Who would have thought that one comment would lead to a wonderful friendship. I no longer refer to Geraldine as the woman next door. It's amazing all the things you can learn from a person, especially one that has been around the block and seen things you dare to encounter. Tomorrow Geraldine will be turning 53 and even though we've only been friends for a few months she's solid. She's one of those friends that everyone wants. Your accomplishments she compliments without cruel intent, she can actually hold an intellectual conversation and doesn't piggyback off everything I say, she keeps it real about everyday life bills, men, money and success. I gathered a few of my friends that I believe would be a great blend amongst the four of us to discuss her birthday plans. Of course, there's always someone thinking crazy my friend Symphony suggested strippers and I bout passed out, I just don't see Geraldine being the type to like penis shaking in her face but then again you never know. We met early to make sure everything was the way it needed to be. I'm not sure what came over me, but I agreed to the male strippers, I hope this isn't going to turn out to be a bad idea. By 2pm we were wrapping everything up. Everything for tomorrow is set and it's time for me to debrief on my own mental. A glass of Tito's and lemonade accompanied me at the kitchen table where I sat in complete silence. No thought in particular sat on my brain, but multiple random thoughts occupied my mind. I began to feel restless so that was my queue to get up and check my work computer, luckily, I did because there were 23 orders waiting for me and four are two-day delivery. On that note it's time to lock in and get these orders out, it feels good to have the reputation of being reliable and sufficient. As soon as I lit my candle, I heard several demanding knocks at my door and although it was daylight I moved with precaution. Before answering the door. I grabbed my gun out of my purse and proceeded to the door. "Who is it," I said with aggression. "Sacred it's Geraldine, open up and put that thing away before you hurt someone." I opened the door laughing "how did you know I had anything in my hand", I asked? She just looked at me, we both started dying laughing. As she closed the door I felt a weird feeling in my bones, in my spirit rather because how did she know that? The entire time we sat in the kitchen having cocktails the urge to ask Geraldine how she knew I had anything on me kept popping in my mind, was I just being paranoid or does my gut feeling stand corrected that that was some weird spooky shit. Forget it, I can't hold it in any longer. "Geraldine, "I called her name with skepticism. She looked at me with a pure, loving look, yet I saw something else on her face that I'd never seen before, and it made me uncomfortable. " How did you know I had a gun; I've never mentioned it or shown you?" I could feel my face changing from friendly to stern cause at this point I want answers. She sat there for a moment to either think of a believable response or because she felt put on the spot either way I needed her to tell me something. "I heard you shuffling around when I knocked, I also heard it cock." Her response knocked my socks off because even if I had cocked my gun back which I hadn't there was no way she heard it through the door. I shook my head slowly responding with "ahhh I see." Sitting in an awkward silence I finally got up from the table and offered her a glass of water since we were both working on our second cocktail. We sat and talked for a while longer until it was time to wrap up the evening. " I really need to get these orders packed and shipped" I informed her. After Geraldine left, I ran upstairs and sat on my bed deep in thought wondering how she knew what she knew. I couldn't shake the feeling of alarm, and my watch dog was officially up and on bullshit. I sat on my bed for a while longer and decided to take a shower. Before that though, I had to call my late-night creep, I need some action today been long and he always came with a great night cap. "Hello Justin, are you coming through tonight?" Lord let this man say yes! "Hell yeah, let me know when you want me to pull up!" Now that's what I'm talking about a man that comes when I call regardless of what I'm calling for. "Hopefully you can be on your way right now, I'm just about to jump into the shower," once he gave me the green light that he was leaving the house it was time for me to get sexy. Right as I was stepping into the shower my phone rang, I thought it was Justin calling back instead it was Geraldine, I didn't feel like talking to her for the first time, so I headed back to the tub.