"I'm not Kieran's problem. I'm his..." Clarissa said in a very small voice.

"His what?" Jacqueline drained half the contents of her cup, dribbling a little down the corners of her mouth. "I think we all know what's going to happen in this scenario. He's been with you for eight years with no marriage proposal ever materializing in spite of his confessions of love and yadda yadda and then he'll break up with you and marry the next girl he dates within two months. I can tell ya' from experience. They'll already have three kids and a golden retriever before you even meet a new guy worth your time. Clarissa, are you listening to me?"

Clarissa smiled a polite frozen smile and saw Kate mobilizing a couple of girls from the back of the room using hand signals.

Jacqueline kept going. "This is life, people, this is reali—"

"—okay, upsy-daisy!" A couple of the girls literally scooped Jacqueline up under the arms and proceeded to drag her to the door. "Let's go back and test out that brand-new ten-key, shall we?"

"Sweet Jesus," the virgin muttered, crossing herself as she watched Jacqueline being bodily removed.

The cake felt like craft paste in Clarissa's mouth. If it had been possible to inch lower in her chair, she would have. She watched Jacqueline, dissipated and cynical at thirty, slosh her drink all over the beige hall carpet as a couple of officemates led her out of the room.

Kate put her arm around Clarissa's shoulder. "She's just a bitter, bitter, BITTER woman, Clary. Don't think twice about it." She looked around and made a large sweeping gesture with her plastic cup to the remaining party participants. "Well, ladies, thank you so much for coming to Clarissa's little send off and making it so special."