Chapter 4

Helena stifled a yawn as the elevator doors opened and she stepped onto the top floor of the movie studio where her office was located. She balanced her purse, a cup of coffee, and her briefcase in her hand as she picked up her copy of “The Wall Street Journal” from her assistant’s desk. She tucked the newspaper under her arm and began to make her way to her office when a small ray of light caught her eye.

She walked across the common area to where Tina’s office was located, now seeing the source of light was actually coming from inside the office. Helena frowned thinking how odd it was that Tina had forgotten to shut her light off. She became slightly annoyed knowing that the cleaning crew ignored it, leaving it on throughout the entire night.

Helena pushed the door open further in order to shut the light off. However, instead of reaching in and shutting it off, she peered inside hearing the distinct sound of fingers hitting a keyboard furiously. Helena leaned against the door jam watching Tina momentarily, before clearing her throat to grab Tina’s attention.

“What in bloody hell are you doing here at this hour?”

“Don’t scare me!”

Tina’s hand went to her chest in an effort to settle her nerves, but her heart raced all the same.

“You shouldn’t even be here!”

“I own the company,” Helena said with a smile on her face.

“You never get up before 7:30 and it’s only 7:00,” Tina said as she checked her watch. “Why are you here this early?”

“Is it really that shocking?”

“Frankly, yes it is,” Tina said smiling.

Helena strolled inside of Tina’s office without waiting for an invitation. She sat down in one of the guest chairs and smiled as she took a sip of her café mocha from The Planet.

“I see you made a stop at our favorite morning rendezvous point as well,” Helena nodded toward Tina’s to-go cup from The Planet.

“I needed the jolt.”

“Are you that dedicated to your job that you forego sleep to spend all of your time here?” Helena teased.

“Something like that,” Tina muttered. “What’s your excuse?”

“Who says I need an excuse?”

Tina’s answer was simply to raise her eyebrow in question causing Helena to squirm in her seat.

“Fine,” Helena sighed. “Leigh is in town and I promised to pick her up at the airport. I have some work I have to get done so I had no choice but to reluctantly drag myself out of the comfort of my bed early.”

“So being the boss has its advantages?”

“Something like that,” Helena chuckled. “I promised Leigh we’d catch up without realizing how much work I actually had to accomplish.”

“What is it with sculptors breezing into town these days?” Tina rhetorically asked.

“Leigh Ostin is not just a sculptor anymore,” Helena corrected her friend. “But that does bring up an interesting question. Are sculptors, in general, the reason you’re here this early instead of the comfort of your bed?”

“No,” Tina took a sip of her coffee. “I’m not that bothered that Megan Freedman is in town.”

“You certainly led me to believe otherwise when you walked out of Bette’s gallery last night with tears threatening to spill over.”

“The heat of the moment,” Tina muttered.

“Emotions got the better of you?”

“Coupled with complete lack of sleep,” Tina agreed. “I’m surprised I didn’t just throw myself in front of a moving car.”

“You’re still not sleeping?” Helena asked.

Tina’s shook her head no.

“Forgive me for asking,” Helena began hesitantly. “But are things ok between you and Bette?”



“They’re great,” Tina smiled. “She’s been the most attentive partner anyone could ask for.”

“That’s good, but why do you look so sad then?”

“It’s Bette,” Tina leaned back in her chair and blinked back tears.

“Didn’t you just say things were going well or do I really not function well this early?”

“They are,” Tina sighed. “I just…”

Tina’s voice trailed off as her eyes glanced over the picture of Angelica and Bette, which was a focal point on her desk.

“You what?”

“I feel like I’m failing her,” Tina admitted softly.

“Oh Tina,” Helena began sympathetically. “I’m sure that’s not the case.”

“I wish I was as confident as you are about that.”

“What’s going on?”

“I feel a bit odd discussing this with you.”

“Me?” Helena seemed shocked. “Why on Earth would you feel strange about talking to me?”

“It’s kind of personal in nature,” Tina tried to allude to the fact that it was sexual without
declaring it. “It’s just strange since we were…”

“We were what?”

“Somewhat involved at one time.”

“That was years ago,” Helena exclaimed. “I’d like to think we’ve moved past that and are good friends.”

“Oh,” Tina smiled. “We’re wonderful friends.”

