The women stood in the shadow of Cinderella’s Castle and smiled as the people milled around. Little children shrieked with glee as they ran ahead of their parents and foreign tour groups followed the bright flags that bobbed over their tour guide’s head. Em took a deep breath.
“I love the smell of tourists in the morning.” The others just stared at her for a second. “What? I do!”
“Uh, ok there Emmers.” Jacks replied sarcastically. “Any comments from the non-crazy section, or should we head out?” The women laughed as they headed off towards Adventureland. It was their traditional route: Adventureland for Pirates of the Caribbean, Frontierland for Big Thunder and Splash Mountain (though on this trip Em and Reny opted to not go on those for fear of giving birth right then and there), Liberty Square for the ever popular Haunted Mansion, a quick lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern, back to the Haunted Mansion at Em’s urging, Fantasyland for It’s A Small World and Peter Pan’s Flight, and finally to Tomorrowland the Indy Speedway, the People Mover, and Space Mountain (sans Em and Reny), before debating if they have time to go on another ride. It was a good little system and it had worked for the troop ever since the Starlets first got together.
****Flashback****
It had only been a few weeks since the Starlet House had come together. Jacks, Mae, Em, and Kit were all unpacked and ready to begin all the adventures that were inevitable when driven young friends come together in one house. Reny had a week before she had to be back home for school, and so she was visiting, staking her claim as one of the group. They’d all decided to get up early that day and head off to the Magic Kingdom to waste a bunch of money and have a really great time with one another.
“Ok, so where are we going?” Mae asked as the Starlets trooped off the monorail.
“To hell in a hand basket.” Em replied solemnly, shaking her head. When met with silence she looked up with a bright smile. “Sorry, I’m in a silly mood.”
“Good call.” Reny replied sarcastically.
“ANYWAY…” Mae said, bringing their attention back. “Where are we going first?”
“I’m a big fan of Fantasyland.” Kit said, trying not to trip over a little girl. Em looked at Jacks with a smirk.
“Nope, too easy.” Jacks replied. “I say Adventureland. Let’s get this party started right.”
“I second that. Pirates is callin my name.”
v “Since when is your name, ‘aye there lusty wench’?” Jacks asked, suppressing a giggle.
“Since yesterday Jackass, didn’t you get my memo?” Em quipped.
“Can you guys insult each other and walk at the same time? Cuz if not we’re going to be standing in line all day.” Mae said tapping her watch.
“Careful Emmy, two tasks at once… think you can handle it?” Reny asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh don’t you start now too.” Em laughed as they headed off towards Adventureland.
“Picture opp!” Kit called as they stood in line for Pirates of the Caribbean. The five friends smooshed together and made goofy faces while a very confused looking Brazilian man took their picture.
“Would it be possible to ask where we’re gonna go next without starting a major discussion?” Mae asked looking down into one of the fake dungeons as they stood in line.
“Now really Maebee,” Em asked with a smile. “Do you really think that could or will ever happen?”
“A girl can dream can’t she?” Mae answered with a laugh.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I wanna go on Splash Moutain.” Reny said as she stood on tiptoe to see how long the line was ahead of them.
“Any seconds?” Em asked.
“Second.” Jacks and Kit replied simultaneously.
“Splash Moutain it is. And then Big Thunder is a logical third stop.” Em said.
“And then?” Kit asked.
“Come on Kit, can’t you just live for the moment? Why you gotta plan everything?” Mae asked with mock disgust. Kit let out a sigh, but all the girls laughed.
“Then we go to the Haunted Mansion so I can pick me up a hitch hiking ghostie.” Em said beaming.
“Oh yeah! I totally forgot about those.” Kit laughed.
“When I was little and we came here, I used to spend the rest of the day talking to my ghostie.” Em said.
“And now we see where the mental illness first began.” Jacks teased.
“Please step into the boat girls.” One of the friendly Disney employees said, motioning to the Starlets.
“Sorry.” They all responded before giggling. Em couldn’t resist the urge of flicking her tongue at the boy. He gave her a strange look but she just laughed as the boat took off.
As they stood in the shade of a tree while waiting to go on Splash Moutain Em heaved a happy sigh. They others turned to her, already knowing that something Em deemed important would soon be said.
“I’ve always thought that a theme park would make a great place for a date.”
“Ew, why? You get all hot and sweaty and nobody looks good in those pictures they take at the top of the drops.” Mae said.
“Yeah, and there’s children everywhere.” Jacks added.
