My mood brightens few notches. "Hey..you alright?"
I open the door wider, allowing her to step in.

"Yeah..yeah..sorry I am so late. An unscheduled meeting
came up when I was just about to leave the office."  She takes a few deep breathes to smooth out
her breathing.

"Don’t worry, you haven’t missed much. My friends are
just starting to warm up." I lead Bette towards the rowdy crowd.

Bette smiles. "Nice crowd."

"You won’t be calling them nice when they start
stripping you bare."

Alarmed brown eyes turn my way.

I wink. "I’ll guard your virtue."

Bette lets out a gorgeous, bright laugh that warms my heart.
"Hey! I am a grown woman well capable of protecting my own virtue."

"We’ll see…" I give her a saucy look.

"Hey, you are back!!" Alice throws an arm around
my neck and gives me a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek. "WE MISS YA!!"
She is really loud when she is drunk. Then she looks behind me and spots Bette.

"Hi, Bette."

"Hi, Alice." Bette raises the glass in her hand in
a toast in Alice’s direction. "Great party."

"Ye….yeah….it’s Tina’s birthday p…party."
Alice’s words are starting to slur.

A knife is pressed into my palm. Dana nudges me closer to
the cake. "Go on."

I take a deep breath before opening the box and then I open
it.

Dead silence in the room…

One and two and three seconds…

Mad laughter erupt. Everyone is pointing at the cake and
laughing. Dana and Alice look especially pleased with themselves.

I stare at my c-a 
arggggghhh my cake for a stunned moment then join the laughing, shaking
my head in disbelief.

The damn thing is covered with many small cream tops shaped like
boobs with cherry tops as nipples. My best friends are mad and I love them
dearly.

"You two are nuts!" I point the knife at the
offenders, waving.

"It’s one fucking awesome cake!!!!" Alice shouts
again.

Behind me, I can feel Bette shaking with laughter. I turn
and growl at her. "It’s not funny."

"Sure is." She clears her throat a little, chuckling
in good nature. "I..mmm..I have never seen a cake like this before. It looks.."
 She licks her full lips innocently.
"..delicious."

I can feel heat rising in my cheeks.

Loud birthday song filling the room comes to my rescue. After
the ceremonial cake cutting, candles blowing and birthday wish making, I endure
enthusiastic hugs from a few tipsy guests then settle in a quiet corner with
Bette, drinking and eating slowly.