Chapter Four: The Fourth Girl

The fact that two nights later I am heading off to Wine Night with another group of girlfriends really does make me appear far more popular and cool than I truly am. Let me explain: I started Wine Night roughly a year ago when I cunningly convinced the women from my faith sharing church group that wouldn't it be fun to meet outside of church on occasion? And involve alcohol?

I am all for church, don't get me wrong, but I am also all for wine. As was Jesus come to think of it. Hence, social butterfly wine drinking persuasive heathen that I am, this group of women now makes a regular pilgrimage to a local restaurant for half price bottles of wine every third Monday. In addition to this negative influence I also take full credit for re-branding this gathering "Whine Night" as truly, we spend the bulk of our timing bitching about our husbands, let's be honest.

Alright, as long as I am coming clean, I will admit the obvious. I am social. And a control freak. I think, a healthy combo. Without people like me, everyone would just sit home watching Grey's Anatomy and communities would disintegrate. Well, communities of women drinking wine and solving all the problems of the world. Oh, the horror. That being said, I can now reveal that of course, I arrive early and secure the table. Get over it, yes, I am "that woman." I also arrive early so I can order a giant plate of appetizers. Hey, I'm getting divorced. I am running on the treadmill 10,000 miles a week at approximately 50 mph. I have worked up an appetite.

As I sit alone devouring my flat bread, the only person who eventually shows is Julia. Grabbing a piece of my coveted app, she inquires, "So are we the only two showing up tonight or what?" Whine Night is weird that way. It's a group of approximately eight of us so you never know who is going to arrive on any given third Monday. Every once in a while planets align, the seas part, and the schedules of eight busy women mysteriously sync up. On those nights, the conversations run the gamut, from Anderson Cooper's 360 degree view of Drafar to the benefits of a Brazilian wax (trust me, there are plenty!). On this particular night though, it's just Julia. And damn, she is eating all my flat bread!

The wine starts flowing and of course, my life is public pain and so I dominate the conversation. I have known Julia for almost eight years, and even though I am madly in love with her soul, it is buried behind a concrete fortress one hundred miles high. I don't know if it was the wine, the stars, or what but one hour later we are in desperate need of more napkins as needless to say Julia's fortress is a pile of rubble and her soul is naked on the heap. I am sobbing, Julia is bawling, and all the patrons around us are trying not to have their appetites ruined by two chicks creating far too much snot in a public place.

And yes, if you could not guess, Julia's marriage is ending as well.

Julia is the fourth girl.