Thinking back on the scene in the restaurant, she shook her head in frustration. More times than not, it had always been Denise who had thrown Faith a nugget of “reality” when a good-looking man had been interested in her. Or when she wanted to buy a more risqué outfit to wear out for a night of fun, Denise usually said just the right words to make her place the item back on the store rack.
Her pitying looks and statements of, “I don’t know if he’s serious about you. I didn’t want to say anything, but I saw him looking at other women while standing right next to you,” all came flooding back. Damn, she had been so stupid. Everyone hears about the backstabbing friends who make every effort to undermine you, but she never thought Denise would be one of them.
Raising her arm in the air in the universal signal to hail a cab, Faith was determined to put the hateful things Denise had said behind her. She didn’t need friends like that anyway. She had her books and her work, and she was happy. Well, as happy as one could be without close friends, a boyfriend, children and an entire life that seemed to revolve around work.
*****