“Glendale Galleria,” said Alice, taking a breath and feeling herself
calm just from talking with the British woman. “In the parking lot
level two.”

“Level two?” said Helena and Alice could practically picture an eyebrow
lifting in droll humor. “How on earth did you manage to achieve that?
Was someone flattened?”

“No, someone wasn’t flattened,” said Alice dryly. She closed then opened her eyes and murmured, “You’re coming here aren’t you?”

“Was there any doubt?” asked Helena softly. “I told you to ring me
whenever you should feel the need. After all, haven’t I done the same
thing? You weren’t cross with me when I called you at one a.m. last
Friday.”

“Your ex is evil,” Alice said darkly, scowling as she recalled Helena’s
phone call that night. She was barely able to hold it together after
Winnie stopped by unexpectedly and demanded to see the children despite
the late hour. The woman had been clearly tipsy from a night on the
town and the alcohol served to further lower her insult inhibitions as
she spewed off a whole new list when Helena refused to wake the
children for her. “I want to squash her.”

“Squash her?” echoed Helena, laughing fondly. “What does that mean
precisely? I find myself a wee lost thanks to my Britishness, darling.
Do explain.”

“Ha! You’re using my word,” crowed Alice, sitting upright now and
grinning largely. “I knew you would! Britishness is too good of a word
for you not to use.”

“Of course I am,” said Helena, exaggeratedly solemn. “How could I not
use it? You are a paragon when it comes to language and I feel
compelled to marvel at your unmatched skills,” said Helena teasingly as
Alice heard the familiar beep that came from unlocking her car. “Now
would you please explain your desire to squash my ex? Whatever that
should mean.”

“Squash her,” said Alice, her physical shrug of her shoulders appearing
quite clearly in her voice as Helena could see it happening in her
minds eye. “Step on her, to crush her under my boot or fashionable high
heels. You know, stuff like that.”

“That’s quite a grim image, isn’t it?” Helena chuckled.

“She deserves squashing,” said Alice rather adamantly, scowling as she
remembered how upset Helena had been on that phone call and then in
person. If she ever saw Winnie in person she would want to squash her
certainly. “When I was in High School I really sucked in science,
right? My teacher, Mr. Blumsen totally had it out for me. He was always
making these digs about my mom being a soap opera actress. Plus he’d
like… insult my boyfriend Isaac who was just the best boyfriend ever.
Especially for a high school boyfriend, you know? I mean, he called me
every day!” Alice sighed wistfully and Helena grinned as she realized
the blonde was on a trip down memory lane. “Anyway, my teacher was a
jerk. So I used to picture squashing him underneath my Vans in class.
Like he was a bug or something. It was therapeutic.”