Walking briskly she cut their very curious friend’s path off.  “Give them some time won’t you?”  Bette whispered while grabbing Alice by the wrist, leading her away.

“What? Who?” A surprised Alice surveyed the room accordingly.  “Give who some time?  Or is it whom?” 

Spotting Tina and her companion, she whistled in appreciation, “Who is that?”

“A friend of mine.”  Bette said seriously as she held up a finger to call the girl behind the counter for service.  “One I think is perfect for Tina.” 

Alice looked exaggeratedly between Bette and the table where Tina and this ‘perfect friend’ were courteously conversing.  Distractedly. 

“Excuse me?” Alice asked.

“Did you just say he’s perfect for Tina? As in the Tina who’s sitting next to him?  The person otherwise known as the mother to your daughter?  The hot blonde who shared your address for seven slash eight years?” she paused to melodramatically take a breath. 

Her brow furrowed.  “As in the Tina who would like nothing more than to be with you again?”

“Alice,” the fashionably heeled woman warned.  “Don’t.”

The reporter argued with her long-time friend in her head.  In lieu of grumbling or screaming like she wanted, she settled with “Hmm…so you’re setting her up on dates now huh?”

“It’s not a date.”  Bette defended impatiently. 

“If things go as planned, their next meeting might be though.”  In Alice’s opinion, the twinkle in her friend’s eye was childlike with awe and rather impressive.  Well, that and totally clueless.

The loose-lipped woman turned around to lean on the counter, leaving her sunglasses on so she could observe without being too obvious.  “I see.” 

Tina and Steve continued their sparse interaction.  Their common friend’s gaze constantly found its way directed at Bette – as if to lure her back.  Albeit her stare was unacknowledged by the taller woman who was intent on prolonging the newly introduced pair’s interaction. 

Alice sighed muttering under her breath, “Oh Bette.”

The curly haired woman settled on her heels and turned with raised eyebrows in question.  “Did you want something?” 

“No.”  Alice replied defensively.  “It’s just…”

“Just what?”  Bette interrupted.

“You know that I think she wants you back and…” 

What Alice meant to say was she knew the woman who sat four tables away with eyes glued to the back of the woman who stood next to her wanted her back.  However that judgment would have to be reserved for another verbal contest.  Either Tina was not being obvious enough or Bette just refused to acknowledge it.  Skating around it with diverted topics and hasty departures.