Read Online Tea Leafing: A Novel by Weezie Macdonald - Free Book Online Page A

continued
muttering garbled slurs under her breath as the three made their way to the
dressing room.

 
 
 
    CHAPTER 10
    “Meet us down at
Birdie’s, Mary Jane. We’re gonna’ take her home and probably hang out for a
while.”
    “Cool. I’ll see you
there. Do you want me to bring some food? I’m sure Birdie doesn’t have any.”
    “Yeah ,
burritos, doughnuts, whatever’s on the way. That’d be great, we’re
starving.”
    “See ya’ there in
twenty minutes.”

 
    Birdie’s loft was in an
area known as Cabbagetown. Nestled just south of downtown, it had an incredible
view of the Atlanta skyline. Brick and exposed beams were a reminder that the building
was an old cotton mill that had fallen into disrepair before an ambitious
developer saw the vision of this chic city dwelling and converted it into
lofts. The area’s name derived from the ambient odor of its former inhabitants’
modest food choices. Outsiders used it as a term of derision. But Cabbagetown
was a term of pride for its post-bellum Appalachian-transplant residents.
Birdie loved the rehabbed building, because it reminded her of Manchester.
    The main room was
completely devoid of furniture, pictures, rugs or any adornment. Her bedroom
consisted of a king size mattress on a low platform slab in the center of the
floor. Blankets were scrunched up and feather pillows tossed indiscriminately
on the expanse of the 1000 thread count sheets. In true Birdie style, there was
no ‘right way’ to sleep. No careful tucking or pillow placement indicated the
head or foot of the bed. She had unscented, white altar candles in clusters on
the floor and a single paper lamp she used for reading. Books were stacked in
the corners of the room and had started spilling along several of the walls.
Two racks of clothing stood against the far wall under a series of high
windows. Her closet overflowed with shoes, purses and accessories of every
description.
    The three girls piled
into bed around Birdie, wedging her in so she couldn’t thrash. Using hardcover
coffee table books as trays, they tore into their Mexican feast.
    “Suspended, huh?” Mary
Jane peeled the wrapper back on her soft taco, “Are you gonna’ go to another
club or stick it out?”
    “I don’t know. I’m too
mad to think straight tonight. I’m sure I’ll have an opinion about it tomorrow.
I just can’t believe he had the gall to say that we’re lucky . . . Prick.”
    “Yup,” Grace mumbled
with a full mouth, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
    The three chatted about
the evening and finally decided to crash at Birdie’s since dawn was breaking
and morning rush hour had begun. Thank God for blackout drapes.

 
 
 
    CHAPTER 11
    Sam was the first up.
She shuffled around the loft trying to wake up. Starting a pot of coffee she
noted the digital clock read 12:17 p.m. Birdie’s bed was certainly comfy, even
with three other people, Sam slept like a log.
    The girls were a motley
crew before they’d had their morning drinks. After being rousted from a dead
sleep, silence prevailed until Sam passed out beverages. She handed Birdie an
obnoxiously large pair of stark white, plastic rimmed Jackie Onasis sunglasses
to help her deal with the sunlight. They passed around a container of make-up remover
wipes since no one thought to wash it off before they fell asleep. Hair
disheveled and make-up smeared made them look like a troupe of tired, slutty
clowns.
    As they were settling
into their second cup, Mary Jane lit her first cigarette.
    “I’m a little surprised
you have a coffee machine Bird.”
    Birdie was stretched
out on the bed, sunglasses on, staring into space. “Most of the people I’m
sleeping with drink coffee.” She deadpanned, turning her bug-eyed sunglasses in
Mary Jane’s direction.
    Mary Jane spit her
mouthful of coffee back into her cup, laughing.
    “I know you hens think
I’m a bloody Cretin, but I do occasionally think about company. ‘Ave a look