“You know how she is.” Martha rolled her eyes before checking the back of the menu for anything new.
Kari was too nice—it was just her nature—and she got walked all over by her prick of a boss because of it. Martha, Kari, and I had all gone to Columbia together and had been the Three Musketeers ever since. Even with our different career paths, we found a way to make time to get together, and we had supported each other during some of the most challenging times in our lives. I didn’t know if I would have made it through nursing school without their encouragement.
Martha was tall, voluptuous, loud, and stylish. She was an assistant editor at an up-and-coming fashion magazine and was taking the literary world by storm, even working on her own fashion blog and a book.
Kari was petite, soft-spoken, loyal, and had the heart of a lion. She had just passed the New York bar exam and was working her way up in one of the largest law firms in the city. She was fierce when she needed to be and was the perfect balance of sweet and dangerous. We knew she was just biding her time before she could bust out on her own, but for the time being, she would have to pay her dues and keep her head down.
Without even ordering it, chilled peach sake was brought to our table by our favorite server, Jill. She had been the first person to ever take care of us there, and from then on we were her regulars. Jill was also one of the only Caucasian people that worked in the restaurant. She was married to one of the owner’s sons and helped in the restaurant when she wasn’t taking her business classes.
“How’d your business law test go?” I asked Jill as she filled our sake glasses for us.
The smile that lit up her face got me so excited. “I got an A! Finally! I was so nervous.”
Right then, Kari bounced over to us, taking the seat next to me. “Did I hear that right?” Kari screamed, “Did you get an A on that test?”
Jill bit her lip, nodding. “I really don’t know how I am ever going to be able to repay you for all of your help when I had questions.”
Kari shook her head violently. “I am just so glad I could help! Answering a few questions in an email from you helps break up the mundane work I am doing at the firm. File after file of yawn-fests is what I have to look forward to most days.”
A table waved to Jill and she scurried away to go help her other guests.
I wrapped an arm around Kari’s shoulders. “That is so sweet of you, helping Jill like that.”
Kari shrugged. “Those law classes can be hard even for law students. I really was happy to help. I mean, I have the knowledge, why not use it? It’s not like they trust me at work to ask me things yet. It’s nice to feel smart again.”
We raised our white sake glasses in the air. “To girls’ night. May the gossip be juicy and the dirt never leave this table.” With that we threw the shots back and finished checking off the ridiculous amount of delectable rolls and sashimi we were about to devour.
Martha glared at me from across the table. “So, how’s the boy?” Her distaste for James was never hidden; she thought I could andshoulddo better.
“He’s doing well, working on some townhouses in Queens right now.”
“No ring yet?” Kari nudged me with her elbow.
I shook my head. “Guys, you know how I feel about marriage.”
They both dramatically sighed.
“One of these days”—Kari pointed her finger at me—“you’re going to find a guy that makes you want to throw all your feminist bullshit out the window.”
Martha nodded. “You’re our only hope. Kari works too damn much with men who all look like trolls and all the men I meet or work with are gayer than Liberace.”
“Well, I am sorry to break it to you loves, but I don’t think James and I will be tying that knot ever, so we might need to find a new chick friend to place these pressures on.”
Martha dramatically rolled her eyes and slapped her hand on the table. “I just will never understand your viewpoint here. I really cannot wrap my head around it.”
I took a deep breath in.How many times am I going to have to explain this?“I have never seen a marriage succeed. They either tear apart at the seams and or crash and burn. Everyone is miserable. I am happy with James and the way things are, and besides, the whole wedding ring tradition—don’t even get me started on that bullshit.”
Kari started to laugh a little. “Everything comes from somewhere. Just because slaves used to wear gold bands on their left ring finger to show they were owned by someone doesn’t mean a present-day wedding band has the same ownership connotation. I mean really, Karla, get your head out of that ba-humbug state of mind.”
I threw my hands in the air. “Can’t we all just agree to disagree here?”
We took another shot to clear the air and then moved on to how one of the interns at Kari’s firm had been trying to play a game of grab-ass at the copy machine the other day.
“I mean, it’s the most action I’ve gotten in a while, but twenty-three is just a little too young for me.” Kari blushed.
The rest of girls’ night was spent talking about what celebrity couples were breaking up, who Martha was trying to get interviews with, and Kari’s nonstop babble about being in a penis-envy environment with no light at the end of the tunnel. We all hugged goodbye, making plans to see each other for another sushi date in two weeks.
I got home to a dark apartment. Nike and Thor started to yap at me was I walked in, trying to be as quiet as possible. James called out from the bedroom, “Babe? How was your night?”