Nickel shook her mane. Horse and baby had lost interest in one another and a tideline of sweat was drying on the horse’s flank.

‘Well, then,’ Bette said. And pocketed the worry beads for later.

***

Around ten, Angie was watching TV in her room when there was a knock on the door. She’d noticed her mothers exchanging looks when cleaning up after dinner. She knew what this was.

‘Come in.’

The door opened and emotion clutched Angie’s stomach. They look so old! She felt ashamed, for how offended they’d be, but also scared for them, for their frailty, not now but one day, in this harsh place.

‘Hi,’ said Tee. Bee was standing behind her with her hand on Tee’s waist. The way they’d always stood in the doorway of all her rooms, in WeHo, in New York, in Silver Lake.

‘Come in,’ she repeated.

They entered and found somewhere to sit. Angie pushed the iMac back to the wall, but couldn’t get it shut down in time.

‘You’re watching Happy Days?’ 

It was sweet how happy Tee sounded. ‘I know it’s dumb,’ Angie said to Bee.

‘I loved that show,’ Tee went on. ‘It’s so sad Scott Baio turned out to be such an a-hole. But Henry Winkler is lovely.’

‘Have you met him?’ 

‘Mhmm.’ 

They all smiled at each other, slightly glazed. 

Zzz-bkkk.

‘Really, Bette?’

‘Sorry.’ Bee hurried to check her phone. ‘Jesus, Tina, you never picked up the ticket? She’s gonna lose it tomorrow.’

‘Well, she works for us, remember?’

Bee got the sulky chin. Thumbed something into her phone and pocketed it. Angie had noticed redness under her left eye when she took off her sunglasses at dinner. Now it looked worse. Half-closed, almost.

‘So, you know what we want to talk about?’ said Bee.

‘It’s fine if you don’t want to,’ stressed Tee.

Angie shrugged. ‘What’s up?’

Bee stared at her. There was a fight there if Angie wanted it.

‘Look, we’re sorry you ended up supporting Alice,’ said Tee. ‘She told me she’s looking for a rental from Monday.’

‘Why can’t she stay with Shane?’ asked Bee.

‘The dogs.’

‘Christ.’

‘Is that really why you came down, though?’ Tee’s solicitous tone grated. ‘Was it just Alice or—’

‘What’s going on with your work?’ Bee asked. ‘Have you caught up?’