"Well," Margaret said with a laugh, "At least she's having fun."
"Hmmm," Kierstin said, taking a sip from her Apple Seven. "She's not in the bathroom puking yet, if that's what you mean."
Elisa rolled her eyes. "If she vomits in my car, you are both paying to have it cleaned."
"I don't know," Margaret said, narrowing her eyes at Violet. "She's holding up a lot better than I would have thought."
True enough, Elisa thought, taking a sip of her soda. Not for lack of trying, she thought wryly. After two hours of watching Kierstin and Margaret somewhat deviously plying the younger woman with alcoholic beverages, Violet seemed to be barely, but pleasantly, buzzed.
"If any of us needed to drink," Margaret said slowly. "It was her."
"Last week was a nightmare," Kierstin acknowledged.
"She stood strong though," Elisa said with admiration. "I couldn't do it. I mean, I know they weren't my clan, but watching them like that…"
"No one's judging you," Margaret said gently. "I'm not sure I would have been able to, either, if I were as close to the clan as you are."
Kierstin wiped a napkin under her eyes. "Sorry," she said, giving a light sniffle. "Sorry. My hormones are still a mess."
Elisa eyed her carefully, reaching out to take her drink away. "No, but you are an emotional drunk."
"I'm not drunk," Kierstin protested.
"Want me to give you a field sobriety test?" Elisa offered with a raised eyebrow.
Kierstin opened her mouth, paused, then closed it again.
"That's what I thought," Elisa said smugly. "Lucky for you," she passed the drink back, "I'm driving."
Elisa gave a startled grunt as an arm fell heavily across her shoulder. "And that's why we love you," Margaret said.
"Yeah, yeah," Elisa said, but smiled when she knew her glass would cover her smile.
"Okay," Violet said, collapsing into her chair. "So, that guy at the bar just gave me this," she laid a shiny business card onto the table. "He's cute, and he told me to call him."
Elisa looked at the guy that was leering at Violet and sent him the patented Maza "Wither-up-and-die" look as she picked up the card. "He's a photographer?" Elisa asked doubtfully.
"Yeah," Violet said with eyes overly bright from the alcohol. "He said he wanted to meet up with me later and model for him…"
"No," the three females said firmly and in unison.
To emphasize the point, Elisa met the man's gaze again, lifted the badge out of her jacket and watched him beat a hasty retreat out the back.
"Do us a favor, young one," Margaret said. With one arm around Elisa and throwing the other around Violet, she gave the young woman a small shake. "Don't go out without at least one of us for a while. We shall teach you how to be wise in the world."
Violet blinked at them. "Oh. Alright."
Elisa slipped the card in her jacket. Maybe she'd have a little talk with the guy later… after running him through the NYPD database to make sure he wasn't already wanted for something. The way he took off, she welcomed the challenge.
"Uh, oh," Kierstin said, looking at Elisa's face. "She's got that look on her face."
Margaret looked at Elisa, "Yes, ma'am."
"What look?" Violet asked, confused.
"The one that says that someone just tried to mess with her friends," Margaret said with a grin. "She's got the scent, and she's going hunting."
Elisa rolled her eyes and changed the subject.
They weren't wrong though…