Secretary:  “May I help you?

Bette:  “Yes.  I’m here to see Ms. Fairbanks.”

Secretary:  “Do you have an appointment.”

Bette:  “Yes.”

Secretary:  “Name?”

Bette:  “Donna McKay”

Secretary:  “Ah, yes, Ms. McKay.  I’m sorry to tell you Ms. Fairbanks is running late in a meeting.  She asks that you please wait for her.”

Bette:  “Sure no problem.”

A grab a seat and look around the stark waiting area.  There isn’t much art work and even that is a bit bleek.  After 10 minutes I figure I should look around as much as possible.

Bette:  “Where is your bathroom?”

Secretary:  “Down the hall, last door on the left.”

Bette:  “Thank you.”

I fake smile as best I can then head off.  As soon as I’m out of the sight of the perky secretary I start peering into doors and down hallways.  There doesn’t seem to be anything but offices and store rooms out here.  I’m still outside the gate.  I’ll have to be swiped in and registered before I can get behind the wall to find what I’ve been sent here to find.  I hit the corner and I am shocked to find a petite brunet waiting for me.

Ms. Fairbanks:  “Ms. McKay?”

I struggle to get the ‘annoyed cuz I’m not finding what I need fast enough’ look off my face and paste on a prize kiss ass grin.

Bette:  “Ms.  Fairbanks, such a pleasure to finally meeting you.”

Ms. Fairbanks:  “No please the pleasures all mine.  And call me Dana.”

Bette:  “Ok Dana.”

I follow her as she starts back down the hall.

Dana:  “So you have come highly recommended by Cassandra Liebman.  She’s was one of my professors in college.”

Bette:  “Yes I heard.  She’s a great teacher.”

I mentally thank Alice for her great ventriloquist job.  I haven’t seen her since that night…

Alice:  “I found them.”

Bette:  “Who, where?!”

I shoot out of bed trying to be as quiet as possible and not wake Tina.

Alice:  “Just come down to the abandoned warehouse on Front.  Can sort everything out then.”

I immediately jump in my car and I’m there in what seems to me like seconds.  I had been in a haze for days now.  I didn’t actually think Alice would find anything.  I tried to dive head first into work but that didn’t work and drinking was the only thing that kept me sane at night.  That and Tina.  She was my saving grace.  She would hold me when I was up all night cry and she was slowly but surely helping me piece my life back together.