Though she made a conscious effort not to show it, Alicia was relieved when George turned his empty glass upside down. He seemed relaxed but far from on the verge of passing out, and though it obviously would have been better if he had been able to relax somewhat without the alcohol, this she could handle easily.
Amused by George’s sudden question, it was right on the tip of her tongue to quip something about her sheer ability to come up with nosebleed jokes, when he cut her off. She was quiet for a moment, a soft smile on her face belying the myriad of thoughts and concerns about the man sitting in front of her as well as memories and mournings. “All in good time,” she finally said with a small smirk and reached over to give his hand a squeeze. “You’re one of my oldest and best friends, and I don’t want to risk losing you by bitching at you before you’re ready.”