"Relax. I am not interrogating about your love
life." Alice guides me where strong drinks await.

"I wish I can just talk about it openly with someone. I
just can’t right now. Everything is so confusing when it involves her."

Alice hands me a tall glass of something cold, raises her
own glass and touches mine. "You like her."

It isn’t question.

"Very much." I down a healthy portion of the tasty
cocktail. "I can’t help it."

Another sip. "She makes me feel thing I have not felt
with anyone else."

"Interesting." Alice observes. "But she is a
married woman with a lot of baggage. Sure you are up for that? I think you
should start seeing other people, make yourself available and stop pining over
a married woman."

"You have a point." I allow myself to relax
slightly. "Know anyone interesting?"

Alice starts to count off the candidates. "Dr. Max, Dr.
Candance, Dr. Nikki, Dr. Adele…."

I roll my eyes. "All…mmm..uninteresting."

"Picky pick picky, Tina." Alice shakes her head in
disapproval.

"Hey Tina, your guests are arriving." Dana calls
out from the entrance.

I trudge over to meet the guests.

Most of them are colleagues in the same field, few
candidates from Alice’s list come too. We exchange pleasantries, trade hugs and
gossips.

It is actually quite funny, Dr. Candace is trying quite hard
to get my attention. I feel rather sorry, my heart isn’t just into it right now.
I keep checking my watch and glancing towards the door. A sense of disappointment
fills me as the watch ticks away.

After the some good food and drinks, Alice announces
brightly. "Folks, it’s cake time."

She points at the round table in the middle of the room and yells.
"Birthday girl, you may stand up on that table and we’ll sing you a
song."

Everyone laughs.

I slap her on the arm. "Don’t be silly, Al."

"Come on, Tina. You are no fun." She giggles,
definitely tipsy and begins pulling me towards the round table piled with
gifts.

The door bell chimes.

"Hold that thought." I give my tipsy pal a smile
and use the chance to get door to escape Alice’s grabbing.

I run towards the door, yelling back at the crowd,
"Don’t mess up the cake, Al.", and yank open the door.

"Hey." My devastatingly good-looking neighbour gives
me a brightly smile. She is panting hard. She is still in her work gear.