LA Times 8

“Tasha, how is it that did you not mention Kerry?” Bette asked as they approached the bar for refills.
“What?” Tasha yelled trying to be heard over heavy the club beat courtesy of Carmen Pica de la Morales DJ extraordinaire, who spun every Friday night.
“Kerry! The architect?” Bette yelled into Tasha’s ear.
“Oh, Kerry, yeah. What about her?”
“Um, she’s beautiful?” Bette said. “She’s hot! She’s gorgeous! Why did you never mention her?” She asked again.
“Oh, well Kit and I were taking bids and we really liked her ideas so she’s…”
“Is she gay Tasha?” Bette interrupted.
“That I don’t really know Bette. We’ve talked strictly business so far and she seems to play it close to the hip, you know?”
“Yeah, I hear you,” Bette responded somewhat defeated. “But if you had to guess…”
“I really couldn’t call this one, sorry. You’re really feeling her aren’t you?”
Bette leaned back against the bar, sipping her drink, “No, no, well yeah…I don’t know. I just felt somehow, drawn to her.”
Tasha leaned sideways, sipping her Corona and watching her friend. She really hadn’t gotten a vibe from Kerry but she agreed; the woman was stunning. She was all class and style and if Tasha could just be a smidgeon superficial, she and Bette could make a hot couple. She decided to throw Bette a bone, “You know, she planned to stop in tomorrow night. Said she wanted to come by a few more times before construction begins so that she could get a grasp on the real tone and atmosphere so as not to lose any of that during the renovations.”
“She sounds pretty thorough” Bette nodded.
“That’s why we hired her.”
“So,” Bette faced Tasha fully, displaying a self-assured smile, “she’ll be in tomorrow, huh?”
“Yes but Bette, be careful. We don’t know what team she’s on or even if she’s single,” Tasha warned.
“I know, I know” Bette smiled, heading to rejoin Shane at the table. Tomorrow night she’d be sure to make an impression on Kerry.

Saturday Night
“I thought you two were on break,” Bette asked.
Shane watched as Carmen maneuvered through the crowd in the direction of the ladies’ room.
“Well we talked after her set last night and thought we’d give it another try. She promised to keep her temper under control and I promised I’d tone down as well.”
“Tone down? Shane you don’t even have to say anything to get a reaction!” Bette looked at Shane skeptically.
“Well, we’re trying again anyway. Maybe we’ll get it right this time” Shane said bouncing her knee and again looking in the direction of the restroom. “Um, you know what? I have to go too. Be right back.”
“Sure,” Bette sighed, “Take your time.” She was really glad that the photographer had found someone special to spend time with, even if they fought a good deal of it. Inside, she thought that Shane really liked the feistiness of her smoldering Latina. It wasn’t what she was used to. While most women clung to her like a wet sock, Carmen was independent, strong willed and certainly willing to leave at a moment’s notice if she so decided. Bette thought that Carmen would be good for Shane, finally she’d found the someone she desired in a way that went beyond the sexual. And at this time in their lives, one night stands and brief sexual flings were easily overrated.
As Bette sat deep in thought she didn’t notice the lone figure that stood before her. “Penny for you thoughts!” Recognizing the voice instantly, Bette looked up to find Kerry smiling at her. Bette stood to greet her as she took in her attire, baby blue vest, tight white slacks, bangles, earrings, necklace, killer heels, hair hanging loose and straight, perfect make up, short nails manicured…
“Hi, Kerry, what a surprise!” Bette said, “I didn’t expect to see you here” she lied.
“Well here I am!” Kerry said, holding up her hands and smiling. Then she became serious, “Am I interrupting? You looked like you were concentrating on something?”
“Oh, no, just pondering the wonders of life you know? Would you like to sit down?” Bette gestured to the chair to the right of hers.
“Thanks,” Kerry said sitting. “This place is fabulous isn’t it?” Kerry said looking around before returning her eyes to Bette’s. “I’m kind of worried. I keep thinking, what more could I do to improve it, you know?”
“Well, Kit told me that you did the Amistad and I’m sure you felt the same then too, huh? Now look at it, anyone who is anyone gets married or holds their events there. Last year, the ICIA convention was held there right?”
“Yes, you’re right.” Kerry answered smiling.
“So, you see, anything you do here will only enhance The Planet’s appeal. I just hope that Kit and Tasha will be ready to handle the aftermath”
“Wow, Bette. I should really hire you for PR!”
Bette laughed softly, “I’m sure you have no trouble with promotions.”
Kerry arched an eyebrow and leant forward, “And why is that?”
Bette opened her mouth to respond when, “There you are! I was looking all over for you.”
Bette looked at the woman passing Kerry a drink. “I thought you snuck out on me or something!” the woman said smiling.
“No, I ran into Bette here” Kerry said gesturing to her left. “Bette this is Monica, Monica this is Bette. She’s Kit Porter’s sister.”
“Pleasure meeting you Bette. May I?” she asked pointing to the chair across from Kerry’s.
“Sure” Bette offered. ‘Damn!’ she thought, ‘Now who is she?’
“So Kit Porter is your sister! Wow! She is amazing. I used to go to The Wire to catch her show almost every weekend.”
