Summary of the previous chapter: Dana comes to practice at the hotel tennis courts. Alex and Bette argue over some buried resentments.

Tina escorted a fuming Bette to her car so that Bette could return to work. Tina then went to the tennis courts. She was not happy about the fact that it fell on her to be the one who would have to face Alex. However, since Dana was using Alexs room as a locker room, they were going to have to go in there. Tina thought it best that she deal with Alex before Dana had to use the room again.

The argument between Bette and Alex made it quite obvious, had there been an outside observer, how alike the two of them were: both stubborn and both unwilling to admit their true feelings. Bette had to argue with Alex rather than admit she was hurt that Alex was leaving so soon. Alex argued with Bette rather than admit the true reason she had to go back to D.C. or the fact that she was, though she wouldnt admit even to herself, hurt that Bette didnt really need her anymore. Why was it that she had to come to LA to Bette? When did Bette come to her? Why did Bette even care anymore if Alex came or not?

Alex had been feeling for quite some time that her last anchor in life was slipping away. Other than memories of a long dead lover, Alex really had nothing left in life to which to hold on.

Tina gave Alex time to calm before she went back to the room. Even though she still had the key, Tina knocked on the door and waited for Alex to open. By that point, Alex had pulled herself together.

Im sorry, T-bird. That was totally inappropriate.

What the ***** happened?

People who have been friends as long as Betty and I fight on occasion. It happens. Well patch it up after weve both had time to sulk.

Do you want to talk about it?

There is nothing to talk about. Im sorry I cant stay longer, but it is absolutely necessary that I return to D.C.

Where are you going from there?

I dont know. Ive got to go to Canada to buy some real estate. After that, back to Hungary maybe.

You could always come back here when you accomplish what you need to accomplish in D.C.

I dont think that will be necessary. Once Mission Eliminate Tonya is accomplished, my work here will be done.

You dont have to come here to solve problems, Alex. You come here to spend time with people who care about you.

Ah, thats overrated.

Thanks, a lot, Alex. Im glad to hear that were overrated.

You know what I mean, T-bird.

No, I dont, Alex.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.

If you want to debate clichs, what about out of sight, out of mind?

There is that, too. If I am out of mind, then you dont need to worry if I come visit.

You arent out of mind, Alex. We miss you.

You dont need me, T-bird.

It isnt about needing you, Alex. It is about your being our friend and we love you.

That is very sweet, T-bird and I appreciate it.

It was around that time that Dana returned to the hotel room, finished with her practice matches. Man, those Swiss chicks could kick it. Overall, she was satisfied with how well she had played against them. Dana knew that her game improved when she knew Tonya wasnt going to be coming around to drive her crazy.

Changing back into her Alethia outfit, Alex took Dana home. When they arrived there was no sign of Tonya. Dana looked to see if anything was missing, not that there was much of value left after she had filled the garbage bags for Tina to take. To the dismay of both Dana and Alex, nothing was missing including Tonyas possessions. Alex offered to stay with Dana not knowing how Tonya would be when she came home. Dana told Alex that, no offense, she just wanted to enjoy the opportunity to be alone in her own home. She hadnt been able to do that since Tonya came along.

Truthfully, Alex was grateful that Dana had declined her offer as Alex wasnt feeling like very good company. She too wanted the chance to be alone in her temporary home.

Tina went home and pondered the events of the day. She wondered what Bette had been in the process of saying when Alex told her to get out of her room. Tina suspected that Bette had struck a very sensitive nerve. Bette had mentioned Catherine when Alex had interrupted. What had happened between Alex and Catherine? Tina wanted to talk about it with Bette when she came home, but she wasnt sure if Bette would want to talk about what had happened. Tina had been amazed at the intensity of the fight. The looks on the face of both Alex and Bette indicated that there were some very deep feelings that were being touched.

When Bette came home at what was typically the unusually early hour of 6:00, Tina could see by Bettes body language that she was upset. The anger Bette had earlier displayed seemed to have morphed into sadness.

Im sorry about earlier, T.

Its okay. You and Alex have both apologized to me, I dont think I am the one that the two of you should be apologizing to.

Youre like Alex. You make everything sound so simple.

What was that all about? How did the two of you escalate into such anger?

I dont know. I was mad because she is leaving so quickly and it went from there.

What were you going to say about Catherine when she told you to leave.

Can we sit down and have a nice glass of wine or something, first.

Im sorry, baby. I shouldnt have started interrogating you the minute you walked in the door.

Bette and Tina sat on the couch in what had become their new favorite position, with Tinas head on Bettes shoulder. Their glasses of wine sat on the coffee table.

