“It was my first time,” Violet confessed defensively as she and Ashley took their seats in the corner booth of their favorite diner. There was something in her tone that screamed “cover-up” even as the words rolled off of her tongue without hesitation.

“I have never slept with a guy on the same night I’ve met him. Not before last week,” Violet whispered.  Her cheeks turned a mixture of green and pink, and now she stuttered as if she were searching for the words.

Ashley listened, intently biting her bottom lip in an effort to force the disapproving words back down her throat. She loved Violet but hated that someone so smart could make such stupid decisions all the time when it came to men. It was nearly impossible to count the number of times Violet cried on Ashley’s shoulder because yet another true love had broken her heart. It was the one thing that Ashley could count on, and even worse, it was the one thing Violet had perfected. So she listened and comforted her friend’s embarrassment in the only way I knew.

“A round of martinis, please,” Ashley bellowed to the waitress.

For a second Violet stared at Ashley suspecting that her friend was on to her. Maybe it was the patronizing way Ashley muttered her usual “it’ll be ok.” Or maybe it was because Violet knew that the lie was too transparent for anyone to believe. She started to retract her previous statement, but when she heard Ashley order another round of drinks, she stopped. (more…)