“Then please allow me the honor of listening if you need to vent,” Helena said with a smile.

Tina contemplated how to begin such a personal conversation and decided to dive in head first in an effort to save time.

“I was fine before last night,” Tina began.

“You weren’t sleeping well and were moody at best,” Helena countered.

“Do you want to hear this or not?”

“Go ahead,” Helena leaned back in the chair prepared to listen.

“I hadn’t been sleeping, but I truthfully didn’t think it was anything other then just some restless nights.”

“Ok,” Helena nodded to show she was still engaged in the conversation.

“We got home last night and had the big discussion with Angie about the dance she wants to go to. Bette, of course, jumped in with two feet and said no almost immediately, but I have to say I agree with her logic, just not the approach.”

“The logic is what?”

“That Angie is too young to date a boy several years older then her,” Tina said. “The age gap, at this time of her life, is too wide.”

Helena nodded as she sipped her coffee again to indicate she was listening.

“After Bette shot her down, she stormed off as usual.”

Helena couldn’t hide the amusement that crossed her face.

“I see you’re familiar with that tactic?”

“Jung Li’s perfected it,” Helena chuckled. “She had that down at a very young age.”

“After Angelica slammed her bedroom door I just felt this desperate need to be close to Bette. We’ve been going in a million different directions these last few weeks and I’ve missed her.”

“That makes sense,” Helena said to offer encouragement for Tina to continue.

“Even though I was exhausted, and Bette was too, I made my attempt to be close to her.”

“Ok,” Helena was trying desperately to follow the story and spot Tina’s concerns. “How was that received?”

“Oh,” Tina blushed. “She was definitely into it.”

Tina chuckled as she thought back to how quickly Bette met her in the bedroom, her desire reflected so clearly in her eyes.

“Whether Bette was into it wasn’t the question. Things progressed and, although I wanted her so desperately, my body was indicating otherwise.”

Tina looked away as her voice, once again, trailed off at an admission she didn’t want to make.

“I’m not sure I understand,” Helena said in a caring voice.

“Bette knows my body better then I do at times,” Tina began to explain. “So when I wasn’t as…”

Tina searched for the appropriate words to convey what happened the previous night.

“Not as what?”

“Aroused,” Tina said softly avoiding Helena’s gaze. “I wasn’t as aroused as I usually am and she got worried.”

“Did you fight about that?”

“Oh God no,” Tina exclaimed. “Bette was so loving and we talked through what I needed to enjoy the moment.”

“Sounds perfect if you ask me.”

“My concern isn’t Bette, although she was up later sitting outside, deep in thought over it. My concern was how my mind could be screaming with need for her and yet my body just didn’t react like it should have.”

“Should have?”

“Yes,” Tina confirmed her statement.

“What is ‘should’ when it comes to sexual responses?” Helena challenged. “Every experience is different, moods are different, and from what I’ve gathered it was successful despite you both being exhausted and having just argued with your daughter.”

“I’m tired,” Tina stated.

“You haven’t slept well so that’s the logic behind that.”

“I’m moody.”

“Agreed,” Helena said smiling.

“And now I’m not as aroused as I typically am when all I wanted was to be close to Bette.”

“If you’re that worried about it,” Helena said. “Make a doctor’s appointment.”

“For not sleeping?”

“For all of those things,” Helena chastised her. “It’s not just your right to pursue medical attention, it’s your responsibility.”

Tina thought about Helena’s words seriously considering calling Dr. Wilson for an exam.

“It sounds to me like everything you’re going through is normal,” Helena said. “But I’m not a doctor, which brings me back to my original advice. It could be as simple as stress, the pressure of being a mother of a teenager, or something else that can be easily handled.”

“Have you been through this?”

“Not exactly,” Helena admitted. “But we both know we have very different pressures in life. I don’t typically worry about things, other them my children, and yet I don’t take as much of an active role in their lives as you do Angelica’s. We live in different states and I fly back and forth on weekends to see them.”

“What if it’s bad news?” Tina asked allowing a sense of fear to settle in her stomach.

“Then you need to catch whatever it is early if that’s the case.”

“I’ll call this afternoon,” Tina relented.

Helena arched her eyebrow in disagreement causing Tina to shrug her shoulders.

