though he said he was.”

“And you’ll be okay with that?” Bree looked back on her situation, it was actually in reverse of Cassidy’s. While she was with the complicated divorcee, Gage was the single one who insisted on dating. But now Gage had escalated their situation into meeting the family, in the next couple of hours.

The thought still lingers in her mind when she picked up Hazel and went back to Gage’s.

“Are you excited about meeting Gage’s family tonight?” Bree asked when they arrived at Gage’s.

“I want to wear my new dressy dress. It’s pretty.”

Bree wanted to roll her eyes, of course, Hazel was excited. Gage had bribed her with a new dress for tonight, that man was smooth. He certainly had tricks up his sleeves.

Bree had just finished dressing Hazel when Gage was back from his meeting. “Hey, sorry I’m late, why don’t you go get ready while I accompany Hazel?”

“Okay. Thanks, I’ll be quick.”

“Take your time.” Gage winked and sauntered back to the living room where Hazel was playing with her toys, looking cute with the dress that he bought for her.

It was not until almost three hours later that Gage noticed Bree look a bit pale the moment they arrived at Gage’s parents’ driveway. Hazel on the other hand looked more than ready to get out of the car.

“Come on you’ll get to meet Poppy and Arlo,” Gage said as he unbuckled her from the car seat.

“I’m hungry.”

“Of course you are, we had a long drive didn’t we?” Bree closed the door behind her and let Gage usher them to the front porch.

His family home was big yet it looked modest at the same time. It blended perfectly with the surrounding houses, not at all screaming attention as her previous house with her ex.

“Gage, come on in… you can introduce them to the whole family, they’re in the lounge.” An older beautiful woman greeted them.

But Gage didn’t listen to her, as he stopped and introduced them to her. “Mom, this is Bree and her daughter Hazel.” Gage kissed his mom on the cheek and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“Welcome Bree,” she hugged Bree awkwardly and the single mom let her kiss her cheeks.

“Thank you, Mrs. Huxley, I brought lemon cake.” Bree gave her the cake she made early that morning before work, though Gage told her not to bother in bringing anything.

“Oh my, thank you, Bree. You shouldn’t have, but I will never say no to dessert and please call me Edith.”

“Mommy’s lemon cake is the best!” Hazel shout-out before Bree could answer Edith. The little girl was giggling in Gage’s arm as he picked her up when he saw her looking around waiting to be introduced.

“Well, hello there, you must be Hazel, don’t you look stunningly beautiful tonight.”

“I am. I’m wearing a new dress! Gage bought it for me.”

The man chuckled and put her down when she wiggled in his arm wanting to show Edith her new dress. Bree was tensed when Gage put his arm around her waist while his mom was talking to Hazel.

But the little girl shrieked when a very friendly German shepherd woof his way to greet Gage and the man let Hazel hug the family dog.

“Mommy, a doggy, so fluffy!”

Hazel laughed and Gage introduced the dog to her, they shook hands and Hazel patted the dog’s head and told him that Duke is a very polite dog, which then made everyone laugh.

“Come inside and meet everyone, I’ll go check on Sally… go on Bree, meet everyone then you can join us in the kitchen, we’re almost done.”

Dinner went great, Gage’s mom, Edith was very friendly and so was his dad, Graham. Marvin was being nice, though Bree was still self-conscious around him. While his sister Sally was friendly enough, her husband had a work emergency and couldn’t make it to dinner. But her kids Poppy and Arlo were friendly towards Hazel, they played together with Duke while the grownups lounged by the living room once dinner was done.

Throughout dinner, his family had been tiptoeing around Bree’s situation in front of Hazel. But when Hazel was busy with Sally’s kids and the family dog, Bree was in the spotlight.

“Thank you for coming, Bree. Gage doesn’t normally bring his date to our dinner.” Graham, Gage’s dad said relaxing in his corner seat.

“So, how are the situations with Hazel’s dad?” Sally was the first to ask the privacy-invading question that Bree was not sure she was ready to share with Gage’s family, though she knows she will have to. Sally was also the first to ask her age when they met earlier in the kitchen, and Gage’s older sister gave her a once over. She was judging without being subtle, and Bree’s confidence was slowly slipping away.

“It’s been over a year since we got divorced. He’s giving me full custody.”

“Sally…” Gage was warning her, but Sally was not listening.

“And now you’re staying at Gage? what? Marvin told me.” Sally shrugged when Gage gave her the deathly glare, Sally obviously wanted his parents to know the real situation between Bree and Gage.

And Bree had enough of Sally when she decided to bare it all and get it over with once and for all. She didn’t care if his family accepted her or not, after all that happened. Bree was not going to play nice and sit back while fate ruined whatever good thing she had going on in her life.

“I’m staying with Gage after he offered me when I was almost assaulted in the parking lot of Gage’s apartment building. We were staying there after Hazel was hospitalized because the only apartment that I can afford had mold in the ceiling. Yes, I don’t have enough money to pay for rent because my ex won’t pay child support and the alimony barely covers for rent. We also rationed food because I need to pay for her daycare while I work. And whatever inheritance money I got left from my parents had gone to my shady lawyer trying to get my wealthy ex-husband to pay for his responsibilities.”

“Bree…” Gage put his hand on her, silently telling her that she didn’t have to continue.

“No Gage, I told you, I’m too young for you, too much baggage. It’s all my fault that I was too stupid to let my ex control everything, I even let him hit me. I’m just glad he’s not taking Hazel. Sally and Marvin are right to questioned me.” Bree got up from her seat, Sally was speechless and Marvin didn’t say anything.

“We should get back, it’s past Hazel’s bedtime already. Edith, Graham, thank you for having us. You have a lovely home and I wish you all happiness.” Bree hugged them but didn’t give them any chance to convince her to stay.

“Sally, Marvin, it’s nice meeting you both. Very eye opening, and don’t worry I’ll be moving out once I get my paycheck to pay for a decent apartment.” Bree held herself steady while she went to take Hazel in her arms.

“Mommy? is everything okay?” The little girl moved in her embrace, but Bree just kiss her forehead softly telling her that it was time for her bedtime.

“I love you, mommy.”

“I love you too, sweety.”

Gage didn’t say anything when Bree slipped into the backseat giving him an excuse that she wanted to accompany Hazel as she sleeps in her car seat.

In the darkness of his car, Gage could see from the rearview mirror that Bree wiped her tears away when tears started tracing her cheeks the moment Hazel falls asleep.

The man cursed at himself, he deliberately didn’t defend Bree at his parents knowing Sally will only raise her voice. And he didn’t want Hazel to hear any of the adult discussion, but now he felt like a complete jackass. He wished he could go back and do the opposite.