Summary of the previous chapter: The Sisterhood of the Pen, and I dont mean the penitentiary, try to help Dana rid herself of Tonya.

While Alice and Shane went to visit Dana, Bette and Tina stayed in the hotel with Kit and Alex.

Is everything prepared for tomorrow?

Alex answered, Yes. Alethia is going to pick up Dana to do some blessing chants to Morvar. Tonya will see that Dana is not going to practice. Ive reserved the tennis courts here at the hotel and contacted a friend of a friend. A couple of members of the Swiss womens Olympic team are doing an exhibition match nearby. They are coming tomorrow to have a friendly practice match with the lovely Miss Fairbanks.

What about the SUV?

Alice has some guy who is going to put on a suit and go over there to collect the SUV. Ive already reserved a parking place for it.

So, everything is arranged?

As best it can be.

Kit spoke. I gotta be impressed with you all, the way you pulled this off. This is a lot better than that time the two of you decided to be hookers.

They what? Tina asked.

Bette and Alex looked embarrassed so, Kit took over. Me and my boyfriend, we was just driving down the street and we see these two wearing some god awful wigs and this makeup all over their faces. I still dont know where they got them clothes they were wearing.

Bette felt the need to try to salvage her dignity. We were kids; what, about eleven years old? We didnt know what hookers really were. All we knew was that they were women who dressed up and walked down the street. They got paid money for this.

Alex interrupted. Yeah, we heard of street walkers and knew they got paid. We thought we were gonna make a bunch of money for just walking down the street. She looked over at Kit. To this day, I can still hear your voice yelling, GET YO ASSES IN THE CAR RIGHT NOW!.

Well you were just lucky it was me that caught you and not Melvin or your mama.

Believe me. Bette added to the story as she looked at Tina who was rolling in laughter, Kit read us the riot act. She educated us on the job description of a hooker. Alex and I decided it wasnt worth it. That ended our industrious careers as hookers.

Tina was struggling to breath. That is so, funny. You wanted to be hookers.

Well, it seemed like a good idea to a couple of kids. We thought we were geniuses for the idea. We wondered why nobody else realized you could make all of this easy money just by walking down the street. Alex tried to defend their childhood dignity. Society should not have let us hear the term Street Walkers. The actual job description is not in any way insinuated by a title that only mentions walking down the street.

Oh, god, Betty why havent you ever told me this story?

I would think the answer to that is obvious. You are never going to let me live this down are you Tina?

No, I think I will remember this for a good long time. Tina reached into her purse. Here, Ill give you a dollar if you will talk down the corridor of the hotel.

Bette grabbed the dollar from Tinas hand. It is okay to say to go ***** yourself, Tina. And by the way, if you tell anyone about this, so help me

So, help you what? Tina challenged.

Bette responded by reaching over and tickling Tina until she was begging for breath.

Alex looked over at Kit, yeah, same goes for you, sister. We know where you are ticklish.

How is that?

Betty and I watched you make out with one of your boyfriends once. He tickled you.

You what?

Yeah, you were down in the living room making out before you dad got home. Betty and I sat at the top of the steps and watched. We had to keep our hands over our mouths to keep from laughing.

What boyfriend what this?

The one who always wore the do-rag. Bette added.

You perverts. Why were you watching me make out?

We were at that age, we thought it was gross to kiss boys. We were laughing at you for doing it.

Tina couldnt resist pointing out, when did you not think it was gross to kiss boys? You both turned out *****.

Yeah, probably because we watched Kit kissing her gross boyfriend. Alex said.

You watched me make-out? Kit said again still in disbelief.

What else do we not know? Tina asked Kit.

Id be afraid to know. Kit responded. At that, Alex and Bette gave each other a look of satisfaction.

Alice and Shane returned shortly after the revelation of the voyeurism.

Man, you guys should have seen Al in action, it was *****. Shane announced.

I was good, if I do say so, myself. Alice added.

Tell us. Tina said.

Well, I told Dana that I had gone straight home and done some research on this Alethia and the Church of the Broken String. I gave her the articles you made up, Tina. They looked so legit.

Shane took over, she told Dane about how this church had taken all this money from up and coming athletes, actors, musicians. They gave up their money and their careers and went into obscurity.

Alice interrupted, yeah, I made sure Tonya saw the article about the football player who was living in the trailer park on his wages for cleaning out Porter-pottiesI mean Porta-potties.

Bette glared at Alice.

Tonya looked totally freaked. She was totally begging, Dane. Shane added.

How was Dana?

She was playing it great. She kept saying that she believed in this church and wasnt afraid of being poor.

Shane added, Tonya is going to ***** when Alices friend comes for the Subaru tomorrow.

Maybe as a consolation prize, we can hire a hooker for her. Tina said so that only Bette could hear, earning her a warning glare.

I hoped she doesnt try to kill me when I pick up Dana tomorrow. Alex said.

She isnt going to be nice to you. Id get out quick if I were you. Alice suggested.

The gang talked for a few more minutes before deciding that it was late. Bette and Shane both had to be at work by 9:00 the next morning . Alice left with Shane and Kit to take them home. Tina left in her car. Bette stayed for a brief conversation with Alex before she headed for home.

I hate to admit it, but that was fun.

Like old times, huh Betty? The dynamic dykes of North Philly did their thing.

Ive missed this. Bette said.

What, watching me pretend to be a crazy person? Alex asked.

Having fun with you, with Tina, with Kit, with my friends. Ive forgotten what it was like to not take life so seriously.

Try not to forget again, Betty. Its too important to lose. Once you stop having fun, life isnt worth living anymore.

Are you having fun, Alex? Something inside prompted Bette to ask.

Not as much fun as being an eleven year-old hooker. Alex answered with a smile.

Alex was proud of what had been accomplished by the Sisterhood of the pen, and she didnt mean the penitentiary. She just hoped that it worked to send Tonya far away. Despite the circumstances, she hadnt liked Tonya. Under normal conditions, Alex would have managed some sympathy for someone being played as they were playing Tonya. However, that ***** just did not elicit any feelings of sympathy.


Bette utilized her drive home to think. She really had enjoyed the mission they had deployed to encourage and promote the departure of one Miss Tonya. When had she stopped allowing herself to have fun like that? In retrospect, it was no surprise that her friends had intervened because they saw Bette and Tina as becoming boring. Bette realized she had become boring.

It hadnt been age that had made Bette boring, it was that she had totally misaligned her priorities. She had let work become her overwhelming ambition. Bette had always been ambitious, but never to the point where she had sacrificed everything else in her life. She had always managed to balance her career and her life. What had changed?

Bettes introspection was interrupted by her arrival at home. She entered the house to find Tina in the kitchen making tea. Tina was also talking on her cell phone, but ended the conversation as soon as she saw Bette come into the house. Bette suspected that the person on the other end was Helena, but quite frankly, she was just too tired to deal with it. Bette decided that she wouldnt ask and would pretend it hadnt happened. She had enjoyed a good time with her friends and with Tina and there was no point in spoiling the afterglow.