Vodka with a twist

Well, you know what they say. One persons trash is another persons treasure, said Sam, shooting Julie a languid stare that was half way between irritated and indifferent. Julie was sure Sam intended the quote as reassurance, but for some reason the thought of Mark being considered leftovers wasnt particularly uplifting, even if she did hate his guts right now. Julie knew Sam had good intentions, but her friend Sam was just so blunt about everything she could be considered borderline socially inept. They had been best friends since high-school, but Sam had made a lot of enemies along the way simply for saying whatever was on her mind, good or bad, with no filter. That was precisely why she loved Sam so much. And right now, Sam was exactly what Julie needed. She wasnt going to sugar-coat the situation. It was bad and she needed some honest advice, not just sympathy. But thats the thing, Sam. I didnt dispose of him; hes being stolen from me! And all I want to know is if I can do something about it. Julie was all over the place, her breathing was agitated and her hands were fidgety. The vodka with tangerine juice they were both having, or screwdriver with a twist as they fancily called it at the restaurant, was supposed to take off the edge but it seemed to be working only on Sam. Maybe the third glass would do the trick! I know things havent been perfect lately. Its hard to keep a marriage working for 18 years, but what we have is good and Im certainly not ready to hand it on a platter to some tramp! As much as she had tried over the past hour, Julie couldnt hold in the tears any longer and her lips started quaking. She opened her eyes wide to try to avoid the accumulating waterworks from rolling out, but her awkward attempt at massaging the lower part of her sockets in the hopes that her tears would be reabsorbed was infructuous. She timidly turned her head left and right to check if her crying was being acknowledged by the nearby diners, but everybody seemed to be a lot more interested in the wine and entrees than in her small personal drama. Oh come on Julie, complained Sam. You cant just mope all day and walk around with that throw me a bone look on your face. Its pathetic. Hes not worth it anyway, she said. Even as those last words were coming out of her mouth, Sam new shed probably regret them. She was sure that even if Julie did end up getting divorced, the last thing anybody wanted to hear about their partner is what a crappy person they were. Sam was processing this thought while she stared at the breaded calamari ring she had just dipped in tartar sauce as if it held the secret to relationships. Why is there so much denial about the quality of partners people choose, even when the evidence is so overwhelming? Can poor Julie really be so blind? This guy has been fooling around for years and she knows it. How come she still wants him to stick around? Id be happy to have an excuse to dump his sorry ass and take half his money! A bite on the chewy squid snapped Sam back into the conversation. But do you really want him to stay, Julie? I mean you know this is not the first time, right? And youve had your share of adventures here and there in the past too. It just doesnt make a lot of sense to me, thats all. I know it doesnt make sense Sam. But this time Im desperate. Of course I know hes cheated on me before, but this time its different. I dont know how to explain, but I just feel it. All the other

times, those times I just let it slip and turned a blind eye and those time I caught him and confronted him, they were different they were meaningless. I dont know how to explain it to you, but they werent important and in the end they didnt matter. Plus, interrupted Sam, you had a bit of a guilty conscience of your own. Well yeah, thats why I know those other flings were meaningless to him, just as they were to me. You know it was only for the sex. It was fun and exciting, but thats all it was, explained Julie, trying to sound convincing. I never intended to put my marriage on the line; that was always crystal clear to me. But what if Mark had found out? asked Sam unapologetically. I dont know but he didnt, so no damage was done, replied Julie, with absolutely no sense of remorse whatsoever. Its funny how everything is a matter of perspective, thought Sam. It really does depend on what side of the equation youre on. I guess were all pretty accommodating when it comes to ourselves, but quite unforgiving when it comes to judging others... But, my point is, continued Sam, dont you think youve guilt-tripped him into staying? Dont you really think if it hadnt been for your emotional blackmail all those times you caught him cheating, he would have left a long time ago? The words werent ill intentioned, but Julie felt the sting. She knew Sam was right, but she wasnt about ready to accept the current outcome anyway. At least not without a fight. But Sam wasnt done. The darts kept coming in the form of very accurate and painfully raw truths. Maybe Julie had thought that Sams brutal honesty was what she needed, but she had naively envisioned her bluntness more in the form of advice than a lecture. Not that Sam hadnt expressed the same opinions in the past, but this time Julie was looking for a supporter, a fellow fighter against the mystery opponent that was Marks lover. I know youre right Sam, but I still think this marriage is worth saving. For the kids and for our company. Everything we have weve built together. He cant just turn his back on us now and walk away. I just think theres something I should do, or at least try. I think hes just confused I dont know what this woman has done to him. Julies frustration had clearly reached a limit and she was now officially surrendering to the overwhelming sense of defeat she was feeling. Sam drowned her face into both her hands and took a deep breath. Im sorry Julie, Ive heard all your stories about your adventures, as you call them, and I confess that Ive loved every single frisky detail, but I cant just wrap my head around the fact that you have both been sleeping around for years, but suddenly now youre all upset about Mark having an affair. She was being totally serious about this. She loved Julie to death, but this was driving her mad. She wanted to jump across the table and slap some sense into her friend. She wasnt there to throw her a pity-party. Maybe it was the vodka speaking, but if Julie wanted an honest opinion that was what she was going to get. She knew better than to expect something different coming from Sam.

