Nora

"Eva, why are you sitting here in the dark?" Nora's voice broke through the silence, bringing me back to reality.

"Not in the dark. I'm watching Game Night to cheer myself up," I replied, my voice lacking enthusiasm. Nora settled down next to me, and I glanced at her, trying to figure out the time. It must be early since she usually left around eight in the evening. We often locked up together, and on Saturdays, we sometimes wouldn't get back home until six in the morning. But with the sun still hidden, it had to be much earlier than that.

She grabbed my spoon and started devouring my precious tub of Haagen-Dazs. Normally, that would have bothered me, especially since it was the last one, but after the night I had, I felt numb, devoid of any emotions.

"So, what gives? Why did Haagen-Dazs come out, and why did that one movie you hate become the answer to your prayers?" she asked, nudging me gently.

“Yeah, you’re right this is supposed to be eaten on special occasions. The price is nearly as much as the rent!”

I said trying to change the subject, yet she gave me a look which said, nice try Eva. Spill!

"So, I decided to go to the casino, since I hadn't been in a while, and with my membership card, I thought I could control myself."

“Go on, Eva. I’m listening. You know I have your back always.”

I relaxed my hands, feeling the anxiety creeping in as I relived the events of the night.

"I put on my cream slacks and headed there, not bothering to dress up, but I did wear my black heels."

"Nice choice. Cream and black heels," she complimented, waving her hand in the air, urging me to get on with the story before she got too engrossed in the movie that had finally started. With one eye on Cameron Diaz, who looked stunning as ever, and the other on Nora, who looked even hotter, I continued my tale.

"Well, there's a new dealer at the roulette tables. He started tonight. His name is Jose,” I needed a bit of ice-cream and a deep breath to continue this side of the story.

"Oh, a Latino. Nice. Is he hot?" she inquired, clearly intrigued.

I described Jose in great detail, recounting every aspect of his appearance. As I reminisced about him, my excitement grew. Even the way he placed the ball on the roulette wheel was oddly sexy. His accent was a turn-on, or maybe it was the champagne clouding my judgment. How many glasses did I have again?

"So, I asked him what time he finished, if he felt like spinning something at my place..."

I couldn’t look her in the eye, I was too embarrassed to continue the story.

"You didn't!" Nora gasped, her eyes wide with surprise.

"I did. And it gets worse," I confessed, thinking that she would never look at me the same way again if I continued to tell her.

"How?"

"I told him I was wearing red lingerie and that he could spin me all night. It would be much more exciting than turning the roulette wheel."

"You didn't!" Nora exclaimed again, nearly toppling the Haagen-Dazs's tub onto her lap while flailing her legs in the air. "When did you become so bold?" she asked, finally settling down as we both focused on the movie as we saw them all panicking as they realized they were in some deep shit in Game Night.

“Wow, it took them long enough to figure it out,” I remarked, dismissing her question.

“Now, it really starts to get interesting,” she agreed.

"So, what happened with the Latino lover? Is he in your room?" she whispered, pointing towards my bedroom.

I smacked her hand down. "Seriously, if he were in there, do you think I'd be telling you this story right now?"

I proceeded to recount the disastrous night and my ill-advised flirtations, which resulted in me getting kicked out of the casino and having my membership revoked after three years.

"I still can't believe you did that with your tongue! It's just nasty. Imagine if some guy walked into the club and did that to you. Lawsuit, anyone?" Nora commented, making a valid point.

I shrugged and sighed, conceding her argument.

Then Nora said, "Do that tongue thing again. I never knew it was so long!" I playfully pushed her hard, and she let out a fake cry.

"It's not all rosy, you know? That's what I wanted to tell you earlier. I mean, Des is not as well-endowed as you might think. Sometimes I wonder if I'll be satisfied if we take our relationship further, knowing that's what I'll have for the rest of my life."

"Well, at least you have companionship and friendship," she comforted me.

She pushed me and pointed to herself. "You know it's not the same. I can't even remember the last time a guy showed interest in me, let alone be attracted to me. I mean, I'm no Megan Fox, obviously.”

“No, you don’t have tattoos from your head to your toe and you’ve never had kids.”

Well, it wasn’t the only difference between us.

“The woman is hot, Nora. There’s no denying that.”

She shook her head. “You’re only as hot as you feel, and if you keep thinking of yourself as anything but hot, this is what men will see.”

“Confidence is everything!” We both said in unison. She’d said it to me a thousand times, and it wasn’t a case of only some of it had sunk in.

“It’s like, I think of having more confidence when I’m out there, but as soon as I have to put myself out there…”

“Then you end up on the sofa eating ice-cream you can’t afford.”

She sighed, and I rested my head on her shoulder. She freed her arms once she finished off the last of my Haagen-Daz, which annoyed me a little, but then a problem shared, is a problem halved.

And the next time I need a tub, she’s going to have to buy it!