The next morning, she pulled slowly up to the curb in front of the Planet.  Looking around cautiously, she ran inside, confident that Dana was no where to be found.  Kit, spotting her, let out a yell of excitement as she threw her arms around Alice, and took her in close.  “It is so good to see you, you look great.”

Alice released Kit and pulling back said, “So, I guess you heard, huh?”  Kit jokingly brushed Alice‘s shoulder with her hand and said, “Honey, all of Weho heard what you did,” and walked off laughing behind the coffee bar.  “That’s, that’s great,” Alice said, joining her on the other side.

Kit: “So what’ll it be?  Espresso?  For you, it’s on the house.”

Alice had been paying attention to the far off surroundings and didn’t notice the dark handsome figure turn to face her.  “Actually, Kit, it’s on me.  Hello, Alice.”

Alice awkwardly said, “Oh, wow, Helena, hi.” It was all she could say as Helena kissed her lightly on both cheeks.  The pleasantry startled Alice.  “Long time no see, where have you been hiding?”  Alice didn’t trust Helena.  We should get that out of the way, like, immediately.  She sensed in Helena more ulterior motives than a hooker sporting a smile on the Vegas strip.

She insincerely chuckled as she said, “I’ve, ya know, I’ve been around.  Yeah, how about you?  Where’ve you been hiding yourself?” 

“Listen, Alice, I was meeting some friends for tea but they called and told me they had to attend to something or other, would you care to join me for lunch?”

Alice: “Uh”

Was this allowed, Alice thought.  Wasn’t there some code you had to uphold and honor; the code of thou shall not hang out with thy friends ex or thy friends lover’s ex, or something?  But, Helena was a sly one.  Before Alice knew it, she was being offered Danish and felt her newfound enlightenment from this morning’s meditation session becoming blurred as she spilled her guts out.  “So, have you talked to her at all?” Helena asked.  “No, no, we, she, it’s complicated.”

Helena: “Dating someone else, is she?”

Alice stirred around uncomfortably in her seat as Helena reached out, cupping her hand over Alice‘s and saying, “It’s alright, Alice, I know about the chef.  But you, you really shouldn’t spend so much time worrying about her.  These things have a way of working themselves out.”

Alice couldn’t understand it.  Why would Helena, of all people, be so consolingunless she wanted something.  “How did you hear about Lara?”  Helena picked up the menu and without taking her eyes off the dessert listing, said, “I come in here all the time, Alice.  And I have eyes of my own.”  Helena dropped the menu and said, “And besides, I’ve been there more times than I care to count.  I can practically see it written out across your chest.” 

Alice looked down at her shirt before realizing Helena was being ironic.  “Have you stalked her yet?”  Alice looked around quickly before leaning in and whispering, “No, never I would never do something like, yes, quite often, but I’ve made the decision to stop.  If Dana loves me, she’ll come back to me.”

Helena threw her head back and laughed as she said, “I knew it.  Oh Alice, they never come back.  And since they don’t, why deny yourself the extra added torture.  When done correctly, it can be quite therapeutic.”

Alice, now filled with curiosity, said, “Wait, are you speaking from experience, Helena?”  Helena just looked from side to side with her eyes and smiling like a fox about to pounce its prey, said, “Maybe.”