"Her name is Diamond. She's been my best friend for a couple years now."
"What is it you like about her?" I asked, looking for clues into Natasha's way of thinking. Women almost always saw each other with a more judgmental eye than they ever would with a man.
"She's a real person." she took another sip. Her lipstick had left a ring around the edge of the glass and I found myself longing to touch it. "She'll tell me when I'm screwing up but she won't take any pleasure in it, you know what I mean?” she looked at me pursing her eyebrows together. “Some women will call you a friend but take every chance they get to knock you down a couple notches. It isn’t like making me feel bad about my haircut will make the cellulite melt off your thighs. Hell, if it did there’s be fights on every corner all day every day.” Then she burst into hysterical laughter at her own joke. She did that a lot. “I bet you have a friend like that. Someone who keeps you in check."
I nodded my head.
"Sort of. My brother has always been the guy to tell me when I'm screwing up."
"I didn't know you had a brother." Her eyes lit up as if it was some huge accomplishment to have a sibling. "I'm an only child. I'd have loved to have a brother or a sister growing up. I had a dog. Not the same thing, I bet."
"Actually, you're not far off." I replied, watching her nose wrinkle as she laughed.
"Well, maybe I could meet your brother some time."
How could she know, right? I knew my face gave me away as I felt the muscles tighten in my jaw and the look on her face suddenly became very concerned.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No." I said, taking her hand and bringing it to my lips. But I couldn't help feel maybe I should tell her. No. There was nothing to say. Besides, it was her shell that needed to be cracked. Not mine.
It didn't take long for Natasha to arrange a date with this Diamond friend of hers. Of course I sent the car to pick them both up. I had expected to see a frumpy, slightly overweight thing that was a little more conservative in her dress and reserved in her demeanor. That was usually how these kinds of meetings turned out. But Diamond shined as brightly as her name implied. The game had suddenly become a lot more interesting.
We were at a regular bar where the waiters and waitresses had to wear a white button down shirt and black pants to give it a hint of cheap elegance. They took drink orders without writing them down and smiled professionally as some trippy techno music was piped through the speakers.
The introductions were made and I squeezed between the two girls making sure my hand was placed firmly on Natasha's thigh so Diamond could see.
"I'd like two bottles of your best champagne." I said quietly to the waitress who nodded her head.
"That would be our Dom Perignon at one hundred fifty dollars a bottle, sir. Shall I bring them out?"
"Please do." I replied.
"Dom Perignon? You really don't have to go through all the trouble." Diamond said smiling sweetly. "We're happy with...with..."
"Some Mad Dogg and two straws." Natasha said sending the girls into a fit of laughter. I had to smile, too. They were fun. This kind of banter continued throughout the night as we sipped champagne and they entertained me with stories of bad dates, bad jobs, great weekends and what they considered to be great adventures. To them, a trip to the suburbs, stopping at a honky-tonk for a beer and karaoke was one for the ages.
There was something splendid about the simplicity between Natasha and Diamond that made it even harder for me to do what I had to do next. Like I knew would happen, Natasha got up to go to the bathroom, leaving Diamond sitting at the table with me. Luck was always in my favor. If things didn’t go as planned they would inevitably unfold even more to my advantage if I just paid attention.
"I can see why you guys are such good friends." I said.
"Yeah? Well, Nat is a great girl. She is the yin to my yang. We complement each other. And I’m not telling you anything you don’t know but she’s been giddy as a school girl since you met. It was really great what you did. You know, helping her get a job. She’s a good worker. Her bad luck with the last place she was at was jealousy. Believe me.”
I nodded my head.
"I don't know if she's told you that we've made love."
I watched the expression on Diamond's face as she nearly choked on the last sip of her champagne and her cheeks turned a bright pink.
"Uhm, you know, we're grown women. We don't need to get anyone's permission or approval for that kind of stuff and so...thanks for sharing." She rolled her eyes at me. It was disrespectful. Here I was trying to make things easy for her and she’s being ungrateful.
"I'm really glad you see it that way.” I said, letting her bad manner slip by. “So even though I couldn't make love to you because that is what I do with Natasha, I'd be happy to screw you."
The look on her face was priceless.
"What did you just say?"
I grinned.