As the days passed, Xavier seemed particularly quiet, her husband was always such a vibrant addition to any situation, he was the true life and soul of any party, funny, outgoing, and extremely friendly. He'd always been a womanizer before she'd dated him and later married him, she'd seen him brush off so many interested women over the years. But he was never this introvert, this passive, it was a subtle change, but a change she identified, knowing him so well, and in the back of her mind the image of the earring in her bed was still there, questioning all that she knew. In her mind this doubt justified her not coming clean about the kiss with Daniel.

After a hectic week, she looked forward to a relaxing weekend, catching up. But Pilar invited her amongst others to a party at her house - a beach front property in a desirable area of the city. Another gift from Daddy, as there was no way that her salary afforded a house like that. Whilst she didn’t want to go, the thought of a quiet night at home was like a strong magnet, but everyone was going, and it would look quite rude if she didn’t join in.

Xavier agreed to come last minute, and seemed happier than he'd been of late, which Katie didn’t know how to interpret. As they walked up the drive, they were met by Pilar who smiled and directed them around to the garden. It was a lavish affair, a huge barbeque in one corner of the garden, a staffed bar at the other end, this was no average house party. People were drinking and eating as well as swimming in the pool. Immediately Xavier spotted a friend from work and headed off to entertain. Within moments, the whole party was captivated by his antics, animated story telling and general tomfoolery!

Sighing she sat on a bench at the far end of the garden and drank her wine. Marta found her and sat next to her, "que pasa? You're quiet."

Katie shrugged, "Xavier's acting strangely. I'm not sure what he's up to, but it's the last thing I need."

Marta placed an arm around Katie’s shoulder and sighed, “the price of a pretty man, hey?”

They chatted generally for the next half hour until Katie got up and headed to the bathroom. There she was overwhelmed by stomach cramps and she realized she'd been caught out, her period had started and she was unprepared. Calling Marta from her mobile, she was more than relieved when she informed her she had some spare sanitary products in her bag.

Within moments Marta was rapping on the door, and Katie opened the it wide enough to take her friends bag then searched manically for something...anything. Then she froze. There amongst the usual bottom of hand bag debris of coins, pens, sweets and supermarket receipts was a single earring, but not just any earring, an earring that matched the one that sat on her bedside table - the single lone earring. All of a sudden she felt like the biggest fool in the world, Xavier was not only having an affair, but he was sleeping with her best friend.

People were banging the door wanting to use the bathroom. So she sorted herself out, then opened the door a crack to find Pilar standing there.

"You look like you've seen a ghost!" she forced her way into the bathroom and closed the door again. "Are you ok?"

Katie shook her head, "I'm a fool. I've seen Xavier flirt with everyone, bus especially you, when I thought he was acting odd I wondered if he was having an affair, maybe with you, but the options were endless." She saw sympathy not anger in the eyes of her colleague, either she was the most generous person, without an ounce of animosity, or... "You knew didn't you? You knew he's sleeping with Marta?"

Pilar looked shocked, but then regained her composure, "I had my suspicions, but I was never sure. How did you find out?"

She briefly explained the events that led her to her grim discovery. "I wish you'd told me....." she laughed, "but then I suppose I never really wanted to hear that, not from you!"

Pilar smiled and squeezed Katie's hand "What are you going to do?"

"Other than kill them both?" she tried to laugh. "I'm going to make sure the world knows that I am no walk over."

She held her head high and stormed out to the garden. But as she scanned the gathering for them, she froze, all her bravado gone. There they were the two of them stood just off a large group of people, Marta was whispering something, Xavier was stooped to listen, in an intimate gesture he had an arm around her shoulders. Her mind flashed back to all the times she'd purposely drawn them together, encouraged them to like each other.

"Fucking hell! It was so obvious!" she shouted at them. The whole of the party stopped, as everyone turned to her voice, all eyes were on her as she stopped in front of her husband.

"Hey babe," Xavier held out a hand to her looking completely without remorse.