I mean, seriously. The only difference between you and Mark is that you never got caught! I have to say youre a genius and hes an idiot, but other than that, youre both the same. So why is this suddenly such a big deal? Julie picked up her half-empty glass and sipped on the straw until the whole thing was gone and she was swirling it around the bottom, vacuuming even the melted ice that was left... The few seconds invested in that operation added suspense to the already dramatic build-up. Her eyes were watery again and she stared at Sam with a sadness that almost made her own eyes tear up. Because he LOVES her!, she spurted. Hes in LOVE this time. And then Julie really let go and she cried with the commitment worthy of a pre-schooler going for a big smiley-face badge! For the first time during the entire lunch, Sam felt miserable for her friend. She stretched her hand out across the table, maneuvering her way through the glasses and plates, and she squeezed Julies hand forcefully, hoping to transmit all her sympathy through her touch. She knew it wasnt enough, but Sam wasnt really the touchy-feely type, and anything more extreme than a hand squeeze would have been totally out of character and would have left both of them feeling awkward. They both stared at each other for a while, with the deep understanding that comes from close to 30 years of friendship. Julie knew that her point had been made, and now Sam knew exactly why she had been called. She hadnt been summoned only for some words of wisdom, but for some much needed war tactics to be deployed! Despite Julies unmistakable heartbreak, from Sams viewpoint the conversation had finally taken a turn for the interesting. Now there was some real substance to this story. Now she was invested... Now she had a mission! The momentary silence on their table contrasted with the busy buzz surrounding them, as if they were part of a different dimension. Sam warped them out of the twilight zone by patting a nearby waiter and signalling for two more vodkas with a whisk of her fingers. So who is this woman? What does she do? Where did he meet her? interrogated a fully reloaded Sam. I dont really know that much. Only that her name is Nicky Reade and she works at the consulting firm Mark hired to help with the companys recent acquisition. Thats how they met. Are you kidding me, Julie? How come you havent done any research on this woman? Thats the first thing youre supposed to do! Thats the first thing I did when my husband cheated on me. Do you remember that whore he was seeing? Sam rambled on, clearly venting some pent-up anger of her own. Oh, I stalked her; Im not ashamed to say! The bitch was ruining my marriage. The hell I was going to let it slide! Of course she denied everything, but at least I got to confront her and give her a piece of my mind. said a satisfied Sam while she guzzled down her drink. But he still left you for her Sam, so what good did that do? The sadness and frustration had now turned into fatigue. Maybe that third vodka didnt seem like such a great idea now; it would probably only put her to sleep! Well Im sure she at least felt like the rat she was for a while, responded Sam adamantly. I dont think any woman is immune to the sincere plea of a betrayed wife. By the sudden empty stare, it was obvious that Sam was replaying that moment in her head. Whether it was the actual phone call

to her ex-husbands lover or his confession or the depression that she carried for months after that wasnt evident, but something had clearly saddened her for a fraction of a minute. I dont know whats the point? moaned Julie, the confusion crawling through her voice. Will knowing all the sordid details really make me feel any better? Im not talking about the details, Julie, but you need to know who youre competing against. You need to know how bad it is, if shes married or available, if theres a wronged husband you can use as an ally. If your mind is really set on fighting for Mark, then you cant be squirmy about the tactics. You should call her and tell her to leave him alone. Just like that. Maybe she doesnt even know hes married! That happens sometimes, you know? But isnt that a really cheap low blow? asked Julie nervously. She thought about it for a while and finally came to a conclusion. Anyway I could never do that. The mere thought of talking to her makes me feel sick I wouldnt know what to say!. Excuse me Are you for real? This is war and shes invading your territory! You have all the right in the world to attack with whatever weapons you have available said a clearly annoyed Sam. Whats the name of the consulting firm you said she works at? And before Julie could say another word, Sam was looking up the phone number on her cell phone navigator. Julie was almost half way through that third vodka that had just arrived, looking clearly distressed. Oh chill Julie! You dont have to do anything, Ill do the talking said Sam. Call it a character flaw if you want, but I cant live with the doubt. She was feeling very fearless or maybe all that vodka had gone straight to her head by now. Sam cleared her throat and sat upright, as if the position would make her sound more professional and business-like. She held her cell phone in the center of the table and dialled with the speaker on so Julie could hear the conversation. After a few rings, a soft and evidently trained voice picked up the receiver and spoke with the type of front-desk-staff musical intonation that gives away away a smile on the other side. Thank you for calling Reade and Owen Consulting, how may I help you? Sam leaned into the speaker and raised her eyebrows to add drama to the introduction. She used a slightly graver tone than usual. Yes, good afternoon, this is Tracy Hill from Pacific Trading Corporation. I was referred to you by Mr Mark Cullen from Gateway Logistics International. Could I please speak to Nicky Reade? Im sorry miss Hill, Mister Reade is out of town this week, but if you like, Ill be happy to take your message and have him call you back as soon as he returns to the office. Julie was rendered immobile with the phone glued to her hand and all that could be heard was the ruthless echoing of the rhythmic ascending voice on the other side. Miss Hill? Are you there? Miss Hill? Beeeeeeeeeeep. Talk about vodka with a twist!