The Invitation
Two years later
Tessa Bloom sat behind the counter at the dull insurance firm where she worked, watching the hands of the clock as if willing them to walk faster. She was drained, the long hours of paperwork was exhausting but most times, her mind would always drift to her beautiful daughter Naya.
The baby she once considered not keeping, turned out to be one of the best things that had ever happened to her. She adored her.
Tessa's world was painfully shallow, lonely and void. No romantic entanglement, no excitement, just bills and deadlines. And being a single mom with a shitty job was the icing on the cake of her not-so-colourful life.
She picked up her phone to call Maya, today Maya would be taking Naya for an ice cream spree, she just wanted to know if they were both fine.
The air outside was warm, and the sweet smell of jasmine filled the air. She was happy to hear home. She knew this was a perfect evening for a walk.
Tessa decided to stop by Cream and Crust to grab a latte. This was her best hangout, She loved how serene and peaceful this coffee shop was. The smell of freshly baked pastries lingered in the air, the same earthy walls lined with old magazines and the same tiny bell above the doors that jingled whenever someone came in or left.
Grabbing her Latte, with chocolate chip cookies, Tessa slid into the booth by the window, nursing her drink and mindlessly scrolling through her phone, she heard someone call out her name.
“Tessa Bloom? No way!!”
She looked up to see a tall, olive skinned woman. Those sharp brown eyes and the gummy smile, and immediately she recognized the figure in front of her.
It was Rachael Moore.
“Rachael?” She mouthed out excitedly, but stunned.
Rachael Moore was an old college roommate. The mischievous one that no guy wanted. Rachael was always in the middle of every relationship scandal, she was that girl that would push other girls under the bus for male validation, but still she got rejected every time. Her boyfriends always cheated on her, leaving her sore and sad, but surprisingly in no time, she's up and hunting again.
She looked very different, more sophisticated and there's this air of confidence and control that exudes from her.
They embraced each other, each one gushing about how much the other has changed. Their laughter caught the attention of other customers.
“Look at you,” Rachael said, sliding into the seat opposite her. “You look great, still glowing.”
“You should see yourself, I could barely recognize you. You look different, I mean in a good way.” Tessa chuckled.
“Thank you. So what have you been up to? I thought you left Utah.”
“No, I've got a job at the Star bridge insurance company, just down the road. Nothing really interesting.” Tessa took a bite on her cookie.
Rachael nodded slowly. “So are you and Jordan married yet?”
Just the mention of his name made her stomach twist. It's been more than two years already but she still remembered that night like it was yesterday.
“No, we're not together. That chapter ended badly.”
“Oh no, I'm so sorry. Do you mind me asking what happened? Everyone swore you guys were going to end up together.” Rachael’s voice conveyed her concern.
“I thought so too,” Tessa flashed her a plastic smile. “That was until he dumped me, he said I wasn't pretty or fancy enough for him. Maybe he found someone better, because weeks leading to the breakup, he was always distant. But I'm fine now.”
Rachael leaned back, staring back at Tessa. “His loss.”
“I guess.”
There was a painful silence, so many unspoken words lingered between them.
Rachael looked out the window, then turned to Tessa, her face suddenly grew serious.
“You know women don't deserve the treatment they get from men most times, so I'm a part of a private group of amazing women. A kind of transformation circle, and I think you'd fit into this group.”
Tessa, who was clueless of what she was hearing, emptied her drink. “ I've never heard of such a gathering or group.”
“Of course you haven't.” Leaning forward, Rachael talked in a hushed tone. “The cornerstone of our group is The card ritual.”
Tessa raised an eyebrow. “Now you're scaring me.”
Rachael laughed, “I know it sounds scary, but it's really not.”
She reached into her bag and handed a black card with gold edges to Tessa. There was no name on it, just a number and a logo Tessa doesn't recognize.
“Once every month, we have a private closed door meeting. No names, just initials. In these meetings, every member writes down the names of men who have hurt them, maybe an annoying boss or an ex or even random men they meet, but are not in the mood to strike up a friendship with. They drop the cards of these men in a transparent glass jar, and each lady randomly picks a card.” She stopped to make sure Tessa was with her.
Tessa tilted her head. “And then what?”
“You seduce the man on the card, make him feel special, some women go as far as dating them. Most times we use different names and identities, as we want to keep these affairs completely clear of our real and personal lives. After these men start catching feelings or at least thinking whatever is going on has a future, you ghost him. Leave him guessing what went wrong. Just like he did someone in the past.”
“That's revenge.”
Rachael smiled slyly. “Call it balance, we call it The players got played affair. And the number one rule, never fall in love with your target. Ever.”
Tessa blinked again. “Rachael, that's twisted.”
“No, it's satisfying. It's more like taking the power that was taken from you back. It's liberating. I want you to be a part of this, after everything Jordan's put you through, these men don't deserve us.”
“I don't know,” She murmured.
Rachael gave Tessa her business card.
“No pressure, that's my number, we usually meet every last Sunday of the month. If you change your mind, just call me.” She reached out to Tessa's hands on the table. “This changed my life. You should come.”
They talked for another hour catching up, but Tessa's mind kept drifting to the card. The idea of becoming someone else for a while is catchy. Someone who didn't get left behind, someone who didn't cry herself to sleep wondering why she wasn't enough. Someone who had the power.