“This morning?”

Helena nodded her head as Tina smiled at her friend.

“I’ll call this morning and get an appointment,” Tina agreed. “I’ll be here this afternoon though so you can manage to escape to meet Leigh.”

“Oh,” Helena chuckled. “Business will go on regardless if we’re here or not. If you can only get in this afternoon, take it, and they’ll deal without us.”

“No obsession with business?” Tina teased her friend.

“Leigh seems to cure me of that obsession when she breezes into town.”

Helena picked up her belongings and headed to her own office with her mind drifting to the night’s plans with Leigh.

Tina picked up her office phone and quickly dialed a number waiting for the phone to be answered.

“Angelica!” Bette called as she grabbed her cell phone reading the name scrolling across the screen. “Let’s go or I’m leaving you.”

Bette picked up the phone quickly and greeted Tina with her best ‘good morning’ given her struggle to get out the door quickly.

“You sound distracted,” Tina pointed out.

“If by distracted you mean arguing with Angelica to get out of this house within the next 2 minutes, then yes I’m distracted.”

“Sorry I left so early,” Tina apologized.

“Don’t be,” Bette continued to pack her briefcase with the catalogs she brought home the previous night. “If I had issues sleeping I’d have wanted to be as productive as could be.”

“Oh, you didn’t miss me?”

“I sprawled out all over the bed,” Bette laughed. “I hugged your pillows though because they smelled like you if that makes you feel better.”

Angelica came bouncing into the kitchen with her backpack slung over one shoulder dressed in her cheerleading uniform.

“Do you have a game tonight?” Bette asked briefly forgetting the conversation she was having on the phone with Tina.

“Pictures,” Angelica grabbed a piece of fruit and a glass of orange juice, drinking it quickly.

“Eat your fruit,” Bette muttered.

“I will when I get to school,” Angelica countered. “Aren’t we going to be late if we don’t go now?”

“Yes,” Bette agreed, drawn back into conversation with Tina once she cleared her throat to let Bette know she was still on the phone. “Let’s go while I talk to your mother on the way.”

Bette got in the car and began to drive while she continued the conversation with Tina.

“I wanted to let you know that I’ve decided to take some advice and make an appointment with Dr. Wilson for today.”

“Finally listening to me?”

“Sure,” Tina smiled knowing it was actually Helena that had finally talked her into making the appointment.

“You sound worried,” Bette said.

“Just unsure of when I can find the time to escape without being bombarded with calls and e-mails to my blackberry.”

“Turn it off,” Bette said as she turned into the parking lot at school.

“You, of all people, shouldn’t be giving that advice.”

“Hang on Babe while I say goodbye to our daughter,” Bette turned to look at Angelica with a smile on her face. “Have a good day.”

“I will.”

“We’re ok right Boo?” Bette asked referring to the previous night’s conversation.

“As long as I listen to you we are, right?”

“Some day you’ll understand,” Bette countered.

“I suppose so,” Angelica got out of the car and smiled at Bette. “We’re ok Mama B.”

Angelica ran over to her friends, dressed in the same cheerleading uniform, to begin her day.

“Well that went well,” Bette refocused on her conversation with Tina.

“It wasn’t that bad, she’s a good kid most of the time.”

Bette pulled out into traffic and began her journey to the gallery feeling a sense of dread regarding her day. It had been the same for a few weeks. Bette would feel an immense amount of anxiety regarding the gallery knowing she was in financial ruin. If Bette didn’t find the next coveted show and land it, it was likely the gallery would become bankrupt.

“How’s your day at the gallery?” Tina’s voice brought Bette back into reality.

“Tight,” Bette responded wanting to avoid all discussions at this point until she could get a handle on the financial situation. “In fact I just pulled in and need to hit the ground running.”

Bette parked in her spot and quickly got out of the car.

“You’ll call me when you’re done at the doctor?” Bette requested.

“You’ll be the first.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too Babe,” Tina said as she hung up and stared at a picture of her and Bette from years ago. “God I hope everything’s ok.”

Bette walked in and grabbed her messages from Jordon who was scrambling to make it out from behind her desk and follow Bette quickly into her office.

“You had a visitor yesterday,” Jordon began.

“I’ve heard.”

“Oh,” Jordon scowled at the wind being taken out of her sails.

