"Don't try and stop me, Holls," I said, checking out my reflection in one of the hazy shined steel that passed for a mirror and trying to ignoring Holly's disapproving eyes. The room was tilting slightly and I leaned a little to adjust for the spin on the earth. "I'm going home with Dusty Miller."
"Kate, you're not in any state to be making decisions like that." She wrung her hands and paced between the stalls and sinks. "This is so bad."
"Oh, will you pipe down, Holly." Susan, who must have seen us and followed, stood in the mirror next to me. She rolled her eyes with a groan. "Kate's a grown woman. She can make her own decisions."
"Thank you." I adjusted my tank top and started out the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get married."
"What!" They yelled in unison and pulled me back into the restroom.
"Are you nuts?" Susan laughed. "You're not really going to marry that redneck, are you?"
"Kate, reconsider this," Holly pleaded. "This is crazy. You can't go marrying a guy you just met."
"I can and I will." I pulled away, staggering a couple of steps before righting myself against the door of a stall. "Look. All my life I just wanted somebody to listen to me and maybe care about me just a little. Now, there's a guy out there that looks good and hangs on my every word, which, I must say, is pretty damned cool."
Susan laughed. "Oh, this is too much. We should let her do it."
Holly stared at Susan. "You're as crazy as she is."
"C'mon, Holls. Call your uncle and have him marry them. If nothing else, she'll learn never to go out and get stupid drunk again."
"This is insane!" Holly shook her head. "I don't want any part of it. I don't even think it's legal."
I took her hands and held them so tight she flinched slightly. "Holls, you know Dusty, don't you?"
She nodded slowly. "Yeah."
"And he's a good guy, isn't he?"
She nodded again. "Yeah."
"Can you think of anybody better for me to marry?"
She thought for a moment before speaking. "No…Not…Really. But, Kate, I think don't think this is legal."
Susan grabbed her by the arm and whispered something in Holly's ear. She shook her head several times as if refusing to follow Susan's orders.
Holly finally sighed and nodded slowly. "All right, but only because I know Dusty'll be good for Kate."
After we came out of the restroom, Susan went said good-bye to her suitors before following us out the front door. She smiled and waved as she got into Holly's car, "Good night, everybody. Have fun, Kate."