Bette smiled and took another sip of her drink. “She’s around here somewhere. If I see her I’ll tell her to come say hi.”
“That would be great. I’d love that, thanks. So she owns The Planet huh?” Monica asked taking in the décor. “I always figured she’d go off recording albums and doing a world tour or something. But this place, this is fabulous.”
“Yeah, Kit’s really done a wonderful job with the place. She and her partner, Tasha actually.” Bette through that last in to see how Kerry or even Monica would respond, but neither took the bait.
“So, Bette what do you do?” Monica asked.
Bette looked at Kerry briefly before answering, “I own The Bette Porter Gallery.”
From the corner of her eye Bette saw Kerry sit back. “You’re that Bette Porter? I saw your gallery featured in Art World magazine. Wow, I’m surrounded by celebrities tonight!” Monica chuckled. “I insist that I buy your next drink. What’re you having tonight?” she asked standing.
Bette looked to Kerry, who simply shrugged her shoulders. “Well, Monica, since you insist, an Absolute Martini would be nice, thanks.”
“And you, Sweetness,” Monica turned to Kerry, “Can I get you another?”
Kerry held her up her glass, “Maybe after I finish this one, thanks Monica.”
“Okay, be right back!” Monica strode purposefully toward the bar.
Bette looked at Kerry and raised her eyebrows in a way that said, ‘So what’s up with your friend?’
Kerry smiled, “You gotta forgive Monica, Bette. This is her first time out in months and you would not believe how excited she was on the way here.”
“Why? Have you had her locked away somewhere, Sweetness?” Bette teased.
“Ha ha! No, she’s a computer systems analyst and her company just finished revamping the entire data communications system at The Towers yesterday.” Bette nodded impressed. “So tonight I called her and told her to put on her dancing shoes cause we were stepping out. Now here she is trying to return to civilized society.”
“Good for her” Bette nodded again. She was disappointed that Kerry didn’t address the “Sweetness” jab. By now it was paining her to know, are Kerry and Monica a couple? Good friends? Is Kerry even interested in women? She knew that from what she could tell, Kit and Tasha were dead on, Kerry keeps close to the vest. She’d definitely have to do some digging. She decided to start with, “Have you and Monica known each other long?”
Kerry began, “Monica and I…”
“Hey Bette, sorry I took so…oh excuse me, hi.” Shane appeared at Bette’s opposite side Corona in hand.
“Hey Shane, this is Kerry. Kerry this is my good friend Shane.” As the two shook hands, Bette went on, “Kit hired Kerry’s company for the renovations and expansions she’s been planning.”
“Oh, that’s great Kerry. Nice to meet you.”
“And you Shane.”
“Here you go Bette, one Absolute Martini,” Monica said placing her drink in front of her.
“Shane this is my friend Monica, Monica this is Bette’s friend Shane.”
Shane nodded and said, “Pleasure” as she sat next to Bette. Monica returned to her seat as well.
“Where’s Carmen?” Bette asked, looking over Shane’s shoulder.
“Oh, she’ll be here in a minute. She had to uh, um…” Shane stammered, “she saw somebody she knows. She’ll be over shortly,” she finished quickly lifting the bottle for a sip.
Bette just smiled at her friend and quickly caught the group up on who was who as Carmen joined them. “Shane’s runs a successful photography studio…Monica is a computer analyst and is letting her hair down after just finishing a major project, Carmen is a prominent local DJ and spins here every Friday night and Kerry” she saved her for last, “Kerry here has accepted the monumental task of renovating The Planet to Kit’s finicky specifications.”
“We heard that!” Tasha said as she and Kit approached the table.
“I’m not finicky am I baby?” Kit looked to Tasha.
Tasha smiled at Shane and Bette before answering. “Well, honey,” she began, pulling a chair over so that Kit could sit, “I wouldn’t say finicky really.”
Kit smiled smugly at Bette. “See!” Bette looked at Tasha disbelievingly.
“Just maybe a little, um, sophistic.” Bette made a grand gesture of rolling her eyes; she was all too sure that in hear head, what Kit heard was sophisticated.
Kerry grinned as she introduced Monica to her new employers. As Tasha pulled her chair next to Kit, she quickly sent Bette a questioning look. Bette shrugged her shoulders. She still was none the wiser and would have to see if something came out in the course of the evening.
—————-
“Kit this place is simply amazing. I really couldn’t imagine improving on anything!” Monica gushed.
Kerry’s head turned sharply, “Um Monica, do you mind? Now you are playing with my money!” The table laughed as a sexy Latin beat began.
“Well, why don’t I make it up to you with a dance? That is what we’re here for right?”
“Yeah, Shane come on. We haven’t tangoed yet either.”
“Oh, so that’s not what you call it?” Bette whispered in Shane’s ear.
Shane grinned at Bette as she stood, “Come on, Carm.”
“In or out?” Monica asked Kerry once again.
“Oh, I’m in, if you think you can keep up!” Kerry challenged.
“Watch me!” Monica dared.
Bette sat and watched, half jealous, half curious as Monica lead Kerry to the dance floor. As the tempo increased and the bass drummed, so did her heart. What she saw on the dance floor verified that indeed Kerry was a lover of women. Unfortunately for Bette, it also proved that there was a very good chance that Monica and Kerry were lovers.