“I’m more concerned with the meetings,” Bette said as she sat down behind her desk. “Did you manage to get a good portion of them scheduled?”

“I did and already synched them into your I-Cal so you’ll see them there,” Jordon smiled at her efficiency. “I got all of them except the first few on the top of the pile.”

“Good,” Bette said booting her computer up to review her calendar. “I’ll work on the presentations for these most of the day if you could compile the history of each of the shows for me to study.”

“I’ve already started that,” Jordon said with a smile.

“You’re a gift.”

“I know that,” Jordon winked at her boss as she began to walk out of Bette’s office. “I’ll disturb you around lunchtime to see if you want something or if you’ll work through like usual.”

Jordon shut the door behind her as Bette began working on a presentation to sell The Bette Porter Gallery to the potential artists in the hope of landing one of the more important shows to save her business.

Tina hung up the phone after making an appointment to see Doctor Wilson. Even though she begged to see her today, it was evident that others had bigger emergencies and the best Tina could do was to settle for an appointment first appointment in the morning. Just as she placed her cell phone on her desk, it vibrated again.

“Hello?”

“Hey Mom,” Angelica said smiling on the other end of the phone. “I was wondering if I could go to the mall after school with Cathy and Renee?”

“How are you getting there?”

“Cathy’s sister,” Angelica answered.

“Do you have homework?”

“Nothing I can’t finish when I get home.”

“It’s ok with me then,” Tina agreed. “Am I going to pick you up at the mall then instead of Cathy’s?”

“No,” Angelica blurted out. “Her sister is going to drop me off when she’s done shopping and going home.”

“Ok,” Tina said feeling overcome by exhaustion. “Make it an early evening ok Angie?”

“Sure thing Mom,” Angelica said as she hung up and turned around to face her friends with a smile on her face.

“Can you explain to me again why we’re going to the mall?” Cathy asked.

“Darren will be there,” Angelica answered. “We’re just going to hang out with him for a few hours.”

Cathy rolled her eyes to Renee as Angelica walked ahead, typing a text to Darren to tell him they would meet at the mall that afternoon.

Bette groaned as her phone rang interrupting her work. She was going to ignore it, but then remembered that Tina was making a doctor’s appointment and quickly picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Hey Babe,” Tina said in a tired voice.

“What did the doctor say?”

“I couldn’t get in until tomorrow morning,” Tina informed her. “I was actually calling to let you know Angie is going to the mall after school. Cathy’s sister is going to drop them at home when she’s done.”

“How late will she be out?”

“I told her to make it an early evening.”

“So there’s no conflict if I work a little later?” Bette asked deep in thought over her presentation.

“No,” Tina answered. “I’ll just see you when you get home then.”

“That sounds good Tina,” Bette began typing again balancing the phone between her ear and shoulder to continue working. “I love you and I’ll see you when I get home.”

“Love you too.”

Bette closed her phone and pushed the call button to Jordon’s desk. She looked at the clock once Jordon opened the door and smiled at her.

“This is coming along well. You were here late last night and things are pretty quiet, so why don’t you head home for the day and we’ll start again tomorrow morning?”

“Thanks Bette,” Jordon said quickly hurrying to exit her office before her boss changed her mind.

Bette leaned back and stared at the presentation contemplating what it was missing to wow the potential artists she was scheduled to meet. The graphics were eye catching, the history of the gallery impressive, but there was a key element missing and she was struggling to identify it when the door opened.

“I thought I sent you home,” Bette said finally looking up from her computer.

“Not that I can remember,” Megan Freedman said in her sultry voice. “It’s been a long time but I would have remembered something that good.”

Bette stood staring into Megan’s beautiful face with a stunned look on her own.

“Megan,” Bette said in a soft voice still looking shocked at her unannounced visitor.

“Is that all I get?”

Megan walked further into Bette’s office with her arms open wide. Her beauty was not lost on Bette, her walk confident, and her smile radiant. Bette got up from behind her desk and met Megan in the middle of the room.

“Of course not,” Bette said recovering from her initial shock.

Bette opened her own arms and hugged Megan, surprised at the sincerity that Megan put into hugging her.

“I’m sure you heard I stopped by last night,” Megan said not waiting to be offered a seat, but taking one nonetheless.

