4. Ella

Chapter 4

Ella

With determination etched on her face, Gale declares, "If this place truly exists, we're going. I've heard rumors, but always thought it was an urban myth." She holds the two cards in her hand, examining them with fierce intensity. "Two cards from two different men must be some sort of sign, Ella. It's meant to be."

Her fingers lightly caress them as her eyes widen with wonder, as if they hold the secrets to the universe. Turning them over and over, she scrutinizes every detail, running her fingers over the embossed letters and symbols. She even brings one to her nose, inhaling deeply to assess its authenticity. "My cousin's best friend, I don't remember her name, told her she met a hot sugar daddy at a place like this. I assumed she was lying, but maybe she wasn't. Don't you want your very own sugar daddy? Maybe he'll pay for your school and apartment!" Gale hops in place, enthusiasm dripping from every pore.

My jaw drops as I look at my usually levelheaded friend. "A sugar daddy? Have we just entered an alternate universe?" I scoff and dramatically roll my eyes. "There is absolutely no way I've held out this long for sex just to hand over my V-card to a wrinkly old man with deep pockets." I dramatically fling myself onto her tiny twin bed and roll back and forth in a fit of agitation. "This is not the solution to my problems!" I exclaim, feeling like a drama queen. The looming threat of getting kicked out of my dorm hangs over me like a storm cloud, while my parents choose to remain blissfully oblivious.

"I've got news for you. Most chicks do not look back at their first time with stars in their eyes. Guys our age are clumsy and notoriously clueless about foreplay, clits, and G-spots. If you're going to lose it anyway, you might as well get something out of it. An older man knows what he's doing, and a rich one will lavish you with gifts." Gale plops down next to me, and nods as if she's speaking from experience.

"Did you read that in a fortune cookie? We both know your love life is nonexistent. And you're older than me by a whole year, which means your V-card has probably started collecting cobwebs." I cackle and toss her stuffed unicorn at her face. "Quit playing around. I need a foolproof strategy that doesn't involve selling my body. My Aunt Stella has offered to take me in. She despises my mother and has an extra room. The only catch is, she lives in Nantucket."

Gale jumps to her feet in a flurry of movement, her arms flailing with panic. "Nantucket? You can't possibly move so far!" she exclaims, her voice filled with worry. She rushes over to me on her bunny slippers, offering a solution. "Stay here with me until you get back on your feet. I know my place is tiny, but we'll make it work. I'll get a futon, and we can rearrange the furniture." Her determined gaze scans the cluttered space, calculating how to fit another bed.

I sigh and run my hand through my hair, feeling guilty for burdening her. "I appreciate it, Gale, but I don't want to put you in this position. I'm currently jobless and who knows when I'll find one that pays beyond a ramen noodle budget."

We both stand in silence for a moment, lost in our thoughts. Then I straighten her comforter and grab my bag. "I better start packing," I say with a heavy heart. "As much as I'm dreading leaving school and the city, it's best not to wait until the last minute."

"Hold the phone! I forbid you to leave until we concoct a brilliant scheme that doesn't include freaking Nantucket. Between school and work, I'll never get to see you!" Gale jumps in front of me and blocks the exit. "Do me a solid and consider this Secret Garden joint. What's the worst that could happen? Even if it's a wash and we don't leave with one of those steamy arrangements, we can still paint the town red one more time before you disappear into the wilds of Massachusetts. Come back for dinner and I'll whip up something extra special. We'll try on outfits and call my cousin to find out more about her friend's relationship. Surely there are some rules to these arrangements. Don't tell me you're not even a little bit curious about it?"

"Paint the town red? That sounds messy. And I don't have time for those curiosities. I need to pack and figure out shipping costs, ferry prices, and what people wear in a place like that. I haven't been there in years." I bounce left to right like a boxer, trying to get past her outstretched arms.

Gale drops her arms, then brings her hands to her hips, glaring at me with narrowed eyes and tight lips. "Don't be such a wet blanket, Ella March. I'm trying to find a way to keep my best friend in town and you've given up before we've exhausted all options. Maybe this Secret Garden place is just a giant joke, but maybe it's not. You're a beautiful girl and the place will be crawling with hot rich men. All relationships are transactional to some degree. Why not find one that benefits you as much as them?"

"That's dark, even for you." I sigh and consider her words for a moment. She's not wrong, but who wants to think of love like that?

"I have my moments." Gale steps to one side and opens the door. I'll expect you back here by 7:00 with dessert for two and an open mind."

I slip past her, shaking my head with a mix of annoyance and resignation. "Fine. But I'm telling you it's a dumb idea."

"You think everything is dumb. Just be here."