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To Claire, he seemed to dote on Suzy, and she seeuilty that she’d not been there for Suzy and, come to think of it, she’d not told Suzy she would be out of town either Great, my friend in need thinks I bailed on her this weekend! Score: crappy weekend - 3, Claire - 0

Claire picked up the phone and walked into the living room and settled herself on the couch to call Suzy A low quiet voice answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Suz, it’s e; I was out of town What in the world is going on?" Suzy started to cry; raw, see so fast it was as if a daht now," said Claire in an urgent voice

"No," Suzy et out between sobs; Beth is here"

Beth was Suzy’s younger sister who lived across town and worked as a school teacher Claire knew they were extre Beth would slay dragons to protect her sister

"Can you talk Suz?"

Suzy took a couple of shuddering deep breaths, trying to get herself back under control and Claire held the phone in silence, giving Suzy the time she needed to coan Suzy weakly "I thought ere happy We hadn’t been fighting, the sex was still good, and he didn’t have any of the usual signs He wasn’t late co home, didn’t switch brands of underwear and hell, he didn’t even start gelling his hair," finished Suzy in disbelief

She had no idea what hair gel had to do with infidelity, probably so from Suzy’s bible, Cosmopolitan "Suz, how do you know he’s involved with someone else? Maybe he just needs soes on his phone and not the 're hiue down your throat’ type The funny thing is I was not suspicious at all I grabbed his phone thinking it was h the phone looking for a number that Beth had texted me earlier At first, I was just confused as to what all the text es were and who Melissa was I opened the first one, still thinking that soes by es and each one seemed to unfold a life and a part of Jeff that I didn’t know existed

"I was so shocked, the es and his replies were so out of character for the Jeff I’d known all those years When he walked back in and sawthe phone, he didn’t even bother to make excuses It was almost as if he was relieved that I’d found out I swear Claire; it was thesolad to hear the smile she could detect in Suzy’s voice and her attempt at humor when she finished her sentence "Did he move out, Suz?" asked Claire

"Yeah, the rat bastard was packed and out the door within the hour I think hefor the opportunity," Suzy wearily finished

"Suz, I don’t knohat to say, I can’t believe it Maybe you guys can talk and try to work through things He ht just be confused, and it’s possible he didn’t have sex with the girl"

"Bullshit! Trustdetails, he did have sex with the slut dentist; she drilled more than a hole in his mouth, that’s for damn sure"

Even clearly upset, Suzy as usual had a ords; she gave newa sailor blush’ "Are you sure you don’t want me to come over there?"

"I’ pity party that I’ to forget the scu ever existed"

"So where were you this weekend?" Suzy suddenly asked

Claire had hoped to get off the phone before Suzy brought that up "I had to work" In a vain attee the subject, Claire quickly asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"Wait, you had to work all weekend? You never do weekends," said a suspicious Suzy

"It’s the es that had to be ed Claire

"You were in the office with s buns all weekend?"

"Well um, not exactly in the office," Claire replied evasively

Claire stood up and started to pace her aparteant "What do you mean, 'not exactly in the office', where were you exactly?

Claire felt like she’d traveled back in ti home late "Uo to a friend’s house for the weekend, and he needed to hile he was there" Her shoulders tightened as she waited for the inevitable barrage that would certainly be co have you been bu buns you tart?"

"I lies,’ whatever that’s supposed to nant Claire

"Yeah, yeah, save it for so to need some details here I mean coht we’re going out to dinner after work, and you’re giving me the 411 on this whole sordid story Don’t even think about saying no, I’ll drag you kicking and screa if I need to," threatened Suzy

Claire kneas useless trying to correct Suzy and hearing the excitement back in her friend’s voice; Claire decided to let Suzy labor under the false assu else to focus on even if the fantasy was all in her head

"I promise I won’t back out; you pick the place tomorrow I love you Suz and I’m here if you need ht even tattoo your name on my rump this weekend," joked Suzy