“And it’s pretty expensive too.” Reny replied. Em waited for Kit to respond but she just shrugged her shoulders.
“I think it’d be a fun date too.”
“See?” Em said to her disbelieving friends. “The fact that it costs some money is good, cuz I don’t want any poor boy. The fact that there are kids strewn about doesn’t phase me, and it allows you and your date to be totally at ease because there’s nothing you can do that will make you look more childish than an actual child.” Em paused to take a breath while Reny and Jacks shook their heads. “And Mae… come on, if the date ends up right you’re going to get all hot and sweatly anyway.” Em wiggled her eyebrows.
“Ugh!” Mae exclaimed while Jacks bust up laughing, Reny made a face, and Kit looked confused.
“I’m just playin.” Em laughed. “I just think it’d be fun.”
“That was so gross.” Mae said breaking down and giggling.
“Yeah, well, it’s what I do.”
“And you do it well.” Jacks patted Em’s arm.
“Just don’t ever do it again.” Renee said with a smile. Em shrugged.
“O-key.”
“Wow, he’s really hot.” Kit said eyeing a guy ahead of the girls in line.
“Who?” Mae stood on her tippy toes.
“Is he skinny and veiny?” Reny asked.
“Does he by any chance look like Andy?” Jacks grinned.
“He’s not that hot.” Em said, making her ‘eh’ face.
“Yeah, whatever, this coming from the girl who likes Anton Gilberti.” Jacks said with a disappointed sigh. “Such a good girl, gone to such waste.”
“I hate you Jacks.”
“No you don’t, you looooove me.” They all laughed and continued to stare at the guy and his friends.
As the girls made their way to Tomorrowland they passed by the Tea Cups and were greeted with the ever so lovely sound of at lest twenty children about to loose their lunches.
“Yes!” Kit cried. “Tea Cups!”
“Oh no.” Jacks said.
“There will be no tea cupping or there will be throw upping.” Em added.
“Wow Emmers, you’re a poet and you don’t know it!” Mae laughed.
“And you’re a dork.” Reny said as she and Mae bumped shoulders and laughed.
“Yes, but she did know it.”
“You’re a dork too Em.”
“I KNOW WOMAN!” Em yelled at Jacks as the girls continued on towards the Indy Speedway.
“Hey Re, I bet I beat you in the race today.” Mae said, trying out her toughest racing face.
“Aren’t the cars on a little track?” Reny asked.
“Well… yeah… but since I’m in line ahead of you…” The other girls stared at Mae. “Ok, ok, so it was stupid. Em says stupid stuff all the time.”
“Yes I do.” Em grinned proudly.
“Where we going after this peeps?” Kit asked after shaking her head good-naturedly at Em.
“People mover and Space Mountain.” Mae said with a nod.
“Can we please go on the right track, it’s so much better than the other one.”
“But how will we know which is the right one?” Jacks said, playing dumb.
“No, like, the RIGHT track. The one on the right.”
“Who’s right?”
“I’m usually right.” Reny said with a shrug.
“Oh, so we go by you?” Jacks said turning to her.
“I guess.”
“Are you guys done?” Mae asked. Jacks and Reny shared a look.
“NEVER!” They answered happily.
“You guys know what I mean.” Em said flatly. “Now get in a damn car.”
“Tisk tisk Emmy, such language.” Kit scolded. Em just rolled her eyes and got into her racecar.
***** “So we wanna go on the right track?” Jacks asked with a sparkle in her eyes.
“But how do we know which one is the right one?” Renee responded.
“Do they always do this?” Mandi asked. Em laughed as she rolled her eyes.
“YES. And it’s ANNOYING.”
“We try.”
“And I think we do a wonderful job.”
“Oh? Do you really think so darling?”
“Yes, yes I do.” Reny and Jacks broke down in giggles and the others couldn’t help but join them.
“Hey Emmy? Did you ever end up having a date here?” Mae asked.
“You bet your sweet bum I did.” Em smiled and paused before getting that all too familiar gleam in her eye. “But who knew it would be so difficult making out on Big Thunder Moutain.” Em said with a casual shrug.
“Oh dear God.” Lucy sighed. “I totally didn’t need that mental picture.”
“You know you love it.”
“You guys shut up, I love these fake space ads.” Kit said staring up at the TV screens. The other women made faces at her, but honored her request and joined her in watching.
“Yup, this is a special place for us.” Em said happily.
“Shhhh.” Lulu whispered and elbowed Em in the side.