Bette spoke. I just get so mad at her, sometimes. Alex always apostatizes as if she has all of the answers. Her superiority complex occasionally gets under my skin.

I dont know, baby. Ive always taken it more as her coming from having learned from experience and not wanting us to make the same mistake she made.

What that life is too short to waste being angry at each other?

That was the message she gave me.

Did she also give you the message about being obsessed with work?

No, is that the one she gave you?

You know, Tina, youve never seen Alex when she starts writing. She doesnt eat; she doesnt talk to anyone; she doesnt do anything. The woman sits and writes. If you can get her away from the computer, she doesnt pay any attention to anything. She is writing in her head. For months at a time, it was as if no one in the world existed, including Catherine. As a matter of fact, Catherine once told me that when Alex was writing, it was like living alone except that she walked around on tip toes.

Wow, I didnt know Alex was so obsessive.

Yeah, she is a total recluse when she is writing. She hasnt started this new book yet, she is still reviewing her notes, but I know that once she starts the actual writing, the world wont hear from Alex again until the book is written.

So, you are angry that Alex tells you that you shouldnt make work such a priority when she does the same thing?

Thats part of it. Part of me is angry that she just keeps running.

You know, she said something interesting to me today. Tina was starting to piece together some of the puzzle. She said something to the effect that we didnt need her. I wonder if that is how she feels? Does she think that you dont need her anymore?

She wouldnt let me need her if I wanted to.

Well, Bette she did come here when you told her about us.

Yeah, and she is already planning to leave.

You could give her the benefit of the doubt that she really does have something in D.C. that she has to do.

I guess youre right, T. She is my best friend and I owe her that.

Thus, as Wednesday evening faded into Wednesday night Bette and Tina had dinner while talking a bit more about Alex and Catherine as well as themselves.

Alex spent the evening looking through her notes for a piece of information that she hoped was somehow buried in there. She even went on the internet in search of the information she wanted. Eventually getting disgusted with herself, she settled in with a glass of wine and a book to read. Alex was doing her damned best to avoid having to think about the issues from her argument with Bette.

Alice called Dana who said that Tonya had still not come home, which was a good sign. She also got reassurance that her Subaru was safely parked in the parking garage space that Alex had rented. They arranged that Alice would come pick up Dana in the morning. If Tonya was there, the story was going to be that Alice was taking Dana to try to talk some sense into her. Dana and her coach would again be using Alexs hotel courts and were going to work on weaknesses he had noted while watching her play the Swiss Misss.

As Thursday morning dawned in L.A., Alex was awakened by a very early phone call. Considering that it was evening in the London, where the caller was located, Alex couldnt complain about being awakened. She took down the information that she had requested and went back to bed. Dana wasnt expected to be at her hotel until 10:30.

Tina and Bette had once again spent a night sleeping in each others arms. They had talked until late and were starting to build some feelings of security together. Tina was not looking forward to the day, as she was supposed to be having lunch with Helena. After that, Tina was planning to go in to work for a few hours. There were some policies regarding a grant the center had received. Tina was going to review the long, wordy document and come up with a summary for them to use to insure that they were following the requirements for their grant.

The reuniting Kennard-Porters shared a kiss before going their separate ways. Bette headed toward the CAC, a job she was growing to dislike. One reality is that when you are good at something, you often get promoted to the top. Once there, you realize that you are no longer doing what you love. Bette could have been director of an art museum or a diaper manufacturer, it didnt seem to make much difference. It was all about budgets and bottom lines and answering to the whims of a board of directors; lining up personnel to staff as needed by a schedule (of art showings as opposed to diaper production). The interaction with the artists; the thrill of hunt and discovery werent there anymore. Bette no longer had the opportunity to search out new talent. She was busy organizing shows of talent that others had recognized. Damned Alex had been right. Bette did miss the thrill of the hunt.

Given that she had time to kill before meeting Helena, Tina went to Alexs hotel to see Alice and Dana as well as to check in on Alex.

Alex opened the door for Tina in her bathrobe. She invited Tina to make herself comfortable while Alex finished drying her hair and dressing. While waiting, Tina managed to accomplish a task that Bette had requested.

Hows Betty? Alex asked.

Probably wanting to apologize, but too proud.

In all of our years, Bette E. Balls and I have never apologized to each other. We just pretend that it never happened.

THATS WHERE SHE GETS IT. Tina shouted. It one of the things that helped ***** up our relationship.

Yeah, buried bodies usually surface eventually.

Dont wait until your friendship with Bette sinks to the level that our marriage did.

Dont worry, T-bird. It wont.

Alex, do not say that to me because you plan to run away and not see Bette again until youve both had a year to forget.

Its worked well all of these years.

Has it really, Alex?

