Week 6: Valentine’s Date Night
The road between Peril County and what most folks would call civilization was not treacherous by stretch of the imagination. It was, however, old, pock-marked with potholes, full of curves and two-lane for most of the way. There was roughly a two-hour drive from Black Grass, the county seat of Peril County, to Lexington and then another hour to either Louisville or Cincinnati. For a young couple looking for a romantic night out on the town in Peril County, the local Dairy Cheer or Martha’s Diner were about your only options. So, traveling out of town for special occasions was not out of the norm.
Lou and Donna had been dating on and off for the past four years, since they were sophomores at Peril County High. Lou was currently in her second year at the local tech college finishing up a degree in auto-body repair while Donna was across town at the nursing school with one more semester to go before she became an RN. Being an openly lesbian couple in Appalachia was interesting, to say the least, and they had both expressed a desire to move to a more progressive area at various times to one another. But, for every blue-haired old bitty that looked at them crossways when they were holding hands in the park, there were a couple pink and green haired young people who couldn’t give two flying shits. Peril County, and the rest of the region, got more understanding and accepting as time passed, Lou thought one day while spot welding in the school’s shop. And things would never change if people like her and Donna just ran away because Pentecostal Patty didn’t approve.
“Let’s get dressed up and go to a fancy dinner in Lexington for Valentine's,” Donna said early in the week. She was a tallish woman, with lanky limbs and a slightly crooked nose from when a poorly passed basketball nailed her during eighth grade PE. Her shoulder length brown hair was usually pulled behind her head in a pony tail, and she wore thick glasses with silver frames. The couple were seated on a leather couch in the one bedroom apartment they shared.couple were seated on a leather couch in the one bedroom apartment they shared.
Lou, short of Louisa, was the daughter of Mexican immigrants who had moved to the region in the ’90s. Her parents started a successful restaurant one town over and still operated it to this day. She was shorter and rounder than her partner, but her face was warm and kind. She kept her hair short, shaved close on the sides and typically had a purple stripe running down the left part. “Mom is doing a two-for-one special Saturday. We could go to that,” she replied expectantly with a smile.
Donna laughed a little and playfully slapped Lou on the leg. “Wouldn’t it be nice to put on pretty dresses and go eat something nice that doesn’t come with a side of rice and beans.”
“Do you remember the last time we got all dressed up and went out? It was our Senior Prom. Do you want another night like that?” Lou said. She raised an eyebrow and was somehow able to look down at Donna, even though she was a good foot shorter.
Donna grinned broadly as Lou could see the gears turning in her partner’s mind. “Well, the boys we took were something. I’ve never seen someone puke up that much hooch at one time. My dad had to pay $150 to get that limo detailed,” she said with a laugh.
Lou rubbed her temples with one hand. “And Tom Baker sure thought he was getting laid that night. Boy couldn’t have been more wrong!” There was a moment of silence before both of them guffawed and fell onto each others shoulders.
“I wonder if my mom didn’t know then, about us I mean. I remember she said something about being glad that we safe and home together that night instead of out running the roads or getting blitzed on some strip job,” Donna said. She held Lou close to her shoulder and stroked her hair.
Breathing deeply, Lou snuggled closer into her partner. “You really wanna do this, huh?”
Donna rubbed her cheek onto the top of Lou’s head. “Let’s dress up and go out. We can go eat at a nice restaurant, have some drinks at a fancy club and then stay in a hotel downtown. You’ll love it, I promise!”
“And how are we gonna pay for this extravagant evening, exactly?” Lou asked as she looked up at Donna.
A mischievous grin spread across Donna’s face. “I might have saved a little of my Christmas money from mom and dad just for something like this,” she said.
Lou rolled her eyes and smiled. “I bet you already have it all planned out, don’t you?” she asked, knowing the answer.
Donna sat up straight and pulled her phone from her pocket. A few clicks later, she tilted the screen toward Lou. “There’s a new place downtown called The Turquoise Turtle that has Guatemalan food that is supposed to be amazing! And just down the street is a cocktail bar called Mary B’s that has like eight hundred different types of alcohol behind the bar. And we can stay at the hotel next to Rupp Arena. There’s no game this weekend, so it won’t be nuts.”
“You already made reservations, didn’t you,” Lou said with a smile.
“I’m gonna take you out on the town and get you good and liquored up!” Donna bent down and gave Lou a sweet peck of a kiss.
An infomercial selling rotisserie ovens started playing on the television. “You don’t need to get me drunk, you know. I’m kind of a sure thing,” Lou said, kissing her again.
Later that week, the pair threw an overnight bag into the back of Donna’s Camry and set out for Lexington. Donna tuned her satellite radio to a modern pop station and sang along to every song that played. Lou would offer to change it to a traditional country station every few songs, mostly to annoy her companion.
They drove through the mountains, past tiny communities that had a couple stop lights and a few more gas stations. Donna sang out as she steered her car along roads that ran along the creek bed, roads that climbed high over hills and some that were dug right out of the rock. Lou played games on her phone and checked other apps when they were near a town and the cell service was finally strong enough to have signal.
Late afternoon saw them arrive into town. Donna parked the car in the semicircle outside the front doors of the hotel. The pair walked into the lobby where they saw walls paneled with stained wood and huge glass fixtures hanging from the ceiling. A large cherry-wood desk was ahead of them on the right, with a sign that read “Front Desk.”
“Checking in?” The woman behind the counter asked as they stood in front of her station. She was around Donna and Lou’s age with curly blonde hair and rosy cheeks.
“Williams,” Donna said.
The sound of keys clicking was followed by a few electrical beeps and buzzes. “Looks like we’ve got you for one night. Breakfast is included and that will be one floor below us. It starts at six and runs until eleven. Oh, it looks like we only have king rooms still available. Will that be ok?”
Lou grinned sheepishly and looked over at Donna. “We will manage,” she said, nudging Lou with her elbow.
“Alright, here are your keys. We have you in 814. Elevators are around the corner. Please let us know if there is anything you need.” The desk clerk smiled as she handed Donna a small envelope filled with two plastic cards.
Donna’s fingers interlocked with Lou’s as they walked onto the elevator. She hit the 8 button and the doors started to close in front of them. The smell of industrial cleaner and old wood lingered in the lift. “I’m really glad you planned all of this,” Lou said, placing her head on Donna’s shoulder.
“I mean I didn’t do it just for you. I did it for both of us. We need to get out every once in a while. Just decompress, I guess,” Donna said, resting her cheek on top of Lou’s head.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened to the eighth floor. They made their way down the hall toward 814. “And don’t get me wrong, I’m all for Guatemalan food, but mom and dad’s place is pretty fancy if you think about it,” Lou said, smiling broadly.
“If it makes you feel better, we can tell them it’s your birthday and see if they bring out a fried ice cream and put a sombrero on you,” Donna giggled.
Lou attempted to feint shock and disappointment. “First, I love that sombrero. And If their deserts aren’t as good as a fried ice cream, you’re gonna hear about it now.” She opened the door to their room and grabbed Donna in a tight embrace, letting the door close behind them.