Party People | Chapter 5
“We are your thoughts.”
“Gabby?”
I blink as the room comes into view. My dog is barking. Should I let her outside? Man, were her eyes blue—
“Gabby.” Chessie confirms, raising an eyebrow as her well-manicured fingers intertwine on the table in front of her. I look up and I am in a dimly lit conference room, the white light scratching away at my corneas. Chessie leans in and the group follows, like students following a teacher. “Why are you always so late to these meetings?”
“Chess. No shame, remember?” A voice from the shadows gently reminds her.
“Oh, sorry.” Chessie corrected as my vision faded fully to black. “I’m not used to this new plan…”
I was now in Hawaii. The ocean breeze wafting through the hotel lobby. “Welcome.”
A figure was approaching me with their arms open wide. As they came into view, I saw the figure was Mook.
She is so wise! Sigh… Wow, she feels… enlightened? Is that possible?
Mook chuckled, scaring me out of my thoughts. “I sense your self-judgement,” Mook formally replied as she boops Chessie’s nose.
“Wait.” I say, back on my bathroom floor, alone. Our shower mat is surprisingly comfy to sit on, like a blue island in a sea of cold tile. “Can you guys hear my thoughts?”
“Honey.”
A spotlight flashes off of the body-glittered bosom of Elle, who was perched on the end of a chair.
“We are your thoughts.”
She laughs dramatically as she pulls a rope and lets the water cascade down her body. I loosen my collar.
“Okay, we get it, Elle.” Natasha huffs as she rolls her eyes and unapologetically adjusts her cleavage. I was surprised to recognize Grace next to her. If it wasn’t for her classic poofy nest of hair, her mascara-stained eyes and “Flagstaff college student” beanie made her look close to unrecognizable.
“And guess what, Chessie?” Nat taunts as she reveals, to Chessie’s horror, that Grace can comfortably take a hit from Nat’s cigarette… was that a cigarette??
Grace coughs out a “Nope!” as the lights flick off and back on. She was no longer holding anything.
Kida barks.
“Okay, Gabby, you can be real, just don’t share all of this.” Chess pleads as she very obviously struggles to stay awake. Her pajamas look so silky soft on her olive skin that I know Lil’ Gab would feel cool just being at the same sleepover as her. “If you have to share it, at least mention how cute I look in these pajamas.”
Will do, girlfriend.
“So, what do we need?” I ask the group from atop my lavender bed. They all look at each other and take a deep breath.
Mook, Chessie, Natasha, Elle, and Grace… all parts… of me.
“That was really good, guys.” I encourage. “We’re all here together, finally. I can’t accurately express my gratitude that you’ve waited for me for this long.” I feel the pressure of tears behind my eyes.
“Yeah, you know me,” Natasha so humbly gloats. “I’m patient as fuck.” We all giggle. “I swear, guys, it’s crazy the self-control I can have when I want to have it.”
“Yeah, but you never want to!” Chessie laughs.
“You got me there!” Natasha replied, with finger guns and a tone dripping in sarcasm.
~
I don’t know why I’ve always forgotten to attend these meetings…
For so long, I didn’t realize the meetings were happening.
Then, when I became aware, I was almost immediately told not to listen to the constant notifications and reminders. This was confusing and isolating and painful.
Once I realized how many meetings I’d missed, I think I actually began missing the meetings out of fear. What would they think of me? Would they judge me too? What happens if not all my parts like me? And vice versa?
It’s a lot.
Coming to realizations while exploring my inner world…
attempting to beget harmony between my parts…
And remembering to love myself along the way…
My God, it’s a lot.
I know Lil’ Gab would love to hear that I am finally giving her full permission to be herself— privately and not.
I hope she likes me.
~
🤍 End of Chapter
Once Upon a Gab keeps its promise of twisted fairytales. This fairytale just happens to be my parts work personified. This group of gals is deeply personal and I plan to create a lot of content with them, perhaps even change their stories into comic book format. I’m pumped to draw them out more officially using Procreate!
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