A Shocking Disclosure

"Look what I brought you." Daisy said instead of arguing.

She pulled the champagne bottle and the chocolates and crackers out of the paper bag. "I'm not quite sure how cold the champagne is anymore, but we still have to drink it. And I heroically saved all of them, including the chocolates and crackers from the guy I was stuck in the elevator with, so we’d better enjoy them."

"Well, of course we still have to drink that champagne. Give me that." Ugo grabbed the hotel water glasses as Daisy pulled the foil off the champagne bottle. "I can’t believe you were stuck in the elevator all that time. And why weren’t you texting me back. Was your battery out?"

"Okay, there’s a story there, but let’s toast to you first before I get into all of that." Daisy twisted the metal lid open and pulled out the cork with a gentle pop. After she poured a healthy amount into each of their glasses, she held hers up. "To Ugo Chike, the first black female partner at Jade and Judy, in over ten years. To a brilliant lawyer, but most importantly the best friend a girl could ever pray for."

"Are you trying to make me cry?" Ugo said. "It’s not working. I don’t care if you see water in my eyes. it is just because I’m allergic to this bedspread."

Daisy smiled and clanked her glass against Ugo's. "Cheers to you." They both drank, hugged again, and drank some more.

"What time are we headed to the club? Daisy took another sip of champagne and checked the time. "We're partying nonstop, baby. All that stress, I'm gonna pour them all out on the dancefloor. I don't care. Have some chocolates."

Ugo reached for the champagne bottle and refilled their glasses. "Ugo, this suite is heavenly. Why are you splashing so much money on......"

"Frivolities?"

"Well!" Daisy replied.

"I've been made partner honey. Do you know what that means? It means I won't keep overthinking anymore. I don't have to consider joining a mushroom firm created by my colleagues from Bronx. Do you know that I almost put my Money in that firm." Jezz!"

"Being made partner doesn't stop you from wanting to start your own firm, does it?"

"Well, not yet at least."

"So, no more excessive spending Ugo. And I'm serious. If we get back from the party, we're going to go down a bit with your room reservation. It's too much. I still don't get why you aren't in your house."

"A girl has to get laid." Ugo echoed. "And the room, it's not my money. That dude I told you about, he rented it for three days. So I'm meant to be out of here by Saturday morning."

"The chef?"

"Mhmm."

"He seems like a nice person."

Ugo nodded. "That's how they all seem until you lose your guard and they mess you up."

"Don't even get me started." Daisy replied.

"Oh wait, what was the story from the elevator? Why weren’t you texting me back. I was worried that you were, like, in trouble of some sort. But I also know you're claustrophobic and the continuous beeping of your phone might get you paranoid. So, I had to stop."

"You did well to stop. I would have gone crazy if you didn't."

"Now, tell me this story immediately." Ugo set her glass down on the nightstand and gave her friend an expectant look.

"Damn, is that the look you use on your clients and have them spilling their guts.? Daisy took a fortifying sip of champagne.

The real Ugo slipped out from behind the lawyer's face as she grinned. "Well, basically, so start spilling."

Daisy took a deep breath. It had all just happened a few minutes ago, but right now, the story no longer seemed like it had happened to her. "So, the other person in the elevator with me was a guy."

Ugo nodded. "Obviously, otherwise you would have attempted texting me back. No matter how curt your reply would be. Plus your first reply to my text stated that he was a man."

Daisy kept talking so she wouldn’t lose her nerve. "A cute guy."

"Daisy, come on..... spill the facts now. Of course he was cute. He wouldn’t have even known of the existence of the chocolates, crackers and wine in your bag if he wasn’t. But I feel like that’s not the end of this story. Wait." Ugo looked Daisy up and down. "That dress looks like it is easy to get in and out of. I am going to be so proud of you if you had a quickie in the Royal-Crest hotel elevator.

Daisy gasped. "Ugo!, ew, no!"

Ugo sighed. "I knew that was too much to hope for my decent friend."

Daisy's hand tightened around her glass. Now she was a decent friend for not throwing her clothes off for a stranger in an elevator. "I’m not decent in the way you're making it sound," she insisted.

Ugo nudged her. "It’s not an insult, Daisy. You know you’ve always been the well-behaved one. The one that talks sense into me when I'm misbehaving.

"Anyway." Daisy stood up and poured the rest of the champagne into their glasses. "I’m going to be his date to the Mayor's proposed fundraiser this weekend.

"What?" Ugo froze in place, her face white like she saw a ghost.

"Well." Daisy smiled. "I shocked you now. That’s a first."

"Daisy....are you certain? Do you know him? Who is this guy?"

"Oh we do. I know him, and you know him too."

"We do?" Ugo asked, standing up from the bed.

She brought the side stool closer to the foot of the bed and faced Daisy. "Who is he?"

"Brett, Brett Lexington. My Ex!" She rushed into the bathroom, to avoid seeing the horror on Ugo's face.

Daisy threw herself into clubbing like it was going out of style. She and Ugo bounced all over downtown clubs from Fairview City to the central, wasting stupid money on VIP spots while having a fabulous time. She threw caution to the wind and danced until her feet felt like they were going to fall off , but she toughed it out until Ugo complained about her legs first.

They had just stumbled out of a Lucris club with a plan to buy flip-flops at a nearby store when they ran across a hawker promoting a lounge a few blocks away.

"Great place to get off your feet for a while," he said, without the usual flashy smile or exaggerated hype most of the club hawkers employed. His clothes did not look cheap and this intrigued Daisy.

Coupled with the fact that the man didn't have flyers or postcards. He only handed them a thick and well made card that looked like a VIP business card of some sort. Ugo squinted down at the lettering, having a few more drinks in her than Daisy, she forced her vision to focus on the tiny card handed to them.

"Looks swanky." She commended.

"Show them that card at the entrance," the hawker urged. "You'll skip the queue."

"Sweet." Ugo linked arms with Daisy and dragged her along. "Let's go. You might find a quality guy in a swanky joint, hopefully you knock that stupid ex of yours out of your fuckin mind."

Daisy's feet were on fire by the time they found the place, but she immediately quit bitching when she saw the charming entrance. The line to get in was quite long, extending down the street. Sia's soulful voice drifted out of the open door, as did well-dressed customers exited with big smiles. True to the hawker's word, the card was a magic key that granted them immediate and free entrance.