Zenith Rising by Leanne Davis

phone to do so. She was ready to
leave, and as usual, be alone. It was Friday night, and she had…
what? A smashing condo to call her own and not another soul would
know or care she was sitting in it.
    She had her coat on and purse draped over her
arm when she ran into her partner, Sherri.
    “Hey, Erica. We’re all going to the Good Spot
for drinks and some dancing. Girls’ night out. Most of the staff
are coming. You in?”
    Erica nearly jumped at the opportunity.
Something to do. Something she didn’t have to think about. “Yes!
I’ll come.”
    “Good,” Sherri said, smiling as they walked
together towards the parking lot.
    Erica eyed their destination when she
arrived, which was just a few miles from downtown, a bar and club
with its own private parking lot. Erica found Sherri at the
entrance. “I can’t believe I’m going here. It’s not exactly my kind
of spot.”
    “Might do you some good.”
    Sherri might have been right. There were
eight of them in attendance, but she noticed Tamira wasn’t there.
Erica was glad. Although she worried about her, and where her
fantasy life with Spencer might take her, she knew socializing with
Tamira was out of the question.
    Erica had dinner, laughed, chatted, and
thoroughly enjoyed hearing the stories of the other doctors, as
well as Marge and Nadine. She listened to their kids’ anecdotes, as
well as their complaints about their husbands. Erica smiled, and
talked, but spoke very little about herself. There seemed so little
to say that was of any interest or that anyone would care to know.
It seemed to be a continuing theme in her life lately. She was
starting to wonder when it got so old: the acting, the longing, and
the general day-to-day living. Accomplished? Sure. Rich? Yeah.
Happy? No. Not even close.
    They were all seated after eating dinner, and
the music was pleasant enough and loud, when in walked Spencer.
Erica saw him immediately. He was so tall, there was hardly another
person that could obscure his head. He looked around, spotting
their table, and her specifically, before he headed over to them.
Amidst a chorus of hellos and hi Spencers, all the
women, even four wives, were blushing and smiling eagerly at him.
When did Spencer become so popular? He seemed like their personal
mascot or stud for hire, the way all eight women goggled their eyes
at him.
    “Ladies,” he said easily with a glance around
the table. He frowned however, when he caught Erica’s eye. Lately,
he seemed annoyed with her, and she couldn’t figure out why.
    “Oh, Spencer, we were all hoping you’d stop
by.”
    “You invited him?” Erica hissed to Sherri,
sitting next to her.
    “Sure. Office thing, right? We invited
everyone.”
    “But he’s a he. I thought you said a girls’
night out.”
    “Exactly why his arrival is better than
anyone else,” Sherri said, giggling. They were all obviously
smitten with Spencer. It could have been embarrassing if it weren’t
so stupid.
    He sat down when half the party moved over,
fussing over who would bring him a chair, and get whatever drink he
requested. The entire group of women became overly animated, all of
them so clearly glad he was there.
    “Come on, let’s dance.”
    Spencer grinned as he stood up and followed
Nadine onto the dance floor. The rest of the women looked on,
sighing that they didn’t have the guts to ask him first. Erica
watched them walking toward the center of the dance floor,
perfectly at ease with each other: laughing, talking, and finally,
dancing together. Spencer was a surprisingly polished dancer. He
moved to the beat, the changed steps with effortless fluidity and
little hesitation. He looked good.
    Finally, they returned to the table where
Erica and some of her staff were talking amicably. Spencer sat down
next to Erica. His long body took up the chair, and he sprawled
casually in it. She studied her drink before taking a swallow. Then
she examined it some more. Why did he always make her feel