"Don't babe me! You are a complete and utter bastard! And YOU!" She turned to her best friend of five years, "you are worse. Men you can understand even expect to let you down and shit on you, because they're men, they know nothing about loyalty, commitment, friendship, but not your best friend. Girl code Marta, girl code."

"What are you talking about?" Xavier looked genuinely confused, but Marta knew exactly what was happening, the guilt was an ugly sight on her face.

"I'm talking about this!" she threw the earring at him. "The missing one to the one I found in MY bed! You prick! You couldn't even shag her somewhere else could you? No had to be MY bed!"

"Katie...." he tried to calm the conversation.

She cut him off by holding up her hand, "No Xavi! Say nothing! You cannot worm your way out of this! Don't even think about coming home!" She turned to look at the woman who'd been her rock since arriving in Mexico. "And you?" her voice dropped to a whisper. "I strongly recommend that you stay out of my way.....forever!"

"Katie! Can't we talk about this?" Marta looked devastated.

Katie laughed loudly and ironically, "talk? I hope he's worth it Marta, because this friendship is over. You were everything to me, my best friend, almost a sister. I told you everything! But it's gone, all over! You gave up any right to anything when you slept with my husband!" She gestured to the group who were all listening intently. "There are dozens of other people you can talk to instead, though now they all know what a lying cheating bitch you are, I'm sure they won't want to look at you, let alone talk!"

Xavier placed a hand on her arm, trying to pull her back, "don't touch me!" She looked at him all the pain, betrayal and hatred showed on every inch of her face. "Let's remember your vows, shall we? Love? Honor? Cherish? Til death us do part? Sound familiar? Huh! Get your hands off me, and don't ever look at or touch me again. You make me feel sick!"

The rest of the evening was a blur. She’d left, got home somehow, she didn't remember falling asleep, but then she'd tossed and turned for hours. She was woken by the phone. Initially she didn't answer but after the third call she picked up, it was Pilar.

"I didn't have your cell number, only your home number. How are you?" the concern was evident in her voice, and Katie felt bad, she’d prejudged this girl so badly.

It was a few moments before she responded, "better than I thought I'd be! I'm quite calm!"

"Do you need company? I was thinking of going to the beach with a few friends if you fancy?"

She did, and they had a nice day. Pilar's friends were fun. They ignored all conversations about men, instead talking about more mundane topics. Then they ate at a nearby cafe, wandered along the promenade people watching. And for a whole day she managed to forget everything, her husband, his infidelity, her father...even Dan. For one day she was just Katie.

That evening she packed up boxes of Xavier's things wanting him out of her life forever, as soon as was humanely possible. Then she finally called him, he'd hardly been knocking her door down protesting his innocence since the previous evening, it was obvious that he really didn’t give a shit.

"Katie! It's so good to hear from you, can we meet to talk?"

She burst out laughing, "NO. I'm calling to tell you that you can collect your things tomorrow. I'm going to Pablo's for the weekend, when I come back I will be changing the locks."

"Katie, please." Suddenly there was panic in his voice, he’d obviously presumed she’d calm down and forget everything.

"Xavier don't you dare! I have nothing to say. Our marriage is over. If you sleeping with Marta in OUR bed wasn't bad enough, your lack of fight to try to win me back has been ridiculous! I really did think I meant more to you."

"Katie! I love you, I'm lost without you. Please can we try to work this out?"

She tutted, "far too little and way, way too late. No it's over Xavier. I will be speaking to a solicitor about a divorce."

He gasped, "you can't mean that."

"Of course I do. I am deadly serious. You flirt with every woman you meet, you always have, but I trusted you, because I thought I was the one you loved. Not only did you ruin that trust, but you slept with my best friend, someone I brought here, confided in, and trusted too. I hate you both!"

It was over in her eyes, all those years all those memories all changed. And suddenly she was alone...again. As she lay in bed that night she finally succumbed to tears. Self pity was an indulgence she knew that, but she wanted to wallow in her misfortune. Tomorrow she’d paste on her hard strong face, and take on the world, but until then, she cried.