“I’m so glad we could all get together on such short notice!” exclaimed Gabby to seven of her gal pals. “It’s been like forEVER!”

Life and jobs and marriages, children, pets, parents and things in general interrupted their tight knot of friendship.  This set of self-proclaimed sisters was a patchwork quilt of mutual love and devotion.  They would be friends ‘til the end.  Some of them met in the sandbox during preschool, others bonded as cheerleaders in high school and the rest came together through mutual friends and acquaintances, either during or after college.  No matter from whence they met, they coalesced into a formidable, unbreakable bunch. 

Hazel, the newest, trendiest and most popular restaurant in town bustled with excitement.  Anyone who was ANYone, simply had to see and be seen there.  The former warehouse, with its brick walls, open ceilings and sizable paned windows was now the most sought-after eating establishment in the area.  Gabby was so pleased that she thought to confirm a reservation way ahead of time in high anticipation of this evening together.

Cara and Becky, Melanie, Molly, Rita, Jackie, Robin and Gabby all arrived within minutes of each other.  Like a newly opened bottle of champagne, the women greeted each other with effervescent energy, squeals of delight and sparkling smiles.  Right on cue, a hip and handsome waiter appeared, ready to take their drink orders.  

“Let’s toast to US!” exclaimed Gabby, raised cocktail in hand, “Our lives have become crazy busy, and though we don’t get to see each other as often as we used to, we’re still together and we’ll ALWAYS be . . . all for one and one for all!  Cheers!”

”To US!” cheered the rest, clicking their glasses together.

Lively girl conversation, like a symphony of songbirds, chirruped through the bistro in intricate harmony.  Cara’s three kids had run her ragged with their various activities.  Her son, Blake, was the star on his high school varsity swim team.  He held the fastest time for the 400 meter butterfly race and was now advancing to sectionals.  Sharon was a soprano in a prestigious madrigal group in high demand to perform at local town events.  The choral director expected attendance at what Cara believed were too many practice sessions.  And her little one, Marissa, was thriving in gymnastics.  

Melanie, now a single mother of two, was overwhelmed with Life.  In fact, she didn’t know HOW she managed to break away for this evening out.  She worked two jobs, struggled to make ends meet and was forced into reluctant dependence on her mother for emergency child care.  Most recently, though, she’d landed her dream job as a high school administrator.  She wasn’t living on Easy Street by any means, but her schedule now jibed with that of her children and she was happy.  

Molly was the managing partner at a prestigious law firm downtown while her husband, Bennet, saved the lives of countless patients with heart disease.  In fact, they had just returned from a business trip to New York where he guest-lectured at NYU’s medical school and accepted an award for Heart Surgeon of the Year.

Indeed, this group had all the ingredients for a best-selling manual on how to succeed in Life and maintain lifelong friendships despite the obstacles that get in the way.  Throughout their meal, each of the women shared the woes and wonders of their lives, the ups, the downs, the funnies, the sads, the surprises, the disappointments and even the not-so-notables.  

There was no disintegration of their mutual affection for each other . . . until three and a half hours later when the hip and handsome waiter delivered the check to the table.  Suddenly he was no longer hip . . . nor handsome.

“I’ll take that,” said Gabby, quickly grabbing the leather folder.  “Wow!  I was expecting a high number, but not THIS high!” 

Cell phones immediately jumped open to the calculator app, each woman deciphering her share and offering her own disclaimers of financial responsibility. 

“I only ordered a salad off the starter menu!”

”Well, I ordered the sampler charcuterie board, but we all shared it so we should all split the cost!”

”Hold on a sec!” interrupted another, “I’m vegan! I didn’t eat anything from the charcuterie board, so leave me out of the cost of THAT!” 

“Maybe, but French fries came with MY dinner and you ate half of ‘em, so you owe for that!” 

“That’s right!  And I gave you some of my pasta on your bread and butter plate!”

“You guys!  I’m gluten free and I didn’t share anything with anybody!” 

Gabby had had enough!  She was a hot kettle about to blow!

”Everyone pipe down and listen up!  What happened to our slogan “All for one and one for all?” We split the bill evenly, eight ways . . . after we add the tip!

Again, a cacophony of resistance and objections was so loud it caught the attention of nearby patrons.  The newly-demoted not-so-hip, not-so-handsome waiter appeared, asking if there were any problems. 

“No, No!” Gabby snapped, “we’re fine . . . just settling up.  We’ll be ready in a few . . . ” 

As soon as they were alone again, the fighting continued. 

“Well I’m NOT paying for something I didn’t eat!” hissed Rita,  “and I shouldn’t be forced to.  I can’t help it if I’m gluten intolerant!” 

Perusing the itemized bill, Gabby peered over her reading glasses and said smugly, “Well, Rita . . . Honey, you may be on a gluten-free diet but this little piece of paper here shows that you ordered three glasses of gluten-free Rombauer chardonnay for $12.50 a glass, so that’s $37.50 right from the get-go . . . before the cost of your gluten-free meal and your part of the gluten-free tip!  Now, who ELSE needs help figuring out what she owes?” 

“In case anybody’s wondering,” Gabby continued, “those blue signature cocktails with the smoke on top were $18.50 a piece.  I know I ordered two and so did Molly and Melanie.” 

Cara abruptly interrupted, “I didn’t order ANY alcohol, so I’m not kicking in for all of you guys that drink!” 

“You didn’t order alcohol,” Becky admonished, “because you have a little pink flask engraved with ‘Time to Par-Tee’ tucked inside your purse and you added whatever’s in it to your water!  Don’t think we didn’t see that!  Whatever do you mean you’re ‘not kicking in for those of us who drink?’  Pay up, Buttercup!” 

“Oh, by the way, Rita!” exclaimed Gabby, “don’t forget that you ordered a whole chicken parmesan meal and a side of garlic bread to-go, so obviously you’re responsible for that whole charge.  THAT didn’t slip under our radar!”  

“Oh shoot!” cried Jackie looking at her text messages, “Gotta go, Girlie-girls!  Emergency at home!  I’ll figure out what I owe and Venmo you some money, Gabs!  Sorry!”  

And on her way out, she turned back and said cheerily, “Let me know when we’re going to do this again!  Love you guys!”  And off she ran.   

Without noticing Jackie’s ultra smooth departure and the empty offer to ‘Venmo some money,’ the bickering over the bill continued well into the next hour with no satisfactory resolution.  Finally, disgruntled and disappointed with the whole scenario, Gabby announced her solution. 

“All right, everyone, it’s getting late and we’re all on each others’ last nerve . . . At least I know you’re all on MY last nerve.  So, here’s the deal:  I’m going to put tonight’s dinner on my credit card and each of you give me the cash for your HONEST  . . . And I mean HONEST share.  Next time we’ll have an understanding of how the bill will be paid beFORE we sit down.  Sound good?”  

How could it NOT sound good?  Gabby presented her card, signed for the meal, adding a healthy twenty percent tip, and brought the evening to a close.  

“G’night Everyone!  This was fun!  We’ll do it again soon!”  

As Gabby lay in bed, debriefing herself on the evening’s hysteria, she considered the wild display of personalities.  Despite their pecuniary behavior, she loved her friends and would have them in her life forever.  But, as the saying goes, she who laughs last, laughs best.  Gabby, full of self-satisfaction, planned to submit the entire dinner bill as a business expense and write it off.  After all, it’s All for One and One for All!