At seven thirty on any given day The Planet could be relied upon to have the same crowd talking not so animatedly over pre-work coffees, almost a catalogue of LA’s professional lesbian scene. The legal scene dominated the coffee benches; accountants and executives populated the middle tables, while the medics smoked anonymously out the back and a collection of the owner’s friends passed through the middle.

Though Alice Pieszecki could effortlessly provide multiple links between any two faces, each of the groups kept fairly insular but for the occasional nod or smile of recognition between individuals. Breakfast had become stale- the one meal of the day without alcohol for social lubrication highlighted the lack of spontaneity and mystery in the lives of Shane McCutcheon and Alice who sat silently at a large table waiting for inevitable entrances of their closest friends. A brunette familiar frame clad in a navy power suit paused at the door to remove its sunglasses and revealed unfamiliar green eyes

“Oh my fucking god that looks just like—“

“Bette” interrupted Shane finishing Alice’s thought

“Yeah” replied a startled Alice, still staring at this new figure

“That’s fucking crazy,” laughed Shane reaching for her coffee

“I know, keep Bette out of the sun for a few weeks pop in some eye contact and she just walked through the door…” the journalist suspended her thought for a minute and cocked her head

“Maybe send her out for a few runs and knock off twenty years…” looking up to a disapproving Shane Alice shook her head

“Anyway… uncanny” finished Al hurriedly as she downed the end of her coffee and pretended to read the paper.

Shane meanwhile couldn’t remove her gaze from the doppelganger and made no apologies for it- bestowing the stranger with a nod and smile when their eyes met over her coffee cup. The two friends returned to silence though their thoughts were now synchronised, with each gesture the similarity became more staggering until the tension had become too much for the most promiscuous of the pair

“Fuck this I’m talking to her” grinned Shane as she stood up, only to be physically restrained by Alice who held her leg firmly with her hand

“No Shane” she implored sternly

“You’ll fuck with the fabric of time or something…” easing her grasp as Shane’s expression moved her to self doubt Alice swept some loose hair back behind her ear and picked up her pen

“Didn’t you see Back to the Future?” refined Alice quickly

“Al” began Shane as she shook her head and bent over the table

“I’m just gonna talk to the girl”

“Shane. I love you…. But Doc said it all… It’s all there. Two worlds” Alice, sensing her words were failing her began making manic gestures with her hands and resorting to explosion noises. 

Shane patted Al’s shoulder as she stepped toward this new face, with a loving glance of exasperation at the old. Fixing her eyes on the centre of conversation Shane smirked slightly at the growing neurosis of Pieszecki, and shook her head as she realised the delay had cost her any easy entrance. This new face had now joined the busy line and there were already two people behind her, but McCutcheon wasn’t likely to give up that easy so she quietly followed suit and took the next place. Observing her was intoxicating; it sent Shane’s mind spinning as she listed every thoughtless action, each glance, each item of clothing, jewellery, hair, and all of it was Bette. The hunter had had enough with her visual devouring and didn’t care how dangerous an approach in such a precarious situation would be, until the plot thickened. Just as Shane stepped out of line she was cut off by a blonde sporting a frighteningly similar frame to herself, this new entrant strutted by in a loose navy shirt with miniscule white sports and black trousers as a pair of black and white wingtips clicked curtly against the ground. Even Shane had to listen to Doc on this one; quickly re-routing back to Alice she skidded into her chair

“Okay Al” Shane swallowed dramatically and clapped her hands on the table top

“You were right”

Alice had failed to notice the blonde and watched Shane wearily

“What changed your mind?”

“Ummm…” glancing quickly back to the scare of her life and then to the floor Shane hid her face in her hands

“I think I just walked through the door”

With a large smile and characteristic lack of subtlety Alice spun around to inspect the evidence

“Wow!” laughter creeping into her tone

“You’re so right!”

“This is getting fucking creepy, Al” whined Shane in all sincerity

“Fucking aye” grinned Alice in response who had returned her gaze firmly to the two young women and the pair fell back into silence.

“Oh poo!” exclaimed Al

“I want me too come in…” Shane didn’t bother responding she was still dealing with the concept that Bette had a double, that she had a double, and that their doubles were friends.

“I’ll definitely sleep with her” continued Alice, which woke Shane from her stupor.

“You want to sleep with me Alice?” interrogated a disgusted Shane

“No you idiot, with me”

“I don’t see an Alice, Alice” grinned Shane

“She’ll be here somewhere”

“Why’s that?”

“Cause the group can’t function without Alice… What you think Bette’s gonna get your jokes? Or pull you out of bar brawls? I think not!”

“and just why is that?” smoothed Bette as she took a seat and winked at Shane.

Alice laughed nervously and gulped down her coffee, flicking her terrified eyes to Shane in hope of some salvation- which was offered in a simple explanation

“We’ve found the young you” Shane gestured to the said individual and then moved her gaze to the blonde

“…And then there’s me”

Alice rolled her eyes, slightly frustrated with Shane’s narration skills

“And now we’re waiting for the inevitable entrance of me” finished Alice, as Bette spun around to have a proper look at this proposed doppelganger.

Bette Porter was a vain creature, but even more so she was literal and admitting a resemblance to herself was not a compliment she gave away lightly.

“Alice she’s a fucking Irish Catholic or something” protested Bette with an eye roll

“Stop being so god damn superficial- look at her nose, mouth eyes…” Alice was overcome all over again

“Even her wrists!”

“So what?” began Bette was she readjusted herself in her seat to face them again and lean back into her chair

“Its Dublin Bette?”

Shane cracked a smile and spilt a little of her coffee onto the table, as Bette glanced to her happy to see her observation had hit the right note.

Alice had completely shut up and sat completely still staring ahead of her

“Alice?” prompted Bette, eager to continue her comic momentum

“Sshh.. They’re sitting behind you” whispered Alice in her best nonchalant tone as she scratched her ear.

At this Shane and Bette bolted upright in their chairs and took a packet of sugar each to stir distractingly into their coffees.

“How long?” snapped Bette uncertainly

“Can they hear us?” continued Shane her eyes as wide as possible

“Everything is fine, just act normal and we’ll…” Alice trailed off

“I think I just walked in”

The third member of the mirror party walked doggedly towards the two who had prompted such conversation in our favourite LA lesbians this would be Alice pulled her blonde hair back into a pony tail and shouted out to the other two

“Lex! Becca!” before self-consciously glancing around and skipping across the now revealed Lex and Bec

“I’m having the absolute crappiest time at work” she began before the conversation returned to inaudible murmurs.

“Dana” they all mouthed in unison and laughed.

Bette had had enough of pretending not to be interested and huddled into the middle of the table gesturing for the other two to join her.

“So am I sleeping with Shane or Dana?” she started

Alice furrowed her brow

“Who says your sleeping with anyone?”

“Come on Alice, I’m hot” said Bette matter-of-factly

“Actually I think you’ll find that Lex is hot” muttered Alice

Shane glanced between the two of them furtively

“Hold up I thought Bette was Becca”

“No. I’m Lex” snapped Bette with growing frustration.

Although she was truthfully equally involved Shane couldn’t help but crack a smile at the intensity of Alice and Bette over this dalliance.

“Anyway I should get to Wax” announced Shane as she grabbed her bag from the table behind her.

Her two companions made non-committal noises as they sat straining to hear the words of the three behind them, Shane shook her head and headed out and into the day- half expecting a phone call from Alice in a few hours listing their jobs and places of residence.