Bette turned the car of the drive and headed for the main road, it was an estimate half hour drive in this weather. Alice suddenly got her phone out as she realized that she had forgotten to call her guest back. She speed dialed the number and heard the familiar voice answering. “Hi, sorry for letting you wait but I have good news… sort of, we are on our way to pick you up.” She heard a short silence before “Who is picking me up, Al?” was in her ear. “Well me of course and Bette……..” she replied quickly and again there was silence on the other end. Well before the silence she could hear a hold of breath and a little squeak in her throat. “ Alice, are you out of your mind? Of all the people to pick me up, you choose her?!” the voice was raised by each word that was said. “ Well uh, yes, sorry, we see you in a while.” And then she hang up. She looked over to Bette as she put her phone in her pocket. She switched it off before she put it away. She didn’t want to have a discussion on the phone, she needed to focus on the discussion that would come soon in the car.

Bette gave a quick glance at Alice, realizing that she didn’t even know who this guest was. “Hey Al, you haven’t even told me who I am risking my life for here.” She said to Alice watching the road again. “Well, it is an old friend, I bumped into her a few weeks ago and I invited her. Maybe it wasn’t one of my smartest actions in life, well not maybe, I know for sure.” She said softly and Bette heard the strange voice she spoke with. “Oh come on Al, I know you for a long time and yes, you have made stupid mistakes. But inviting somebody for Christmas shouldn’t be a stupidity.” Bette responded with a little smile in her voice. “Oh yes Bette, it is when I tell you it is Tina.” Alice replied quickly as she looked at Bette’s face.

As soon as Alice had said the words and the name, she put her foot on the brake, making the car slip on the snow covered road. The car came slowly to a halt and Bette put the car in free, then she turned to Alice “ WHAT DID YOU SAY THERE?” she said out loud with a face in disbelieve. “I said..” Alice started “ I KNOW WHAT YOU SAID, YOU ASS! I AM NOT DEAF, IT WAS JUST MY DISBELIEVE SPITTING OUT THESE WORDS.”  Bette quickly responded. Then she put her head back and closed her eyes, she inhaled deep to calm down. It had been ages since she had heard the name and definitely never would have guessed to hear it here in a car on a snowy road in Vancouver. Alice looked at Bette with a sorrow and concerning look. She didn’t know what was coming now and the only words she could find were “ Sorry”. Bette slowly shook her head, then opened her eyes and turned to Alice “ What were you thinking of when you asked her?” “Nothing, we were having lunch together after a long time, see none of us had spoken to her since you two split up, and we had a good time and before I knew it, I had asked her. She said yes, and here we are. Of course I realized afterwards that it was a mistake, but to call her and tell her not to come any more seemed not fair either.” Alice explained.