“Wait!” Bette cried, chasing after them. “I felt bad I didn’t stop and talk to you that day, and I just wondered –”

The woman turned around and glared at Bette.

“I wondered if you had a safe place to stay. You and your daughter.” Bette stepped closer, bridging the gap between them. “You see, I have a daughter, too…”

“So you said.” The women looked Bette up and down with curious contempt.

“I was worried about you,” Bette said meekly. “Do you have a place to stay?”

The woman looked away, at something beyond Bette’s shoulder. “We’ll find somewhere by nightfall.”

“I’d really like to help you,” Bette said.

The woman eyed her suspiciously. “Why?”

“I don’t know. I guess you and your daughter just remind me of me and my own. Bette held out a hand. “I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m Bette Porter.”

The woman looked at her hand and back into Bette’s face. “Danielle.”

Bette smiled at the little girl, who was watching this conversation take place with round, curious eyes.

“And what’s your name?” Bette asked her, smiling.

“You don’t need to know her name,” Danielle said flatly. She took the girl’s hand and started to walk away. The little girl turned and looked at Bette before they disappeared around the corner.

Bette had wanted to follow, but she sensed it wouldn’t do any good. She would have at least liked to give the woman some money or something, but she had a feeling Danielle wouldn’t have accepted it. She continued on her walk home, her pace meandering, lost in her thoughts.

Was she wrong to try to help? Where would they go tonight? She asked herself these and other questions until she was in front of her own familiar, comfortable brownstone. She got out her keys and trotted up the steps. She had all but forgotten her excitement over finding Tina’s perfect gift.

She let herself in and, called out for Tina and Angie, and got no reply. They must not be back yet. Tina had taken the day off from work, the first weekday of Angelica’s winter break, and they were spending the day together. Tina had been grumbling about pretty much every present Bette had bought for Angelica, asking if it was necessary to give Angie so much. Bette chalked up Tina’s sudden Grinchy outlook to her concern that Angie was developing an entitled attitude. Bette hoped the time they were spending together would give Tina a chance to realize Ang was the same girl that she had always been.