Not counting yesterday, yes.

Alex, I wish you would be honest with me.

What am I being dishonest about, T-bird?

What is really going on with you?

Im fine, T-bird. I told you, dont worry about me. Worry about yourself and your family.

God, you are just as stubborn as Bette.

She learned from the best.

Dana and Alice arrived and updated them on Danas situation.

Just as we were leaving, I got this call from a sports reporter. He wanted to know if I had joined a cult.

What did you say?

I said that I had no idea what he was talking about and he said that rumor had it that I had stopped practicing.

What did you say?

I was afraid it was a set-up by Tonya. So, I told him to talk to my agent if he had any further questions.

*****. Alex said, I didnt think about your agent.

Thats okay. I called and told him that I was playing a practical joke on my fianc and if any reporters called to deny all rumors.

Alice jumped in, but first make sure that they are a legit reporter.

I know, Al. You reminded me.

Alex was pleased that all was going well. Tonya had already run to the press. It was now a matter of time.

Alice and Dana went to the tennis courts after Dana changed. This left Tina talking with Alex until it was time for her to leave for lunch.

So, Alex tell me about your book.

Ah, the book. It isnt turning out well. Ive changed my mind from the original plan and now I am regretting not having certain information.

Still, Id like to hear about it.

There was a 16th century noble woman named Erzabet Bathory. She was actually a relative of Vlad Dracul. Anyway, Lady Bloodbath was beating a servant one day, not an uncommon occurrence, and got a drop of the girls blood on her hand. She became convinced that this virgin blood make the skin younger.
Erzabet was a crazy person, to put it mildly. She was also rumored to be a ***** and many writers have classified her as such. In truth she was married and known to have a multitude of male lovers. I dont think that what she did with the girls was sexual, it was the delusional sadism of a person who grew up in an era where public torture was the norm. The nobility were not socialized to the concept of feeling others pain.
Erzabet, among other less pleasant activites, and with the help of servants, began killing virgins and bathing in their blood, believing it would keep her looking young.
Eventually, the killings were discovered. At the trial of her accomplices, there was produced a diary, kept by Lady Bloodbath chronicling over 650 murders.
The accomplices were executed in horrible ways, but Lady Erzabet couldnt be touched because she was nobility. Her punishment was that she was placed in her bedroom in the castle and walled inside. She was given only a small hole through which food was passed. Otherwise, she spent the last four years of her life alone in that little room with no human interaction except for the passing through of meals.
When she died it was discovered because one of the jailers looked in wanting to see the famed lady who was supposedly one of the most beautiful women in Hungary. She was discovered lying face down on the floor. [authors note: This is a brief summary and is to the best of my knowledge historically accurate. Not pretty, but a little piece of Hungarian history that my great-grandmother, for obvious reasons, never told me when she talked about Hungary].

Tina spoke after hearing this story. Wow, how awful.

It wasnt the most pleasant research Ive ever done.

Why are you writing about it?

Well, I dont have record of who was responsible for bringing the lady her meals. What I want to write is the perspective of a nun who brings the Lady her food.

Why?

Because as I see the story, the nun is obviously repulsed by Lady Bloodbath, however she begins to feel an attraction. The lady of course cherishes the visits when the nun brings food as it is her only human contact.
Eventually, the nun realizes that she isnt attracted to Erzabet, she is attracted to what Erzabet represents.

Total evil?

No, carnal knowledge. Although, essentially, to the church, that is evil and I could go into a long discussion of that, but I will spare you. Lady Erzabet represents total hedonism. She cares for no one but herself: total selfishness. She also represents a complete disregard for consequences.
Now, this nun has devoted her life to caring for others and to the consequences of life. She lives totally for the next life, denying herself pleasure in this life. What attracts her to Lady Erzabet is the concept of living totally for pleasure in this life with no regard for what happens in the hereafter.
These thoughts begin to obsess the nun as she continues to talk to Lady Bathory despite her disgust with the woman. Finally, the nun knows that she has to choose between what she believes which is sacrifice in this life for the hope of pleasure in the next or risking the consequences and seeking pleasure in this life.

Wow, what does she choose?

I dont know. I wont know until I get to the end of the book.

What do you mean you dont know?

I dont. I sort of let the characters decide. After I get to know the nun better, I will get a feel for how she goes.

You are something, Alex. So, your theme is the choice between doing what is right because of the consequences or ignoring the consequences and doing whatever the ***** you feel like doing no matter who it hurts?

Something like that.

By this time, Tina had to leave for lunch with Helena. She left Alice and Dana happy together at the tennis courts and Alex pondering her book. She had to wonder if there was a personal reason to the theme that Alex was trying to portray.