Thursday

 Tina hadn’t been back in touch since Sunday. Not unusual for a divorced couple co-parenting in separate cities, Bette thought. She removed her outfit for Alice’s birthday from the walk-in wardrobe: a wine-coloured sleeveless dress with the neckline sitting just below her collarbones, and placed it on the hanger by the full-length mirror. She unlocked her phone again, just to check, she told herself. Tina had no reason to reach out. Their arrangement had been made.

Bette focused on getting ready, and was applying mascara in the mirror when she heard her phone vibrate on the dresser. She scolded herself for snatching it off the surface and quickly holding it in front of her, mascara wand still in the other hand.

Nicole: Still okay to give me a ride?

Bette felt disappointment, and then guilt. I need to get my shit together.

Bette: Absolutely. Be there in 30 minutes.

One last glance in the mirror, and she had to admit she looked good. Black pumps both complemented the dress and accentuated her toned legs. Some days, Bette felt like with the right outfit on she could conquer the world. Still got it, she thought to herself. But was it worth having if the one person she wanted wasn’t there to enjoy it? Bette shook the thought away, grabbing her keys from the hallway bureau on her way out.

Predictably, Alice’s party was jam-packed with people: younger, older, garishly outfitted and demurely dressed. Alice had hired out a section of the rooftop at Broken Shaker, overlooking downtown L.A. The festoon lights hung like daylight stars over the crowd, who were either standing around drinks in hand, or lounging on the eclectic mix of chairs. Drinks were flowing from the thatched-roof bar, and Bette and Nicole exchanged a glance as they heard someone order a Gorilla Grip and a Supernova Lava Blast.

”What do you think the chances are of just a regular martini for the less evolved demographic?” Nicole asked quietly, and Bette chuckled.

Nicole still had a slight and endearing Scandinavian lilt to her voice, although she had been in L.A. for almost her entire adult life. It was easy to like Nicole. She had a warmth to her, and the conversation flowed easily. Nicole had naturally golden hair to her elbows, and blue eyes that were darker in low lighting. Bette wouldn’t have said there was an automatic spark between them, but it was comfortable. She was confident, and didn’t need to hide behind Bette or wait to be introduced to people. Nicole held Bette’s hand gently through the crowd, not because she needed reassurance but because it would have been easy to be separated.