With a sigh, "If I can't trust her, it doesn't matter. I only met her the other day. Life goes on. But I've known him for a long time. I trust his judgment. Or, I did."

She puts the photograph down and notices his initiative with the tequila. It's enough to make the corner of her mouth twitch, just a little.

Three in five minutes will just about do it for a while, she calculates. In about ten minutes it'll all start to kick in and she'll find herself far more giggly than usual (which is to say: not at all). If she keeps drinking she'll add to that an irresistible desire to touch everything -- something she'd prefer to avoid.

"Well, here we go," she says, and downs the shot.