I skipped around chronology a little because I was excited to write about my fun Swedish conversation group, but before that, on Saturday, I met up with SAG for the first time since she told me her gossip. I’ve been putting it off a little bit, if I’m honest, because I had a suspicion that she would judge me for believing the Viking’s insistence that it wasn’t him. Which I do, because I know him and I looked in his eyes as he swore blind that he would never, ever, cheat, but I can also imagine that if our situation was reversed, I might think my friend naive for taking his word so quickly.

However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. She was really supportive, and said she was happy that it turned out well because she couldn’t not tell me, but also she hated telling me. She said that his denial sounded plausible, especially as he admitted he didn’t doubt the story, just the identity of the dude. We were walking along a pathway on the little prison island I kayak around a lot, eating ice cream, and I suddenly found myself distracted. Luckily the path was quite steep so I could pretend to concentrate a little on my footing (I was wearing flip flops, bad choice).

For some reason, the conversation had made something pop into my head, and once it was there it started burrowing away and wouldn’t let go: isn’t it kind weird that the story fits their set up perfectly (she told me to my face that she is Jenny’s friend, and he didn’t really address that bit, but didn’t deny it)? Is it too much of a coincidence that she apparently also hangs out with another group of friends she met when her friend was dating one of them?

I asked SAG what she thought, and she hesitated, that kindness jumping into her eyes again that told me more of what she thought than what she said. Slowly, as though she was choosing her words carefully, she said that from what she knew, ABBA Girl is a social butterfly who knows a lot of people. It’s not totally implausible that she has enough groups of friends to have two with a similar configuration. She kindly left it at that.

Just then, we rounded a corner and – speak of the devil – there was ABBA Girl, picnicking with a group of people I didn’t recognize. The thought popped into my head that I guess she does have plenty of groups of friends, but on instinct I grabbed SAG and turned back the way we came before she spotted us. I don’t think she did, it was pretty quick and I didn’t see her look in our direction. I guess it was childish to basically jump behind a tree because I saw a big ol’ meanie who is mean to me (not least because I get to go away with her this weekend- yay!) but I was in such a good mood I didn’t want her Voldemort-darkness casting a shadow over my nice Saturday morning.

SAG didn’t react much to me suddenly yanking her around, just looked at me curiously, so I explained that I’d just seen our favorite person and she shuddered theatrically and suggested we run in the opposite direction very fast. I laughed and suddenly heard myself saying that I actually kind of felt sorry for her – anyone who needs to mean girl other women at our age is pretty miserable. SAG said I was too nice for my own good, and she hoped Anders appreciates what a lovely girlfriend he has. I said I hoped he did too 😉