“I did,” Bette confessed.

“I was sorry I missed you.”

Bette stood staring at Megan trying to determine what she wanted with this casual visit.

“You look worried,” Megan said smiling at Bette.

“I wouldn’t call it worried.”

“Then please, sit down, and let’s catch up.”

“This meeting isn’t to just catch up is it?”

“If it were,” Megan smiled. “I’d have had it a long time ago. I am glad to be catching up with you though, you haven’t changed a bit.”

“I’ve changed more then you know.”

“I doubt that.”

“Really?” Bette arched her eyebrow and allowed a small smirk to grace her face.

“I know more about you then you know.”

“Such as?”

“Let’s see,” Megan paused for dramatic effect. “Let’s start with the fact that your assistant wasn’t the one that told you I paid a visit here last night.”

“How do you know that?”

“It was your partner,” Megan continued ignoring Bette’s question. “The cute blonde that allowed the shock at seeing me show all over her face.”

“I think it was simply that you command a certain level of attention given your confidence.”

“Whatever it was,” Megan waived her hand in the air. “I Googled you enough to know that she’s your partner.”

“Wife,” Bette corrected her. “We were married in Canada not too long ago.”

“After a long break-up,” Megan added.

“You have done your homework.”

“Would you expect anything less?”

“You must know I have a 14 year old daughter as well,” Bette added hoping to break the sexual chemistry between them.

“I know you didn’t give birth to her,” Megan said as her eyes surveyed Bette’s body. “Your body has never looked better.”

“Thank you,” Bette said taken by surprise at Megan’s boldness. “You haven’t changed much either.”

“I’ve matured with age,” Megan smiled. “Like a fine wine that needs time to come into itself.”

Bette looked stunned at Megan’s confidence, which could also be mistaken for arrogance.

“What are you doing here Megan?”

“I came to California specifically to see you.”

“Why would that be?” Bette braced herself preparing herself for the reasoning Megan was about to provide for her mystery visit.

“Have you followed my career?”

“Who hasn’t?” Bette retorted.

“Then you know I no longer need to play the role of a starving artist,” Megan smirked as she cocked her eyebrow. “I’m one of the lucky few that’s made enough money to live the life I want without having to work every moment of the day sculpting pieces for the masses.”

Bette relaxed a bit in her chair riveted by Megan’s voice.

“I vowed when that happened, and I knew it would, that I’d do something solely for myself whether the Philistines agreed or not.”

“Must be nice,” Bette muttered envious of Megan’s artistic freedom.

“It is,” Megan smiled catching Bette off guard, causing a flutter in her stomach. “So in the interest of fulfilling the promise to myself I’ve designed a show that I’m going to begin creating in a week.”

“The topic?” Bette arched her brow in intrigue.

“A statement against the corrupt Government,” Megan said confidently. “The show will center around several pieces depicting the pro-choice movement. It’s a powerful statement and one, as a woman, I feel I need to make.”

“It’s a bold one,” Bette agreed.

“That’s where you come in,” Megan smiled, once again disarming Bette’s confidence. “I need a few things to make this a success and you’re at the epicenter of them.”

“Me?”

“I need someone skilled at handling controversial shows,” Megan began her explanation. “Your ability to handle bold, controversial shows, starting with Provocations, tells me you’re the person I need to make this a success.”

“Go on,” Bette said sensing there was more behind Megan’s requests.

“I need warehouse space to work in,” Megan said. “I know you’re light on work and you need this show as much as I need to create it. You’ve got extra space and I need it. Finally, because you knew there was one more reason, I need an extra eye and pair of hands if I’m going to do this right.”

“I’m not a sculptor.”

“No, but you’re passionate and one of the most intelligent and inspired women I know.”

“You can go get graduates that actually study sculpting techniques to help you.”

“I don’t trust them,” Megan countered.

“But you trust me?”

“If I didn’t we wouldn’t have slept together all those years ago.”

Bette’s mind flashed to an earlier time of the two of them lying in bed exploring each other’s bodies. She shook her head to rid it of the memory quickly, contemplating her answer to Megan as it was obvious she was expecting a quick one.

“What’s your answer Bette?” Megan pushed on. “Are you prepared to take this on and save your gallery? At any cost?”