It wasn't even cold,I thought, but didn't say anything. Through the darkness I could make out some movements but I wasn't sure what they were doing. A...ter a few minutes Marta asked if I would make them a snack and a couple drinks."Sure," I said, although I didn't trust leaving them alone. I made some popcorn and opened a bottle of wine and when I came back in the room they were full on making out. I stood frozen in the doorway, holding the popcorn and their drinks. Aaron threw the blanket to. .”She flung herself at me, hugging me tight. “We're friends. Friends stick together, even when one of them does something colossally stupid.”I stood there stunned. My arms twitched. I couldn't believe this was happening. They went around her, hugging her. I held my friend tight to me. My eyes squeezed shut. She accepted me, too. She didn't hate me. She had every right to.Tears burned my eyes. “Jasmine,” I croaked. “I... I...”“Oh, don't start crying,” she whimpered. “I'll cry, too, and I'm not. You don’t have to keep it from her this time.”I motioned for Aneeka to join the conversation.“Hi, Tinla. Nallen loved the dress.”“Bet he loved what was in it more.”For the first time I experienced emotion over the call-plate. I /felt/ Aneeka’s lust-filled remembering, her embarrassment at losing control. Fleeting ghosts of half a dozen others, all swirled in a confusing melange.“Whoa, girl!”A bank of six images appeared in my mind - I assume Aneeka’s as well - in two rows of three. I hadn’t. "There have been many time, my love," she continued in a low butimmensely intense tone, "when you have been my strength. When my fatherdied, when we left Illinois and set out on our own . . ." a pause. "Lotsof times I needed you to be strong for me, and you were. You know, youremember." As we were quiet together, the moment seemed outside time.She knew that we both needed her to say what she did for what followed tobe good. No weakling could please this woman--vanilla or.