Literally, it's been years

Friday night, Lena, Emily, and I went to The Melting Pot for chocolate fondue. We shared a Yin/Yang (mix of dark and white chocolate) and Flaming Turtle (dark chocolate with caramel, pecans, set on fire). It sounds quite simple, three college roommates getting together for a little gossip and laughter. But in fact, we've been trying to do this for over three years. We've seen each other, during the day, with various collections of children, surrounded by other people that as hostess one of us must manage. But last night was unique. Just the three of us, at night, without children, without husbands, without distractions. And without a curfew.

The three of us lived together for two years in college. Living together was challenging. All of us were occasionally grumpy, irritable, irrational, selfish, messy, and downright bitchy. Perhaps more than occasionally, often at the same time. A few other girls rounded out as fourth throughout those years, but the chemistry was really about the three of us. It was complicated, as it often is with women who love each other very much, but without the history of sisters. As we've grown up and found our lives taking strikingly similar paths (jobs, marriage, morgages, and babies), these two girls have become a cornerstone of my life. They provide me with courage, hilarity, support, and comfort. I crave their companionship when it's been too long.

So we met at my house (yeah, I didn't have to drive!), enjoyed fondue, came back for tea. They left at 11:30pm. Emily had an hour's drive ahead of her. We just didn't want to stop talking. We discussed Emily's house, Lena's writing, everybody's kids. We discussed how badly we all wanted new dishwashers. Of course we talked about our husbands. We compared holidays. We said frequently, "We need to do this more often." And so we shall. Next is Lena's shall-be-unnamed birthday in February. Two times in three months. It just might become a habit.

What a wretched lot of old shriveled creatures we shall be by-and-by. Never mind--the uglier we get in the eyes of others, the lovelier we shall be to each other; that has always been my firm faith about friendship. * George Eliot